Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Elena heard the unspoken question. “A month. I won’t be showing.” They’d decided to keep the knowledge to a very limited circle as long as possible. Angelic pregnancies could be even more fragile than human ones in the early stages; Elena wanted to be past her first trimester before she began to tell most of their crew.
And though the pregnancy had been a shock, her heart skittered at the idea of losing the babe before they’d ever had a chance.
One person, however, had to know. Because this wasn’t just about family, but about old wounds and a savage crime that echoed through time. “Eve’s going to be landing tomorrow morning.”
Her sister hadn’t hesitated—or requested any further information beyond confirmation that Elena wasn’t in danger—when Elena asked her to come to New York. She’d just told Illium that Elena needed her, and left knowing he wouldn’t stand in her way.
Rather, the blue-winged archangel had called Elena to check if everything was all right, and accepted her answer of, “Sister business.”
“Don’t steal Eve,” he’d said before hanging up. “Best ground troop commander I have—and she doesn’t put up with any bullshit, including mine.”
“She refuses to work anywhere near my vicinity,” Elena had grumbled. “Can you believe that? I’m sunshine and goddamn roses to be around.”
Illium’s grin had lit up the aged gold of his eyes. “Adi tells me big sisters can’t help but big sister. Enjoy driving her crazy.”
Yes, Elena thought, she was lucky in the people she called family.
“Will you talk at the Enclave house?” Raphael closed his wings as he tucked her closer to his body.
“In the greenhouse.”
“I’ll make myself scarce.”
Leaning into him, the scent of him fresh sweat and power, Elena admitted the truth. “I have no idea how to even start the conversation. There’s so much pain tied up in who we both are.” Eve hadn’t even been a possibility when Ari and Belle, then Marguerite, had died, but she’d been raised by a man viciously scarred by those losses.
“I know, hbeebti.” A brush of his lips over her hair. “I know.”
She pressed another kiss to his skin, this time to his throat, her breath hot against him. “You’re the best distraction.”
“I’m also sweaty, and this is a training room scheduled to be in use in ten minutes.” Breaking contact, he grabbed her hand. “Upstairs.”
She took great delight in attempting to distract him the entire way to their suite—and got repaid by having him spin her around to face the back of the door the instant they got back into the room. Even as she braced herself with her hands against the cool white of it, he was incinerating her pants off her body using power so controlled, it was a scalpel.
The display of discipline made her want to tackle him to the floor and devour him. And yeah, her hormones were haywire and she wasn’t mad about it. “I liked those pants,” she said with a scowl nullified by the shallowness of her breathing.
Hands on her waist, he said, “You’ll like this better,” and kicked her legs apart before thrusting his hand between her thighs. A deep chuckle at her ear.
Reaching back, she fisted her hand in his hair and hauled him close enough to bite his jaw. “Now.” She was far beyond ready.
He sucked hard at her neck as he positioned his cock at her entrance and began to push in past intimate flesh that felt swollen with sensitivity. He moved his hands up her body to cup her breasts at the same time, and her body ignited. Pushing back into him, she surprised him into thrusting home.
“Elena?” Concern, his big body motionless behind her.
She couldn’t answer except with a movement of her hips that urged him on. More, Archangel, she managed before lust fried her brain.
A deep groan—and then he gave her that more, one hand sliding down her body to touch the taut, hidden nub of her clitoris while he continued to hold her breast with the other as he moved inside her in deep, slow thrusts that had her forgetting to breathe. She came hard and in silence, her entire body centered on the pleasure of this, of him.
Knees shaky in the aftermath, she let him hold her up as he emptied himself inside her. Then, reaching one hand back to gently stroke his nape, she mumbled, “This is what got us into trouble in the first place.”
A hoarse chuckle. “If you’re going to be like this the entire pregnancy, I better up my training regimen.”
Elena’s laughter was lazy with pleasure and drunk with love.
* * *
* * *
That delicious distraction, however, was far from her mind when she picked Eve up from the Tower jetport, where her sister’s silent transport had coasted to a stop just after ten the next morning.
Eve, petite and dark-haired, was dressed in a short-sleeved white top that was thick strips of fine armor woven into a simple but striking pattern, and khaki pants that could’ve originated in any time from the early twentieth century on. She gave Elena a sharp glance the second she exited, but Elena kept the conversation to small talk as they headed to Elena’s vehicle—a specially modified one that allowed for an angelic driver.