Page 119 of The Bastard Prince

"Then what am I?"

He stared hard at me, but didn’t respond.

"Trig?"

"If I could give you freedom, I would." Expelling a pained breath, he went there first when he said, "If I could give you the baby you crave, Iwould, but it is not possible for us. Not right now. Not in our world."

"Youalready gaveme the baby, Trig," I reminded him, unable to keep the emotion from my voice. "You just need to allow nature to take its course."

"No." His hands balled into fists at his sides. "That is not possible."

My eyes filled with tears. "Don't make me do this."

He stiffened and turned away from me. "This conversation is over."

"Please, Trig. We can lie about the dates," I urged, reaching for him, unwilling and unable to back down. "Hide me. Lock me away. I'll stay inside. I won't tell anyone." I tightened my hold on his hand. "Just...just let me do this." I swallowed the lump in my throat before continuing, "I can do this, Trig. I think I might be good at it."

"It is too dangerous," he ground out. "And even if you were not in danger, you are too young to be burdened with something I did to you."

I frowned at him. "What?"

"You werenotwilling that night." His eyes burned with heat. "I took it anyway." He shook his head in disgust. "And I put something inside of yourunwillingbody."

"I'm willing now, Trig," I blurted out. "I am."

He shook his head and turned away. "It has to go."

"I want to be a mother."

"And I do not want to be a father."

"Because you're scared," I told him. "Not because you don't care."

"I will not watch you suffer what Iknowawaits you if you keep that thing," he snapped. "If you have a son, you will never get a chance to raise it. And if you have a daughter?" His voice cracked. "We both know that it is more merciful to end it now."

"But you wouldn't let anything happen to our baby, Trig," I argued passionately. "I know you wouldn't."

"And if something was to happen to me," he demanded. "What then? Who would protect you? Who would keep you safe?"

"I get it." Shivering, I kept moving for him, not shying away when he stepped away, walking backwards. "I really do, Trig." I claimed the space he had put between us and pressed my chest to his. "But this is your flesh and blood."

"Stop." A pained groan tore from his throat moments before he knocked up against the edge of an armchair. He toppled into the chair and I wasted no time in climbing onto his lap. "End of discussion."

"Iwantyour baby to grow inside me," I breathed, heart racing violently in my chest. "I've been lost without you." He hissed out a pained groan and I snuggled closer. "I want to feel close to you again." Nuzzling his jaw with my nose, I whispered, "I want this with you."

"No," he strangled out. "I cannot allow it."

"I have a pain in my heart,mi rey," I whimpered, knotting my fingers in his shirt. "Because I miss you so badly."

Pain flickered in his eyes. "Corderito–"

"Because I don’t hate you half as much as I love you," I hurried to tell him. "Because I do, Trig." Releasing my hold on his shirt, I trailed my fingers down his hard chest. "It's still there for me." Resisting the carnal urge to sink my nails into his flesh, I glanced up at him through hooded eyes. "You stillburnme."

"You cannot love me," he accused, giving me a hard look. "You said so yourself – I forced you."

"Maybe you did, and maybe you didn’t." I exhaled a ragged breath and let my shoulders sag, tossing the weight away for just one night. "Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore."

"Corderito." His nostrils flared as he hardened beneath me. "Stop with your mind games. I know what you are trying to do. I will not change my mind –"

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