HAZEL

Three Weeks Later

I peek at Ronan under my lashes. He's at the head of the table, his hoodie drawn over his head as he gently drags a knife over his steak as if he's trying to pet it instead of eating it.

My mom sits across from me, flinching every time Ronan's fork hits the plate.

It's fucking hilarious.

They are equally terrified of each other. Ronan doesn't want to intimidate her. That's why he hides his face under his hood and moves slowly. And my mother doesn't want to disrespect him. She has worked years in this estate without breaking a single rule. And now she's the mother-in-law of the lord. Of the man that offered us shelter and employment in his home and she considered a god.

Mom never saw this coming: Her rebellious daughter becoming the owner of the mysterious Lord's heart.

I chuckle as I watch Ronan chew slowly. He's trying to appear as a harmless lamb.

"Come on guys. Why the awkwardness? You actually have a lot in common."

My mom shoots me a panicked look. As if appalled that I called our boss my "guy."

I wink at her. If only she knew what other appalling things I've done to our boss.

"Sweetheart, you should let Lord Ronan eat in peace."

"Please call me Ronan. Just Ronan," he speaks up, his deep voice making my mom flinch.

"I'm serious. You two are bossy, workaholics, and you love to wear black."

"And we both have to deal with your chirpy self," Ronan adds.

My mom laughs, before shooting a hand to cover her mouth and looking at Ronan guiltily.

I smile. "Maybe I am a bit chirpy."

"And reckless," mom smiles. "Of course only you would think to skip the wall. How did you manage that anyway, sweetie? Did you climb it?"

"God, no. I proved myself to be a horrible climber when I climbed your bookshelf trying to steal the chocolate you hid on top. Knocked the whole thing over."

She coughs. "Honey, I thought you told me the cat knocked it over?"

"Poor cat took all the blame. I felt so guilty I fed him extra snacks every day since. That's why he got so fat and we had to change his name from Bitsy to Biscuit."

She laughs again, and this time she doesn't mask it. The sound mixes with Ronan's chuckle, and my heart fills with love.

It only used to be my mom and I. But now I have a complete family.

My fingers dig into my abdomen under the table, where no one can see. I haven't told anyone yet. I've been keeping it my little secret.

Ronan has been leaving our bedroom earlier than usual for work. He has a lead in his investigation. He's never around when I roll out of bed to puke in the bathroom.

I'm not surprised that I'm pregnant. I knew what I was getting into when I let Ronan spill his seed inside me. I knew a magnificent beast like him would be dangerously fertile. I played with fire in his arms and gladly got burned.

We finish dinner, and we all seem more easygoing. I could get used to this. I'm looking forward to our future.

After dinner, Ronan and mom share a stiff handshake. I suspect it will take years before they work up to a hug.

I can't blame mom. Ronan used to terrify me when I only knew him as a hulking, hooded figure. A grim reaper.

"I'm going to the office, love. Some action is going down tonight and I must be on the phone. Do you want to join me? I must warn you that I'll probably be in there all night."

Ronan has dedicated a decade to tracking down the military officials that mutilated him and other soldiers with medical experiments. He has pinned down the lead doctor and the politician behind it all. After chasing them for years, he's close to eliminating them.

"I'm alright. I think I'll go for a walk and retire to bed. Thank you for joining us for dinner tonight. You were great."

"Thanks for bringing us together. I'm just sorry that your mom thinks I'm the boogie man."

"You'll warm up to her. You can start by taking the hoodie off."

He shakes his head. "I can't show her. Not yet."

I respect his decision. All in due time.

We embrace. He kisses me as his hands linger on my waist. He has no idea what surprise lingers a few inches away.

"Why are you smiling so brightly?" He chuckles.

I stare up at his scarred face. His skin is pulled and jagged but his features are strong. He's the most handsome man I've ever seen, even with the experiments that changed his appearance and made him supernaturally strong.

"I just love you, Ronan."

He rains kisses on my forehead. "You're precious."

I hug him one more time, pressing my belly tight against him.

I watch him walk away and then I take my own path. I visit every spot where Ronan and I got closer. Where we got more entangled by desire and mystery. Every corner and room where he lurked over me with his hooded figure and I absolutely melted into his arms.

I stand by the window and overlook the wall that I skipped. This is where it all started. For a few minutes, I recount our memories. It has been an unforgettable rollercoaster.

Suddenly missing Ronan, I walk to his office. I enter without knocking because I recently discovered Ronan loves when I do it. How I dare to barge in like no one else would. How I assert my power in his estate.

His head shoots up when I enter the office. He's always taken by surprise. But then he pushes his hoodie off and smiles warmly at me.

"How's it going?" I ask.

"The strike failed. They slipped out of the cabin like sleazy rats. My guys missed them by a few hours."

I shake my head. "I'm so sorry, Ronan."

He sighs. "I've chased them for ten years and I will chase them for ten more."

"Hasn't Walker been helping you with the search? Offered resources from his estate?"

He groans. "Walker has lost his fucking mind. He's gone AWOL on me. Distracted by something that I cannot understand."

I swallow, hard. "Do you want to go to the frontlines to get the job done? I know...how much revenge means to you."

My heart beats faster in anticipation.

"No, Hazel. I will never be separated from you again. I will not leave the estate for any business and leave you behind. Nothing out there is more important than you."

I sigh in relief. The thought of him being miles away in dangerous territory would have kept me up all night. He is more than my lover now—he is going to be a father.

And I can't raise this child without him.

"Thank you," I whisper, although I feel guilty for wanting to keep him here, right beside me.

"Of course. I would do anything for—"

His phone rings. He reaches for the landline and picks it up.

"Yes?"

Ronan's calm expression crumbles.

"What? What the fuck are you talking about, Walker? I thought you left my estate days ago. You're still here?"

What the hell is Walker still doing here?

Seeing my confusion, Ronan puts the call on speaker.

"I'm confessing out of respect, Ronan," comes Walker's cold voice. "You know that you are like a brother to me. I left your estate an hour ago and I took something off your property."

"What is it? And what the hell for? You're fucking rich. Why are you stealing from me?"

"I took one of your maids."

My legs tremble as I predict where this confession is heading.

"I took Gwen."

Ronan shoots up from his desk. "Walker, you son of a bitch!"

The call ends.

"We need to find her," I blurt. "I need to find her and bring her home."

Ronan walks around the desk to embrace me as I fall apart.

"No, my decision stands. Neither you and I are leaving. I will take care of this from a distance. I will send men after Gwen."

I cry in his arms. I want to run after my dear friend. Gwen doesn't know the outside world. She's innocent and never been adventurous. She likes safety and regulations. She's everything that I am not, and needs to be protected from the lawlessness of the world past the walls.

But I can't chase her. It's too dangerous, and I have a child to think of.

The old me would have thrown all caution to the wind and jumped out the window for Gwen. But I'm a new woman now. A changed woman. And I'm not sure if I like her because she seems like a coward.