Chapter 19

"So." Rio faced me on the couch. "What're you going to name the kid? Because ‘Rio' would be so dope. We can call him Rio the second."

He stretched out his long legs along the cushions, forcing me to inch closer to the far end as I hemmed a pair of tiny purple joggers (Rio's suggestion after he'd come across a bolt of purple fleece at Bluebeard Cove's craft store).

I chewed on my lower lip like I was actually considering his naming suggestion. "Uh, no."

"Why not?"

"Because there's only one you. Two Rios would be a travesty. Think what the kid would have to live up to."

His mouth hooked up. "True."

We met each other's eyes and laughed.

"Seriously, though." He rested his feet, encased in thick orange-and-blue socks, against my thigh. "What are you going to name him?"

I moved a shoulder. "I don't know. We haven't really talked about it."

"Huh. What names are on the list?"

"I like Talon."

"Not bad. It's badass, you know?" Folding his arms under his head, he contemplated the ceiling while I finished hemming the first leg and moved to the second. "So the kid would be Talon, Junior?"

"Nah—I don't like Juniors. We can give him a different middle name."

"Does Talon have a middle name?"

"No." I pushed the needle through the folded fleece. "He only uses his first name. It's not unusual with vampires."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I think it's because after they're turned, they cut their human connections. Most of them, anyway. Talon takes care of his mom."

"She's still alive?"

I nodded. "She's in her sixties, I guess. I don't know about his dad—he's not in the picture."

I finished the hem and cut and tied the thread before stabbing the needle into a pincushion. "What d'you think?" I held up the tiny pants.

"Let me see," Rio said and I tossed them on his lap. He held them up in front and made a comical face. "You sure they're big enough? They look like they're for a doll."

"He's only going to be seven or eight pounds when he's born."

"That's insane."

"They grow fast."

"If you say so." He threw the joggers back to me. "They're pretty lit, though. You should make him a tiny hoodie to go with them."

"I'm going to. And mitts and booties."

"He'll be purple from head to toe. Talon's going to crap himself."

"He'll survive." We grinned at each other.

Still grinning, Rio took my sewing box and bobbled it. "Shit." He caught it before it hit the floor. When he sat back up, he returned it to the coffee table.

"I brought you something," he said conversationally. "Don't look now, though. I hid it beneath the thread."

What the—?

"You need a weapon," Rio said, his voice lower but still conversational.

A what?I stowed my pincushion in the box and shut the lid, trying not to look as shocked as I felt. I was pretty sure there were no cameras inside my rooms—just in the hall outside my door, and that one in the garden—but still...

"So." Rio picked up the TV remote. "Wanna watch a movie? My turn to pick."

"You picked the other night. And where the hell did you get a weapon?" I wanted to yell the question, but I kept my voice as low and unconcerned as his.

"Mrs. Park. She said to pass it to you just in case. Now, drop it." He turned on the TV. "And you loved that movie, by the way. You said Henry Cavill was eye-candy."

Playing along, I elbowed him in the side. "That was you. But this is crazy, you know. Just in case what? And what if they find it?"

Theymeaning Talon.

Rio dropped his voice again. "He's not going to look in your goddamn sewing box. Now drop it, okay?" He laughed and pushed my elbow away. "Like you don't think Henry is eye-candy, too."

I released an aggravated breath. Rio had clearly dug in—pushing him wouldn't get me anywhere.

"Henry Cavill is always eye-candy," I said. "Dark-haired, long white hair, with a beard, without—doesn't matter. It's like a law of the universe. And fine. You can pick if you make the popcorn."

"Deal." He scrolled through the choices.

"The kind with real butter and Parmesan cheese," I added. "I woke up this morning thinking about it." Like really, really wanting it. "I almost had popcorn for breakfast."

"You and your cravings. I can't wait until you pop this kid out."

I chuckled. He sounded so put upon.

Rio made the popcorn and we watched the movie—another one starring Henry Cavill.

As the credits rolled, Talon texted me to meet him at his apartment, and I texted back that I'd be there in five minutes. "Gotta go," I told Rio.

By then I'd almost forgotten about the weapon, until he hugged me and whispered, "Don't forget to look inside the sewing box. Talon's okay, I think, but I want you to be able to protect yourself."

I frowned. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

He lifted his palms. "Hey, I'm just the messenger," he said and left.

I gave a frustrated growl, then with a shrug, took the finished pants and sewing box back to my walk-in closet, where I peeked into the box. A look beneath the spools of thread revealed a six-inch-long stainless-steel rectangle. It took me a beat to realize it was a closed switchblade.

I snatched it up and pressed the catch, instinctively keeping my back to the closet door. A long, sharp silver blade shot out.

Holy crap on a stick.

I hurriedly pressed the catch again, retracting the thin, wicked-looking blade. Heart pounding, I slipped the weapon back under the colorful spools, closed the lid and shoved the sewing box onto a shelf.

I stared at the box, breathing hard. I knew I should tell Talon, but Rio was only trying to protect me. I couldn't do that to him.

There was no earthly reason Talon would open my sewing box, but I grabbed a folded sweater and put it on the shelf in front of the box to hide it. Then I shut the closet door and crossed to the bathroom.

Why would Mrs. Park give me a switchblade? I didn't even know the woman. Plus, she was Twilight's grandmother—wasn't she on their side?

I dug the heels of my palms into my eyes, breathing noisily in and out. Calm down, damn it. Talon's going to wonder why you're upset.

I splashed cold water on my face and wiped it off. Then I stilled, the towel in my hands. Because the real question was why did Mrs. Park think I needed a weapon in the first place?