Page 251 of Labor of Love

BLURB

When dragon shifter Hamish rescued Reed from a bad situation all those months ago, Reed never expected to mate with him. Or wind up pregnant. But Hamish isn't just a hero. He's in love with Reed, and no dragon politics are going to keep him from making his life with Reed as amazing as possible.

CW/TW: mention of kidnapping and parental verbal abuse

1

“Hamish, can I talk to you for a minute?” Reed met him as he stepped out of a meeting with Des, his boss, and the leader of their dragon clan. Damn near gave him a heart attack.

His little omega could be quiet as a mouse. He and Des had rescued Reed from another dragon clan several months ago, one Reed’s father had actually sent him to as a “tribute”, which amounted to a prisoner that they’d slapped around.

Damn Galandal clan scum had paid for that and for kidnapping his own clan’s leader’s omega mate.

He grinned and bent to kiss Reed’s nose before taking his arm in a gentle grip and tugging him away from Des’s penthouse door. Toward the elevators.

“Sure, honey. What is it?”

Reed glanced around. “In private?”

His grin faded as he stepped into the elevator with Reed. “Has someone been mean to you?”

Reed laughed. “Are you kidding? Starry would have their balls.”

Starry, or Alistair, was Des’s mate, who had taken Reed in and made him a personal assistant and who had gone to bat for Reed and would, just in general, protect him like a mama bear.

“And I would roast them for him. So what is it?”

“In our apartment, okay?” Reed looked pointedly at the intercom on the wall of the elevator.

“Huh.” He squinted at Reed, who in his head he called his mate, but if he did that out loud, Reed freaked out. He had a feeling Reed hadn’t experienced a lot of love in his life. “All right. So what have you been up to today?”

“Um, well, that’s what I want to talk with you about.” Reed stared down at the floor, not meeting his gaze. They had gotten beyond this, he’d thought. Reed had been brought up very… isolated. Not used to love. But Hamish had grown up in a wild, wooly, loving family in a thriving clan.

He reached out to tilt up Reed’s chin. “Look at me, baby. What’s going on?”

The door dinged and opened, and Reed took his hand and led him to their apartment, waiting until they were inside and sitting on the couch. Then he took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant,” he said on a rush.

Hamish sat for a moment, pondering all the implications of that. In fact, they all scrolled by in full color and sound. And then he whooped and grabbed Reed up in his arms, kissing him soundly. “Really?” he asked when they broke for air. He couldn’t stop smiling.

“Yes.” Reed looked a bit dazed, lips swollen from his kiss, eyes heavy-lidded. “You’re okay with it?”

“Okay? Baby, I want to go roar it from the rooftop. My mate is pregnant.” Gods, he was ridiculously thrilled, tingling all the way from scalp to toes, and his dragon form wanted to pop out and fly.

“Oh. Good.” Reed grinned at him, but it felt shaky.

That sobered him. “Are you unhappy, baby?”

“No!” Reed put a hand on his belly. “No. But I am worried.”

He tilted his head. “Why?”

“What if my family finds out?” Reed asked, his eyes taking on a haunted expression.

He scoffed, because Reed’s people were dicks. “What if they do?”

“They’ll try to make me go back to them.” Reed pushed back from him, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Hmm.” He stroked his chin, trying to act like he was giving that thought. Hamish was a warrior. His first instinct was to say, ‘Bring it on.’ But Reed was clearly scared. “Why would they do that?”

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