My eyebrows lifted. “Isn’t that early?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I think they’re trying to stop it or something, but odds are he’ll be absent later when the others arrive.”
“Shit,” I murmured, rubbing my jaw.
“Also? I heard from my mom.” He said it casually enough, but I could sense the strain.
“What’d she want?” I demanded.
“Apparently her pack is one of the ones that lost their Alpha and their heir. She heard about what you were doing and talked to her … husband. Anyway, he convinced his pack to come here, too.”
I stared at him. “You good with that?”
He shrugged. “We could use all the allies we can get.”
“Not if it’s going to hurt you,” I countered evenly.
“I’m good,” he said finally. “What happened with my parents is done. I’m over it.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “They can come with the others then.”
“Great. Now I’ve just gotta tell Larkin.” He winced. “She hates my mom.”
“With good reason. And she isn’t the only one,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, well, it is what it is.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze drifting to the cabin. “How’s our girl?”
I smiled, not even a little annoyed that he was claiming ownership to Skye. She was my girl, but she meant as much to Rhodes as Katy did. She was every bit his sister, and I knew he had missed her.
“She’s good,” I answered. “I should get back to her.”
“Yeah. Sorry again for interrupting.”
“Text me if Michael needs anything,” I said as he started to walk away.
“Will do. Larkin said text her if you want us to bring breakfast over.” He smiled and shook his head. “I think she’s just anxious to see Skye again.”
“We’ll see,” I replied noncommittally. I wasn’t ready to share Skye with everyone else yet either.
I stepped back inside and shut the door, my eyes locked on the girl kneeling in front of the fireplace, tossing another log onto the pile. She was wearing my discarded shirt and nothing else.
Just like every other time I saw her, my heart stuttered and kickstarted back into a frantic gallop.
Skye turned, her green eyes warming and her shoulders relaxing when she saw me. Her eyes killed me every damn time they locked on mine.
The defiance and fear had faded from when we first met, replaced by softness and trust whenever she saw me.
It was humbling the way she trusted me completely.
She stood up, wiping her hands on the shirt as she watched me. A disappointed frown pulled her mouth down.
“Do we need to leave?” She bit her lower lip, and I felt all the blood in my body rush south, my jeans suddenly impossibly tight again as I remembered those lips wrapped around my dick hours earlier, the way they fell open in a ragged gasp as I drove into her body.
“No,” I replied, crossing the room and pulling her against me, shaking the memories of before away so I could focus on the girl in front of me now.
Her body melted against mine, pliant and soft, as her arms circled my waist. She snuggled her head against my chest, probably not even aware that she was doing it.
“I told them we needed time for just us, and I meant it. Rhodes and Dante can handle the pack for a day so we can just focus on us.” I kissed the top of her head, inhaling the familiar citrus scent of her.
Her head tipped back as she grinned at me innocently. “Whatever will we do with all this time? I guess we should sit down and just … talk? I saw some board games in the corner if you’re up for a game of Monopoly?”
I kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll do whatever you want as long as you’re next to me.”
Her gaze heated, her lips curving into a smile that caught my breath. “Maybe I’d rather be under you than next to you.”
I swallowed as my body reacted. “I like that plan, too.”
Her nose wrinkled adorably and she stepped back. “What did Rhodey need?”
“Zoe’s in labor,” I replied.
Her eyes went round and nervous. “Isn’t that soon?”
I nodded. “Yeah. So Michael’s staying with her. I mean, she’s far enough along that the baby should be fine.”
“Still,” she murmured absently, turning away from me. “She’s probably worried. It’s her first pregnancy and …”
I waited for her to finish and frowned when it became obvious she wasn’t going to.
“Hey.” I crossed the distance between us and settled my hands on her shoulders. She jumped and spun around.
“Where’d you go just now?” I asked, smoothing her hair back from her eyes.
She stared up at me, her expression getting more troubled. “I need to tell you something.”
I swallowed, shoving down my nerves. “Okay.”
“Can we sit?”
I nodded silently, following her to the couch. I sat down first and waited until she sat next to me before grabbing her hips and pulling her onto my lap so she straddled me.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Um—”
“This,” I said, my hands resting on her bare thighs, “is how we talk, remember? No hiding.”
“Yeah,” she answered, wrapping her arms loosely around my neck.
“So, what’s up?” I held my breath, trying not to rush her and trying not to think the worst. Had something happened in Russia?
“It’s about when I talked to Elias the first time in Narodnaya,” she admitted, ducking her head a bit and tucking her hair behind her ears. “He said something to me, and … I mean, it isn’t a big deal or anything.”
My eyes narrowed. “He’s a liar, babe. Don’t believe anything he said to you.”
Her stunning eyes lifted to mine and held. “He asked me if I could be pregnant.”
Whatever I had expected her to say, that wasn’t anywhere close.
I froze, letting her words sink in.
And then the panic hit so hard I was afraid I’d forgotten how to breathe.
Everything we had done earlier flashed before me. The bruising grip I had on her hips, the force of my thrusts as we came together. Jesus, I hadn’t even stopped to feed her.
Her small hands quickly framed my face as she noticed how I was reacting.
“I’m not pregnant, Remy.” Her green eyes were huge and pleading with me to understand.
I exhaled hard. “Skye—”
She leaned away from me even as my hands tightened on her bare thighs. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you freak out. I know. A baby right now—”
Now I cradled her face in my hands, silencing her. “Babe, that’s not it.”
She gave me a look full of doubt.
“Yeah, I freaked out, but not why you think.” I shook my head, gathering my thoughts. “I was worried because I was so rough with you earlier, and if I had hurt you or our baby …”
“You weren’t scared that I was pregnant?” Her eyes went completely round and big. Her lips fell open a little in surprise.
I paused, considering what she was saying. The only answer I could give her was the truth.