Page 48 of Gambling with Time

“I’m not going in the tower, Alastor, you can’t lock me up. That is the only reason–”

I couldn’t say I would never do that, because it has been one of my first thoughts.

“That is the only reason I didn’t tell you or Rai.”

“Lex knows too?”

“And Bellamy–”

My gaze shifted from her eyes to her stomach, and a heavy sigh escaped my lips. Emotions surged within me, tugging at my heartstrings. With a solemn nod, I acknowledged the reality before me. A pang of sorrow coursed through my being, an ache of exclusion that nestled deep within my soul. It wasn’t anger that gripped me but rather a profound sense of melancholy, as if the world had shifted and left me behind.

Nevertheless, I found it difficult to hold any resentment toward her. The weight of her secret burdened her, but her choice to keep it hidden was not misplaced. Amongst the four of us, Rai and I had always been determined to keep her safe, sheltering her from the dangers that lurked in the shadows. Yet, deep down, I knew it was a futile endeavor.

Samantha possessed an unyielding strength, an unwavering determination that made her an indomitable force. No man, no matter how valiant their motive, could stop her when she deemed it necessary to act. She was a badass woman. And though I yearned to shield her from harm, I couldn’t deny the truth: Samantha was a force of nature, an unstoppable tempest that defied the grasp of any mere mortal or immortal combined. And I wouldn’t want her to be anything else.

“I’m sorry, Alastor,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. She climbed into my lap. Her knees were on either side of my legs as she framed my face. “Please forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” I replied. I brushed her hair from her face and ran my thumb under her chin to tilt her head up to mine. With the softest touch, I brushed my lips over hers. “And as much as I want to carry you up to my tower and chain you to the bed, I won’t do that.”

“What is going on?” Raiden asked. He ran his hand through his tousled hair and eyed us with curiosity. Samantha sucked in a breath and slid off of my lap.

“Rai, we need to talk.”

CHAPTER 28

Samantha

My stomach dropped out of my ass. I guessed this was happening now. Shit. Finding my feet, I faced my best friend turned lover.

“Rai, we need to talk.”

The room was silent. Everyone knew but him. I didn’t mean for this to happen this way. Secrets were never the right route to take; too bad hindsight was twenty-twenty.

“Are you still feeling sick?” He closed the distance between us, his hands running over me with the clinical feel of a firefighter. Rough palms dragged down my sides, checking for damages. “I didn’t see any injuries last night.”

“I’m not injured,” I said, capturing his wandering hands. A dry swallow worked my parched throat. “Rai, I’m pregnant.”

He stopped trying to check for injuries, his eyes going wide, much in the same way Alastor’s had.

“You’re–” he started. He stepped back a single step, his hand scrubbed his face. “How do you know?”

A shaky breath filled my lungs. “I took a test.”

“A test? Where did you find a test here?”

My limbs shook, and I grasped my fingers in front of me. “Not here. Before–”

I watched as the news hit him fully. His beast flashed in the depths of his eyes, and I was sure he was thinking of all the ways he could lock me up in some room to keep me safe. A puff of smoke filled the air between us as he exhaled.

He didn’t ask why I didn’t tell him. It was something he just seemed to know. He glanced around at the others, taking in the fact that he was the only one surprised. Then he stepped forward and dropped to his knees in front of me. Something transformed over his face, and he lifted my shirt from my stomach, pushing down the band of my shorts. He pressed a kiss to my skin, sending goosebumps crawling all over.

“Little one, I’m Daddy Rai, and I’m going to be your favorite,” he whispered, introducing himself to my stomach.

I swallowed as emotion clogged my throat, and tears gathered in my eyes. He didn’t even ask whose baby it was. He was ready to accept him no matter what.

“Hey, I’m obviously going to be the favorite,” Bellamy replied.

“But did you introduce yourself?” Lex asked as he chuckled.

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