Page 63 of It Must Be Fate

Chapter Sixteen

Nera

“How’s the firm going?” I ask. “Congratulations on your one-year anniversary, by the way.”

Six beams at Bellamy who raises her glass of orange juice in cheers, then turns back to me. “It’s going really well! B is handling all criminal cases, I’m focused on family law, and Phoenix is taking on corporate litigation.”

“Does he spend a lot of time at the firm?”

She hums thoughtfully in response. “I’d say thirty to forty percent. He spends most of his time with my dad at Blackdown but he uses his background in law to…” She pauses to think about her words. “To ensure Blackdown remains on the right side of the law in its shadier operations. I don’t really know much more than that. Neither Phoenix nor my dad will let me get involved.”

“Who’d have thought those two would ever call a truce in their Cold War for long enough to form an alliance against you?” Thayer drawls.

“Right?” She laughs. “But I don’t mind. I’m glad they’re bonding — for a while there, every family brunch felt like a knife might be thrown across the table in either direction, so I’ll take this progress.” She leans forward and grabs a piece of pineapple off her plate, popping it into her mouth. “Plus, I’m not interested in the company. I love the work I’m doing with families and making sure kids grow up in safe homes.”

“I’ve always said it, but you’re a real saint,” Bellamy says, absentmindedly rubbing her belly. “Meanwhile, I’m over here defending rapists and murderers.”

Six smiles at her. “Someone’s gotta do it. Everyone deserves fair representation.”

“I’m surprised Rogue is okay with it though. Seems his protectiveness would kick into overdrive,” I point out.

She gives me a look that makes me laugh.

“You have no idea. Especially now that I’m pregnant again, he’s never been worse. He wants me to come work at CKI after the baby is born.”

Bellamy just announced her pregnancy to us a week ago, which is why I’m holding this celebratory girl’s brunch in her honor. Tristan is upstairs with our kids, distracting them and keeping them from running downstairs and interrupting us.

The twins are two-and-a-half and have embraced the terrible twos with gusto, and Suki is six months and hasn’t been the easiest baby by any means, so it’s no small feat that he’s managed to keep them quiet and upstairs somewhere by himself.

“How do you feel about that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe down the road, but definitely not right now. I like that our professional lives are separate, that we each have our own thing. I’m also afraid that his possessiveness will be suffocating if I work there. You know how he can be.”

Thayer snorts. “Oh, yes we sure do.”

Bellamy drops her head back against the couch. “That being said, maybe it’d be a good thing. He’s so busy these days, we barely see each other.”

She pulls at a loose thread on her jumper and I can tell something is troubling her.

“Is something wrong?”

She sighs. “No, we just had a little disagreement last night. He didn’t come home until really late and missed the dinner I’d cooked for him, so I was a petty bitch and left without saying bye this morning. It wasn’t a big deal honestly, it’s not like it was a special occasion, I was just cranky. You guys know how these pregnancy hormones can be. And now that I’ve been fed this delicious brunch—thank you by the way, Nera—”

“Thank Tristan, I didn’t make any of this. Obviously or you’d all be on your knees clutching the various toilet bowls of my home.”

She laughs. “Well, regardless, the hangry bitch in me has been fed so I have access to my rational brain again and now I regret not saying bye. But it’s nothing, I’m just being dramatic. I’ll see him in a couple of hours. Ignore me, my emotions are all out of whack.”

Six leans over and squeezes her hand. “Back to the question of you working for CKI or not, for what it’s worth, I’ll support whatever decision you choose. You could also split your time like Nix does if you want.”

“Thank you,” Bellamy answers, gratitude echoing in her voice. “I really appreciate that. I do know that would mean a heavier burden on you though.”

“I don’t mind. Astra is the sweetest little baby and we’re not trying for another, so I can take it on. And I was actually going to talk to you and suggest we add a nursery slash playroom to the office. We could have care workers that we’d make available to all employees during work hours. I think that would be nicefor working parents. And that way, I can bring Astra and see her when I want.”

Bellamy sits forward, her entire face lighting up. “I think that’s an amazing idea! You really were meant to work in family law, Six.”

Footsteps coming down the stairs draw our attention to the door, and then Tristan appears and strolls casually in.

“Sorry to interrupt ladies, just need to get Suki’s pacifier.”

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