Page 130 of Forbidden Heroes

“So you get us instead. Maybe looking into our eyes when we tell you how much we love you would be better anyway.”

Daemon. God, I love his directness. More now than ever. He falls victim to my hug next.

“Why don’t you just blurt it out, man,” Erik ribs his friend and I laugh through the sudden tears that spring up.

He lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “What? It’s not like the flowers didn’t give it away.”

Beside them Warren patiently waits, his eyes so intense I can literally feel them tracking my every move.

“Are you two done?”

Warren grabs me by the hips and plants me on a stool.

“We’ve missed you, baby. Thank you for not completely shutting us out. The texts you sent were everything.”

“I would never freeze another soul out. I would never do that to anyone.”

“I know, baby. We all do.”

Warren captures my lips in a warm kiss and for seconds, minutes maybe hours I lose all concept of time and just feel. At some point someone gets a little impatient and clears their throat. “You’re our queen and if you let us, we would like to show you what you mean to us every day of our lives.”

“You’ve been fired from your position at the school, I assume? All because of me.”

“Yes. It’s made things a little difficult. But not impossible.”

“My father… I’m so sorry.”

“He’ll come around. Or he won’t. Normally, there’s not much you can do when a man is set in his ways.”

“Just give it time. You might be surprised.” Erik takes my hand in his and kisses each finger before bringing it to his heart.

“How did you guys find me here?”

“Your friend was more than helpful with the details when we showed up at the Valentine’s Day party. She can be very persuasive when wanting information. We first delivered the flowers to your apartment. When we didn’t find you, we went there.”

“In front of the entire student body?”

“The more people who know how much we love you the better.”

I can’t believe my ears. I bite at my lip and consider what I have to say next…and the outcome it will have on the evening.

I look around and see everyone has discreetly vanished. I’ll have to remember to thank Krista.

“I’ve been wanting to show you guys something for a few days now. I just didn’t know the words to use along with the image. Though, it pretty much speaks for itself.” I flick through the pictures on my phone and pull up a snapshot of the pregnancy test and flip around my phone.

They all fall to their knees and place kisses on my belly. The awe in their expressions leaves me so filled with emotions I think I’ll burst if one of them doesn’t say something.

“We thought for sure there was someone else in your life. Someone who would take you away from us.”

“We spent the last three weeks handing in our resignations and making sure we had everything in order to be able to be with you and not jeopardize you, your reputation or your time here at the college.”

“I bet my father loved that, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m expelled, remember?”

Warren’s scowl darkens and I’ve come to learn it means he has something very arrogant to say. “Not after agreeing to build a new library and another lecture wing for science.”

My jaw drops. “What are you saying.”

“Everyone has their price. Even the ones with false standards. We turned the tables on your father. Held something he wanted just out of reach with the threat of taking it away completely if he didn’t comply with our terms—you back in school.”

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