Page 85 of Promise of Punishment

“That’s so sweet. Thank you,” Emery says, letting Fable take her drink and crackers. She waits until Emery sits, then places the snacks on the nearby table before getting out of the way.

“Thank you.” Lachlan gives his version of a grin to Fable. He helps Emery get comfortable with her pillow and blanket.

“Should you be here?” I ask Emery. Seriously, I’ve never seen her look this rough, and Lachlan looks stressed as hell. He’s probably called every doctor in existence, wanting a cure for morning sickness.

“It doesn’t matter where I am. I’m sick regardless. And I can’t miss Rory’s birthday.”

I turn to Fable. “That’s Lachlan’s brother.” I probably explained that already.

“I have a confession,” Emery says after a sip of ginger ale. “I knew Fable meant something to you. I told him.” She points at Lachlan, who sits beside her.

“When?” I ask. How?

“I saw you look at her in the hallway back at our house. You were walking into Lachlan’s office. Rory was there too. But when you spotted her, you got a look I’ve never seen before. And so I knew it was love, like in a romance novel. Boy finds girl after all these years. They live happily ever after.”

“Except no one is a boy here,” I add, teasing her. Emery is fun to tease.

She waves her hand. “It was fate.”

“I like your version,” Fable says, and I can tell by her expression she really does.

“I read a lot of romance,” Emery says. “You should come by my bookstore sometime. I can recommend some good books with heroes just like Wes.”

I arch a defensive brow. “What does that mean?”

“Alpha male. Domineering. Possessive book boyfriend. It’s a compliment. They’re all hot.”

Lachlan growls at Emery. “Don’t make me take you to that bedroom.”

Fable’s eyes dart away, and her cheeks turn pink.

I whisper in her ear, “You’ll get used to it.”

“I’m happy Wes found you, Fable,” Lachlan says, earning a surprised yet fond grin from me. He’s trying to put her at ease, for me. You wouldn’t know he cared about much beyond Emery, with his harsh exterior. I used to operate the same way—worse.

“Now that he’s found you, he’ll never let you go,” Emery adds. “Give him a hard time every once in a while for me.”

Fable laughs, and her entire body relaxes. I wasn’t sure how this would go down, but I’m happy it’s over and that Fable feels comfortable.

30

I THOUGHT THE KEY WAS LOST

Wes

Fable and I stand in the garden at Hale Manor on the patio below the terrace with my sister, Tessa.

I was giving Fable a tour of my old bedroom—and by tour, I mean I was giving her a quickie against the wall. The pregnancy made her horny as hell. I wasn’t complaining. I’d take whatever she offered whenever, wherever.

We’d just finished when Tessa texted that she was at the manor.

Fable freaked and raced into the bathroom to make herself presentable.

We found Tessa in the kitchen, raiding the cabinets for something to drink. “There has to be a shot of something around here.”

“Hello, sis,” I said with Fable’s hand firmly in mine.

She startled but laughed as she turned to us. “I thought I’d outgrown that.”