Page 29 of Sunshine & Ink

“Now is not the time, Elizabeth,” I said warningly.

“It’s about Sunni,” she said, and I stilled.

“What about her?”

“Are you going to keep giving her favors?” Elizabeth asked.

“What I give to Sunni is my own business,” I bit out. “She is no concern of yours and no threat to our marriage. I will not talk to you about her.”

“I have heard things,” Elizabeth said.

“What things?”

“Things like you have been giving her special favors so that she doesn’t know her own place.”

Irritation crawled under my skin.

Whohad dared to talk to Elizabeth about Sunni, giving the Righteous information they could try to use against me? I felt Command waiting expectantly behind me.

I didn’t hide the streak of anger in my voice.

“Sunni is a good whore who knows her place. I will not discuss my club girls with anyone.”

“I have information,” Elizabeth persisted. “From someone who felt it was her moral duty to speak up.”

“What is this information?” I demanded.

“I have it on good authority that Sunni harbors very improper dreams about you. That’s the problem with encouraging and being too kind to whores, Raker. Because your perfect little Sunni is planning to tamper with your protection. Such a desperate and crazy whore that she’ll do anything to have your baby, Raker. You need to keep your house in order. I heard this from one of your other club girls,

“That’s troubling news,” Command rumbled from behind me. “I’ll have to consider that in our next round of marriage negotiations. Maybe we should split the cost 70-30 if there’s a possibility one of your whores does something crazy during the ceremony.”

“Don’t worry,” I said between my teeth, anger and chagrin building under my skin. “My house will be in order.”

CHAPTER 11

Sunni

It wassohot today, and the smell of the raw meat we were prepping for meatloaf later made me feel so nauseated.

I had to tell Raker today

I had to gather up all my courage and do it.

But what would he say?

He’d be happy, wouldn’t he?

My stomach churned with a mixture of nerves and anticipation.

He’d neversaidit, but I knew he loved me. He wouldn’t send me away and he wouldn’t send our baby away.

Hewouldn’t.

Despite my nerves, I felt a flutter of excitement in my belly and, even though it was way too early to feel movement, I put a hand on my flat stomach.

Grow, little baby

I hoped our baby would be like Raker. Strong and tough, not uncertain and anxious like me.

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