Page 43 of Beauty and the Daddy
It's the shipment with too many hands on it. All the moving parts humming, and then there's Belle in the middle, not moving, just… existing, and somehow she's the only thing that feels real.
She must be protected.
They can come at me with guns blazing. I'll still stack clouds under her.
I open my mouth.
I should tell him the truth: that I'm marrying her because I'm tired of women who know our world too well.
I want someone who calls me on my worst and still hands my kid a juice box.
The truth sits on my tongue, that Belle makes me feel human in a world that requires a monster.
That she looks at Sofia like she already loves her. That I need someone the darkness hasn't touched yet.
Instead, what comes out is: "She's pregnant."
The lie hangs in the air like a suicide note I've just signed.
Fuck.
You can't unsay a shot. I feel the recoil in my elbows. I hear the echo.
I watch the lie land like a sparrow in a room full of cats.
Declan's eyebrows climb his forehead, then drop. The smile disappears for the first time.
Then it returns, brighter, too bright. "Well, well, well. You've been busy, haven't you?"
My mind races to catch up with my mouth. Why the fuck did I say that?
Because somewhere in my twisted head, it's the only excuse the Council would accept for such a hasty marriage.
"It's early," I improvise. "We weren't planning to announce it yet."
"Of course not." Declan's smile is now that of a pure predator. "This changes everything."
I can practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes. Information is currency in our world, and I've just handed him a gold mine.
"This stays between us," I say, making it an order. "Until Belle and I are ready to tell people."
"Your secret's safe with me, brother." Declan stands and moves toward the door, still smiling. "But you might want to tell the Council yourself before someone else does. News travels fast when our name's in the picture, and you know how they feel about Moretti blood."
He pauses at the threshold, tossing one last look over his shoulder. "Congratulations, by the way. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful father. Again."
The door closes behind him, and I resist the urge to put my fist through the wall.
I pour three fingers of whiskey and knock it back.
The pregnancy lie will spread through the families like wildfire. Belle doesn't know it yet, but I've just started a clock we can't stop.
Either she becomes my wife for real, or we're both dead.
Stupid. Fucking stupid.
I've just painted a target on Belle's back. Declan will use this intel, whether to kiss the old guard's ring or cut my throat, I just don't know yet.
I built myself a coffin out of those stupid words.
