Trigg and Quincy spend the next several days avoiding each other, but only during the day. At night, Trigg slinks into the pack bedroom to cuddle up to our omega.

    After that, they both act like nothing happened, so I follow their lead. Hartley does the same, and while we haven’t verbally discussed it, it feels like we have some kind of unspoken agreement about not interfering.

    The two of them have to figure that out.

    Okay, when you’re part of a pack, everything is everyone’s business, but I’m not butting in unless one of them asks for my advice. Putting my nose where it doesn’t belong seems like a great way to get one of them mad at me.hr

    Dr. Danees by twice more to check on my shoulder, and he’s happy with the way things are looking. Although, he did warn me not to push it.

    I’m able to do some very light cardio, just to keep myself from turning into a sedentary blob, but I hate jogging on the treadmill. If I have to run, I’d much rather do it on the pavement, out in the elements, with a view. With our current circumstances, that’s just not possible.

    I have a decent amount of exercise equipment taking up one of the bays in the garage, and I finally put the thousands of dors’ worth of equipment to good use. There’s a slight possibility that I only took the plunge because Hartley found the weights and rowing machine and started making me look bad when he headed out there for an hour every morning and evening.

    Whatever.

    As much as I hate traveling, being trapped in the house is a different kind of hell entirely.

    It’s a good thing this ce is spacious; otherwise, we probably would have killed each other by now.

    It’s a real mindfuck knowing Costa is still out there, plotting his revenge. I’d think by now he would have gotten bored and headed back to California or Vegas. Then again, I know how patient I’ve been while waiting for a target, and this vendetta is personal. Under any other circumstances, he would have stayed in his territory and waited for one of the contractors toplete the kill.

    Thinking of myself as the kill sends an involuntary shiver down my spine.

    I’m so over this bullshit.hr

    The bond says we’re all relieved when Quincy’s next doctor’s appointment rolls around. It gives us a solid excuse to get out of the house, and I’ve been itching to hear the baby’s heartbeat again.

    Since Quincy’s heat-like symptoms settled down significantly after our bonds were in ce, the doctor told us not to worry abouting in the following week for that emergency appointment. Instead, we’re going in for Quincy’s standard thirty-six-week visit.

    It’s fucking wild how fast time flies. In just four short weeks, her due date will be here. I’ve done a lot of research while puttering around the house, and there’s a real possibility the baby mighte even sooner than that. She could also bete.

    We all sleep as a unit in the pack bedroom, and when we can rotate who needs the shower, we get ready in here too. Since we all have to leave at once, they scatter to their own rooms.

    Our omega was the one who brought up that she thought it would be nice for Hartley to have the room Knox was staying in. It just made sense considering Trigg and I have rooms we can retreat to if we want some alone time or to avoid a pileup in the primary bathroom.

    I stayed with her this time, and I head to check on her progress. We still have forty minutes before we have to leave, but I’m hoping I can get her to eat something before we go.

    My head tilts as Quincyes into view. She’s nude, and her right leg is propped up on the edge of the tub. It blows my fucking mind how the female body can grow and change in such a short period of time.

    Her misery hits me in the bond, and I’m not sure if I was preupied and missed it or if she was blocking her emotions froming through.

    She has a can of shaving cream by her foot, and she stretches down, cupping the water drizzling from the tub faucet before dropping it over her leg. She’s wobbly and unbnced these days.

    I don’t want to startle her and cause a fall, so I cross the room, wrapping my hand around her sternum before announcing myself. “Hey, sweetheart.”

    “I appreciate that none of you have mentioned that I look like a woolly mammoth, but I can’t reach my cankles anymore.” She sniffles.

    Cankles? Iugh.

    Fuck, I can’t help it. She’s too cute.

    “Laugh it up,” she mutters. “You guys are the ones fighting through a jungle of bush to find my vagina.”

    I shake my head, booming an even louder bout ofughter. “I love the hell out of you. Listen, I’m kinda digging the seventies-style porn bush, but if it bothers you that much, I’m happy to help you shave.”

    “Wait, did you just tell me you love me?”

    My head tilts. “Yeah, sweetheart. I think I did.”

    Her face softens, and she runs her hand over mine that rests on her stomach. “I love you too. I didn’t want to make the mistake of rushing into saying it, but it’s been on the tip of my tongue for a few days.”

    “Good,” I murmur, leaning down and capturing her lips. I keep the kiss quick and yful because we have an appointment to get to, but when I pull back, I end up smiling like a fiend. “All right, want to tackle the legs for now and save the pussy forter? Or do you want me to do both since the doctor might get a view of your goods?”

    Sheughs, and my heart soars.

    Pregnancy has been rough on her, especially thest few weeks. I hate seeing her suffer, but I’ll do anything I can to make the process easier.hr

    Dr. Lindsay and Quincy debate whether to check Quincy’s cervix. The doc points out that there’s no direct corrtion to dtion and how soon she might deliver, but Quincy is firm about wanting to know, and the doctor has to do something called a Strep B test, anyway.

    I learn something new every day. Then again, I doubt many guys even know something called reverse dtion exists, which is when first-time moms dte only to have a more closed cervix on the next visit.

    Christ.

    I do not need to know anything about that.

    No, that’s shitty.

    I do need to know this kinda stuff. I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to do with this newfound knowledge. Hell, if anyone ever needs to know, I’ll keep that tidbit in my back pocket.

    The nursees in while Dr. Lindsay does whatever she needs to do under the paper sheet, and the three of us stand around looking at anything but what’s going on over there. Once they’re done, the nurse takes the vials and heads out while the doc helps Quincy sit up.

    “You are correct.” Dr. Lindsay pulls off her gloves, tossing them into the trash and moving to the sink to wash her hands. “You’re close to two centimeters dted, and your cervix is softening well.”

    “I knew thosete-night contractions were doing something,” Quincy says, her brows drawing together.

    “Does that mean the baby wille today?” Trigg shoves himself out of his chair and begins to pace. “Isn’t it too early?”

    “No. Being dted is normal for this stage of her pregnancy,” Dr. Lindsay says, drying her hands off on a paper towel. “First-time moms often have several bouts of practice contractions before realbor ramps up. I’ve had patients walk around at three or four centimeters for weeks. Have you toured the hospital yet?”

    “I did my pre-admission paperwork a while ago, but we haven’t had the chance to tourbor and delivery,” Quincy says.

    Guilt hits me square in the chest.

    Fuck.

    My head shakes as I stare at my boots.

    I forgot to pay the hospital bill, which I told her I would do weeks ago. More than that, we’ve been trapped at home with no end in sight. Doing normal things—like being able toe to this appointment or tour the hospital—now requires a full escort with security teams for backup.

    I hate this shit.hr

    We make it home safely, but there is some minormotion. One of the teams following us breaks away to check out a vehicle that tailed us for just a little too long.

    Quincy doesn’t notice, and I’m not going to bring it up.

    Trigg is thankfully on the same page.

    The four of us eat together, and Hartley apanies Quincy upstairs for a nap. She’s struggling to sleep soundly at night, and it’s resulted in her taking a nap pretty much every day for thest week.

    I wait until Hartley and Quincy are fully out of sight before focusing on Trigg. He’s got his phone in his hand as he types away at something.

    “Any update on what went down with the vehicle that was following us?” I grab the few bites of my burger I saved for King.

    I’ve heard dogs aren’t supposed to have human food, but I can’t say no to the puppy dog eyes. Plus, he’s a gentleman. He may stare and drool, but he knows better than to jump up and try to steal food or to bark while I’m eating.

    King devours the burger and tries to take my fingers off in the process. I chuckle, wiping my hand off on my jeans.

    “Easton believes it was one of the assassin teams responsible for taking the higher bounty, but they got away. Calder is looking into the license te number.” Trigg drops his phone on the table, frowning. “Quincy needs to tour the hospital. The inte says the baby coulde at any time. We could not be dealing with this at a worse time.”

    “Yeah, I know, and it’s fucking killing me.” My teeth grind together as I try to plot ways to get Costa to make a move. If we could determine where he’s camped out, we could end this in one day.

    “I believe it’s time I kill you just so we can be done with this.” A cutting smile crosses Trigg’s face.

    I lean back in my chair. “I want Costa handled, but I’m not sure I’m ready to die to make that a reality.”

    He frowns. “I was only joking, even if you did hurt my feelings by refusing my olive branch.”

    “What?” I ask as my head tilts. “What olive branch?”

    “Torturing David. I thought it would be a good bonding exercise for the two of us.”

    My eyes widen. “Shit, man. I didn’t mean to leave you hanging. I was beat after all the bullshit with mywyer.”

    But then I went upstairs and had a threesome with Quincy and Hart.

    Fuck.

    That was shitty.

    “I believe we should put in effort to form a friendship of our own.” Trigg smiles, lookingpletely ufortable. “For Quincy’s sake, of course.”

    “For Quincy’s sake.” I snort. “You know, I’ve known your half brother for eight years, and that fucker still refuses to call me a friend.” Iugh. “But in all seriousness, I’m sorry I hurt you?—”

    “I’ll live,” he says, cutting me off.

    “Nah, don’t do that.” I shake my head. “If I hurt your feelings, say that. I’ll do better next time, and I agree, I think it’s important the three of us build friendships. We need to be a real family and not just tolerating each other to avoid hurting Quincy.”

    He nods.

    “Now, admit you held me up in the ultrasound because we’re friends and not because it would have been traumatic for Quincy if I passed out.” I crack a smile.

    “You truly are insufferable.” Trigg sighs. “But you’re right, I didn’t want you to injure yourself. Now, I have to go upstairs and make a n of how best to kill you.”

    Iugh.

    Man, he really is just like Easton, but strangely, more tolerable.