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I was a little shaken, that’s all. Anyway, they started talking in low voices, with Kyle filling her in on things, and the next thing I knew, I was dozing off. Guess the last few days had been a bit of a strain, after all.
I wound up falling asleep and it wasn’t until much later that I heard Dominic softly calling my name beside me. I turned over and sat up with a little cry, throwing my arms around his neck. Then I just kept kissing him, running my hands all over him and breathing in time with him, our foreheads pressed together to make a private space between us to catch our breath in.
“I was so scared when I saw you get arrested,” I finally managed to say.
“I know, baby, but I’m fine. Everything’s settled now, and the charges were dropped. Mr. Avery—that’s the Alpha who responded to your father’s ad—decided it would be in his best interests to get his money back and a little extra for his trouble, courtesy of your father, and tell the police it was all a misunderstanding. He decided that would be preferable to being charged with human trafficking.”
“And my father?”
“Pretty much the same,” he said, rubbing my back soothingly. He reached into his suit pocket and handed me a thick envelope that felt like it was full of folded papers. “One of the items in here is your contract. Your father has signed off on it. I bought it for you, but it’s yours to do with as you please.”
I looked up at him, not sure what he meant. “What are you talking about?”
“All this is wrong on so many levels, Jax. I realize now that the laws in our world need to change—no one—no omega should ever be treated like a possession, like property. Not by anyone. And that includes me, Jax.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to make sure that you have paperwork showing you’re completely independent and emancipated, should you ever need them. In that envelope I just gave you is your deed to this house and to your shop, just as your grandmother and my uncle intended.”
“B-but I need to tell you something. Something you don’t know yet.”
“If it’s about the baby, then I do know. Hailey told me you’re pregnant.”
My mouth fell open, and I wanted to get mad but knew she’d probably only been trying to help.
I still pouted a little. “I wanted to tell you myself.”
“I know, but it’s okay.” He took a deep breath and just for a moment, there was something fierce in his eyes. It was a mixture of hurt and pain and confusion—too many emotions to be safely contained. “I wanted to tell you that I know how you feel about this thing. About being controlled by an Alpha and having him dictate your life.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t want that for either me or for you. I still want to be a part of your life, if you’ll let me. I want to at least be able to see our child, and I’ll make sure he never wants for anything. Ever.”
He took a deep breath and continued. “But I know now that there can never be true equality between us, even with the best intentions. I realize that, and I won’t stand in the way of your happiness. I-I think you’d be better off with some beta, who’s not nearly so aggressive. An Alpha would bring you into heat almost constantly all your life, and with a true mate, pregnancy is always a possibility. I think it’s best for you—for your health and your well-being—if we forget about any kind of romantic relationship between us.”
The pain was so sudden and so blinding that it caught me off guard. I even put a hand to my heart. At the same time, he looked so crestfallen and sad that I wanted to kiss and soothe him, but I just stood there in shock.
“I want you to know I’ll never force you into marriage. That’s why I gave you those papers.”
“I-I know.”
“Do you? Because I haven’t always acted like it. I want you to know you have options. Choices. And though it will be hard,” he paused, choking up a little. He cleared his throat and continued. “It will be hard knowing those choices don’t include me, but I’ll-I’ll accept it. I have to.”
“Are you saying this because you don’t want to get married?”
“No. Not at all. I’d marry you tomorrow if I could. I know bow how much you mean to me. But I know howyoufeel about your independence and your career. I want you to have that.”
“But I don’t want it. I know my own mind.”
He considered me for a long moment. “I would love for that to be true but give it a little time first. Just humor me. Let everything sink in and then we can talk later. No matter what, I’d love to be in this baby’s life, if you’ll let me.”
“Oh, honey, I’d never keep our baby from you.”
He kissed me in that way of his that was long and slow and thorough. Then he smiled at me and gently eased me away. He looked as if it were physically painful for him.
“I’m going to go now so you can get some rest. Let me know if you need anything—anything at all, please.”
“But wait. You don’t have to leave. Not yet.”
“I think I do. This is hard for me, too, Jax. When I’m with you, near you like this, all I can think about is wrapping you up in my arms and running away with you and hiding you away from the world. I’m possessive as hell when it comes to you. But that’s not what you need.” He pressed his lips tightly together and then shook his head. “I just need to go.”
He bent to give me one more kiss and then he was out the door, leaving me alone on my sofa. And I was fancy free. Free and easy. Free as a bird. Free at last.
