Hired to Breed (The Hired Series Book 3)

by Leann Ryans

  “Just came by to pick up Sofia.”

  Penny’s eyes trailed down Annalise, lingering on the hand cradling her lower belly. Annalise hadn’t realized what she was doing and lowered her hand to her side as Penny’s eyes turned mischievous.

  “Have the cravings hit yet?”

  The smirk and raised brow struck Annalise as odd for such an innocent question.

  “No food cravings yet. I’m not that far along.”

  It felt good to announce to someone besides her sister and Ms. Haranne that she was pregnant, and the rest of the tension drained from her shoulders as Penny let out a laugh.

  “Oh, no. Not those cravings. That doesn’t come till later. I meant the cravings for Daddy. I couldn’t keep my hands to myself those first few months. Babies are demanding even before they come out!”

  Annalise barely kept her jaw from dropping as the meaning of her words sank in. Ms. Haranne said omegas required the father’s presence during the pregnancy, and the doctor had made a few remarks she hadn’t understood, but it was beginning to click into place.

  “If I remember right, it wasn’t just your hands you couldn’t keep to yourself. You were greedy.”

  The rumbled words caused Annalise to startle again as the Alpha who delivered Liam to her apartment came around the corner. Baby cradled in one arm, he walked up behind Penny and snaked the other around her waist, burying his nose against the mating mark on the side of her neck.

  Penny’s cheeks flushed pink as she gave his arm a light slap and wiggled out of his hold. Turning, she scooped the little bundle against her chest before her mate took hold of her hair and tipped her head back for a kiss.

  Annalise felt her eyes widen further. It was clear the pair were smitten with each other, and she felt like she was intruding on a private moment.

  “Well hello to you too!” Penny gasped when he released her lips.

  The Alpha smirked down at her before turning his attention to Annalise.

  “Hello again, Miss Farah. Everything okay?”

  His expression turned more serious when Annalise hesitated, but she managed to nod her head.

  “Y—yes. Everything’s fine. I was just taking my afternoon walk.”

  Penny noticed how Annalise’s gaze bounced between the three of them, turning back to face her.

  “This is my mate, Ethan.”

  Colleting her scattered thoughts, Annalise tried to smooth her features into her usual calm expression.

  “Yes, I remember. It was nice to see you both.”

  Taking the hint, Ethan nodded, placing a hand on Penny’s back. Flashing her a quick smile, the other woman turned and let him lead her across the street. Annalise watched as they continued walking away from the main cluster of buildings, assuming they must live in one of the homes scattered behind the business district.

  Feet moving without direction from her, Annalise began her usual route, though her attention wasn’t on what was around her. When she’d researched Ms. Haranne’s claims after her first visit, she’d found enough to support the fact that she would need the Alpha who bred her throughout the pregnancy, but it had felt like parts were missing. There were hints here and there, but she hadn’t had the time to explore as deeply as she normally would.

  Apparently it wasn’t just Liam’s presence that she needed. Living with him was going to be a bit more… intimate than she’d planned for.

  She shook her head, running a hand down her face. It should have been obvious, but her brain had refused to make the connection.

  Although her body was obviously eager to connect with the younger Alpha. Just thinking of what Penny meant had her core clenching.

  The odd look Liam gave her when she showed him his room made more sense in light of what he’d been expecting. Her cheeks heated with the idea that he’d likely been prepared for a different greeting.

  Taking a seat at her favorite bench, even the sounds of the river and birds in the trees couldn’t pull her out of her embarrassment. Using him during her heat had been a necessity. It was the only way to have a baby, and instincts had taken over, but that wasn’t who she was. Liam was going to be sorely disappointed if he thought the next nine months were going to be one long fuck session.

  Lifting her head, Annalise nodded. She could control herself. She’d find out how much interaction the doctor thought she needed, then she could make arrangements with Liam to meet them. There was no reason to let her suddenly raging libido force her to be the thing her mother claimed her to be.

  17. Liam

  He leaned on the railing around the patio, staring out over the river. His fingers itched for his pencils, but he’d left them in his room, and he didn’t want to leave the fresh air to go back and get them. He had plenty of time for that later.

  He’d been surprised to hear Annalise leave the apartment shortly after he arrived. While he’d hoped for more freedom in Eden, it was still odd to realize he was alone.

  Even in The Haven where they were lucky enough to get their own rooms, they were never really alone. The rooms were monitored, and the scent of others always lingered. Though Annalise’s scent perfumed the house, it was light, and out on the patio there was no trace of it on the breeze.

  Liam closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the morning sun. Annalise had returned with dinner for the two of them the night before, quickly eating before retiring to her room. He’d heard her stirring as he made his way down the hall after he awoke, so he knew she was already awake, but she hadn’t come out yet.

  He’d almost given in and started putting his plan in motion, but he was trying to give her a little more time. It would be easier to make her receptive if she’d already let down her guard. Their awkward, silent meal the night before showed she wasn’t ready yet.

  He’d watched her as she ate, the random flush on her cheeks making him want to know what she was thinking of. Though he’d caught the scent of slick when she rose, she gave no outward hint of desire, barely glancing his way as she said goodnight.

  When he finally heard footsteps coming down the hallway, he turned to see Annalise moving into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. He was surprised to notice she was fully dressed in a blouse and pair of slacks, hair neatly combed into a low ponytail, with a hint of makeup around her eyes.

  Leaning his hip against the counter, he folded his arms over his chest as he watched her.

  “Don’t you work from home?”

  The squeak she let out as she spun around caused his lips to tip up as he tried to swallow a chuckle. Annalise pressed her hand to her chest, eyes narrowing as she met his gaze.

  “Yes. I didn’t realize you were already awake.”

  He shrugged one shoulder, unfolding to move closer.

  “I’ve always been an early riser. What’s with the getup then if you’re not going to be seen by anyone.”

  He didn’t miss her soft snort as she turned her back to him to retrieve her mug of coffee. Invading her space, he reached into the cabinet above her where he’d seen her grab the cup from.

  “Just because—”

  Whatever she was about to say got cut off by her gasp when she turned around, nose inches from his chest. She took two hurried steps backward, her shoulders moving with her rapid breaths. Liam tried to ignore the way it caused the shirt to hug her breasts.

  “Sorry, needed a mug.”

  He tried to give her a disarming smile, but she only moved another step away from him.

  “You were saying?”

  He turned to the coffee maker, hoping she would relax more if he wasn’t watching her. She cleared her throat, the tap of her nail on the cup ringing through the kitchen until she realized what she was doing.

  “Just because I work from home doesn’t mean I shouldn’t dress appropriately for my job. Sometimes I have to do video conferences and it’s best to always be prepared.”

  He hummed, lifting the coffee to his lips to take a sip. The bitter flavor coated his tongue, causing him to grimace. He
’d never been a fan of coffee, and especially not the dark roasted bitter brew she stocked in little pods beside the maker.

  His eyes were pulled to her when she moved to head back down the hall to her room. He’d been hoping she worked from a laptop somewhere he’d still be able to interact with her, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

  “I’ll order creamer for you if you’d like. I take my coffee black, but there should be some sugar in the cabinet by the stove.”

  Annalise called the words over her shoulder as she disappeared from view, the fabric of her slacks hugging her rounded globes holding his focus until he could no longer see them. Turning to the sink, he poured the coffee down the drain with another grimace. There was no reason to torture himself with no one there to see it.

  He wandered around the apartment for a while, flipping through the tablet he found sitting beside the couch, but he quickly grew bored. Sean wasn’t due to move in for another week, and since he didn’t know anyone else in Eden he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

  Eventually he found himself back on the patio, this time with sketchbook and pencil in hand. Dragging a chair to the rail, he propped his arms on the metal and began to draw the scene in front of him.

  He was so engrossed in the task he almost missed the sound of the door opening behind him. Annalise remained silent for a few moments, a hint of her scent tickling his nostrils as he continued to add in details to the picture.

  “You’re very good.”

  Her voice was soft, as if she was trying not to startle him, but her praise made pleasure bloom in his chest.

  “Years of practice. I started drawing as a kid. It helped me focus and learn to pay attention to details.”

  He kept his eyes on the river, pencil moving across the paper. It was the first time she willingly spoke to him about something that wasn’t necessary, and he didn’t want to scare her away by turning his attention to her, though every bit of his body was aware of her presence over his right shoulder.

  “My mother hoped I would pursue a career in the arts,” he added, hoping by sharing more about himself that she’d open up to him.

  “Why didn’t you?”

  He turned his head so he could look into her eyes.

  “Because I turned out to be an Alpha.”

  18. Annalise

  She knew her cheeks were pink by the heat filling them. It seemed like she always grew flustered around Liam, and it was decidedly unpleasant. She should have known the answer to the question before voicing it.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged one muscled shoulder, turning to look down at his sketch. She’d been honest, he really was good. With nothing more than a pencil he’d brought the blank paper to life with the scene of the river and the field beyond, right down to her favorite bench under the tree.

  Clearing her throat, she tried to find something to fill the awkward silence that fell between them.

  “Have you eaten?”

  Liam’s pale blue eyes met hers, a slight negative shake the only answer she received.

  “I can cook something for us?”

  His firm lips tipped up, heat building between them the longer he held her gaze. She tried to ignore the way her core throbbed, slick coating her channel at the Alpha’s attention.

  “That would be nice.”

  The timber of his voice had dropped, causing her belly to clench as goosebumps rippled along her skin. She watched as his nostrils flared, pupils expanding as he caught the scent of her slick.

  “I’ll—go do that, then,” she said as she stepped back.

  Peeling her eyes from Liam was almost physically painful, and she felt a surge of bile rise up her throat as she turned away from him. Rushing to the kitchen, she ignored the feeling of being watched and began pulling out ingredients.

  She found a measure of calm in the routine task of cooking. It wasn’t until she heard Liam approach and she turned to look at him from the corner of her eye that she realized what was a full meal for her probably wouldn’t be enough for the bigger male.

  “Do you always eat this… healthy?”

  His raised brow as he stared at the salad with a single chicken breast split between them showed what he thought of her meal. Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her plate and headed for the table.

  “It’s important to eat well during pregnancy. And dark greens are good for you.”

  She heard him banging around in the kitchen behind her but refused to turn and see what he was doing. When he joined her at the table he had added a sandwich to his plate that was so big she wouldn’t have been able to wrap her hands around it, and she made a mental note to make extra at dinner.

  They ate in silence for a few moments before he spoke again.

  “So, besides rabbit food, what else do you like to eat?”

  Annalise narrowed her eyes, wondering if the lilt in his tone meant he was teasing her, or if he was serious.

  “I’m not too picky. I try to have a different protein every day and tend to make everything from scratch. I used to spend hours watching our cook as she prepared meals.”

  “You had a cook? I take it your parents were well off too then?”

  Her chest clenched and she had to force down the bite she’d just taken. She didn’t want to talk about her parents, but she couldn’t ignore the question without being rude.

  “Yes, they did well for themselves.”

  She could feel his eyes searching her face as she stared down at her plate, but luckily he decided to drop the subject. The rest of lunch was passed in silence until she stood to take her plate to the sink.

  “I’ll get that.”

  She was surprised at the offer but let him take the plate from her. Watching him walk to the sink, she was struck by how little she really knew of Liam. She’d been astonished to find him sketching on the patio and to realize how good he was at it. Questions burned on the tip of her tongue, but she knew that asking him any meant she’d need to answer some as well, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

  Thanking him for cleaning up, she turned and headed back to her office, hoping she could focus on her work better than she had that morning. It was strange having someone in the house, and she found herself wondering what he was doing. Thoughts of what he could be getting into caused a moment of panic before she’d made herself relax.

  The rest of the day was spent either staring at her computer screen or at the door behind her. After watching him draw she was curious to see more of his work, but she wasn’t sure it was appropriate to ask. By the time she was finished with work and was able to leave her room again she’d decided to let it go. There was no reason to pry unless he offered.

  Slipping into her walking shoes, she made her way through the apartment to find Liam seated on the couch. He appeared to be staring off into space, so she softly cleared her throat, not wanting to startle him since she didn’t know how he’d react.

  “Oh, hey. Done with work?”

  He smiled, showing off the dimple on his right cheek. Trying to swallow the sudden lump in her throat, Annalise nodded.

  “I’m going for a walk. Do you want to come?”

  She felt awkward asking but thought it would be rude not to since he’d spent the day cooped up in the house. Since Eden was an Alpha-camp there was no problem with him coming and going from the apartment on his own, but she wasn’t sure he knew that or if Ms. Haranne had given him any special instructions not to.

  “Sure.”

  The speed which he got to his feet left no doubt in her mind he’d been bored, and she felt a brief prick of guilt. She didn’t have a television because she didn’t watch it, and the only computer was in her room, though she’d left him the tablet. She wasn’t sure how he was supposed to occupy his time. She’d never even had a pet to worry about.

  Liam followed her out the door, and she paused to make sure he knew the code if he wanted to be able to come and go.

  “Yeah, I found the keycard o
n my dresser. Thanks.”

  He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck like he was embarrassed, but Annalise didn’t know why he would be. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t used to having the freedom to come and go.

  Shrugging it off, she waited for the elevator and stepped inside once the doors slid back. When they reached the ground floor Liam trailed behind her as she turned to take her usual route. He was silent, a massive shadow following her as she made her way past the shops and people on the sidewalk.

  As she grew accustomed to his presence, she found herself oddly comforted by having him with her. She didn’t have any reason to fear the other Alphas in Eden, but years of schooling on top of instinct was hard to ignore. Knowing he was there should anything happen caused a subtle tension to relax.

  When they approached the bench beneath the tree, Annalise shot a look over her shoulder. Liam was gazing out at the landscape with the eager look of a young boy who wanted to go exploring. It was easy to forget their age difference until she remembered how sheltered he would have been since presenting.

  “Do you want to sit for a moment?”

  His eyes turned to her and the bench she motioned to. Nodding, he lowered his bulk to the seat after she’d taken her usual spot. She found herself watching Liam more than their surroundings, enjoying the way he seemed enthralled with the view.

  “I wish I had my pencils.”

  She gave a small jump when he spoke after being silent for so long. Jerking her eyes away and hoping he hadn’t realized she’d been watching him, she hummed in response.

  “Do you only draw landscapes?”

  She didn’t know why the question slipped out after she’d told herself she wasn’t going to pry. She didn’t know if his drawings were private or not and didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.

  “No, I draw whatever catches my attention. People, places, objects. They’re all made from lines and shapes. Shadow and light. Without the details to define them, they’re all the same.”