Page 32 of Redeem Me

“Who in your club would have been chosen for me instead?”

Bear’s confidence fizzles out, and he looks confused. He stares over my head as if imagining another man taking his place in my bed.

“No.”

“Just no?”

His gaze returns to me. “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. No.”

“Then, I couldn’t just change the deal, could I?”

“No, I guess you couldn’t. Even if you could then, you can’t now.”

“Why not?”

“I already got punished. Now, I get what I want.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “If I hadn’t run away, I wouldn’t have them.”

“Someone else would raise them.”

I glare at him. “No one loves them like I do.”

“I might one day. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

His mood swings are making me nuts. I’m uncertain how to react. I should just shut up and agree to whatever he wants. That’ll make my family and his club happy. I’ll keep my babies, live in Banta City, and share a bed with a man I crave.

“You should bring them to my house,” Bear says and removes his hand from my jaw.

He reaches down and swipes his phone from the kids. “My cats are brothers. They like playing together, but I think they want more friends. Want to come see them right now?”

“No,” I say and crouch next to the kids. “We can’t go out yet.”

“Deirdre and Kiera?” Jacinda asks me and then looks at Bear. “Play with friends?”

“They live nearby. I’ll have them come over to play with the cats, too. It’ll be good.”

“You shouldn’t play with their hearts until we know everything is settled,” I say and cuddle with Hector who wants to see the cats again.

Bear hands the phone back to the kids and stares into my eyes. “It’s settled.”

“You don’t know. I haven’t even spoken with my parents or Roman about it. We should make sure.”

Bear looks around the estate as I smile at where the kids point at the cats’ picture.

“These are cats,” Hector tells me and smiles right in my face. “Mommy likes cats.”

“Yes, I do.”

“I like cats, too,” Jacinda says, now also in my face.

I smile at how they are on top of me, smiling like crazed cuddle monsters. Remembering Bear, I look up to find him watching us.

“Why are they in your face like that?”

“They’re close talkers.”

“Like Pork Chop, huh? Yeah, he doesn’t know personal space is a thing.”

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