The Girl Who Cries Colors

“Stop eating that fish shit, or I’m not gonna let you suck my cock anymore.”

I snort. “As if.”

He blinks down at me for a second and then shrugs. “Yeah, you’re right. That was a bad bluff.”

I crack the teensiest smile, which I know was his intent all along. He always knows how to make me laugh.

“Did you guys get all the cupids settled?”

He nods and sits down on the floor in front of me, taking my finished lime and chucking it behind him, not caring that it goes rolling on the floor in the bedroom. “We put them all up in town. Sev reminded them that if they fuck up and do any cupid shit while you’re not around to supervise, he’ll send them back to Cupidville and force them to do paperwork for ten years. That seemed to scare the little shits enough to behave for the night.”

I nod and fidget with my hair.

“Scratch?”

I peer up at him through my lashes and sniffle. “Yeah?”

He presses his hand against my belly in a surprisingly gentle gesture and leans down so that we’re eye-to-eye. Like the baby senses the attention, my belly stretches with a very obvious limb as the baby kicks and punches me. I frown as my skin stretches. “It looks like I have an alien trying to break out of me.”

Evert just rubs everywhere the baby kicks. “He wants to come hang out with his Dad.”

I cock a brow. “He? You’re so sure it’s a boy?”

“It’s definitely gonna be a boy this time,” Evert says matter-of-factly.

I smile and rub my belly with him until the baby settles down. Kicking the hell out of me seems to really wear the poor thing out.

“So, you wanna tell me what’s really bothering you, Scratch?”

I wipe my nose on my arm and shake my head. “Nothing. I’m good. Just another hormonal freak-out.”

He gives me a look that says he’s not buying it, and his black tail wraps around my arm. “If you’re not up to going…”

“No, I want to go,” I say

quickly. He looks at my tear-streaked face dubiously. “I do. It’s just, Resha…”

Evert shakes his head. “Ronak’s mother is a bitch. Don’t pay attention to her. The rest of our parents love you.”

“Last time I saw Resha, I was five months pregnant with Amorette, and she told me that I was an unfit mate and that I must’ve tricked Ronak into bonding to me by using my ‘creepy love magic,’” I remind him.

Evert frowns at the memory. “Yeah, and Ronak banned her after that. She hasn’t been welcome here, but the letter made it sound like she’s ready to swallow her fucking pride and get over herself.”

“Yeah,” I concede, still feeling conflicted.

“Just say the word, Scratch. If you don’t want her there, we’ll take care of it.”

It’s a sweet offer, and I know he means it, but I shake my head. “No, I want her there. I just want this to go better than the last time.”

“Don’t worry too much about it. Resha is a bitch. Always has been. You don’t need to be worried about impressing her.”

I snort a bit and then look down at my daunting belly. “Look at me. The only thing I could impress right now is a measuring tape, because I am freaking wide,” I say, flopping my hands down my body.

“Hey, what are you doing in here?” I hear Sylred say as he, Ronak, and Okot all come walking in. Noticing my nude and puffy-eyed state, their expressions immediately turn concerned.

“What’s wrong, my beloved?” Okot asks, kneeling down in front of me. He takes my feet and gently starts to massage the arches with his thumbs, giving just the right amount of pressure.

I moan in appreciation.