Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Home with Baby Ella

I hear Sinclair sigh heavily next to me, murmuring “Ella…”

But I ignore him, my eyes fasted on Hank, who blushes a deep red at the door and looks down at his shoes. I don’t say a word, though, or make this any easier on him. Instead, I wait patiently for an answer.

“Cora is,” he murmurs, awkward, “very special to me…

“I would imagine so,” I reply, my voice harder than I think I expected it to be. “She’s a very special person.”

Hank sighs and raises his eyes seriously to mine. I hold his gaze steadily.

“I’m very serious about Cora,” he says evenly. “I want to build a life with her. But we are moving…slowly. We both want to make sure that this is right.”

My heart warms when I hear him say that he wants to build a life with her, but still – what does that mean? I hold my baby closer to me and shift in my seat.

“And do you want to have childre-”

“Ella!” Sinclair bursts in, his voice angry, a hand on my arm.

“What!” I cry, turning to him with a frown. “It’s a legitimate question!”

“It’s none of your business!” He hisses back to me, his eyes wide and appalled.

–

my sister’s business is

My frown deepens as I open my mouth to object to my mate business, after all – but Hank clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.

says, his eyes flicking between Sinclair and I now, clearly hoping

an end. I sigh, nodding,

he’s free

as Hank leaves the room, my

says slowly, admonishing. I look

to know, Sinclair. She’s not with Roger because she thinks he wants children they can’t have. If Hank also isn’t on the same page

up in surprise as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page

let me get information

frowns a little, staring into space and considering it. “Actually, I don’t know…” He brings his eyes back to me, though. “Either way,

murmur, settling back onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to each other about it, then I am

Sinclair sighs, leaning back on the chair.

response, smiling down at my baby. Then, I kiss him on his little head. “Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him. “I’ll teach you my troublesome ways. And then

but doesn’t bother to counter

the activities of the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when Rafe’s final set of tests came back clean and we happily headed out.

of gift baskets and flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving forward to look at them all. Then I look up at

look to be presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one filled with hand–drawn cards set

I bite my lip against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the love in the room when I’ve been so distracted – I haven’t even kept

baby and I towards the stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards

up the stairs, a steady hand on my back. “Rafe’s first teddy – we have

there in the morning,” Sinclair

to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to our bedroom, though,

to be there for

bringing him home for the first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s just…” I shrug, not really knowing how to put all of my emotions

I know, he says, simply. And so I rest my body against him – against the warm, steady

me. And that every moment of it – even one as simple as this is