Page 53 of Company of Thieves
It just made what we had, the deep, soul-twining rightness of being, unique. I had never felt for any other man—my ex-husband included—the emotions that bound me to Alan.
“All right,” I said, giving him back my hands, my words coming out stilted and formal with the possessiveness that didn’t want to give way. “So long as you don’t harbor any unresolved feelings for her, I will allow you to have had, in the past, illicit relations with my sister-in-law.”
“Great. Now my wife’s lover has brainwashed my sister,” I heard Jack mutter.
Octavia bit his ear. “Former lover, Jack. The ‘former’ part is important.”
Alan shook his head ruefully, kissing my fingers, sending little curls of need and want deep within me. “As usual, you have unbalanced me. Octavia says you were not harmed by Etienne.”
“Not in the least. Did I ask you where your father is?”
“You did. I assume that by now he is on his way to Prussia to marry the duchess.”
I gawked at him, a full-fledged, openmouthed gawk. “The one he insisted you marry? Why is he marrying her? Not that I want him trying to throw her on you, because that is so not going to fly. But why?”
He rubbed the back of his head again. “My father and I have parted ways. In effect, Prince Akbar is dead.”
There was more to his appearance than he was telling, but now was not the time to delve further into what happened after I’d been kidnapped. “If you’re no longer Akbar, then who are you? What will you do?”
“I’m Alan Dubain, diplomat,” he said, bowing. “And covert member of the Company of Thieves, if you’ll have me.”
“You’ve always been a member, so of course we will welcome you joining us in a more active role,” Octavia said, ignoring Jack’s glare.
“I don’t know about this, Tavy. Look at him. He’s still got one hand on her ass.”
I ignored my brother’s grumblings to examine Alan. “Is that why you look like this? Where are all your pretty clothes? Never mind, you can tell me later. I want to kiss you. And touch you. And maybe lick you, although it’s kind of hard seeing you in those clothes—”
“There will be no licking, touching, and kissing until a few things are explained to my satisfaction,” Jack said in a bossy voice. “I have issues, many issues with the idea that a man I thought was our friend was really a vicious enemy.”
I turned to pin Jack back with a glare. “Well, you’d better get over your issues with him pretty quickly, because in a few months you’re going to be demanding he marry me.”
“I will never!” Jack said, outraged. “Prince Akbar? You are insane, that’s what it is. He’s brainwashed you, and made you insane.”
Octavia sucked in her breath, indicating she had guessed. I smiled at her, and turned back to Alan. “I’m sorry, this isn’t the way I would like to do this, but as they are family, I hope you don’t mind.”
“You’re not going to propose to me, are you?” Alan said, pulling me to him, his eyes making me feel like I’d been out in the sun, the heat of him soaking into me and making me burn for him.Allof him.
“No. I think ... I don’t know how this happened. ... Well, I know how, but I don’t knowhow, if you get my drift. The bottom line is that I refuse to do this on my own, not when you are here and perfectly able to help me. Especially if your father is out of the picture, because he was truly obnoxious, not that I like saying that about a relative of yours, but I kind of think you’d probably agree. And I think that we just need to do this together. OK?”
“I’m not quite sure what you’re asking me to do,” he answered, his voice so wonderful, it just made me want to kiss the words right off his lips. “But if you need help with something, I will absolutely assist you.”
I gave in to my need and leaned forward, kissing him with every bit of love I possessed. “I sure hope so. Alan, I think we’re pregnant.”
I may not be able to read emotions very well, but even I could see that Alan was stunned. He blinked at me a couple of times. “You’re ... we’re ... I’m going to be ...”
“Yes.” I bit my lip, wishing like hell I knew what he was thinking. What if he hated the idea? What if he felt trapped, but was too honorable a man to tell me that? What if he never wanted children? I realized with hindsight that although I knew the depth and breadth of my feelings for him, I didn’t know what he thought of me beyond his enjoyment of our time together in bed. “I know it’s a shock. It is to me, too, because I didn’t think I could, but Mr. Ho and I think it’s so, and ... well ... I’m actually pretty all right with the idea, but I think now that maybe you aren’t going to want to be a part of this with me, and oh, hell. You aren’t happy, are you?”
“Happy?” He stared at me for another few seconds; then he scooped me up, spinning me around until I thought I was going to vomit.
Which I did ten seconds after he put me down.
“No, I’m not just happy—I’m damned near ecstatic. I’ll just hold your hair back while you’re doing that, shall I?”
“Oh my god, she’s pregnant,” I heard Jack tell Octavia as I retched into her commode. “That bastard has impregnated my sister. He put his hands all over her person, and impregnated her. What are we going to do, Tavy?”
“I don’t actually think it’s any of our business, my love.”
“We have to do something. She’s too vulnerable. Well, that’s it. He has to marry her. You, Dubain. You’re marrying her. I don’t care what you want—you’re going to marry her and make her happy, or so help me, I will string you up by your balls.”
