In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover (28 page)

“
She implied Hartford did me a favor by raping Desi.
”

“
So? I
’
ll let you in on a secret, Redwolfe. A lot of fems share that view. As more and more full-bloods fall for human women, they
’
re feeling underappreciated. And if you
’
re so touchy about her, why don
’
t you take your ass and beg for her forgiveness before Max gets around to tapping her pussy?
”

“
He wouldn
’
t.
”

“
If you really believe that, you clearly don
’
t know him very well. Hell, if you don
’
t get your shit in gear, I might turn my attention to her. Unlike you, I
’
d have no problem accepting her baby. Neither would you if you weren
’
t such a
dumb
ass.
”

“
Look Stoner
–
”

“
No, Redwolfe. You look. You might be surprised at the level of interest in her in the full-blood community. You know how many of us would kill for a chance to be a father. And there she is, clearly able to get pregnant by a full-blood. If you don
’
t want her
–
”

“
I want her!
”

“
Then you
’
d better start acting like it! Max and I have held off because of our friendship with you and we
’
ve managed to hold the other full-bloods at bay by implying we
’
v
e already bedded her, but you can imagine what will happen once the truth is out. We can either bed her ourselves or watch someone else do it.

“
The ball
’
s in your court, Redwolfe. Fuck or get the hell out of the way and make room for
a
full-blood who know
s
how to
appreciate and cherish
a
sexy,
fertile woman.
”

Meeting the other vampire
’
s gaze, Conner knew he was serious. He really would go after her in an effort to become a father.

He shoved Sebastian back and turned away.

“
Hey fuckhead, have you ever thought just for a second that the baby might be yours?
”

“
No I haven
’
t because that
’
s a feat I
’
ve never managed to pull off.
”

“
Neither had Adrian
until now.
”

He swung around to face Sebastian.
“
If it were my baby, she would have told me.
”

“
I
’
m not saying it is. I just asked the question. So, let
’
s say it
’
s not yours. So what? She
’
s your blood. It
’
s her baby. You want her. Hell, you love
her
. She loves and wants your dumb ass. God knows why.
”

“
If she
’
s so in love with me why the hell does she still have her ex-husband picture by her bed?
”

“
Don
’
t know.
”
He shrugged.
“
It might have something to do with the fact that he might have been the last man to be there for her regardless of the circumstances. I
’
m thinking he wouldn
’
t have blamed her for being raped and then insisted she get rid of the evidence. What do you think?
”

“
I didn
’
t blame her.
”

“
But you did insist she get rid of the evidence
.
”

He clenched his jaw.
“
Fuck you.
”

“
Hmm. And probably he didn
’
t take nearly as long as you did to do that either.
”

“
You self-righteous bastard.
”

“
This isn
’
t about me. It
’
s about you. Work with what you have; a human woman who loves you so much she was willing to endure a rape to protect you. And how do you repay that loyalty? By tossing money at her
and
le
aving her dependent on lecherous full-bloods who are dying to tap that fertile pussy of hers.

“
I
’
m warning you, Conner. If I get her, you
’
ll never get her back. Although I have to admit Max appears to have a head start on me. She leans more on him than she does on me. So make your move or get the fuck out of the way before your ass is steamrollered in the stampede to her
pussy
.
”

Sebastian turned and walked back into Foreplay.

Conner
stood in the parking lot, staring up at the sky. Both
Sebastian
and Max were bluffing in an effort to whip him into shape. Knowing how he felt about her, neither would touch her.

Still, it was probably time he took his ass home as he
’
d clearly worn his welcome out in Foreplay and he was no longer in the mood for mindless fucking. Besides, he needed to think.

As he flew home, Sebastian
’
s word tortured him.
…A human woman who loves you so much she was willing to endure a rape to protect you. And how do you repay that loyalty? By tossing money at her…

Although it was late when he got home, he called her. To his annoyance Max answered.
“
Do you know what time it is?
”

“
It
’
s too damn late for you to be answering her phone
, Max
.
”

“
Apparently not since I answered
it
.
”

“
I
’
d like to speak to her.
”

“
She
’
s asleep.
”

Then why the hell was he there?
“
Would you please wake her and tell her I
’
d like to talk to her?
”

“
Why don
’
t you call back tomorrow?
”

“
Why don
’
t you wake her and tell her I
’
m on the phone?
”

“
Tonight was the third night in a row that she didn
’
t cry herself to sleep. She
’
s finally realized that you
’
re not worth crying over.
”

Fuck you.
“
Will you ask her to call me?
”

“
I
’
ll think about it.
”

“
What
’
s there to think about? Tell her I called and ask her to call me.
”

“
Considering how often you
’
ve managed to piss on her emotions there
’
s a lot to think about. Although she
’
s getting over you she
’
s emotionally fragile and I don
’
t think she can stand to have you disappoint her yet again.
”

Connor placed a hand over his face.
“
I know I
’
ve hurt her but
–
”

“
Hurt her? You
’
re being too kind to yourself. If she wasn
’
t a strong woman you would have crushed her. But she is strong and she
’
ll be fine without your do-I-want-her or don
’
t-I-want-her shit.
”

Max ended the call without giving him a chance to respond.

Conner considered his options and decided going to Desi
’
s place to confront Max would be counterproductive. Only an idiot tried to argue with the facts and unfortunately every damn thing Max said was true. Although disturbed by the implications of her falling asleep in Max
’
s arms, he still believed Max would feel bound by their friendship and avoid any real intimacy with her
;
at least in the short term. He probably had a few days to decide what his next move should be. But given how miserable he felt there was only one thing he could do.

He called Adrian and an hour later, he paced the living room of Adrian and Brandi
’
s condo.

Adrian turned from the French doors to look at him.
“
You
’
re going to have to do the right thing, Conner.
”

“
For who? And what the hell is the right thing?
”

“
For both of you. That means you
’
re going to have to accept the baby and treat it as yours.
”

“
Do you have any idea what you
’
re asking me to do?
”

“
Yes. I do. I know it will be one of the hardest things you
’
ve ever done, but you have to do it.
”
He shook his head and smiled suddenly.
“
Once you put your hands on her stomach and realized a baby you
’
ll both love and cherish is growing there…it
’
s an incredible experience the first time you do it and it just keeps getting better each time. Do that a few times and you
’
ll be fully onboard.
”

“
That
’
s how it was for you because Brandi is having your baby
.
”

“
If you get onboard with it, you can make it your baby
regardless who he looks like.
You can cherish and mold him and make him a Redwolfe.
Jay and I are fully prepared to accept him into the family and treat him as our nephew and cousin to m
y
son.
”

He stopped pacing to look at Adrian.
“
You
’
re having a son?
”

Adrian smiled and nodded.
“
Yes. And Desi says she
’
s having a son too. Do the
right
thing for you both and me and my son.
”

“
You and your son? What do either of you have to do with this?
”

“
Without him, my son will grow up as an only child without even a cousin
–
unless Jay and Cay have a baby at some point. I know it
’
s hard, but accept him because you love her and do us all a favor. And I
’
m telling you once you touch her bare stomach with an open mind and a determination to stand by her no matter what, you
’
ll start to feel more accepting. And later, once you can actually feel him move when you touch her belly, it
’
ll be a done deal.
”

“
Want to feel a preview?
”

He turned as Brandi walked in the room.

She was very pregnant. She lifted her top, exposing her round stomach and extended a hand to him.

He crossed the room to put his arm around her shoulder before placing his other hand on her stomach.

She placed her head on his shoulder and they remained that way while he listened to the heartbeat of his nephew and felt him move.
Conner inhaled slowly, feeling humbled by the evidence of Adrian’s and Brandi’s love and devotion to each other in the form of their baby.
He put his other arm around her and embraced her.