Page 40 of Gambling with Time

Not that I could judge, because I had felt myself changing small behaviors too. Like keeping her in sight at all times, just so I would be in a position to help if she needed it. If the battle started now, she wouldn’t be alone.

I settled into the library’s chair as she circled the upper level.

“Baldwin said there was a text here somewhere.” Her voice carried down to me although she was facing the books, high on a ladder.

Did I want to pull her down and make sure her feet were safely on the ground? Yes. But being here was enough, she was more than capable of climbing a ladder and not falling off. Pregnancy was not a disease that made you fragile. Hell, you probably had to be stronger than ever to actually have the baby.

I shuddered, gripping my dick through my pants. That was a pain I wouldn’t want to experience.

“I’m sure you’ll find it,” I said when I realized I hadn’t responded yet. When what I really wanted to talk about was her ‘condition’. “Sam–”

“Hmmm,” she hummed.

“I know.” I swallowed. Shit. I didn’t mean to say that. Taking in her tense shoulders, I word vomited a lame addition. “That you are trying really hard.”

She laughed and looked back at me. “Are you okay, Lex?”

Pressing my lips together, I bit my tongue to keep any more stupid words in my mouth. Concern furrowed her brow, and she dropped down to the ground. She came down the spiral staircase, then crossed the space to me.

“You look pale. Are you sick? Do Demi-gods get sick?” She pressed her hand to my forehead, and I captured her fingers in mine, tugging her into my lap.

“No, and no,” I said, kissing the tips of her fingers. “Sam, you know I’m here for you, no matter what, right? You can tell me anything, and it won’t change how I act.”

Her eyes crinkled in confusion as an equally confused smile danced on her lips. “Lex, you are my emotional support Demi-god. Of course, I know that.” She tried to laugh. But I could see the dawning of realization in the depths of her eyes. She knew I somehow knew her secret. Averting her eyes, she nibbled on her lower lip. “You know.”

It wasn’t a question any more than my declaration had been. I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed, then I nodded. “Yeah.” The single word came out drenched in emotion, and she drew in a deep breath.

“I’m not hiding it from you guys,” she said quickly. “I mean, I am, but I’m not.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I replied. My fingers trailed over the side of her face.

“Are you going to lock me up? Not let me fight?”

I huffed out a laugh. “I’m pretty sure that would be Alastor or Raiden.”

She let out a long sigh. “They don’t know?”

“Are you locked up?”

“Good point.”

CHAPTER 21

Samantha

“I know.” Lex’s words washed over me like a cold shower. The certainty in them told me exactly what he knew. I felt the tension make my muscles rigid as I gripped the ladder without looking back. “That you are trying really hard.”

I forced a laugh as I glanced over my shoulder. “Are you okay, Lex?”

When he didn’t answer, I slid down the ladder rungs to the floor, then slowly made my way down to the main level to him. He knew. Yet he was hiding it? He looked uncomfortable as he pressed his lips together in a thin line. His face had lost all color, and he looked like he was going to get sick.

I pressed my fingers to his forehead, he felt normal. “You look pale. Are you sick? Do Demi-gods get sick?” He tugged me down into his lap, tangling our fingers together. It was enough to make me melt.

He whispered, “No, and no.” The brush of his lips against my skin sent tingles down my back as he punctuated each ‘no’ with a kiss. “Sam, you know I’m here for you, no matter what, right? You can tell me anything, and it won’t change how I act.”

This was it. Tell him or hide it. If I hid it, then it became a lie between us. When just not telling them when they didn’t know was more of an omission. Gray line, I know, don’t judge.

“Lex, you are my emotional support Demi-god. Of course, I know that.” I attempted a smile, but it felt wrong on my face so I dropped it. Playing games wasn’t me. “You know,” I said, confirming what he believed.

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