EPILOGUE

AUGUST

THANE

“Ow!”

I startle out of a deep sleep and turn to Red.

She’s sitting upright in our bed, gripping my arm and panting. “Wake up!”

I jump out of bed and run around to her side. “Baby?”

“No. I wanted to talk about the show we streamed this evening.” She grabs her stomach. “Fuck.”

“Okay.” I turn on the lamp on her bedside stand and help her to stand.

“Shit.” She looks down her legs at the fluid pooling at her feet. “Ew. Gross.”

I glance around looking for something to grab to throw on the liquid. Clean towels sit in the top of the basket on the dresser, so I set one on top of the water. I chuckle picking her up and cradling her in my arms. “Can you shower?”

“Well, I have to, now.”

We strip off our clothes, and I tie up her hair as we step into the shower. She grabs my arm with her fingers and cries out.

“Shit. They’re coming fast.” I rinse her and grab a towel, wrapping it around her as I lead her to the bench in the corner of the bathroom. “I’m calling Isabella.” I dial her as Scarlet grimaces.

“Ow! The baby’s coming.”

“Shit!”

Cynric growls. “Why are you swearing at me in the middle of the night?”

“Oh.” I called. “I need Isabella. Red’s in trouble.”

“We’re on our way down.”

Red and I married after she graduated in June and moved into Cynric’s building. We bought out the two floors below his and created homes for me and for Roric and his new bride.

My mind skips back to the dinner a few days after Cynric’s son was born. It’s when my wayward father met the two new women in our family. It was unexpected to say the least.

The front door opens and Isabella runs into the bathroom. “Well, hello.” She sets her bag on the counter and smiles at me. “Get her a comfortable shirt.”

Red pipes up. “Your concert t-shirt.”

“Okay.” I grab my brother as we walk out of the bathroom. “Who’s got my nephew?”

“The new nanny moved into the building a few days ago.”

“Not sure I really want a stranger looking after my son.”

Red scoffs from the doorway. “She’ll have a flipping daycare in a few months.”

Isabella laughs. “There will be three babies really soon.”

I rush to help Red walk into the room. “Should I grab her bag?”

Isabella walks over to her bag and grabs a pair of blue nitrile gloves. “Don’t think we have time.”

My head moves from Isabella to a groaning Red. “What?”

Cynric puts his hand on my shoulder. “Looks like it’s a home birth.”

“Fuck me.” I try to hide my anxiety from Red as she motions for me to put her on the bed. “We’re doing this here?”

Her face scrunches up and she pants. “Yes. Too fast.”

Isabella instructs my brother to do things to help her set up the room. She grabs her phone and steps out the room as my heart picks up speed. She walks back in. “Roric’s bringing the stuff I set aside in case of just this thing.”

I roll my eyes and glare at my brother. “You married a braggart.”

He beams. “I did. You’ll be grateful when you see what she has.”

A few minutes later Roric steps into our bedroom with a large black bag and his pregnant fiancée behind him. “Oh. Are you okay, Scarlet? Can I do anything?”

She shakes her head as she breathes through her contraction. “Everybody but these two out.” She points to me and Isabella.

I raise Red off the bed so Isabella can set down a sterile blanket that will absorb any liquid. Setting her down, Isabella checks Red’s status and smiles broadly. “We’re very close.”

My eyes bulge out of my head. “Close? How close?”

Forty-five minutes later, I carry my newborn son out into our living room to a room full of Bravikovs.

Papa jumps up from his seat and greets us. “He’s beautiful, son. What’s his name?”

I beam. “We decided to follow the trend and give him a family name. This is Theodore Cynric after Scarlet’s oldest brother.” I nod at Cynric. “And mine.”

Papa pulls my son from my arms. “He’s a fine boy. He and Fyodor will be close like brothers.”

Cynric nods. “I can only imagine how much trouble our sons will get into.”

Papa hands him back, and I smile at my son. My father hugs me for the first time in a decade. “I’m proud of you, Thane. You’re the man your mother always thought you’d be.”

Want to meet the woman that captures Roric? She’s a Snow White and he’s her hunter.