Page 33 of Pregnant After One Forbidden Night

CHAPTER NINE

HEHADTOreturn to the capital.

Frustrated by the timing, even while acknowledging the summons had saved him from making a grave mistake, Sebastian hung up the phone and followed Jenna out of the library, knowing he would find her in the kitchen.

She was the hash-it-out-in-the-kitchen type.

It was simple and straightforward, unlike whatever information the king had for him, which could only be delivered in person.

Generally, this was the kind of information Sebastian lived for—secrets so big they could barely be uttered for fear of the consequences—but right now he had more important things on his mind.

Though perhaps the break and space would be blessings in disguise. Keeping his distance from her was proving more difficult than he’d anticipated, which only meant the threat she posed to him was greater. Clearly it would be a more challenging balancing act to walk and maintain the tightrope of his control while she remained within arm’s reach.

Finding her in the kitchen, as he’d expected, he quickly briefed her. “I have to go to the capital. I’ll be back tonight.”

Shaking her head, she opened her mouth, likely to demand more of an explanation, but he held up a hand. “I’ll tell you more later.” It was a request.

That he stood to wait for her answer, that she had the power to say yes or no and have him obey when he allowed no one else that privilege irked him, but it was pointless to fight. She had it and he was completely at her mercy.

Finally, she relented with a short nod. “Fine. We need to talk, though.”

“We do. Tonight,” he promised, surprised to hear himself offering promises and more commitment than was necessary. Master of shadows and manipulation that he was, promises were something he didn’t make lightly. He knew too well that promises were a form of honesty that could too easily be weaponized.

And as unusual as the promise was, what followed was even more so.

Turning to leave her there, he reached out to take her hand, absently, thinking nothing of the impulse, until his fingers grazed hers and caught.

Before he understood his intention, he had snagged her arm, an echo of the afternoon of the gala, and spun her around to him. Drawing her closer, the movements as natural and fluid as they were foreign, he pressed a kiss first against her forehead, and then one to her lips, and then released her.

Only was it as he swept his phone from the countertop that he realized he’d kissed her goodbye, and only as he left Redcliff did he realize how good it had felt to have a reason to come home.

It was dark by the time he returned hours later than he’d anticipated.

Queen Mina was pregnant.

Babies, it seemed, were in the air and catching.

The information set off a strange mixture of reactions within him. Royal offspring and heirs were expected and Sebastian had protocols already established for the consequent expansion of his intelligence protection program required by their existence.

He had expected the news to be purely professional. He had known the monarch socially his entire life and had come to respect him immensely as a colleague and ruler, but he would not have said they were friends.

Never would he have imagined that, rather than a mild sense of pleasure that a man he liked had reason to celebrate, Sebastian’s mind would instead jump to projections of future playmates for his child.

How would Jenna react?

How would she feel to know that the monarch was pregnant, as well? And Helene, too. Had she heard that her former partner was not only newly married, but had come back from her adventures pregnant, as well?

Yet again, Sebastian didn’t know.

Driving into the garage and turning off the car, Sebastian noted as he got out and entered the house through the private door that he had spent more time at Redcliff in the past twenty-four hours than he had in the previous five years.

With Jenna in residence, the long drive between here and the capital seemed shorter.

To his pleasure, he found her back in the library, her legs curled up under her in one of the large chairs. A fire crackled cozily beside her.

“I lit the fire,” she said, by way of greeting. Her voice was cool and tired, letting him know that she’d had a long time to circle around the topics at the top of her mind, including everything they still needed to discuss regarding their child.

Keeping his tone mild, he said, “I’m glad. You should make yourself at home.”

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