Page 60 of Luna

“You would know if you were there,” I snapped. “She’s an unbonded omega who got pregnant out of heat. She’s ridiculously high risk.”

“Why haven’t you bonded her yet?” Dante frowned. “I smell her all over you.”

“Because she’s got it into her head that I’m only there because of the baby.” I shook my head. “We kept telling her it was just fling, remember? Even though we knew damn well it wasn’t.”

Dante shook his head. “I’m not a good partner, mate. Great in bed, great for a fun time, but lousy partner.”

“Huh. That’s your rationale? I told myself I would be upsetting Quinn.” I gave him the stink eye. “In reality, I’m terrified of fucking it up.”

Dante looked down at the sonogram. He stared at it for so long, like he was memorizing it like I had.

“I can’t stop thinking about her. About the baby.”

He ran his hand through his hair, and I saw why his curls were so disheveled. “I suck at relationships. I’m just gonna hurt her.”

I shrugged. “I can’t help you with your baggage. But you could at least tell Luna that and consider being part of the baby’s life instead of being too chickenshit to even try.”

“What if I screw the baby up?” Dante shook his head. “Not to overshare, but my parents were terrible. The baby might be better off without me.”

I winched at that. I was worried about what sort of parent I would be. I didn’t love the choices my parents made, but at least I didn’t look terrified of the idea of me as a parent like Dante.

“There’s four of us. If you do something too stupid, we will definitely let you know.” I stood up. “You have to want this for yourself. I’m not gonna talk you into anything.”

I headed for the door.

“Wait.” Dante stood up. “Would she even want to see me? I was an ass.”

“You were. I was ready to bury you in the desert myself. But she misses you.” I smirked. “I hope you’re really good at groveling.”

“Let me pack a bag.”

Now to explain to my pregnant omega that I had a surprise for her. A surprise she might not be thrilled about.

Chapter23

Dante

The balmy ocean breeze lifted the hair across my face.

Colton told me we’d meet on the beach. He didn’t have to say it, but I knew it was because Luna might not want my scent in her cottage.

I looked down at the sonogram again. A little girl.

Fear and hope warred inside me in equal measure.

Neither of my parents had been any kind of role model. Both were addicted to drugs and in jail for selling narcotics by the time I was eight. I’d spent time being bounced from one overcrowded foster home to the next until I ran away.

I’d lived on the streets, using my charm and quick wits to claw myself into some illegal gambling operations. Card sharking made me enough money to eat and keep a roof over my head, and for a long time that had been enough. Pure survival.

Magic was the one joy in my life. I started doing shows on the side, amateur night stuff. Maybe it was desperation coupled with the pure love of illusion that drove me, but the crowds loved me. I honed my craft, and it wasn’t long before I had my first agent, and first show.

I’d had more than enough money for a long time. Friends were harder to come by. They wanted the personality I crafted on stage, not me. They didn’t want to hear about the hours and hours of work I put into each trick, each new idea. They definitely didn’t want to recognize the insecurity of knowing someday some new illusionist would come along and I would be a thing of the past.

The gut-wrenching fear that my money wouldn’t be enough. Something terrible would happen, and I would be back on the streets again. When you lived in that level of poverty, it didn’t matter how much money you currently had. A part of your brain thought you were only two steps away from utter ruin.

Now Luna haunted my dreams. Showed me how empty I’d felt until she came along with her quiet nature and sweet scent.

The last four months had felt like hell. I couldn’t really sleep, or eat, or focus on anything. It was like all the joy was leeching out of my soul without her.

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