Chapter 272

“I, uh…” Words are jumbled up in my head, delaying my response.

Neil has ruined his shirt but he makes no effort to clean it up. He’s too busy gawking at me with wide eyes.

Mom waits patiently, the hope burning brightly in her eyes.

I hate to disappoint her, but as my shock wears off, I realize I have only one answer.

“I’m not ready for kids right now,” I say. “I’m going to be a warrior, remember?”

“Yes, I remember,” Mom says, and her excitement dims.

“I’ll have kids after I’ve achieved my other dreams,” I say, and it’s not just to placate her. Truthfully, I do think I would like some children of my own down the road. But being a mother is not the only thing I want to accomplish in my life.

Mom accepts this in-between. Her face doesn’t totally fall, but she does take on a more pensive expression.

Neil, meanwhile, doesn’t look all that happy with my answer, but he doesn’t say anything. Good. Because he has no say, and if he tries to talk me out of being a warrior one more time, I might actually scream.

My life. My choices. Everyone else can butt out.

Mom’s gaze drops again to my neck. “I’m sure I don’t need to remind you where babies come from, Chloe,” she says.

My face immediately burns in embarrassment. Okay, so she knows I’ve been fooling around. Gods, I should have worn a turtleneck sweater.

“I get it,” I say quickly, hoping to keep her from continuing.

Mom is as headstrong as me though. I take after her in a lot of ways. She turns away from me and instead looks at Neil. “And you, Neil? I assume in your upbringing someone has had this conversation with you.”

Neil straightens. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Then we all know that everyone needs to be careful,” Mom says, looking between us both. “Or there will be a lot more babies than Mia crawling around.”

Oh my Gods, my mom is telling Neil to use a condom. Someone please kill me right now.

“Mom!” I gasp, my embarrassment running rampant. I try to calculate the odds that the ground will open up and eat me. It’s non-zero, right?

Neil, meanwhile, lowers his head like he’s been properly scolded. He has nothing to be ashamed of! He has always used a condom with me! Archer and Beau as well!

“I’ll call my doctor Monday,” Mom continues. “We’ll see about getting you on the pill.”

Oh my Gods. Forget the ground swallowing me, I’m going to die from embarrassment alone. On one hand, I can appreciate my mom trying to be supportive, but on the other, I would rather talk to almost anyone in the universe about this than her!

“I can get my own doctor!” I say.

“It’s no trouble. I’m sure she’ll fit you in on the schedule before your visit ends.”

I rub my forehead.

Neil, looking down, notices the coffee stain on his shirt for the first time.

At the same moment, Isaac comes into the room carrying a tray of coffee mugs and napkins. He sets the tray down on the coffee table. When he spots Neil, he hands him one of the napkins. Then he gives one mug to Mom.

“Coffee, Chloe?” he asks.

I’m so relieved that he is only arriving now to this conversation that I nod. Coffee, sure. I’d say yes to anything right now. Whatever ends that last conversation.

“Cream? Sugar?”

I shake my head. He grabs one of the two remaining mugs and brings it to me. There’s an apologetic smile on his face that tells me he’s been listening from the kitchen.

Another shot of embarrassment sears through me, but I’m grateful that he stayed as far out of the discussion as he could.

“Thanks,” I say, and hide my face behind my coffee mug. I have a sip. It’s good.

Isaac seems pleased. He returns to the tray and takes the last mug for himself. Then he moves to an empty chair near Neil, who is dabbing at his shirt with the napkin. The coffee stain is beyond repair though. He’s going to have to wash that shirt now to save it.

“Neil,” I begin, about to offer to throw the shirt in with my laundry.

At the same time, Isaac is about to sit down.

A ringing phone stops us both.

“That’s my work phone,” Isaac says. He sets down his coffee and goes toward a shelf where two cell phones are charging.

“Don’t answer it, Isaac,” Mom says, lightly scolding. “You promised you wouldn’t bring work home.”

“It could be important,” Isaac says. “Just let me see who is calling. It must be an emergency for someone to call this late.”

He plucks his phone of the shelf then goes very still.

All of us are watching him.

Mom speaks up first, “Isaac?”

He turns to look at us. He’s holding his phone, but I can’t read the screen from this distance. His face is a mix between surprised and delighted.

“It’s the Alpha King!”

I go very cold.

Neil hops to his feet.

“Answer it, Isaac!” Mom says quickly, smiling and bright. She’s excited, and pride fills her face.

Neil starts forward. “Wait --!”

But it’s too late.

Isaac answers the phone and holds it to his ear. “Hello?”

I hold my breath.

“Thank you, sir. It’s an absolute honor to receive your call. No, it’s not too late.”

Neil and I glance at each other. There’s something guarded in his eyes. I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

“A meeting with me? Of course!” Isaac beamed. “It would be my pleasure, sir.” A pause. “You are kind to ask my schedule, sir, but I am happy to work around your schedule.” Another pause. “You honor me with your generosity, sir.”

The Alpha King wants to have a private meeting with Isaac. Gods, that can’t be good. I give Neil a pleading glance, but he frowns. There’s nothing he can do right now to stop this. And if he speaks up, he’ll give away our presence here –

“Before you go, sir, let me credit you on raising such fine sons,” Isaac says.

Oh no. My heart leaps into my throat. Not good!

“Yes, sir. I have met them. In fact they are here at my home as we speak. They are visiting with my step-daughter Chloe.” He smiles as he talks, even as my entire world drops down around me. “The baby? Oh, yes. Mia is here too.”

Neil starts forward.

“Of course, sir. Thank you very much.” Isaac hangs up the phone.

“What did he say?” Mom asks, excitedly looking at her husband. She must not have glanced at either me or Neil or she would have seen our sudden tension.

Isaac does though. He takes in the sight of Neil first, and then me.

“He wants to have a meeting with me,” Isaac says. He frowns. “Neil. Chloe. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Mom glances at us both now and sees it too. “You do! Is something the matter?”

Isaac glances down at the phone, then back to Neil. “Did I say something wrong?”