“What? No way! I need a job, Paris. I like being independent and working.”
“Fine. I will find you a job that isn’t out in the public eye where Gustave or his people could spot you. Maybe Johanna will have a line on something.”
“Johanna? You want to tell your mother I was a forger?”
“Beth was a murder suspect, and Josie was an international jewel thief. I’m sure she won’t mind if her third daughter-in-law was an imprisoned forger. Besides, Johanna is all but psychic. She can help us.” His hand went to her stomach. “You’re family now, and Warwicks take care of their own.”
“My head is spinning. I feel like you should storm out, hate me, rage against the fact that I gave you a fake name, and lied to you.”
“You didn’t give me a fake name, love. What’s your name, in your heart of hearts?”
“Corinne DuBois.”
“See? No lies. You couldn’t flat out tell me who you were on our first night together. You had no way of knowing what I would do with the information. And when we met again?” He smiled at her. “Well, we had a bit more pressing matters on our hands, didn’t we? I know now, and that’s what matters.”
Corinne sighed and nodded, but he could tell she was unconvinced.
“Do you really think I could hate you for the way you grew up? That would be like you being mad at me for being a dragon shifter. You can’t change your history, Corinne. None of this was in your control. And as soon as you were able to leave safely, you did. That doesn’t make you a bad person, it doesn’t make you a victim. It makes you a survivor. I am so damn proud of you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Proud?”
“Well, of course. Do you know how much strength of character that takes? Peanut and Nugget are very lucky to have you as a mother, and I am definitely lucky to have you as a mate. I’m going to make sure you’re proud right back.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head instead. Paris chose to go on.
“You will have to be patient with me, and I can guarantee you that we might fight over your safety, and what you can and cannot do while Gustave is still out there.”
“Like, what? You’ll keep me locked in here?”
He flinched. “No, love. Not locked in here, but I would rather you stay here. Johanna will be around when I can’t be. Her assistant, Armstrong, is a dragon shifter just like us, and he will keep an eye on the property. You’re not locked up, you’re not being imprisoned again. This is for your own safety. Do you think you can handle it for a bit, while we get Gustave off the streets?”
Corinne swallowed hard. “I only just got free.” Her hands dropped to her stomach, where Peanut and Nugget sat, having no idea just how strong of a badass their mother was. “But I’ll do it. Of course, I will. Anything for these two little babies.”
He smiled at her sadly. “I’m going to go call Johanna, and then do a few things to make the house safer, okay? I’ll also call the Interpol contact London has. Do you think you can rest while I do that?”
Corinne arched a brow at him. “Really? Do you think I will be able to relax, now that I’ve told you everything? I have to sit here like a porcelain doll and let you save me. Like a weakling.”
He cupped her face. “Hey, no. None of that. First of all, you have already saved yourself. And now? You’re not a weakling, who will just sit by while other people save you. That’s not what this is. You are an expectant mother, who already saved herself. Now it’s up to the system that let you down, to make reparations and put Gustave behind bars. Let me do this for you, Corinne. For you. For our children. For our family.”
Her eyes were lined with tears. “I just want them to be safe and have a good life.”
“And they will,” he vowed, scooping her up in his arms again. “We will give them that. Together.”
Chapter Seventeen
Paris
Paris had spent the better part of the afternoon and the evening on the phone with his brothers. Eventually, Johanna and Armstrong had joined him. His mother had been filled in as to what was going on. She was thrilled that she was finally going to get her long-awaited grandbabies, but she was adamant that nothing should happen to Peanut and Nugget, and Corinne, of course.
The Warwick clan was closing ranks around their three newest members, and for once, Paris was thankful for his meddling mother and infuriating brothers.
Paris had checked up on Corinne every hour or so. She had napped, painted, ordered a second crib online, and started the sketch which they would paint together in the nursery. He could tell that she was stressed and nervous about everything. She hated relinquishing control, but Paris had assured her, multiple times, that as the father of her children, and her mate, it was his place, his job, his duty, to look out for her, Peanut, and Nugget.
Corinne kept on asking if there was something, anything she could do, but Paris kept on telling her a solid and resounding no. He didn’t want Corinne anywhere near Gustave again. Not only because he didn’t want his mate to be held captive again, but there was no way he was going to let his kids be in that kind of situation.
Peanut and Nugget, or Anna and Alfie, wouldn’t even touch a paintbrush if they didn’t want to. They wouldn’t be raised to be anything they didn’t want to be, and with both of their parents present to shower them with love.
That meant Paris had to make sure Interpol didn’t lay any charges at Corinne’s feet. It also meant that while he dealt with all of this, he also wanted to keep dating Corinne.
The question was, how did you do regular date stuff when you couldn’t go out in public, because of the fear that your mate would be kidnapped?
Thankfully, Paris had all of the resources he needed to make something special happen. Not only to take his lady out, but also, to help her take her mind off of things. He didn’t want her to worry about anything for a little while.
He wanted an evening with just the two of them.
Now that they both knew each other’s secrets; they could really get to know each other and take steps to becoming a real pair of fated mates. With all that implied. Loads of sex and a happy, solid relationship.
Paris might have felt a bit pressured to make it happen, because he wanted Corinne to be happily in love when the twins were born. He knew, down to his toes, that it would happen, but his dragon was becoming impatient.
The sooner Corinne gave into the mate thing, the quicker he would feel settled, and the beast would also.
When everything for their date was settled, Paris went up to Corinne’s bedroom to pick her up for their date. He gently knocked on the door, and she let him in.
“Good evening, Corinne,” he said with a smile.
“Hey,” she breathlessly responded. She looked absolutely divine in her blue jeans and soft off-white top. “I can still fit in these for now,” she said, pointing to her pants. “But, now that I’m carrying twins, I guess it won’t be long before I am showing.”
He took her hand in his and led her down the stairs. “It doesn’t matter what you wear, love. You will always be the most beautiful woman in the room.”
She laughed and shook her head. “If you say so.”