Hartley and Quincy are not pleased to be out of the house, but Trigg seems unbothered.

    Hell, maybe I am in the wrong.

    I don’t know.

    I just can’t stand the thought of Costa Maloney costing me memories that I’ll never be able to get back.

    Then again, I could always knock Quincy up again as soon as the baby gets here. But even then, that wouldn’t bring back what we missed out on with this baby.

    She needs a name, and I need to get her mama to let me bond her before she makes her entrance into the world.

    Quincy talks to her friend from work, Sutton, while Hartley drives us to our appointment. Trigg watches her in the rearview mirror as if he’s waiting for Sutton to say the wrong thing and him to have to wrestle the phone away from Quincy.

    Now, that might annoy her.

    She does seem to have a permanent soft spot for him, though.

    The call wraps up when we’re almost in town, and I’m grateful that she had something to keep her busy.

    I’m in the back passenger seat of Hartley’s SUV, which puts my good arm closest to Quincy.

    I stretch over, patting her thigh. “Feel better now?”

    Her soft skin runs over mine as she links our fingers. “Yeah, Sutton is fine. She said Knox is goodpany, but she’s not sure about the other two guys who took over for the other team yesterday.” She sighs. “I think she was most upset about her job. She said Harrison wasn’t happy when she told him she needed time off, especially since Hartley and I disappeared with almost no notice too.”

    “I’ll talk to Harrison about it once everything is settled,” Hart says, flipping on his blinker. “But I spent half the night worrying whether I got my family messed up in all of this. Should I be hiring private security for Harrison and his pack?”

    “I believe Easton has a team surveilling the restaurant in case any of Maloney’s men show up,” Trigg answers before I can. “But I would be surprised if they went after your family.”

    “Yeah, I’m just not sure I want to take any chances,” Hartley says.

    “I know you still need to pick up your belongings,” I chime in. “After this, we’re heading to Shadow Security. While Quincy and I handle some paperwork, you and Trigg can go over and take care of that. When we’re in the office, we won’t need the team support, so they can escort the two of you.”

    “It would be better to get that out of the way sooner rather thanter,” Trigg says.

    Hartley’s jaw looks tight from what I can see, but he gives a clipped nod. “That works.”hr

    Quincy’s entire demeanor changes as we walk into the ultrasound ce, and even Hartley gives me a nod of what I hope is understanding. We only get one chance to do these kinds of things.

    Quincy fills out the paperwork while I handle payment. Once that’s done, we chill in the waiting room.

    My hands are shaky, and I can’t tell if it’s excitement about seeing the baby or anxiety about being out in public. I wouldn’t have pushed for this appointment if I didn’t think we’d be safe, but Quincy will never forgive me if something happens.

    Trigg filled me in on what went downst night while Hartley and Quincy were busy showering.

    If nothing else, taking out seven of Costa’s guys in one day should have sent a pretty clear message. As far as he knows, that number is eight, but that poor fool they took alive is probably wishing he were dead.

    If Costa has any intelligence, he’s hunkered down, licking his wounds and really thinking through if it’s worth it to continue this vendetta. After I took out Cash, Costa inherited full control of their empire.

    If he called off this bullshit and headed back to California or Vegas—his business hubs—I would let him live for a few more months. At least long enough for Quincy to have the baby and get settled in. That way, she wouldn’t miss me and Trigg if we had to take a weeklong work trip.

    The only reason I’m willing to make that concession is because Costa doesn’t have the same affinity for strangling barely legal girls that his twin had. The scary part is Cash Maloney never would have been on my radar if he hadn’t dated and subsequently killed Evan Franklin’s niece.

    The Vegas cops really should have had enough to put Cash away for that particr crime, but they didn’t want to go up against the Maloney brothers, which is how I got tangled up in this mess in the first ce.

    It’s hard to have regrets when I know taking Cash out was the right call.

    There’s no doubt in my mind. More women would have died if I hadn’t killed him.

    If I could do it all over again, I would, but I’d make sure I took out Costa too. After this clusterfuck, maybe Easton will actually listen to my advice. Nah, even I’m not delusional enough to believe that.hr

    The ultrasound teaches me two things—I’m a blubbering crybaby, and there really is a tiny person in Quincy’s stomach. An entirely new human being that we can see opening her mouth in real time. Her little hands il, and she turns away from the wand like she’s shy to have her picture taken.

    “Fuck me,” I whisper.

    “Ridge…” Quincyughs, squeezing my good hand.

    I check out her face. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

    “Could you tidy up thenguage just a little?”

    “Shit, sorry.”

    Okay, I’m basically fucked there, but I’ll try. I don’t want to be at the hospital and have them be afraid to send the kid home with us because I have no manners.

    My damn knees tremble like they’re about to give out on me.

    I’ve got to buckle down and call my family. My mom is going to be especially pissed. I just saw them at Christmas and didn’t mention the baby. She’s going to rake my ass over the coals like only a mother can do. But she’ll also have a brand-new granddaughter to focus on.

    The ultrasound tech moves the wand to a different part of Quincy’s stomach, and we get a view of one of the baby’s feet.

    Holy shit.

    She has five toes.

    The room shakes.

    No, that’s just my legs.

    My world is being rocked here.

    If I had any sense, I’d take my big ass over to one of the seats, but I want to stick as close to the screen as possible despite the room being small.

    I’m so distracted that I barely notice Trigg popping up behind me.

    “I’m only offering support because I think it would be traumatizing for Quincy if you passed out,” he murmurs close to my ear. He nts a hand on my hip and leans around me to keep sight of the screen.

    I roll my eyes.

    He’s so much like Easton.

    Would it kill him to show that he cares outside of how it would impact Quincy?

    Probably.

    “That is crazy,” Hartley says, leaning even farther forward in his chair. His forearms rest on his thighs, and he’s got his hands sped together. At least he’s not afraid to show a little emotion based on his ssy eyes. “We should have done this months ago.”

    My lips push together as my face morphs into a frown.

    I would have missed that too, but at least I could have seen pictures of the baby along the way.

    Whatever.

    I’m here now, and that’s all I’m going to let myself focus on.hr

    Once we reach Shadow Security, Trigg and Hartley break off to head to Hart’s brother’s house. They take the backup teams with them, but I know Quincy is antsy, and she will be until they make it back to the office safely.

    We enter the building through the employee entrance and step into the elevator. I scan my badge and hit the button to head up to the second floor, while trying to figure out how to break the ice.

    Quincy leans against the wall, and I step up next to her, doing the same.

    “Sorry I burst into tears during the ultrasound,” I say, my head bobbing like a chicken. “I’ll try to be less embarrassing when you give birth.”

    Sheughs, turning and wrapping her arms around my middle. “Please don’t change a single thing about who you are. I like you just this way.”

    I quirk an eyebrow, staring at her over the top of my sses. “You sure? I’m thinking you’ll be tired of me by the time the baby?—”

    Quincy pushes up on her tiptoes, and I bend to meet her. Her naughty little tongue licks at the seam of my lips as she haphazardly pulls my sses up, dropping them on my head.

    I wouldugh, but I kinda like the idea of her making a gentleman out of me. It’s going to take some work. I’m pretty set in my ways.

    I’ll still try, though.

    Especially if the sweet little omega keeps treating me to kisses like this one.

    My hand moves to her ass, pulling her even closer.

    I might be fucked up.

    I don’t know.

    Is it weird to be totally turned on by her baby bump pushing against my stomach?

    Nah, it’s probably the whole breeding impulse alphas and omegas have.

    So that makes it normal.

    And it’s hot as fuck, so again, I really don’t care.

    I love that every alpha who looks her way can see that she’s taken.

    Damn.

    The dose of pain meds Trigg gave me in the truck must be kicking in.

    Quincy nips at my lower lip. Even though it hurts like a bitch, I turn her, shoving her back to the wall and caging her in as well as I can with one arm. A low growl rattles out of my chest, and she whimpers against my lips.

    “Ahem,” Easton says from behind me. “We have a strict no fucking in the elevator policy. Find an empty office—there are enough of them.”

    Quincy squeaks, shoving her hands into my stomach in an attempt to get me to step back. It doesn’t move me, but it does make my shoulder sting like a bitch.

    I’m ming Easton for that, though.

    Quincy isn’t used to his abrasive ass.

    I step back, wrapping my hand in hers. “Quincy, meet my boss, Easton.” She shuffles out, and I follow behind her. “East, this is Quincy.”

    I barely hold back from calling her my baby mama. I think it’s cute, but I don’t know how she feels about it. I’ll save that for another introduction when I can be like, meet my baby mama, soon to be upgraded to wife.

    Hmm.

    Is that really an upgrade for her?

    It is for me…

    “Briar had nothing but lovely things to say about you.” Easton steps forward, extending a hand to Quincy. I release her so they can shake. His eyes meet mine over her shoulder, and I realize I never put my sses back on. I pull them into ce as he goes on. “I’m d you decided not to waste time tackling the paperwork.”

    I frown.

    Motherfucker.

    I haven’t even had time to warn her about that yet, but Easton lives to stir up shit.

    I tease my hand over Quincy’s hip from behind as she steps back after shaking. “We should go. Calder is waiting for us.”

    “It was nice to meet you.” Quincy gives a little wave. “This is so weird, but when I first caught sight of you, you reminded me so much of Trigg. It’s uncanny.”

    Easton rocks back on his heels, ncing between me and Quincy. “Yes, well, I needed to see who caught my half brother’s eye. Not many around here know that tidbit of information. I would appreciate it if you kept it to yourself until I’ve had the chance to inform everyone.” He must have assumed one of us let the cat out of the bag, but I figured that was Trigg’s conversation to have.

    Also, thank God I kept my mouth shut. If I had told Quincy, and she outed me, Easton would never have trusted me again.

    “I won’t say anything,” Quincy says softly. “I’m a little surprised Trigg didn’t mention it?—”

    “We didn’t meet until well into adulthood, and I have two brothers and a sister that I should warn before I share that news with the office,” Easton says. “Wee to the family, Quincy.”

    With that, he does an about-face and saunters down the hallway.

    I peek at Quincy over her shoulder.

    “You can barely tell they’re rted. Am I right?” Iugh to show I’m only joking. “Come on. We have an appointment to keep.”