“He was killed and didn’t make it all the way back. I didn’t figure out that’s what really happened until later, but the how didn’t matter. Dead was dead.”

Sasha grabbed a tissue from the nightstand. “I swore then that I’d do whatever I could to make sure we gave these amazing men the best of everything. And there has to be some way to stop losing them to the insanity, to save men like David. Like Trahern.”

“Sounds like a worthy goal to me. What’s changed?”

“That would seem obvious. Most of the Regents are a bunch of old-school traditionalists at heart. Not only am I going to be a single parent, but the father is someone they’d just as soon see dead or shoved back across the barrier. It could even affect my father’s position if they want to get nasty about it.”

Laurel stiffened. “Don’t listen to them. No matter what they think, Larem’s a good man.”

“I know that, Laurel. I don’t have wild monkey sex with just anyone. I care about him.” Honesty forced her to add, “A lot. I’ve already told Larem that if the Regents won’t accept me, I’ll leave the organization and stay here anyway.”

She wadded up her tissue and tossed it at the waste-basket, smiling briefly when she hit it dead center. “But I’m not the only one with decisions to make. I still don’t know the story behind what brought Larem to our world. What if all he wants is to go home?”

“That’s not happening,” Laurel said, shaking her head. “No way, not now.”

“But I don’t want him to stay just because I’m pregnant.” She wanted him for herself, too.

“No, you want him to stay for you,” Laurel said, echoing Sasha’s thoughts.

“Yeah, but—”

A soft knock at the door ended their chance for any more conversation. Sasha got up and opened the door.

Her heart fluttered in her chest. “Larem, we were just talking about . . . things.”

His expression remained stoic, but there was a gleam in his eye that warned her that he’d heard at least the tail end of their conversation. “I wanted to let you know that Devlin is going to take your father to a hotel so he can get some sleep after traveling all night.”

Then there was a spark of mischief in his eyes. “He wanted to stay here, of course. However, I pointed out that since your guest room is full of boxes, and your bodyguard will be sleeping on the sofa, there is no room for him. Devlin was kind enough to offer him a ride after I pointed out the problem.”

“How considerate of both of you.”

“Yes, we thought so.” Then he looked past her to Laurel. “Devlin said he’s ready to leave when you are.”

Laurel replied, “Tell him I’ll be right there.”

Before he could leave, Sasha caught him by the arm. “So will you be staying?”

Larem’s expression turned solemn. “It is my duty and my honor to protect you, unless you would prefer someone else.”

They were both talking about more than just a few hours of patrolling her condo, and she knew it. “I only want you.”

He nodded and then stood back to let Laurel pass.

“I’d better go say good-bye to my father. Maybe we can take him out for a nice dinner tonight.”

“If you’re going to tell him about me, about us, about everything,” he said, his gaze briefly dropping down to her stomach before returning to her face, “it would be better done in private.”

What could she say to that? He was right, of course, but she couldn’t find the words to respond. All trace of softness disappeared from his eyes. Once again, she’d hurt him without meaning to.

He stepped back. “Perhaps you should ask Devlin for a different guard.”

“No, I was just thinking that you’re right about talking to my father here instead. Once they all leave, we’ll figure out what to say—together.”

She rolled her shoulders to ease the knots of tension forming there. “God, this is going to be so much harder than when I was sixteen and had to tell him I’d wrecked his brand-new car. At least he can’t ground me for a month like he did back then. He might try to take a swing at you, though.”

He gave her a quick hug. “For the sake of family peace and since he’s your father, I promise I won’t hit back.”

She laughed despite the lump in her throat. “Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s go say good-bye.”

Chapter 19

Chaz Willis stood by the front door with barely disguised fury at being the one to leave. Larem trailed down the hall beside Sasha but positioned himself in front of her and slightly to the side to make sure that no one had a clear shot at her when the door opened. He suspected her father thought Larem was trying to protect her from him.

He wasn’t wrong.

“So, Sasha, do I have to have your bodyguard’s permission to hug my own daughter?”

“Dad, don’t be a jerk.” She stepped past Larem to give her father a quick embrace. “We’d like to have you back for dinner tonight. Say, six o’clock?”

Larem winced inwardly. Sasha probably didn’t mean anything by her use of the word “we,” but her father certainly picked up on it.

Chaz’s hands balled up into fists. “I’ll be here.”

He might have answered his daughter, but the look he shot in Larem’s direction conveyed far more than a simple acceptance of a dinner invitation.

To make sure that they were both on the same page, Larem gave the older man a cold smile. “As will I, Mr. Willis. I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Actually, Mr. Jones, no offense, but I’d prefer to have dinner alone with my daughter. She’ll be safe enough with me, especially with the guards outside.”

“No offense taken, but I’m afraid that’s not possible. As her bodyguard, I plan to remain in very close proximity.”

“Oh, brother.” Sasha stepped between the two of them. “Larem, Dad—both of you—that’s enough.”

Devlin cleared his throat. “Look, we should be going. Larem, call if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

Larem stood back and held on to Chance’s collar as they all filed out. The big dog had inexplicably taken a liking to Sasha’s father, a feeling that wasn’t at all mutual. The man had been trying to brush a layer of white hair off his pants as he walked out the door.

Now that everyone was gone, a strained silence settled over the room, but at least they were alone.

He and Sasha had a lot of ground to cover before her father returned. They certainly hadn’t done much talking during the night, but they’d communicated in other ways. Never had he experienced something quite as sweet as holding Sasha Willis by his side. Making love to her had soothed his soul.

Larem watched Devlin’s car disappear down the street, with Chance at his side. Sasha had disappeared into the kitchen. If he had to guess, she was making a pot of tea. Maybe she needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts. If she didn’t come out soon, he’d check on her.

A short time later, she returned carrying a tray with a teapot and two mugs. He crossed the room to take it from her, setting it down on the coffee table. Chance stretched out in front of the door and closed his eyes, leaving them to fill in the silence on their own.

She looked frustrated.

“Sasha, say what you need to say.”

“You know, all of this is difficult enough without you deliberately provoking my father.”

She poured herself a cup of tea and took a seat at the far end of the couch. He sat down on the opposite end.

“I’ll try to do better, but there’s not much about me that is going to make him happy. You know that.”

“That might be true, at least at first, but there’s no use making a bad situation worse.”

“I said I’ll try.” He sipped his tea. “What else is on your mind?”

“I don’t know why you’re here. Not here in the condo, but here in this world.” She angled her head to look him straight in the eye. “No one wanted to explain, saying it was your story to tell.”

“All you had to do was ask.”

As she listened, he poured out the whole tale. About serving as Lusahn’s Blademate. About how Cullen Finley crossing into their world had changed everything. About the betrayals that would have ended with Larem’s execution if he’d refused to follow Lusahn and her Paladin lover into this world.

“You loved her. Lusahn, I mean.”

He considered the idea. “I thought I did, but now I don’t think so. Not really, more that I liked the idea of being in love with her. For sure, Lusahn never felt anything beyond friendship for me. You only had to see her with Cullen once to know that he had claimed her heart.”

“Still, it must have been hard for you to lose everything because of them. I’m surprised you’re not bitter.”

Hard didn’t even come close to describing his rage over his life being shattered by the selfish actions of others. If Lonzo hadn’t offered Larem both a home and his friendship, Larem didn’t know how he would’ve survived those first few weeks. It wasn’t until Hunter Fitzsimon had allowed Larem to serve at his side, hunting the traitors who had betrayed both their worlds, that he’d found a renewed sense of purpose.

“I’m not the same man I was then.”

He thought he’d lost everything when he’d been dragged into this world. But now, with this woman and the child they’d created, he realized he’d been wrong. Nothing he’d left behind came close to what he stood to lose if something happened to Sasha.

“You’re looking pretty fierce there, Larem. What are you thinking?”

“About what happened yesterday.”