Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

Oh God. I snicker. “Okay. I’ll back off now.”

“Aud… You know I love Dylan more than my own life.”

I nod.

“I love my job. I love traveling. I love being myself, and the fact he encourages me and lets me fly. I love his brothers. And my heart is his.”

“But…?” I’m waiting for that dreaded word to find out what’s wrong. She’s not ready for such a commitment? She’s scared of having kids of her own? She can’t have kids? Dylan can’t have kids? She doesn’t want kids?

No, this makes no sense. She loves Scott. And all the kids of the Brotherhood.

“I think he’s not ready,” Tessa says, and I blink at her.

“For what?”

“For more kids. You see, I’ve just gotten my freedom back, found my real self. But my prison was in my own head. I’d accepted it. I’d let my dad dictate my life, my personality to me. But Dylan…” She shrugs, a lithe, fluid movement as she changes lanes. “He’s always been constrained by the circumstances of his life, by factors outside his own will. Don’t get me wrong, he adores his brothers, he’d give his life for them without second thought—but he’s been a parent to them ever since he was what, fifteen? No, younger. Even before his mom left them and his dad went off the deep end.”

“Tess…”

“The last thing he needs right now is more responsibilities. He’s only just gotten his feet under him again, returned to college, stopped being so damn exhausted all the time. Both Little Teo and him have only just fully recovered from that godawful Lyme disease. I just can’t… Can’t put more on his shoulders.”

Jesus, maybe she’s right. No matter what Dylan says, maybe he hasn’t thought this through, caught up in his friends’ weddings and baby fever.

“Besides…” Tessa’s pretty mouth is downturned, and now I wish I hadn’t moved this conversation into such serious territory. “He’s been acting kind of weird.”

“Weird, how?”

“I dunno. Colder, maybe? More distant.”

Dylan, cold and distant? He’s been burning for Tessa since they were teenagers. “Maybe it’s because of Zane?”

“Maybe.” She doesn’t sound convinced, and it hurts to think anything could come between them now that they’ve finally found each other.

“His brother isn’t sick again, is he? And his scholarship, what if there’s—?”

“If Teo was sick, I’d know. As for his scholarship, well, he never mentioned a problem.” She shoots me a troubled look. “Think he’d hide something like that from me?”

“Only if he thinks you’re overwhelmed yourself.”

“With what?”

“Your job? You’ve been traveling almost nonstop in the past months, Tess.”

“I haven’t…” She stops and brakes so hard I jolt against the belt. She turns wide eyes on me. “Oh God, I am so sorry. Are you okay?”

“Yes.” I wave away her concern. “What is it?”

“I have been traveling a lot, haven’t I? Left him to deal with his studies and his brothers alone. No wonder he…”

“No wonder he, what, Tess?”

She shakes her head. “Why would he want a family with me? I’m a princess, he used to call me that. Coming from money, I hardly understand the sort of problems he faces, and now I’ve lost myself in my job and trips and haven’t been here for him, and—”

“Girl, breathe.” I motion at the street ahead. “How about we get to Dakota’s and park there before we continue this conversation?”

We’ve stopped in the middle of a street—a small, quiet street, but still.

“Yeah. Sure.” She drives on, her pretty face creased in lines of worry.