Page 98 of Broken & Bound

“The guys love to place bets, is all I’m saying. We could riddle the riddle with monetary incentives.”

I deadpanned. She was completely serious. I had zero idea what that would even look like. But by the look on her face, she was already ten steps down the road. Her next words proved my point.

“And I know the Kings will do that whole “brotherly competition” thing and try to one up the other. We’ll have so much money to put into a fund for the babies.”

“A fund? For the babies?”

“Yeah, you know…we’ll need two of everything. I can’t wait to go shopping for clothes. All the cute little pink and purple dresses.”

I pointed my cheese at her. “No riddles, Kins. Promise me.”

She huffed dramatically. “Fine. We’ll go the boring route. Like blurting it out.”

“Thank you.”

“Seems like a wasted opportunity, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t. But you do know the minute I announce this pregnancy, the Kings are going to be breathing down your neck.”

She groaned and dropped her forehead onto the desk.

“I know. But they’re already hovering. It can’t possibly get worse.”

I stared at her. She lifted her head. I continued staring. Neither of us believed that nonsense.

“Did you hear what Alek threatened?”

“God, no. Do I even want to know?”

“Said he was going to tie me up in the playroom for an entire month. Cut off my supply to condoms.”

“Sounds like something he would absolutely do. That or poke holes in them.”

“All three thousand of them? That may take a while.”

We both erupted in laughter.

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing your ass likes to be tied up. And there is the bonus of Nik. He lives to take care of you. He can bring you all your meals.”

“Very true. He is amazing. But speaking of meals,” she said, already opening her lunch box. “Here.”

She handed over three more slices of cheese. I accepted them with the dignity of a starving raccoon.

“You mentioned a speech,” she said. “Did you actually prepare one?”

The humor faded. I ran a hand through my hair. Maybe I should have told my parents first. The thought had crossed my mind more than once over the last week and a half.

Hello Mum, Dad. Pasha and I are in love. Oh, and surprise. We’re pregnant with twins.

“Bash is going to be livid. Lose his shit.”

Kinsley immediately grew thoughtful. “He has been kind of moody lately.”

That was putting it mildly. I shook my head.

“I don’t know what’s going on with him.”

Normally, twice a year, Sebastian became emotional about anything connected to Vanya. That was expected. What wasn’t normal was how long this one had lasted. The shadows beneath his eyes remained, and his smiles felt forced.