The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(61)

He kissed her again, just to make her stop talking and give him a moment to process some more and let his relief settle within him. He rested his forehead against hers. “You’re pregnant with my baby, correct?”

She nodded.

He released her hands and pressed his hands to her stomach. “And we’re keeping it, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, then.” He pulled her into his arms again and buried his face in her hair. “Then I guess the four of us need to have some serious talks a lot sooner than we’d planned to, don’t we?”

She cried even harder. “You’re not mad?”

“No, sweetheart. I’m not mad. This isn’t something to be mad about. I love you, and I love your pack. The only thing I’d be mad about is if you tried to cut me out of your life now.”





Her relief only made her cry harder. On the way over, as she sat there in shock, Leo and Jesse had bandied the obvious potential negative reactions back and forth. If Nate was angry, that was it, they would simply walk out and either Jesse or Leo would claim to be the baby’s father on the birth certificate. Ditto if Nate didn’t want to be involved with the baby’s life but wasn’t a dick about it, they’d get his family history so they’d know if there were any genetic issues they’d need to be aware of for future considerations, and part ways with him.

The only thing they really hadn’t covered in depth and been prepared for was his complete and immediate acceptance of the situation.

Duh, as Laurel would have said.

“What am I going to do?” she whispered against his chest.

“What do you mean?” Nate asked.

“I mean…This wasn’t—”

He kissed her. He had a way of kissing her to shut her up, she realized.

Not that she minded.

He made her look him in the eyes again. “I told you, and I’ll keep telling you—I’m here for life. I’m not going anywhere. Do I think I should move in with you tonight? No. But I think we need to sit down and talk, all four of us. This affects all of us. I do want to live with you. Not just as the baby’s father. I love you. I told you that.”

“But…I didn’t think—”

“The only thing that would make me walk away is if you lied to me or cheated on me. I love you, you’re my slave, and my fiancée, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Leo stepped over and touched his arm. “You’re not just saying this?”

“No, I’m not just saying this. Am I in shock? Yeah. Jesus, I was afraid you were going to tell me they found out she’s got cancer or something.”

Leo smirked and looked at Jesse. “Guess you’re off the hook for Burger King runs.”

Jesse smiled. “Well, okay, so there is a silver lining.”

Eva laughed through her tears. “Damn, how quickly they change sides.”

Nate frowned. “Burger King runs?”

“We’ll explain tonight over dinner,” Leo said.

“Tonight?”

“Yeah, unless you have plans?”

“Just catching up on sleep,” Nate said. “Are you sure we want to talk in front of Laurel right now?”

“Why not?” Jesse asked.

“Because…the same reason you guys didn’t want to talk about what you were doing in front of her. To make sure everything took and was going okay. To not jinx the process.”

Leo rubbed at his chin. “True. I think Aunt Tilly’s home. She can take Laurel out and babysit tonight.”

“Shouldn’t you call her and ask her first?” Nate asked.

“Nope,” Jesse said. “This is technically her fault.”

“How do you figure that?” Eva asked.

“She fixed you two up. I say that makes it her fault.”

“She might argue that point with you,” Nate said.

“She can try,” Jesse said. “But Laurel has her Aunt Tilly wrapped around her chubby little hand. That damn Domme absolutely cannot say no to Laurel.”





Chapter Twenty-Two


Much as Leo and Jesse had, Nate and Eva held their collaring the night before the wedding at the club. Laurel was once again spending the evening with Rob and Laura and their little girl, while everyone else gathered at Venture.

Nate hadn’t completely moved in yet, even though he was sleeping at Eva’s house every night now. They would spend tomorrow night at his house after the wedding, alone and able to make as much noise as they wanted before he finished moving his things into Eva’s.

Well, what he could move in. They’d be getting a joint storage unit to put things from both houses until they built a new house.

Laurel had reacted to the news of the wedding and baby quite predictably.

“I’m the flower girl,” she said. Once she’d been assured of that, she seemed to be concerned with little else except that she really didn’t want to share her bedroom with a sibling.

As Loren called for order to start the collaring, Nate smiled down at Eva. She was starting to show and Nate took every chance he got to run his hands all over her belly.

Not to mention Leo and Jesse had staked claim as well, stopping her every morning to talk to her bump.