Page 48 of Minotaur's Secret Baby

“But...”

“But nothing,” Zy puts a finger to my lips, silencing me. “I can’t let you walk out of here right now. Not after the attack. I’d go mad if I couldn’t make sure you were safe.”

I don’t understand. I thought Zy would be grateful to be rid of me after all this. Traisus grabs a strand of hair and tugs, momentarily distracting me. I look down and pry his little fingers away, brushing over the soft fur.

“Kyra, I don’t want to live every day without seeing your smile, without knowing you’re alright. I couldn’t let you walk away any more than I can live without seeing Traisus.”

I hear him but his words seem to float around me. What is he saying?

“Please, stay,” Zy says, hands resting on top of mine.

“I can’t,” I tell him, shaking my head. “I can’t do this to you. You’ve been so nice, so kind. Kinder than I deserved, after what I did to you. I got you all tangled up in my mess of a life and it’s unfair to you.”

“But Kyra--” Zy says but I cut him off.

“Thank you for taking care of us, for protecting me from Mosar. And thank you for giving me freedom but I’ve imposed myself on you enough. More than enough.”

“Kyra, stop,” Zy says, tone growing darker. “Stop talking. You don’t understand. I didn’t do it out of obligation. I’m not asking you to stay because of the baby.”

“Well, the paperwork...”

“No,” Zy shakes his head hard. “Not that either. I’m not sure where you got the idea that this arrangement was for my convenience. Only the gods know that it’s been nothing short of inconvenient having a moody, hormonal pregnant human in my dwelling. Then a screaming baby.”

My cheeks flame and I feel myself welling up. I’d been such a disastrous wrench in his plans. “But what you don’t understand is that even though I never signed up for this and I never expected it, it’s been the greatest experience of my life.”

My heart is hammering so hard in my chest that I’m convinced Zy can hear it. I take a peek at him, chancing it and his gaze is steady and unwavering. “I love you, Kyra Moraine. I’ve fallen deeply in love with you.”

“But I...but you...you deserve better than me,” I tell him, the tears starting to fall again.

“Nonsense,” Zy insists. “What gives you that idea?”

“I pushed you into this situation. You only think you’re in love with me because we have a child together. I’ve disrupted your life enough. You don’t want me.”

“There you go again,” Zy says, lip curling upward. “You keep doing this! You keep trying to make decisions on my behalf. First with Traisus and now with this. I am capable of making my own decisions and having my own thoughts. No one forced me into this, Kyra!”

He takes a deep breath and runs a hand through the fur on his head, his muscles relaxing from their tensed position.

“The paperwork doesn’t matter. The baby doesn’t matter. I fell for you a long time ago, before I even knew about that other stuff. I wasn’t ready to say it before but seeing what that bastard did to you? I nearly made the mistake of letting you go once. I’m not going to do it again.”

The tears are rolling down my cheeks freely now. I press my face against our son’s head, breathing in his scent as I try to process the words that Zy has told me.

“You don’t have to do this,” I whisper to him.

“I know,” he says. “I don’t have to do anything. But I want to. I want to be with you, Kyra. I want you to be my mate, I want you to stay by my side forever.”

I’m completely overwhelmed. I can’t even think right now. I know Zy is probably anxious, wondering what I’m going to say but I just can’t even speak. The words won’t come.

I’m too caught up in my own thoughts. Is this real? Would we have gotten here eventually if I hadn’t screwed everything up by seducing him and dumping him? Or does he just want to be with me now because it’s easy, because he’s got a ready made family with us?

Despite the whirlwind of questions in my head, I know I’m being stupid. Zy has already said that he fell for me before he even knew I was pregnant. Circumstances may have made it impossible for him to tell me the truth until now but he’s poured his heart out to me and now I have to tell him the truth.

I have to tell him how I feel. He has to know that I feel the same way. I can’t stop the aching in my heart, the longing for more with him. Zy has always been good to me and he’s right. I’ve been punishing myself by denying myself what I truly want.

I was foolish and short-sighted before but no longer. It’s time to tell him how I feel.

24

ZY