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The bathroom door was locked, and Kai was downstairs with Meems helping with the dishes.

“The last one of these I took, I sat here for twenty minutes after the timer went off waiting for something to show up,” she murmured as we both stared down at it. “Thinking it had to be wrong.”

I glanced up at her and saw the twinge of sadness tweak the edges of her face.

“You’ve only been trying for two months. It’s going to happen,” I whispered back, hoping to keep the trembling out of my voice.

Impossible when my entire body was quaking, so hard it was a wonder we didn’t go crashing through the floor and into the living room below.

Pyke’s anxiety didn’t have a thing on me. One sudden movement, and I’d blow this place to smithereens.

“I know.” Her smile was soft as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “It’s just weird, once you start wanting something…once it becomes a possibility…it becomes the only thing you can think about.”

She glanced over at me as she said it.

Like she was asking me the question.

I laughed a nonsensical sound and shook my head. “I’ve always wanted to be a mom, but I always thought about it far into the future.”

I still didn’t mention Kai. How losing that piece of him had illuminated something inside me I hadn’t known had fought for dominance.

I inhaled a shivering breath.

“The idea of it was always indistinct since I didn’t have anyone willing to take the risk on touching me, anyway.”

I let go of an awkward laugh and rubbed my sweat-slicked palms together.

“And now someone has been touching you a whole lot.” Brinley arched a mischievous brow.

I choked a laugh. “A whole lot.”

Easiness filtered for a beat before I hedged, “But with the store just opening and the situation with Trevan…”

I trailed off as I watched my pee consume the first line. Proof that the test was working.

“You’re not ready?” Brinley asked with the tilt of her head.

I itched through the volatile energy that vibrated the room.

I blinked as I tried to process exactly what it was that I was feeling.

“No.” I hesitated, then whispered like if I spoke too loudly, the rest of the compound would hear. “It’s terrifying how badly I want it.”

I looked back down at the stick. The moisture touched the second wider line in the middle of the display.

Within two seconds, it morphed into pink.

A soft gasp rasped out, and I looked up at Brinley who shifted forward so she could see.

We both pretty much held our breaths for an entire minute. Waiting for it to change or shift or muddle.

Because how was this possible?

Then she looked up at me, a tender smile hitching up at the edge of her mouth, and she reached out and gathered a tear I didn’t realize had fallen. “It’s positive, Lena. You’re pregnant.”

SIXTY-SEVEN

TREVAN