Page 165 of Outlaws of Tulsa

It gave me relief because I’m pretty sure my late period is never going to arrive. Since my life has been consumed by Copper, I haven’t exactly kept track of the calendar, but I’m at least a week or two late. I’ve been living in denial.

I didn’t want to make a big fuss in front of Copper, especially if it turned out to not be true, so I swiped a pregnancy test from Hadley’s bathroom when we visited for Thanksgiving last week. I’d been too chicken shit to pee on it, but after this morning, a sense of peace washed over me. Copper won’t leave me and I sure as hell won’t leave him. If we’re pregnant, it’s time to face the music.

Setting the gun down on the counter, I then dig around under the cabinet until I find the test I’d hidden away. The instructions are easy. Pee and then wait. With a ragged sigh, I open the test and then pull my pants down. While I pee, I note that I’ve been slightly sick to my stomach and my boobs have hurt lately. I didn’t dare Google the symptoms of pregnancy in case Koyn was watching my search history or something. The last thing I need is him telling Copper before I have the chance. Once I’ve peed on the stick, I set it on some tissue on the counter and then wash up.

Hansel nudges my thigh, desperate for attention. I stroke his soft fur and praise him for being such a handsome boy. A few minutes pass by quickly and I have to psych myself up to look at the results.

“I don’t even know what I want,” I tell my dog. “It’s terrible timing if I am. My brother is missing and we’re trying to catch these assholes. I’d be a terrible mother trying to bring a baby into all that mess.”

He barks at me as though to tell me to quit being a little bitch and get it over with. I stick my tongue out at him before glancing at the test.

Oh my God.

I immediately burst into tears, overcome with joy for something I didn’t even know I wanted so badly. I’m pregnant. Pregnant with Jeremy Koynakov’s baby. Holy shit.

“You’re going to be a big brother,” I choke out, swiping at my tears. “I can’t believe this.”

A blood-curdling scream has me snatching my gun up from the counter. Hansel growls, running off toward the sound of my sister’s screams.

They’re here.

It has to be Vidal and Collins.

My heart is hammering inside my chest as I run out of the bedroom and down the hall to the living room. I expect to see those assholes. Not him. Fucking Dragon. Towering over the couch beside my sister, absently playing with his knife.

“What are you doing here?” I snap.

Dragon’s green eyes flare with violence. “I heard Koyn talking to Copper and came straight over.”

“How’d you get past the guys outside?” I demand. “They’re watching us.”

“Doing a fantastic job of destroying those donuts and surfing the internet on their phones too,” Dragon says. “It’s a good thing Katana and I came when we did.”

“Why are you here?”

He cocks his head to the side, eyeballing me in that crazy way of his. “I need answers. We have the same agenda.”

“Does Koyn know you’re here?”

Dragon pats my sister on the head, making her flinch in fear. “He was busy. I’ll tell him later.”

“I need to call Copper,” I state, realizing I left my phone on the bed when I changed. “To tell him you’re here.”

Dragon chuckles, dark and demonic. “Why are you scared of me, Stormy? The dogs aren’t. They love me.”

Love is a stretch.

They know him but aren’t exactly happy about the vibe he’s putting off. Hansel is tense at my feet beside me while Gretel has her eye on Dragon, ready to strike if necessary.

“You can put your gun down now,” Dragon urges. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

Yeah fucking right.

I don’t trust this asshole as far as I can throw him.

“Why are you here?” I ask again. “Is it to talk about Vidal and Collins?”

Darkness shutters in his gaze and his jaw clenches. “I don’t want to talk about them per se. I just want to find them.”

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