Page 60 of Shifter's Secret Baby

“No one really knows. A conspiracy theory is floating around that Annabelle caught wind of her dear hubby’s nefarious baby-selling ways, and he offed her one night, hiding the body, but it was never really proven.”

“Briar!” I breathed, alarmed that I had sent her back into that snake’s den.

“Yes, that’s his daughter. She’s a rabbit shifter, too.”

“I know,” I sighed, hanging my head.

Avalon raised a bushy eyebrow with interest.

“Oh, I see,” he murmured. “I’m starting to understand all your requests a little bit better now.”

I closed my eyes, trying to summon clarity for a moment. Briar was not safe with Barney, but she wasn’t safe with me, either, not with the curse hanging over me. I had to find a way to lift it and bring her back to me.

On the other hand, Barney hadn’t harmed her so far. Maybe she was better off with him.

“May I make a suggestion, old chum?” Avalon said, forcing my eyes back open.

“Why do I get the sense you’re going to, whether I agree or not?” I replied grouchily.

“Talk to another fae about your issue, whatever it is you need to resolve. Even if they can’t help you, they may have a solution you haven’t considered. Isn’t there any fae you can trust in the whole, wide world?”

I studied Avalon’s face for a minute.

“Just one,” I said slowly, realizing that he was right.

It was time to go and have a real heart-to-heart with Rachel.

Chapter23

Briar

The initial shock of my pregnancy never really did wear off. It faded to a dull thud that lingered at the back of my heart, but that was coupled with my longing for Ash.

I found myself wondering if he missed me, if he was thinking about me, or if he was glad that I had just gone and left him in peace as he’d demanded.

He did care about me. I saw it in his face, eyes, and how he held, kissed, and made love to me. How could he tell me we couldn’t be together when he wanted me as much as I wanted him?

But I’d done all I could, putting my heart out there for him, offering myself to him every chance I could. He had made it perfectly clear that I was a hindrance to him, and I couldn’t go back and tell him about the baby now. His responses would be wrong, no matter what they were.

He would offer me money and tell me to stay away, or he would tell me to stay, but that would only be because of the baby. Neither outcome was what I wanted. I wanted him to wantme, not because I was having his baby.

My father barely spoke to me over the next few weeks. He went out of his way to avoid me in the house, making himself scarce when he was home and leaving to go out early in the mornings when I was still asleep, returning home late in the evenings.

When I did manage to catch him, he would make excuses not to speak with me, and once, I cornered him, demanding to know if he would help me with the baby.

“I’m working on solving that problem, Briar,” he growled. “Stop pressuring me. I’m not the one who spread my legs for a demon.”

It was the last time I asked him for help.

Even if Ash didn’t want the baby, I did. I already felt a connection to the child growing inside of me, and even if this baby didn’t ever know her father, she would be loved. Even if she was loved by another family, she would thrive, and I would make sure of that.

My body hadn’t changed all that much to anyone but me. However, I could notice every swell and bump that hadn’t been there before, and I wished that Ash was there to take note of all our baby’s growth.

To be fair, he didn’t even know about the baby. I didn’t give him a chance to find out.

The thought occurred to me four weeks after I arrived back home as I sat at the vanity in my bedroom, brushing out my hair. I hadn’t given Ash the opportunity to make a decision about his child, and that wasn’t right. I had to tell him what I was doing before it was too late.

But I couldn’t blindside him by showing up at the estate. I reasoned I could send him a letter, but loneliness gave me a better idea.

---