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“I don’t care. At this point, anything that doesn’t make me want to vomit is good for me. The morning sickness is very bad this time. I would say I wish that it would end, but…” Perry fell silent and shook his head, and a single note of despair rang through their bond. Sebastian’s heart ached from it. He wished he had the words to tell Perry how much he was loved and needed, but he lacked the language. That was Alistair’s domain, or Geoffrey’s. They were good with words. Sebastian was not.
A bit of doggerel song sidled into Sebastian’s head. It had been a very popular song once, and it seemed he’d heard it everywhere. Every line reminded him of Perry, and how devastated he’d be without him.
He started singing, softly at first, but then growing in volume.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away.”
Perry chuckled wetly. “I love you, but not even that excellent rendition can convince me to drink beet juice.”
“Will you at least eat some breakfast?”
“Yes, my tyrant. For you, I’ll try.”
“And for the babe.”
Perry’s lip trembled. “Yes. I’ll try.”
“Good.” Sebastian left the bed and gathered Perry in his arms. “Then allow me to carry you to the safety of the dining room table. There is an army of small dragons waiting for us beyond the door, you see. You’ll need your strength to withstand them.”
Perry laughed and the sound warmed Sebastian through and through. “How lucky I am to have such a valiant knight to defend me.”
Sebastian snorted, and off they went.
At the door to their bedroom, Perry signaled for Sebastian to stop. “No matter what,” he said, “I want you to know that you are enough. That they are enough. I have more love in my life than I ever thought possible.” He gave Sebastian a slow, soft kiss that gave Sebastian half a mind to bear him back to their bed. “And I can see that look in your eyes, naughty dragon. There will be time enough for that later.”
Sebastian didn’t think there would ever be enough time, but he didn’t argue with his mate. Rather, he bellowed, “’Ware the door,” then flung it open. Behind it stood eight young boys, all of them looking for attention.
“Good morning, my darlings,” Perry chirped as though nothing was wrong. “Are you ready for breakfast? Hands clean? Show me. Ah, very good. You’re such very good boys.”
“I love you, omega,” Sebastian rumbled low enough for only Perry to hear. “No matter what.”
Perry smiled brilliantly then gave Sebastian a quick kiss to a chorus of moans from their disgusted progeny.
“They’re at it again,” groaned Atticus.
“That’s what the hoard is for,” Cornelius added sternly.
“So gross,” decried Hadrian. He covered his eyes with his hands.
“That’s quite enough, darlings,” Perry trilled. “Now, time for breakfast. If you’re very lucky, Cook will have made chocolate chip pancakes.”
The boys whooped and ran toward the breakfast room. When they were all gone, Perry reached up and cradled Sebastian’s cheek. “And I love you,” he said. “Always. No matter what.”
9
Perry
Present Day
Once the boys were fed and their syrup-sticky hands were cleaned, Perry kissed them each on the top of the head and left home to visit a certain Harrison Lessardi-Drake. In the week since his appointment with Everard, he’d come to the conclusion that while his brother-in-law was a very fine doctor, there were some matters an alpha simply could not understand. How fortunate it was that his mate was just as capable a physician. With his sharp mind, unending curiosity, and love of all things reptile—human-shaped or otherwise—Harrison was bound to know something that would help Perry’s condition beyond simple bed rest and beet juice, and if not, Perry had no doubt he’d bury his nose in a book and plumb the scientific depths of his mind until he did.
It was a quick trip from Sebastian’s lair to Everard’s estate. Perry’s personal chauffeur, Williams, slowed the Lexus to a stop before its impressive front staircase, shifted into park, and turned in her seat to make eye contact. “We’re here, sir. Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?”
