Conclave (Devil's Night 3.5)
I knew I was Superman.
“You’re mad you’re pregnant again?” I tease.
“I’m mad I lost the bet,” she snaps.
I kiss her. “Do you really think I’d not let you have something you wanted?”
She smiles. “Really?”
“You want a motorcycle; you get a motorcycle.”
Her face lights up with her beautiful, excited smile, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to take her out in the middle of the night on the empty roads.
After the baby comes, of course.
“I love you,” she finally says back.
“Good.”
I let her down, and we both walk to the pool house, grabbing towels laid out under the awning.
“And in all fairness, I wasn’t trying to cut your trip short,” she explains. “I’m sorry. I was just making you mad enough that you’d hunt me down when you got home.”
A mischievous smile spreads over her face.
Honestly, I don’t even care anymore. Michael and Kai can handle the meetings, and I love the angst in the games Winter and I play. When we’re in bed—or the pool—it never feels like we left high school. We’re perpetually two horny teenagers, and I feel alive in my life every day.
I wrap a towel around my waist. “Has he been good?”
“Yeah.” She nods. “The nanny wanted to give him a sliver of chocolate to see his reaction, but I told her we needed to wait for you.”
Hell yes. First chocolate? That’s big.
Winter was timid about having a nanny at first, guilty that she couldn’t do everything herself, but it’s been good. It gives us a little more time alone here and there, too.
She covers herself, and I take her hand. “Come on. I wanna see him.”
I know he’s asleep, but it’s been a week.
But she digs in her heels, stopping us. “He’s, um…”
I look at her, my nerves instantly firing. “What?”
“He’s, um…” She swallows. “Not here.”
Excuse me?
“He’s not here?” I repeat. “He’s twelve months old, Winter. Where is he?”
She shifts on her feet. “Rika wanted him for the night.”
“Rika…” I say. “And she took him to Meridian City?”
Winter turns her head away, telling me all I need to know.
I nod and grab her hand, leading her back to the house. “Of course not.”
Minutes later, we’re in the car and racing down the road, heading for the Fane house. I can’t believe they’d do this while I was away. If I hadn’t come back tonight, would I ever have known?