Page 151 of Oathbreaker

“Okay, settle in, bitch,” I say with a wry smile. I hop on the bed, patting the space in front of me. She sits, and Kitty makes space between us.

I reach out to pet him, giving him scratches on his back.

“You’re stalling,” she says as she settles more fully on the bed.

I laugh, but it falls short of humored. “Where the fuck do I begin?” I say.

“How about you start yesterday? One minute, we’re about to have tea and crumpets?—”

“Really, Rons? Tea and crumpets?”

“—and the next thing, you’ve literally left the building!” She waves her hands around her head to emphasize her words.

“Whew, okay, so thing number one,” I begin. Then I swallow. For fucking real, where do I start?

“To explain yesterday, I have to go back a little more. So shortly after I got back home, I learned that Hunter’s dad had something to do with my disappearance.”

She doesn’t move. Not even her expression changes. “Did you—is this not news to you?”

She shakes her head so slowly it’s like her neck sits on frozen, rusty hinges. “No, it’s not. I found that out shortly after you disappeared.”

Oh. Well then.

“Oh-kay,” I mutter. “I guess that’s not the point. We’ve been on high alert for several months because no one knows where Hunter’s dad is. Like, he’s obviously fucking insane and willing to hurt me, August, and Hunter. So Hunter and Leo got some help from this?—”

I break off, unsure how to describe Misha without completely freaking Veronica out or getting on the bad side of a mob boss. Loose lips sink ships and all that bullshit.

“Friend,” I conclude.

“Let me guess, tall Russian motherfucker?”

“How? Um. No, he’s Ukrainian, actually.”

Veronica shrugs.

“Okay, later. I’ll ask you how you know about him later. Anyway, the trip Hunter went on had something to do with Misha. Misha’s offering us protection somehow, but I’m not clear….”

I realize I don’t actually know what’s happening. All I know is that Hunter thinks we’re in trouble, and we are if today’s events are any indication.

I just jumped in, trusting whatever he said and asking no questions.

Who the fuck am I right now?

“Okay, that’s all great and all, but yesterday? What happened yesterday?” She enunciates her words, emphasizing them with a poke to my kneecap.

“Ow! Okay, right,” I say, fidgeting. I don’t know why I’m so nervous to share this with Veronica. She’s my best friend, my sister, and honestly, she should have been there with me while I was peeing on the pregnancy test.

“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out. I drop my gaze to my stretchy pants, not wanting to meet her eyes.

Turns out I don’t have to. Two seconds later, Veronica body slams me back into the soft mattress.

“Rons!” I yell in her ear, pushing her off me, but she winds her arms around me even tighter.

“Sister! You’re gonna have a baby! Oh, my God! Are you excited?” She yells in my ear, her breath hot against my cheek.

I press my head back and yell, “Veronica, get off!”

She releases me, sitting back on her bent legs. “Or are you not happy about it? Do you—do you plan on keeping it? Or?—”

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