Hired to Breed (The Hired Series Book 3)

by Leann Ryans

  “It takes the scanner about twenty minutes to run, but with twins it can take a little longer. It’ll take pictures as it goes, and it’ll project the image on the wall as well. All you have to do is sit here an relax,” the woman instructed as she moved the thing into place over Annalise’s belly.

  It covered her from thigh to bust, rounded to match the shape of her stomach, but only a few inches thick. It made Annalise look tiny and he had to stifle the urge to growl in irritation as the woman locked it in place.

  “I’ll be back when it’s through.”

  42. Annalise

  Her heart was in her throat, pulse pounding as the nurse switched off the lights. She’d been thinking about this moment since before she signed the contract to hire Liam, and it was finally here. She’d finally know whether she’d be buying pink or blue.

  She had to admit that she was hoping for girls. Alpha females were so rare it was almost a negligible possibility, so while the sex of her children didn’t really matter, having girls would relieve the stress of worrying about a boy presenting as an Alpha when he went through puberty.

  Then she’d only have to worry about them being omegas. Her mother had made it be a horrible thing, but Annalise would be better. She wouldn’t shame her children for what they were. She’d teach them they were no less than anyone else.

  The image flickered to life on the wall, but the scanner strapped over her belly blocked her view. Craning her neck, she could see most of the image, but it was quickly going to get uncomfortable and she couldn’t see a pillow anywhere.

  A warm arm slid beneath her head, Liam crouching beside her to help. His hand curled around her shoulder and she couldn’t help the feeling that spread through her. He couldn’t possibly see as well from his current position as he would have standing behind her, yet he helped her anyway.

  He was nothing like the way Alphas were made out to be in the cities.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she smiled as she spotted a chubby face. Much more human looking this time, the baby was moving around as if it knew they were watching.

  The scan went on, the picture flicking from arms, to legs, to organs, as well as their little faces. When Twin Two rolled, Annalise’s breath froze in her throat at the clear view between its legs.

  There was nothing there.

  As relieved as she was, her eyes cut to Liam and wondered if he would be disappointed with girls. He seemed to understand her reasoning for wanting her children to be betas, but it went against an Alpha’s nature to not want a strong male heir to follow in his footsteps. She could imagine a smaller version of him, a wicked glint in his eyes as he got up to mischief and flashed that dimple to save himself.

  All she could see on Liam’s face was awe. He stared at the wall with rapt attention, as if memorizing every second of it, and she realized he likely was. This was one of the few times he would see his children, and a pang of guilt stabbed through her at the thought that it was her fault.

  She was searching for something to say when the lights flicked on as the doctor stepped into the room.

  “The scan’s all complete and everything looks perfect. The babies are on target for twins at their stage, and you’re catching up to where I’d like you to be,” she announced as she strode across the room.

  Liam removed his arm from behind her neck and stepped back, allowing the doctor to release her from the scanner. Giving her a hand to help her sit up, the doctor smiled as she glanced down at her tablet.

  “Are you feeling well? Any concerns?”

  Annalise shook her head, waiting for confirmation of what she’d seen. Or, what she hadn’t seen.

  “Any guesses before I announce it?” the doctor asked as she glanced between her and Liam.

  “Girl,” she stated with confidence just as Liam blurted, “Boy.”

  They looked at each other, Liam’s brow raised as hers furrowed. Had she missed something?

  The doctor’s chuckle drew her attention back to the woman, and Annalise held her breath. Her heart pounded and each second the doctor waited to respond took a lifetime.

  “You’re both correct,” the doctor said with a laugh.

  It took a moment for the words to make sense. The possibility of having one of each hadn’t even occurred to her and she wanted to smack herself for not thinking of it.

  She was getting a boy and a girl. The best of both worlds, though it carried a heap of worry.

  Her eyes turned back to Liam, the stunned look on his face forcing a huff from her chest. He blinked and shook his head, a smile spreading across his face as he glanced down at her.

  “How good am I? First shot and I produced a girl and a boy!”

  Annalise rolled her eyes, shaking her head even though she couldn’t stop the chuckle that left her. Despite it being less convenient than having two of the same who could share everything, she had to admit the idea of one of each was sounding better by the second. She’d get to experience having a little girl and boy without having to go through another pregnancy.

  The feeling that stabbed through her certainly couldn’t be disappointment as her gaze cut back to Liam. She’d never thought of going through the process a second time, but the way Liam had grown on her gave the idea merit. She doubted she’d ever have the time or freedom to entertain the idea after the twins were born though.

  Pulling her attention back to the doctor, she answered a few questions and listened to her instructions before standing to leave. Liam trailed behind her to the lobby but stopped her when she went to turn back toward the apartment.

  “I thought we were going shopping?”

  He shot her a smile and raised his brows, pointing down the street where some of the shops were. There was a cute little baby boutique, and she couldn’t resist the urge to buy something to make the announcement to her sister.

  “Okay,” she agreed, turning to cross the street instead of walking down the sidewalk to their apartment.

  They made it to the shop and despite telling herself to behave, they left with a bulging bag for each baby. Once she started she couldn’t stop, getting multiple outfits for each of them as well as hats and shoes and other items too cute to pass up.

  Liam was a good sport and followed along behind her, pointing out outfits and carrying all the things she decided she had to have. It was over an hour before they escaped the shop, and Annalise’s stomach was demanding more food.

  “Again?”

  Liam’s brows were drawn together, a look of concern on his face. A growl vibrated from her chest before she knew it was coming and Liam held up his free hand.

  “Sorry. You’re growing two people. We can stop and eat.”

  43. Liam

  He’d worried for a minute when she turned toward the apartment, but everything worked out and he’d received the message that everything was ready. It was a good thing that he’d planned for both outcomes or they may not have been able to pull it off.

  A boy and a girl.

  He shook his head again but couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Annalise didn’t seem too upset, though he was sure two girls would have been less worrisome for her. She got to coo over all the outfits instead of buying double of one.

  He could imagine his mother’s squeal of excitement when he sent the message to Sean. She always wanted updates about Annalise and the babies, and she’d been just as excited as he was to find out the sex. Maybe more. No matter how many times he tried to remind her that his contract and contact ended at birth, she refused to view them as anything other than her grandbabies.

  “They’re our blood, whether they’re with us or not. You did a good thing for that omega. Those babies will find their way back to us one day.”

  He couldn’t destroy her hope by telling her about the stipulations in the contract. The ones that said the Alpha and his family had no rights, visitation or otherwise, to the children produced. He wasn’t even allowed to contact Annalise once his time was up, and she had no reason to ever give
the children his information.

  He watched her as she ate, wondering if she would make up some story about him or tell them the truth. She didn’t seem like the type to hide what she’d done from them when they were old enough to understand, but that didn’t mean they’d ever have a reason to reach out to him.

  He pushed away the feelings that rose inside. Looking at it the way his mother did, that he’d given Annalise a gift and done a good thing for a woman who would love his babies, helped ease some of the pain. He knew his children would never want for anything, be it love or material possessions. Annalise would provide everything for them.

  He was anxious for her to see what he’d set up, but he didn’t rush her. He was glad to see her eating more, the worry about her small size easing with the doctor’s assurance that everything looked fine. He knew the babies took a lot from her, but he tried to make sure she was eating and staying hydrated.

  The thought struck him that she was still going to need the help after the babies were born too. It wasn’t as simple as having another set of hands to change diapers and rock little ones to sleep. She would be nursing two infants, and someone would need to look after her as well, because he knew her well enough to know she’d put herself last.

  “Who’s going to help you once the babies are born?”

  He blurted out the question, trying to stop himself from tensing up at visions of her wasting away alone. She looked up at him with a confused expression as she finished chewing.

  “I’ll be close enough that my sister can help if I need her.”

  He shook his head, hands clenching into fists.

  “You said she has kids. A husband. Is she going to stay with you?”

  Annalise huffed.

  “Of course not. She’ll visit during the day when the oldest is in school, but she has her own life.”

  “Exactly. What happens if you need help in the middle of the night?”

  Her brows drew together, and he could see her turning defensive.

  “I can take care of my babies. I know it’ll be hard, but I can do it myself.”

  He reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away, leaning back in her chair to glare at him. He could see the hint of tears in her eyes and his gut wrenched. He wasn’t trying to upset her, so he softened his tone and tried to explain.

  “What if you’re nursing one baby and the other wakes, but you need to go pee, and you’re starving because you haven’t had the energy to cook? I’m not saying you can’t take care of the babies, even on your own. I’m asking who’s going to take care of you so you can focus on them when they need you?”

  Her mouth dropped open as the anger cleared from her face. He could see her thinking about what he asked, and her mouth worked though nothing came out.

  Snagging her hand in his, he was glad that she didn’t try to pull away again.

  “Think about it. Maybe you have another friend who can stay for a while? Or you could hire someone? I don’t like the thought of you being alone while you recover.”

  She swallowed and nodded, ducking her head to stare down at her lap. Her food was mostly gone, so checking that she was finished, he took her trash to the receptacle.

  Coming back for the bags of baby stuff, he held out a hand to help her to her feet. He heard her suck in a deep breath before accepting his offer, giving him a tight smile as she stood. As much as he didn’t want to let her go, he released her hand once she was steady and turned to walk beside her as they headed back to the apartment.

  He felt like he was messing things up. Twice today she’d pulled away from him, going from relaxed to withdrawn. The silence between them gnawed at him until they entered the elevator, and he couldn’t take it anymore.

  “I never thanked you.”

  Blue eyes tipped up to him, brows raised in question.

  “For choosing me. For including me in the appointments though I know you don’t have to. For giving me a glimpse at what it could be like.”

  Tears welled in her eyes, but she smiled up at him and nodded. She started to say something, but he held up a hand to stop her.

  “I planned something, but I don’t want you to freak out, okay? I had to get help with it.”

  Her eyes narrowed, smile dropping off her face as a wary look took its place.

  “Do you like surprises?”

  44. Annalise

  Annalise’s heart froze before starting again with a painful thump. She trusted Liam, but she’d never been a fan of surprises. Too many of her mother’s surprises had been painful in one way or another.

  “Not really.”

  His smile grew tighter and he cleared his throat. Sliding her card through the reader, she let him open the door and step through before her. Her gaze was immediately drawn to her kitchen, so she didn’t see what Liam did before the bright colors drew her eye.

  “Surprise?”

  Pink and blue confetti fell around her as she stared at the balloons filling the space above her dining table. There were a few baby ones thrown in that she couldn’t read from her spot frozen in the doorway, but there had to be at least ten of each color.

  Her table had been covered with a tablecloth that was half blue, half pink, and there was a matching cake sitting on each side. As she moved closer, she realized it was two separate tablecloths that had been folded to fit, and the cakes were shaped like a woman’s torso with a baby belly wearing a shirt the color of the sex written across the stomach. A vase stood in the middle tying it all together with blue and pink dipped roses.

  “You did all this?”

  Her gaze flicked to Liam before going back to the dining room. It was a bit cheesy, but she’d never expected it, and her heart squeezed at how thoughtful it was.

  “My brother and parents set it up once I told them what the doctor said. I had the stuff ready for either one, but the roses were probably my mother. I can change my passcode for the door if you want, so they don’t have it. Sean left the card on the island.”

  He walked over and lifted it, showing it to her before tucking it into his pocket. Although she’d never met his family and they’d entered without her there, she didn’t feel the sense of invasion she would have expected.

  Tears pricked the corners of her eyes again. Her emotions had been all over the place since she woke, but she couldn’t think of a sweeter thing he could have done.

  She sniffled as she wiped at her eyes, trying to hold back the flood. She couldn’t help the thought that he was being more supportive than her own sister, but then she felt guilty because she knew her sister had her own family to take care of. She’d wanted her to be there for the appointment, but Adalynn hadn’t been able to get anyone to watch her kids to make the trip.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, Annalise smiled up at Liam again.

  “Thank you. This was sweet.”

  The worry left his face, shoulders relaxing when she didn’t throw a fit about people being in the apartment. She didn’t really mind since it was someone he trusted, and it was done to surprise her.

  “Are they still here?”

  She didn’t know why she asked. She knew no one else was in the apartment since the scents were already faded and there were no sounds beyond the dining room.

  “Here? No, they probably went back to my brother’s apartment. My parents are visiting for a few days before they have to return. My other brother will be bringing his girls down in a couple days too. I meant to tell you not to worry about dinner for me Saturday night.”

  Annalise nodded. She knew one brother had moved to Eden to spend time with him while he was here. He’d mentioned meeting his nieces for the first time and she’d been surprised by the joy on his face and how much he talked about them. Ms. Haranne saying family was everything to Liam had been truer than she’d expected.

  “Could I meet them? Your parents and brother? To thank them.”

  Liam looked stunned and she was a bit shocked by the request herself, but she felt the need to say thanks in pers
on for such a lovely surprise. They had no reason to do anything for her, yet they’d gone out of their way to give her something special.

  “Uh, sure. I’m sure my mom would love that. Do you want to do dinner tonight?”

  Excitement coursed through her.

  “Yes! I can cook dinner for everyone. I need to get started.”

  Liam’s hand shot out and stopped her.

  “I meant go out to dinner together.”

  She frowned. She knew she was a good cook so there was no reason for him not to want her to make dinner.

  “Why can’t I cook?”

  She could hear the petulance in her own voice but tried to suppress the wince it caused.

  “Where would they sit? That’s three more adults.”

  Her head snapped to the cute little table she’d bought for the apartment. It was perfect for the two of them, but with only two chairs there was no space for more people.

  Her shoulders slumped as she let out a sigh. She enjoyed cooking and it would have been the perfect way to show her appreciation for what they’d done, but Liam was right.

  “Fine. But they’re taking one of these cakes!”

  Liam chuckled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He didn’t talk long before he gave her a nod and said they’d agreed. That was when the nerves hit.

  She spent the rest of the afternoon fretting. She was dressed and ready to go over an hour before they needed to leave and was pacing back and forth across the living room when Liam stood and blocked her path. Catching her by the back of the neck, he stared down at her as he stepped into her space.

  “Calm down. It’ll be fine.”

  “But this… Us… The babies…”

  She didn’t know exactly what it was she worried about. Their situation may be uncommon, but it wasn’t unheard-of. She knew he’d talked to his family before accepting the contract, so they were aware of what was going on.