Page 24 of Forced Pregnant Mate

“It looks like a big place,” I say as we come into the living room. “I’ll have a hell of a time cleaning it.”

“It’s not like you’ll be doing it by yourself,” he chuckles. “I’ll help. It’s our house. I don’t expect you to do everything.”

“What about cooking? Repairs? Is there a job in town you need me to take, so we have enough money?”

Jack stares at me with a little frown on his face.

“Lena, if you’d like to work, that’s entirely up to you, but find something you really love. I have a construction supply company, as well as doing some carpentry on the side. I make plenty of money, and you don’t need to worry about that. You’re free to do as you please, so long as you stay inside Silver Meadows Pack territory where you’ll be safe.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You seriously don’t care if I cook or clean?”

He chuckles softly. “I don’t expect everyone in the world to be a gourmet cook. If you don’t enjoy it, that’s fine. We can get takeout, and maybe Mom can teach me a thing or two, I don’t know. We’ll figure it out. You aren’t my slave, Lena.”

I look around the beautiful living room, imagining what the rest of the house looks like. I’m astounded by the idea that I get to live here, and I don’t have to stress out about cleaning it.

Jack is watching me, a small smile curving his lips. Even though I’ve been pushing it away all day, the memories he left on my skin are still there, echoing pleasure through my entire being.

I want this. I want it too much!

Which is exactly why I can’t believe it.

“Okay, so where do I put my things?” I ask. Jack nods, the sweet look on his face swiftly fading.

“Just head up this hallway. The bedrooms are up here.”

The clipped tone hurts me, but it’s somehow welcome, as well. Now we’re being real with each other, with no lies. I’m a burden to him—this is nothing but duty. All the passion I felt last night was forced. It had to be.

We were being watched, for fuck’s sake. Of course he put on a good show. That’s probably why Father wasn’t there this morning—he figures we actually did consummate!

I follow Jack up the hallway, trying not to think too hard about the future. If I can get through today without crying again, I’ll consider it an absolute win.

Chapter 10 - Jack

The first twenty-four hours in our new house are tense. Even though I’ve tried to reassure Lena about my expectations, I don’t think she believes me. Over the next few days, I go over all the details in my mind, trying to think of ways I could do it better.

After showing her where the bedrooms were, I could see how uncomfortable she was, so I left her in the master bedroom and set myself up on the couch. Since neither of us are great cooks, we ended up eating sandwiches and not talking much. After that first night, the distance seems to be widening between us. Even if she is sitting right next to me, I can’t reach her.

I focus as hard as I can on work, trying to distract myself. The construction supply business is busy enough to keep me occupied, but it’s my private projects that really get my mind off things. When I started in carpentry, I just did basic jobs, but along the way I made a few personalized pieces and they were so popular, I still get specific orders from people that want unique items.

On an average morning, I spend a few hours on the phone with suppliers and clients, organizing materials and deliveries for different projects. My secretary takes all the calls for new business, and my boys in the shed work on getting the orders out. While all that’s going on, I don’t have time to think.

But every morning, as we have our first break, Lena fills my mind. We’ve lived as a married couple for almost a week, and I don’t think I’ve touched her once.

I don’t even know what she does all day. I don’t mind at all if she just wants to relax or develop a personal hobby—I’d love to see her enjoying herself in her free time. My only problem is that she doesn’t want to talk to me about it.

While the others go out for coffee I head out the back to my workshop to look at my private projects. I’m working on a coffee table that has a coiled dragon as its base that just needs to be finished off and polished. I run my hands over the dark wood, as if it could come alive for me if I carved it just right.

I also have a bed frame I’m working on that has a wreath of tree branches across the headboard, and a set of dining chairs carved with ivy and delicate flowers. Nothing compares to the beauty in the back corner, though.

I approach the rocking horse with an almost hesitant sense of wonder. It’s the most intricate item I’ve ever made, something I’ve worked on for years as a personal passion project. Up until now, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it.

Now I do. I want to give it to Lena as a gift for our first child.

The thought makes my chest feel tight. I didn’t know I could miss someone so much when I was living in the same house with them. The casual, fiery banter we used to share has been nonexistent—I feel like she barely even looks at me.

All I want is to spend time with her. I need to know her dreams and her goals in life, what makes her excited, what could make her sad. I want to hear her voice while she talks, and I don’t even care what she talks about.

Just watching her, seeing her smile, the way she tosses her hair, the spark in her eye when she gets animated. She enchants me, and I wish I knew how to show her how much she means to me.

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