Page 57 of War

“You’re not going anywhere,” he states, and I see his eye is swollen where he took a hit for pissing off War.

“Lore—”

“I mean it, Ora. I understand why you want to leave, but it’s not safe.”

“No one is safe around me right now,” I mutter, and Lu laughs. Xanthe shakes her head, clutching the bag in her hand tightly. “Fine, I’ll stay until lockdown is over, but then I’m gone.”

Lore’s violet eyes fill with relief. “You need anything, you come to me.”

He presses a sweet kiss against my forehead, then winks at my friends. “Why don’t you all come stay in my room tonight?”

I roll my eyes, but the idea holds merit.I should just move rooms.“How big is your bed?”

“Massive.” He grins, picking me up in the air and playfully spinning me around. “We going to have a sleepover?”

“Can I go and chill in there now?” I ask him, and he nods, putting me down and handing me his key.

Lore leaves the kitchen, and we all share a look.

Time to face reality.

“Oh my God, Lore’s drawers are filled with lube, condoms, and sex toys,” Lu calls out, Xanthe laughing in the background.

I’m in Lore’s bathroom, holding the stick I just peed on in my hands.

Opening the door, they both stand from his bed, which could, indeed, hold more than four people.

“We have to give it a minute,” I say, shifting on my feet. “What were you saying about sex toys?”

Needing the distraction, I put the test down and go have a look myself, smirking at his one-track mind. He has everything possibly needed for a kinky night of hot, no-holds-barred sex. In his second drawer, though, I find a picture of him and a beautiful woman. He looks much younger in the photograph, and his smile is bigger than I’ve ever experienced from him. I quickly put it away, realizing I’m crossing a line. I don’t think he’d care if we saw his condom stash and handcuffs, but the photo seems personal.

“Let’s go look,” Xanthe suggests, and we all head back to his bathroom counter, standing in a row, bending over the test.

Two. Damn. Lines.

“Holy fuck, you’re going to have a baby,” Lu murmurs, green eyes filled with emotion. “Should I say congratulations or sorry? We’re at that age where I don’t know which one is appropriate.”

I laugh with tears in my eyes. “Let’s go with the first one.” And we form a group hug.

“I need to tell War.”

“Now?” Xanthe asks, raking her teeth over her lower lip.

“I don’t know. Let me do the two other tests just to be sure,” I suggest.

But in my heart, I know.

I already knew.

Two more positive tests later, I head back down to speak to War. He’s not around the bar or even outside, where some of the women are swimming in the pool I’ve yet to try out.

I find him in the gym, punching the shit out of a boxing bag. He’s taken off his shirt, and a sheen of sweat covers his muscled body. That sexy V on his hips makes my mouth water a little, along with the little trail of hair that leads into his low-slungpants. I’m about to make myself known when Sarah approaches him.

I didn’t notice her there.

Has she been sitting there watching him?

I realize she’s changed into her workout gear—a sports bra and tight shorts that go right up her ass crack. She has a six-pack herself, making me glance down at my own soft, about-to-be extremely round stomach.

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