Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Cora

I narrow my eyes at Roger when he comes upstairs about forty-five minutes later. “Are you going to behave better now?” I ask, my voice tense.

“Yup,” he says, leaning in the doorway with a lazy smile.

I start to laugh as I look over his too – loose stature. “Is it because you’re all drunk?” My eyes shift to Sinclair as he appears in the doorway behind his brother. “Seriously, did you get him all drunk?”

Sinclair, Rafe sitting up in his arms, just gives a little shrug, his mouth pulled up at the corner in a secret smile.

“I am only,” Roger says, smiling as he steps into the room and holding up a hand with his thumb and pointer finger pressed very close together, “a very tiny bit drunk. Just something to steady the nerves.”

Ella laughs next to me before she scoots off the bed.

“All right, then,” she says, gesturing to me as she moves around the bed and reaches to take Rafe from Sinclair. ” Take your spot, Roger. And stop freaking her out, okay?”

“I promise,” Roger mumbles, giving Ella a sloppy little salute before climbing onto the bed and taking her place.

“We’ll be downstairs,” Ella says when I turn my eyes to her. “You just call, and we’ll be right up. Okay?”

I nod to her, smiling a little, grateful that she’s here. Beyond having the power to heal me instantly should anything go wrong, it’s just…really nice to have my sister close by.

Roger sighs as he pulls himself into the spot close on my right and tucks his legs in under the blankets. Then he turns to me, his face serious. “I’m sorry, Cora,” he says quietly.

“Thank you,” I say, my anger fading as I see that he means it. I lift a hand to his cheek, wanting to touch him, wanting him close.

“I just love you so much

“I get it,” I say, nodding.

He nods too, capturing my hand and pressing a kiss to it. “But I didn’t listen to you. And Sinclair made me sit down and listen – which he shouldn’t have to do, so I’m sorry about that. But he explained that you need to be the one freaking out today. So, I have to just… be steady. Is that right?”

mean, Roger, it’s not that you can’t feel afraid too – I

taking all the air out of the room. I’m sorry, Cora – you’re right, we had a plan, we should just trust it.

coming to my lips now as he slips an arm around my

he asks, looking down at my

“Or, maybe a

a calmness that I know he doesn’t

I start to

asks, turning to grin

just very sweet, Roger Sinclair,” I murmur, taking his cheeks in my hands and leaning forward to

have to try, don’t I,” he murmurs against my lips, kissing me back. “I’m going to be a dad in a few

feeling significantly calmer now, starting to get…well, maybe a little

a little thoughtlessly as he tucks his head close to mine and takes a deep breath of my scent, “like an old man.” I laugh again,

do you think his eyes

making me click my tongue and

that

at me. “These are goddess grandchildren,” he says, grinning at me. “Anything is possible. The baby could

rolling my eyes, “would have

purple eyes,” he says, holding up a finger,

a second, before the next contraction starts again. “Oh boy,” I say, sitting up, a hand moving low on my stomach. “Here

me but does his best to stay quiet, his eyes on me throughout the whole contraction. He keeps his arms around me too until the pain

he says quietly when it

smile a little, returning my hand to his cheek. “I hope the baby’s eyes are just like yours,” I

brown ones, like his mom. That

have to wait and see,” I reply, dropping my

turning is attention to the bond that runs between

well. “Nah, don’t rush him,” I sigh. ” He’ll come on his

inspects the bond and passes love and comfort and reassurance to the baby,

big crib for him out here,” I say, laughing a bit. “Whenever he’s ready to

murmurs. ” Any time you

for the first time? I agree. I’m finally ready – completely ready to bring our baby into the

is busy with all the people we’ve asked