Page 54 of Keeper

Fuck, that makes my stomach swoop. No one, not even my father, has ever stood up for me.

And he’s right. I’m soon to be the mother of his child.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alex repeats. “You left me to be blindsided.”

“I found out when you did,” he admits. “And she was going to tell you when she was ready.” He closes the distance between us, his left hand falling to my stomach as the other touches my chin like Alex is invisible. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I whisper breathlessly. “Are you? I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you myself, Ephraim kept me in his office all morning.”

“I know.” Dray leans in to kiss my forehead, my nose, both cheeks, and then finally my lips. It’s soft and unexpected, yet absolutely necessary. “I’ve never been more okay.”

“Jesus,” Alex breathes. “It was supposed to be just sex, not... whatever this is.“

So he can have love and I can’t?

“Are you jealous?” I snap, then take a deep breath and hold Dray a little tighter. There’s something about an entitled dipshit that gets deep, deep under my skin. “Sorry. It’s probably too early to blame it on the hormones, so I’ll just say it’s because you’re a dick.”

“It’s not. Right about now those hormones are running rampant, little keeper. Your body is doing so much work, it’s hard to keep up. You’ve been really tired, haven’t you?”

He’s still giving me his full attention, making it easy to forget about the idiot behind him. I stare into those blue eyes, wondering if our child will have them too, and nod. “I’ve been tired since I got here, though. It’s not really anything new.”

“Make sure you rest.” Those eyes darken a split second before they flick to his brother, and the tick in his jaw is unmistakable. “Why are you being a dick, exactly?” His body turns to face him more. “This is what you wanted. You get your gardener and your heir all without having to step on any toes like the good little prince you are. How about you say thank you?”

Alex scoffs. “Right, because you’re the most discreet person in the world. There’s no way this will backfire on any of us.”

“Need I remind you that everyone — including your father — knows you’re fucking Morella and not even you knew I was fucking your brother?” I ask. “I think he’s got you beat tenfold in the discretion category.”

“I can name a few other categories I’ve got him beat in too,” Dray jokes, his hand casually sliding to rest on my lower back. “And I didn’t mean thank me, dipshit. I meant thank her. She’s the one at risk for your bullshit, and like she said, father knows about Morella. Everyone is at risk here but you. You’re the only one in this situation that makes it out bruised and not broken. So fucking thank her.”

His last sentence isn’t a question anymore, it’s a command, one I don’t expect Alex to obey.

So when he bows his head, my eyes widen. “Thank you. Both of you. I know you don’t understand my motivations, but I’d do anything for Morella. I’d give it all up for her. I absolutely won’t risk her life, not for anyone.”

I feel Draven’s hand clench behind me, but he ultimately relents. “Crazy thing is, I do understand, Alex. Now more than ever, but the difference is I wouldn’t be where you are. Bastard or not. I suggest you go find your girl though. Shay helped her slip from the room, but not before I saw her tears. Maybe be a little more discrete this time though.”

Alex scoffs, but slips out of the room to go chase his woman. It might be the only redeeming quality the little coward has.

Alone now, I turn to face Draven. “We did it. Or rather, we’re doing it. I guess that’s just as good.”

Suddenly, he drops to his knees and exhales a deep breath, his face resting against my stomach as his fingers curl into my ass to keep me pinned there. “Holy shit. My baby is in here.”

For the first time, I feel like I can genuinely smile about it. I’m not faking anything for anyone, I’m not trying to act surprised that it finally happened. I can just be happy it did.

“Our baby,” I correct. It feels so strange to say it out loud. I thought when I ended up with Jake, my dreams of becoming a mother were over. That was always the one thing I held onto at St. Andrew’s, that even if they put me with someone I’d never love, I’d eventually get to be a mother. I’d get to experience the truest love of all.

And now, despite how complicated this is, it’s finally happening.

“Our,” he agrees, sighing when I run my fingers through his hair. “They can’t hear me yet, but as soon as you get halfway I’m going to be talking to them every day just in case. They need to know my voice. Not his.”

Draven lifts my shirt up and starts kissing the skin below my navel, and I know it’s meant to be cute, but it just makes me violently horny. “Get up,” I rush out, pulling him to his feet as I wiggle out of my skirt. “Get on the bed. Now.”

“Damn, beautiful,” he chuckles, moving over as told before plopping down. “Let’s defile your fiancé’s bed.”

I tug my shirt the rest of the way off and toss my bra onto the floor, letting him get a good look at me as I undress completely. He’s never been hotter to me than he is right now. “Lay back. You’ve made me feel so good, it’s my turn.”

His pupils blow so wide the blue disappears, but that cocky demeanor I’ve grown attached to stays. “Take me out, little keeper. It’s all yours.”

He lays down and gets himself comfortable with his gaze locked on me unblinkingly. It’s intoxicating.

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