Page 8 of Ready or Not

“Jesus Christ,” Cooper whispers.

“That one isn’t ready for kids. Not anytime soon.” Patrick laughs, looking at Vale. “I’m willing to head into the office tomorrow if you’d like to do an ultrasound to check. Otherwise, we’ll see you on Friday for your normal checkup.”

“Thank you,” she says, pulling her nightgown down to cover her stomach.

Bishop still has his hand under it, though.

“I’ll walk you out,” I say to get Patrick moving. If it does become necessary to murder his little brother, then I’d rather get him out of here with as little information as possible.

It might be time to accept that I’m well and truly in love with the little omega. No matter how fond I am of Cooper, I’ll still kill him without blinking an eye if it’s necessary.

One thing he won’t be doing is taking Vale and the baby away from us.

I don’t give a good goddamn if his sperm fertilized her egg.

That baby is mine.

Apparently, I’m on the verge of going feral. I’ve never found myself plotting the demise of one of my oldest friends. Even I’m a little surprised at the lengths I would go to keep my wife safe and content, but that just goes to show…

I’m a damn good husband, even if I’m only one day in.

Chapter Four

Cooper - Before

The beautiful little omega slides her hands up my sides, helping me get my shirt up. I chuckle because she’s nowhere close to tall enough to get it off without help.

Yanking it off with a hand at the back of my neck, I toss it over her computer chair.

Her eyes widen as she hungrily checks me out. Her pink tongue darts out, licking over her puffy lower lip. My dick pulses, thickening against my thigh.

That look does my fucking head in.

I growl, burying a hand in her hair at the base of her skull and tilting her head back. She whimpers, and the sound doesn’t help my paper-thin composure.

I dive for her mouth, relishing the taste of her on my tongue. She tastes sweet like strawberries, but her skin is hot against mine. So warm that, if my brain was functioning properly, I might stop and ask if she’s okay.

But all rational thought seems muted as she jerks open my belt.

“Ah-ha,” she whispers against my lips, smiling brightly. Her cold fingers brush my pelvis as she pops the button on my jeans and slowly lowers my zipper.

My hand tightens in her hair as I try to remind myself that I said no sex tonight.

Okay, so I didn’t actually say it aloud, but that’s always been my plan.

Make her come on my tongue until she’s so overstimulated she doesn’t realize we didn’t take that step. Maybe my fingers, if I’m especially desperate to distract her.

Not that I’ve ever been opposed to sex on the first date, but I want her to know how much I like her.

We need to talk about courting and how attached she is to this shitty apartment, because I want her to come back to Charlottesville with me.

There’s no reason she needs to live like this. It’s not safe for a beta, let alone an unbonded omega.

I’ve already told Ranger I’m out after this assignment.

I’m heading back home, and if things go well, I’ll be bringing Vale with me.

Not that I’ve got a full-blown pack, but I think she’ll like my best friends. I hope she will, anyway.

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