Mia gaped at Beau. She’d never heard him sound like that. Ever. He rarely took anything seriously. She was speechless.
“She was sitting outside in one of the trucks,” Alec told him. “Without a jacket or proper shoes on.”
“What?” Beau yelled. “You’re in so much trouble, young lady. You were mine, you wouldn’t be sitting for a week. Ought to go cut me a switch.”
Was he for real right now?
“Beau Malone, don’t you talk to me like that or there will be no more cherry pie for you.”
His eyes widened. “Ever?”
“Ever.”
“Whoa. Okay.” He put his hands up and backed out of the room. “I’m just gonna leave now. Alec, good luck.”
“Argh,” she cried. “Alec, give me something to throw at him.”
Turns out that throwing things could be very therapeutic. Throwing things at an annoying Malone? Totally necessary for one’s mental health.
“No throwing things,” Alec ordered.
“He just threatened to switch me!” Surely, Alec doesn’t think that’s okay.
“He wouldn’t really take a switch to you and you know it.”
“Still shouldn’t threaten it,” she mumbled. “What’s his problem anyway? He’s never acted like that before.”
He carried her out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the living room. The fire was already crackling away. And in the corner, the Christmas tree twinkled cheerfully.
Mia loved Christmas. How couldn’t she? Pretty lights. Lots of food. Laughter. Family. Giving gifts and making people smile.
It mixed all of her favorite things into one day.
But even the sight of the Christmas tree, which had been decorated by Tanner and Raid at her direction since Alec wouldn’t let her help, did nothing to cheer her up.
“You scared him,” Alec explained as he set her down on the couch. He grabbed a blanket and tucked it around her. Then he pulled his jacket off her shoulders and threw it down on the other end.
“I scared him?”
“You scared both of us. The last time you went missing and he couldn’t find you, you’d been kidnapped by that asshole Angelo.”
Oh, God. She hadn’t even considered that. “Alec, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking about that. I was being selfish. I didn’t mean to scare him. Or you.”
He gave her a nod. “I know you didn’t.”
Guilt filled her as he knelt in front of her and pulled off her flip flops. “Fuck, your feet are freezing.”
He drew his shirt out of his jeans. What was he doing? He shocked her by grabbing her feet and placing them against his warm stomach. He then arranged the shirt over her feet.
“What are you doing?”
Crap. Her feet must have gotten a bit numb in the cold, because now that they were warming up, it felt like she was being pricked with a hundred needles. She tried to pull them free, but he folded his arms over them, holding them tightly against his body.
“What are you doing? Ouch, that hurts.”
“I’m warming your feet. They’re like icicles. You could have gotten frost bite.”
“Alec, it’s not that cold. It’s not even snowing. Let my feet go. You’ll get cold.”
“Better me than you.” He glared at her. “What are the rules, Mia?”
Oh, drat. She knew that look on his face. If she weren’t exempt from being spanked, she’d be worried about her future ability to sit right now. However, she was safe, so she sighed.
“I’m not supposed to go outside on my own or without telling anyone where I’m going.”
“And what’s your rule for the stairs?” he demanded.
“I’m not allowed to go up and down them on my own.”
“And should you have been outside in the cold and dark without shoes or a jacket?”
“No, I know I shouldn’t have been. And when I finally got into the truck, I knew it was a stupid thing to do. I was just about to climb back out when you found me. I wouldn’t have actually driven off.”
“That’s good to hear.” He reached up and lightly rubbed her tummy. The baby kicked against his hand and he smiled.
Alec had been fully involved in every part of this pregnancy. He’d held her hair and rubbed her back as she’d vomited through the first trimester. During the second trimester, when she’d been full of energy and horny as hell, he’d been happy to give her multiple orgasms whenever the need arose. She’d also received plenty of swats to the ass and the occasional session in the corner when needed.
But this third trimester was the hardest. She was so tired and cumbersome. She didn’t want to sit around, yet she didn’t have the energy for much else.
“However, you still broke the rules.”
She heaved a sigh. “Sorry.” She stretched out her neck and tried to find a comfortable position to sit in.
“Tell me what’s going on, kitten,” he said in a low voice that was both commanding and gentle.
A shiver worked its way through her that had nothing to do with being cold. She loved it when he called her kitten in that voice.
If only they could play. She might be able to release some of this pent-up tension riding her.
“Mia? Talk to me.”
“I just . . . I was feeling claustrophobic. Sometimes, all I want to do is be on my own to have a good cry. Usually, not even thirty seconds in, someone’s interrupting me, telling me what I should be doing and putting me down to rest. I’m treated like an invalid. I’m pregnant; I’m not going to break. I have a mind of my own.”
“We’re just trying to protect you. We want you safe. Is that a bad thing?”
“No, of course it’s not. But I don’t . . . I don’t feel like myself anymore!” she blurted out.
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She raised her hands into the air then lowered them. She shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
He grabbed hold of her hands. “Mia. Eyes. Now.”
It would take someone stronger than her to resist the command in his voice. She raised her eyes to his. His gaze was steady and sure.
“Explain yourself.”
“I’m being silly.”
“Don’t care.”
“And selfish.” She chewed her bottom lip worriedly.
“Mia. Speak.”
“Well, it’s like everyone looks at me and all they see is my pregnancy, you know? That’s all anyone talks to me about anymore. The baby. How I’m feeling. Whether I should be eating more. Eating less. Mia’s pale, she needs more iron. Mia’s tired, she needs more rest. Mia’s fat, we need a crane to get her down the stairs.”
“They better not have said that to you,” he growled.
“Of course they didn’t. But it’s true. I’m not allowed to drive anymore.”
“Baby, you can’t reach the accelerator and brake because you have to put the seat back so far to accommodate your belly.”
So, she was fat.
“I can’t be trusted on the stairs alone.”
“You nearly tripped and fell down them last time you used them alone. Well, last time before tonight.” He gave her a firm look.
So, she was clumsy too. Actually, she’d always been kind of clumsy. Things just happened around her. Which is why Alec had nicknamed her Calamity Jane.
“I’m not allowed to cook or bake.” And she missed that so much.
“Baby, you can’t bend over to put things in the oven and Maddox said you nearly burned your stomach when you were cooking on the stovetop and got too close.”
“I really miss it though. I can’t go into town.”
“You can,” he replied patiently. “If you go with me.”
“What if I want some girly time? I don’t get girly time anymore. I’m stuck in testosteroneville. It’s just a sea of penises. Twenty-four seven. Sometimes a girl just needs another girl, you know?”
“A sea of penises? Really?”
“Hmm, now that you say it, it sounds like
the name of a really bad porno.”
“Mia, I understand wanting some girl time. All you have to do is arrange it, and I’ll drive you there and pick you up.”
“Just like that?” she asked suspiciously.
“Just like that,” he replied.
Nope. She wasn’t buying that it would be that simple.
“Well, with a few rules. But nothing too bad,” he added. “I’d just want to know that you were going to stay where I put you. And you wouldn’t be able to stay out too late. And your phone would have to be charged and with you at all times. Plus, I’d need you to send me a text every half hour.”
“Oh, that sounds like a great night out. Very relaxing.”
Alec sighed. “I won’t apologize for wanting to take care of you. You’re precious to me and so is this baby. If anything happened to either of you . . .” He trailed off, something like utter devastation entering his face.
Suddenly, she felt like a jerk. Pushing herself forward, she slipped her hand free from his to cup his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Alec.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“For being a brat. For making you worry. I know you and the other boys are just looking out for me. I just . . . sometimes it’s a lot. And I just need a breather. I want to feel like I’m still a functioning adult with a decent brain. I want to feel a bit more like me. As though I’m desired and attractive. Because right now, I feel like a useless, fat, undesirable whale. Nobody even flirts with me anymore.”
“What the hell did you just say?”
She flinched at the fury in his tone.
“You don’t think I want you? You don’t think that you’re the most fucking beautiful woman in the world to me?” he snapped.
A tear dripped down her cheek. “Even now?”
“More than ever. Every time I look at you, I think that I’ve got to be the fucking luckiest man in the world. I have no idea what I did to deserve someone as gorgeous as you. Both inside and out. And I fucking hate that you think I don’t want you.”
She wiped at her cheeks, embarrassed by her tears.
“Jesus. Fuck. Please don’t tell me that’s why you were crying—because you thought I didn’t want you.” He gave her a horrified look.
She shook her head. “That wasn’t it. Well, maybe it was part of it. It was stupid really.”
“Nothing is stupid when it comes to you. Especially if it upsets you. Now, tell me why you were crying so I can fix it.”
She gave him an exasperated look. “You can’t fix everything.”
“Can’t I? Try me.”
“I ordered myself a dress for Christmas Day and when I put it on, it wouldn’t even zip up at the back, and when I looked in the mirror, I resembled a giant avocado,” she wailed.
“Oh, baby. I’m sure you didn’t look like an avocado.”
“I did. I could just imagine all the guacamole jokes the boys would make.”
He scowled. “They wouldn’t dare. And what do you mean no one flirts with you anymore? That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.”
“Maybe for you. But their flirting is harmless, and you know it. The Malone boys flirt like they breathe. Constantly and without thought. Well, except for West. But now that I look like this . . .”
“Oh, baby.”
She sniffled as he sat next to her and drew her onto his lap. She stiffened. “I’m too heavy.”
He gave the side of her ass a slap as she attempted to wriggle off. “Stay where you are. You’re certainly not too heavy. You keep speaking so badly about my girl and I’m gonna have to gag you.”
Okay, was it wrong that she was kind of excited by that idea?
“I’m not happy with any of this. How long have you been feeling this way?”
Uh-oh.
She bit her lip.
“Mia,” he growled. “How long?”
“A few weeks, I guess. Maybe four or five.”
“Four or five weeks and you didn’t say a thing to me? As soon as you started to feel upset, to have any sort of doubt about the way I feel towards you then you should have said something.”
He grasped her chin and tilted her head back. “Kitten, seeing you carry my baby? Sexy as fuck. If you only knew how often I’ve jacked off in the shower recently, you wouldn’t have any doubts about how I feel about you or your body.”
“Then how come we haven’t been having sex these past few weeks?”
His cheeks grew red. He was embarrassed? She didn’t know Alec could even get embarrassed. She stared at him in fascination.
“I didn’t want to put any strain on you or the baby. You’ve been so tired and sick. Figured the last thing you wanted was me trying to fuck you.”
Even after all this time together, it seemed they could still have communication breakdowns. She guessed they were only human after all.
But the man was a fool.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Fuck, don’t I know it,” he muttered.
“You still find me attractive?” she asked quietly.
“Of course, I do! You could lose all your hair, grow a second nose with a wart on it and I’d still want you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Really? ’Cause that sounds gross.”
“My point is, baby, that I want you now. I’ll want you fifty years from now. Because I love you. Because I desire you. Because you’re my fucking wife. Mine.”
The possessiveness in his voice made her insides quiver.
“And being mine, I’m not going to let you get away with saying negative things about yourself. Or with keeping secrets. Or with breaking the rules, now am I?”
She gulped.
“Mia Malone, you are not allowed to talk badly about yourself, understand me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Yes, Master,” he growled.
Excitement built inside her. “Yes, Master.”
“This is my fault. Instead of trying to be considerate because you’re eight months pregnant, I should have bent you over the edge of the bed, spanked your ass then fucked you.”
“That sounds nice,” she squeaked.
“Oh, it wouldn’t be nice.” His gaze narrowed as he stared down at her hungrily.
“Wait, you were trying to be considerate? You?”
Alec Malone considerate? He was a lot of things. Protective. Possessive. Domineering. But considerate? Not so much.
“Yes,” he growled. “Now I see that was the wrong path to take, I won’t be doing it anymore.”
“Thank God.”
He raised an eyebrow in reaction.
She blushed bright red. “I just mean . . . I want you to be you. And me to be me. You know what I mean?”
He sighed. “Shockingly, I think I do.” Leaning in, he took her mouth with his in a hot, hard kiss that had her heart racing and her clit throbbing.
Then he drew back and set her off his lap onto the sofa. He stared down at her. “You’re the most precious thing in the world to me. Don’t ever fucking forget that again, got me?”
Only he would say something sweet and romantic one moment then something completely caveman and domineering the next.
But he wouldn’t be her Alec if he wasn’t a bit of a throwback.
“Yes, Master.”
“Good girl. Now I need to check that the house is locked up then I’ll come back. Do you need anything?”
“I got to pee.” She started to push herself off the sofa.
“Wait.” He placed a hand on her stomach. “There’s something I need you to do for me. Besides starting to communicate with me better.”
“What’s that?”
“I need you to ask for help more. You’re trying to do everything on your own and it drives the protective alpha in me insane. I think that might be part of the reason I’ve become slightly overprotective. I’m worried you won’t ask for help when you need it, so I’ve taken away every possibility where you might need to ask.”
“Slightly overprotective,�
� she said dryly.
He raised an eyebrow.
She sighed. “All right, I get it. And I’ll try to ask for help more.”
“That’s my good kitten.” He brushed his lips across her forehead.
“Now, haul this pregnant lady up. I’ve gotta pee. Stat.”
3
Alec entered the kitchen before pulling out his phone. He opened the group chat that he hated using.
Big Dog: Anyone comes to the house tonight and they’re dead.
Fuck. Who the hell changed his name to Big Dog? And how did he change it back? Before he could figure that out, his phone started to buzz.
Butch: Ooh. Is someone getting lucky tonight?
Jaret: Are you forgetting that I live there? Where am I gonna stay?
Raid: But what happens if I get hungry?
Maddox: Big Dog wants some alone time with Mia.
Beau: Probably so he can spank her ass.
Butch: He can’t spank her in her condition.
Jaret: She’s pregnant, not sick, dumbass.
Tanner just sent a series of emojis which included a winky face with its tongue out, an eggplant, and a peach. What the hell? Did he want to eat eggplants and peaches?
Alec shook his head.
Grumpy pants: Shut up. All of you.
Alec had to grin at West’s reply and his nickname. He wondered if he was trying to get Flick to put down the bridal magazines and pay him some attention.
Good luck with that, brother.
Grabbing a bottle of water and a bar of chocolate, he then did a quick check through the house to make certain all the doors were locked before walking into the living room to find Mia sitting on the sofa, flicking through TV channels.
“No TV tonight,” he told her.
She gave him a surprised look. “Then what are we going to do? Play a boardgame?”
Romanced by the Malones (Haven, Texas) Page 2