I quivered with terror. “The packet—what does the packet say?”
Vaughn looked behind him, returning to the vanity to pluck the discarded box from the bowl. Passing it to me, he threw the test into the bin and washed his hands. As he ran the water, it gave me time to figure out this mess, while he got a hold on his temper.
I flipped the box.
“Congratulations, you’re pregnant if you see two blue lines.”
Two.
I slithered into a puddle.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
V spun around, his face losing the angry glare and melting into regret. “It’s negative?”
I nodded.
No baby.
Suddenly, I didn’t know how I felt about that.
I eyed the rubbish bin. I couldn’t leave the test in there. I couldn’t run the risk of prying staff or my father jumping to conclusions.
The moment V left, I’d take it to the bin in the park opposite our factory.
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Threads. I was out of line.” He came by my side, sliding down the wall to wrap an arm around my shoulders. “You okay?”
I tilted my head, resting against his shoulder. He was so good to me. How could I resent him and Tex for saving me?
“Yes,” I whispered. “I’ll be fine.”
V squeezed me. “Talk to me, Threads. You haven’t said one word about what they did to you. Every time I bring it up, you change the subject.” Sighing again, he added, “If you don’t talk to me, you have to talk to someone. I can feel that you’re unhappy. I’m feeding off your vibes.” Nudging my shoulder with his, he smirked. “Twin link, remember? I could always tell if you were hurting.”
Something about what he said tickled my brain, trying to connect dots that I couldn’t follow.
“I’ll be okay soon. I promise.”
Let me mend my broken heart in peace.
He couldn’t know I’d fallen for Jethro—not after his campaign of death and destruction against the firstborn Hawk.
We sat there in silence for a few moments. V gave me quietness with no judgement, allowing me to put myself back together again. Slowly, my heart rate calmed, shoving away the panic.
V’s touch was like a butterfly, whispering sweetly over my shoulder. He’d always been so gentle with me—so different to the man I’d fallen for. Jethro had been anything but gentle. He’d whipped me, fucked me, and adored me in his own dark way.
He scarred me.
I flinched to think what Vaughn would do if he saw what existed beneath my teal blouse. The scars Jethro had painted me with from the First Debt blemished me forever. V wouldn’t be happy. Shit, I’d go so far as to say he’d tie up Jethro and give him the same punishment—only a lot harder.
Squeezing my eyes, I tried to push away those concerns. Vaughn would never know because I would never show him.
V stiffened, his fingers digging into my skin.
“What? What is it?” I shifted in his hold, peering into his eyes.
“Nothing. Forget it.”
I paused. Normally, if V had a thought, I could pick up on his idea. We were in tune with work, with life. But this time, I had no clue.
Pinching him, I said, “Come on. You can’t leave me hanging like that. Give me something else to think about other than this catastrophe.”
Vaughn shook his head, looking as if he wanted to tear the thought from his brain. “I—no, you don’t need to hear it.”
“And you don’t have to feel my sadness, yet you do.” Sitting up, I untangled his arm from around me. “Tell me.”
He sat taller, running a hand through his glossy black hair. “What if you had been pregnant?”
I froze. “What do you mean?”
He looked away. “This madness with the Hawks is over. The police are involved. The media know everything. You’re as safe as I could make you by telling everyone what I know. But…what if it’s not enough.”
Tremors captured my limbs. Jethro’s text came back to haunt me.
I’m coming for you.
“What do you mean?”
V looked at me, his eyes tight and grave. “What if you had his kid? What if you gave birth to a girl?”
My mind raced. “She’d be a firstborn girl. She’d suffer the same fate our mother and I did. I would never put her through that.”
V shook his head. “She’d be firstborn. She’d be a girl. She’d be a Weaver.” He leaned closer. “But she’d also be a Hawk.”
V’s epiphany changed everything.
I couldn’t stop thinking about alternatives, imagining an entirely different conclusion to the Debt Inheritance, to Jethro, to our future as enemies.
Jethro said he was coming for me.
I didn’t know when and I didn’t know how…but what if I let him?
What if I went back with him willingly? Instead of saving him and running, why not do something to end the debt completely? I could end this—like I’d promised my dead ancestors.
Would it work?
Would my scheming of seducing him over and over again until I became pregnant be abhorrent or justified?
Did it make me a terrible person to contemplate bringing another life into this madness—all in the hope of breaking the debts hold?
Could I even stomach becoming pregnant with a firstborn of mixed blood? Would Jethro agree to something so drastic—so crazy? Would I go to hell for trapping someone that way?
My mind whirled with more and more questions.
If I did do all of those things—would it destroy everything? Put an end to debts being collected because the debts were now merged? Why had no one thought of it sooner?
Is it even possible?
There were dreadful flaws to my plan. Cut barely tolerated his own children. I couldn’t see him decreeing the Debt Inheritance null and void just because the firstborn of both houses was made from both houses. I couldn’t see him giving up that easily.
But Jethro…he might.
If he had something of his own…for the first time in his life...
Would he fight to protect it?
Would he finally give me his heart and choose me over them?
He could change.
He could save me.
He could save himself.
THE NIGHT BEFORE everything changed, my phone buzzed.
Two a.m., but I was still awake.
The tablets had numbed me to everything, but I still had issues sleeping.
Opening the message, a slow smile crossed my face.
Needle&Thread: You said this isn’t over. That you’re coming for me. Well, I want you to come. I’m here waiting, Jethro. Hurry up.
My cock twitched. Her message was almost perfect. Could she sense everything was in place? Could she tell that her home was here…with me…and it was time she returned?
Kite007: I appreciate the invitation.
She took her time replying. The longer it took, the harder I got. A side effect of the pills was my libido had dried up. But here…lying in the dark with no one to see or judge, I cupped my length and squeezed.
Needle&Thread: It’s not an invitation. It’s an order. I’m waiting for you.
I pinched the head of my cock, wondering how to reply. Another message arrived.
Needle&Thread: I’m wet for you. Kiss me, Jethro Hawk.
My cock jerked in my hold. Fuck.
I growled under my breath.
My father’s wise words came back. “Nila is just like her ancestors. She was using sex to get to you—using her body to screw up your mind, and it fucking worked.”
I fisted harder. Not this time. She wouldn’t manipulate me again. I knew my place. I liked this new world, and I had no intention of stepping out of it.
Kite007: You know I don’t respond to orders.
Needle&Thread: Would you respond if I begged you?
My hand worked harder, dragging pleasure up my shaft and radiating in my balls.
I didn’t want to reply. I wanted this charade over with. If I fucked her again, it would be part of a debt—not breaking the rules like I had.
I’d been idiotic. A rebel son who didn’t appreciate all that he’d been given.
In her absence, I finally saw the truth.
In my tablet fog, I finally found my home.
And it wasn’t with her.
Kite007: What would you beg for?
If she were smart, she’d beg me to forget her. To run across continents and try to hide. But she wasn’t smart, because she was still governed by inconvenient, uncontrollable emotion.
Needle&Thread: I would beg for your tongue to kiss me deep. I would moan for your fingers to stretch me and make me wet, and I would get on my knees and suck you for the chance to have you inside me again.
My eyes rolled back as I worked myself faster. My breathing puffed in the silence of my room.
What was she doing? Debts had dragged us together, but life had given us that magical spark that made even the simplest of touches or barest of smiles cataclysmic. It was fucking dangerous, and I had no intention of playing with fire again.
I had other things to chase. Better things.
Kite007: If you’re lucky, I might let you taste me again.
Only while she was paying the Third Debt and nothing else. And I doubted she’d want anything to do with me by that point.
Needle&Thread: All of you?
Kite007: Don’t get greedy, little Weaver.
My hand bruised hot flesh, jerking with violence as I crested and craved. My dick hardened. A release grew stronger, just out of reaching distance. Picking up my pace, I thrust into my palm, driving myself toward the goal.