Mending the Rift (10 page)

“What if other people manage to pass the tests as well?”

“That’s what they’re trying to find out. The Confederacy prides itself on their treatment of breeders. As much as I like to bitch about all the regulations and the reproductive list, the forced marriages and all that, we have a good life here. Those that are on the list are genuinely interested in caring for a family, even if it takes time away from their jobs and so on. It’s different for the breeders living in the Southern Union.” Nicholas shuddered and kept his gaze on the floor.

“Do you really think the rumors are true? About all the tests they run on breeders and the way they treat them? Like… like animals in cages?”

Nicholas gave a curt nod but didn’t elaborate any further. Luca curled up next to his dad. Nicholas startled at the hug but reciprocated in an instant. “We’re lucky to live here, Luca, and that’s also why we need bodyguards. Your father has sifted through applications for the job as your bodyguard, and he’s lined up interviews for tomorrow. Do you want to sit in?”

“I don’t want a new bodyguard.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Now you sound like Father,” Luca complained.

“Hey, no insulting me!” Nicholas squeezed Luca’s shoulders before he extricated himself from Luca’s embrace. “Do you want to sit in or not?”

Luca let out a long sigh. “Yeah, I guess I want to.”

“At least then you’ll see Marcus much more.”

Luca’s head whipped up, and a grin spread out on his face. “Really?”

“Of course he’s going to be there. He’s probably going to make a pest of himself. Your father’s already grumbling about lovesick partners who shouldn’t be allowed to participate in important decisions.” Nicholas’s eyes twinkled in mischief.

“You’ll be there too, won’t you?”

“Yep. And if you’re tagging along too, we’ll make your father’s day infinitely more interesting.”

Luca laughed out loud at his dad’s wistful expression, when the door opened, revealing Marcus. His dad greeted Marcus before he excused himself.

Marcus slumped onto the sofa in the far corner of Luca’s room, resting his head on the backrest. Luca walked over and curled up against Marcus’s side. “Are you okay?”

Marcus wrapped an arm around Luca. “Yes, just missing you, kitten.”

Warmth flashed through Luca at Marcus’s words. “I’m missing you too, so very much. I’m not used to you being away from me for so long every freaking day. I thought we’d be spending a lot of time together now.”

“I’m sorry, Luca. I’m trying to find a suitable house for us that’s close to your parents, since I think you’ll want to be close to them, but this is more difficult than I thought,” Marcus said.

“You’re looking for a new home for us?”

“We can’t live in your room forever, especially with a baby on the way.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I might want to have a say in
our
new home?” Luca asked in exasperation.

Marcus blinked at him. “I’ll have to make sure the possible houses meet the safety requirements before I show them to you.”

“Is that what kept you so busy?”

“Yes.”

Luca slapped Marcus’s thigh, eliciting a surprised yelp from him. “You idiot! I need you close at the moment, and if there’s house hunting, I’m going to be involved. You’re not running my life and making decisions for me.”

“But—”

“No buts, Marcus. Please, so far you’ve never just made decisions for me. You always talked to me first. Made sure I was okay, or at least understood what you’re doing. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean you get to change how we work.” Luca directed his gaze at Marcus.

Marcus hooked an arm underneath Luca’s legs and lifted him onto his lap. His warm exhale drifted along Luca’s cheek, and he looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, kitten. I want to do everything right, but that’s not working. How about I show you the houses I’ve found so far, and we’ll discuss them?”

“That would be fine.”

“But you’re not going anywhere without me or Keith, is that understood? No sudden explorations of the possible houses. I mean it, Luca.” Marcus furrowed his eyebrows, giving him a stern appearance.

In a teasing tone, Luca asked, “What are you going to do if I don’t heed your advice?”

Marcus gripped Luca’s chin, tilted his head up, and glared at him. Luca shifted on Marcus’s lap, the keen scrutiny sending him into a fit of nerves.

When Marcus answered, Luca swallowed around a lump in his throat. “This is
not
a game, Luca. Your safety has to come first. Remember that you’re also protecting our baby. I trust you to not jeopardize your life just to prove to me how independent you are. Even when the time comes that I’m not your official bodyguard anymore, your security is my number-one priority.”

“Okay,” Luca croaked. Marcus forced him to keep eye contact for some time, but eventually he let go of Luca’s chin and cuddled him close. Luca cleared his throat. “My dad explained that many pregnant men need their partners close during week ten to twenty of the pregnancy. I’m hereby declaring that you need to be at my side 24/7.”

Marcus’s laughter rocked Luca’s whole body. “I’ll do my best.”

“Good.”

TRUE TO
his word, Marcus stayed close to Luca most of the time. If he had to go to meetings, or discuss houses, or any another small detail they’d left out in one of the zillion contracts, he asked Luca to join him. Sometimes Luca jumped at the offer, sometimes he opted out and stayed home.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come along?” Marcus asked as he shrugged into a light jacket. After checking his shoulder holster, he glanced over at Luca.

Luca was tuning his harp—the smallest he possessed and one of his favorites, composed of a rich brown wood—and smiling. “No, it’s okay. I don’t think I can survive listening to you and the lawyers adjusting our marriage contract again. It’s taking all the fun out of it.”

“Aw, my poor baby,” Marcus replied. He walked up to Luca, pulled his hands from the strings, and clasped them in his own. He crouched in front of Luca before he pressed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I’m sorry it’s not as romantic as you’d like it to be.”

“I’ll live. I shouldn’t complain so much. After all, I’m getting my happily ever after.”

Marcus crawled between Luca’s thighs and trailed his fingers over the light swelling of Luca’s belly. Luca shivered, and heat rose in his cheeks. At week thirteen, he still couldn’t feel the baby’s movements, but his stomach had gone from flat to a small swell. Marcus pulled the shirt out of Luca’s pants, exposing his skin to the air. Goose bumps spread along Luca’s flesh as he slid his hands into Marcus’s dark brown hair. Marcus caressed his belly for a while.

“I still can’t believe you’re pregnant with our baby. I always wanted to be a father, but given my upbringing, I never thought I would.”

“It’s a stupid regulation that only certain people are allowed to reproduce,” Luca said in between gasps when Marcus pressed a series of soft kisses on his abdomen.

“No, it’s not.” Marcus shook his head. “You know about the gen defects many people passed on after the Third World War. Think of all the babies that were born dead or badly deformed.”

“They still had a right to live,” Luca snarled.

“I’m not saying they didn’t, and you know the Northern Confederacy took care of the disabled children. The government decided to check genes so the chance of healthy children was higher. Maybe there’ll be a time when people are allowed to fall in love with whomever they want and have children if they want. Maybe breeders will one day be allowed not to carry children if they have different plans for their future. The population growth is steady, and from what I’ve read lately, some scientists claim there’s no threat of humankind becoming extinct anymore. At least not in the Northern Hemisphere.” Marcus placed another firm kiss on Luca’s belly. When he glanced up, Luca lost himself in those light gray eyes.

They met for a deep kiss, which Luca broke reluctantly. “I hope it’s true. Wouldn’t it be awesome if our child could grow up with the knowledge they can decide for themselves whom they want to marry, or if they want to marry at all? In case they’re a breeder, I mean.”

“It would, but these things take time, a lot of time. We’ll do our best to take care of our children.”

“Children?” Luca’s lips quirked upward. “Have we spoken about having more children?”

“I… I thought….”

Laughing, Luca pecked the tip of Marcus’s nose. “I’m making fun of you. I know what’s expected of me, and since they’re going to be your babies, I’m good. So far, the pregnancy is easy. Only the nidation process was painful, so maybe I’ll be one of those breeders that have ridiculously easy pregnancies. Dad’s pregnancies were easy, and all my siblings showed no trouble in carrying and bearing their babies.”

“You look happy lately.”

Marcus rose to his feet, and Luca withdrew his hands only to fasten them on Marcus’s belt. Shaking his fringe out of his eyes, he grinned up at Marcus. “I am happy. I’m feeling more content than I’ve been on most days, probably because I can stop worrying about my future. Oh, remember that I’m due for another ultrasound this afternoon, though it’ll be at the doctor’s office this time since I’m officially pregnant and all that. Dad said we might get a look at the gender this time. Do you want to know?”

Marcus nodded. “Yes, I’d like that. When’s your appointment again?”

“Around two. You’re not going to send me there with Keith, right? You said you’d go with me last time we talked about it.”

“Of course I’ll go with you. I don’t plan on missing any of your doctor’s appointments. Especially if there’s a chance to find out the gender of our baby, I want to be there.”

“Okay.” Luca tugged at Marcus’s belt, and Marcus obliged before stooping for another deep kiss. Then he freed himself from Luca’s limbs and turned toward the door. After a quick wave, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Luca sighed, rubbing a hand over his belly. “I’m betting you’re a boy. For some reason you feel like a boy to me. Silly, huh? And yes, I know it’s silly to talk aloud to you, but since there’s only the two of us… who cares?”

Stroking circles on his belly for a time, Luca reflected on the last weeks. Gone was the restlessness, the sudden bouts of anger at no one in particular, and his desire to run away had especially vanished. Though he still couldn’t believe his dad’s audacity, he loved him more and more for his actions. Becoming pregnant with Marcus’s child, and the prospect of marrying him, had given him an inner peace previously unknown to Luca.

He focused his attention on his harp and plucked the strings, playing a tune he knew by heart. Closing his eyes, he became engrossed in his music, the rhythmic movements of his fingers, and the weight of the harp on his shoulder.

When he stopped playing, his shoulder ached, and his left thumb burned. He stood the harp back and lifted his thumb for inspection. “Damn, a blister. Haven’t had one of those in years.”

Sighing, he brought the harp hooks back in position. He got up from the stool, stretched, and worked out the kinks in his shoulders and neck. After carrying the harp back to the corner where it usually resided, he swung the green cover over it and made sure it sat snugly. Satisfied, he ambled into his bathroom, where he freshened up. His growling stomach alerted him that he should probably eat something. A quick look at his watch confirmed the time was about right for lunch, so he ventured out of his room.

Keith lounged in a chair outside. He lowered the newspaper he was reading upon Luca’s approach.

“Seriously? Why are you guarding my room?”

Keith set the newspaper on a small side table and shrugged. “Marcus is keyed up. He wants me to keep a close eye on you.”

“This is ridiculous. I’m at home, there’s security all over the place, and he still thinks I need someone guarding my room?” Luca’s voice rose in incredulity.

“He’s on edge, so just humor him and me, and we’re good.”

Luca stared at Keith, trying to gauge if there was something the other man wasn’t telling him. “Is there something I should know?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” Luca huffed. “Is there some warning, like I’m going to be the victim of an abduction or something? I know we had some threats like that, but that was before I was pregnant. Usually those rumors get thrown around when a breeder is without a spouse and not pregnant.”

“I haven’t heard anything.” Keith got to his feet and rested a hand on Luca’s shoulder. “Marcus is worried, though, because you’re still not married, plus there are rumors Smith will be released, and he’s intent on retaliation.”

Luca’s heart gave a painful squeeze. Swallowing, he waited for Keith to tell him he’d played a bad joke on him, but Keith simply stared at him from unblinking eyes.

Luca cleared his throat and said, “Maybe it’s for the best you’re close by. Suddenly, I don’t feel like being on my own.”

“Come here, kid.” Keith tugged at Luca’s shoulder, and Luca went willingly into Keith’s offered embrace. “I’ll be at your side, so nothing’s going to happen, all right? Breeders have always been under threat, sometimes more and sometimes less. There’ve been attempts to kidnap you in the past. This is not news for you. So far I’ve protected you fairly well, right? I don’t intend to change that. Where were you heading to?”

Luca spoke into Keith’s chest, his heart still hammering too fast for his liking. “I was going to get something to eat. After that, it’s time for my doctor’s appointment. Before our little talk, I thought maybe I could walk to it to stretch my legs a little, but now I guess we should take the car like planned.”

Keith patted his back before he released him. “We already agreed on the car, and that’s not going to change. You know how our security protocol works. Come on, let’s get a bite. I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving.”

“Not always.”

“If you say so.” Luca smiled as he descended the stairs and led the way into the kitchen.

They made some sandwiches with slices of cold chicken breast, boiled eggs, and salad, and dug in. Luca enjoyed the comfortable silence as he sat around the table with Keith.