Page 26 of Scarred Sunrise

“Fine, I call bullpoo. You’re not too old. Okay, you might struggle physically, but you might not, and if you can’t, I’d carry a baby for you. As for the last, I’ve known Smithy a while now, and that man has done a one-eighty, and you can see he wants this with you.”

Lizzie felt the burn of salt in the back of her throat at her sister’s words, an emotion so big it was hard to contain touched her chest. “You’d carry a baby for me?”

Lucy gripped her hand as they stood in the shallow of the pool, her face going gentle. “Of course I would. I’d do anything for either of you.”

Lizzie felt Meg take her other hand. “I would too.”

Her gaze swung to her baby sister, who they’d missed so much, and she felt complete. Taking both of their hands, they formed a perfect circle, the power the three of them emitted crackling in the air between them with purity and love. “I love you guys so much.” Her voice was clogged with unshed tears.

“We love you, too,” Meg whispered as they leaned forward and touched heads together, the fizzle of power growing around them in a tornado of controlled energy.

Pulling back, they released hands, each of them aware that their power as a unit grew with every day they were together.

Their moment was broken as Roz and Celeste walked in with Natalia and Katarina. Roz looked more pissed off than usual, which was saying something, but Celeste looked like she was walking on air. Ever since Zin had proposed she’d been beaming from ear to ear. Liz always marvelled at how the tiny woman with so much spirit and energy managed to tame not only Zin, and all his terrifying focus but also Roz.

“Hey, guys.”

Meg waved as Roz, wearing a black bikini, and Celeste, wearing a red and white polka dot one piece with a frill around the waist, walked towards them and slid in the water.

Roz glared at Lucy who laughed at her old mentor. “What crawled up your ass?”

Celeste arched a brow at her sister-in-law, her green eyes dancing with mirth, while Roz looked ready to murder someone.

“Well, are you going to tell them?”

Roz shot Celeste a withering glare that would have most men cowering in terror before glancing at Lucy as if it was all her fault. “Her dumbass brother knocked me up!” She gave the news of her pregnancy in a short sentence filled with accusation.

“Congratulations?” Lizzie asked as if she wasn’t sure it was a happy event. “Was it planned?”

Roz crossed her arms. “Yes, but apparently his swimmers only need one try. I planned on having a few months to get used to the idea.”

“And that’s not all, because Zin and I are expecting a baby too.” Celeste, unlike Roz, seemed ecstatic with the news.

“Oh my god, that’s fantastic news.” Lizzie hugged Celeste and patted Roz on the arm not ready to lose a limb until the scary assassin got used to the idea.

“When are you guys due?”

“Well, Zin and I are actually twenty-seven weeks, but he didn’t want to say anything until we got past the second trimester, and with everything that happened to Mara, we felt it best not to push our news out there too.”

Lucy lifted the frill on Celeste’s costume. “Oh my god, I hate you. That is the tiniest pouch I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah, apparently he or she is fine for the size. I’m just carrying differently to you I guess.”

“What about you Roz? When are you due?”

“I just found out last week. We’re due in the summer sometime, but I haven’t seen a doctor.”

“Wow, I can’t believe all these pregnancies.” Lizzie was delighted for them all but especially her sister.

“I know, but it’s not great timing with everything going on,” Roz snapped.

“Tell us about Nazareli.” Celeste swam in circles as she asked the question.

Lizzie lay back letting the water take the weight of her body from her pelvis. “Can we go in the Jacuzzi? My leg is aching.”

Meg looked concerned. “Sure, let me get the girls to play in the sprinkler for a bit so I can watch them.”

The five women made their way to the Jacuzzi, but Roz stayed on the edge looking a little green.