To Master and Defend (The Dungeon Fantasy Club Book 2) by Anya Summers Page A
Authors: Anya Summers
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least. But now that the deed was done, Ophelia knew in her heart that she was going to have this child and raise it. It was her baby. Even in such a short period of time, she already loved the tiny life inside her. Could picture what he or she might look like, and all the things she would teach them. That didn't make her situation any less daunting—only more so.
How would she tell Tobias? What if he wanted her to get rid of the baby, or didn't care one way or the other as long as she didn't bother him about it? As her crying jag subsided, bone weariness infused her limbs. She had to move forward knowing that in all likelihood she would be alone on this journey.
"Yes, I do plan to keep my baby, but as for the rest, I don't know. This changes everything for me."
"Of course it does. Who is the father? I didn't know you were dating someone. Why have I never met him?" Zoey asked.
"It's complicated. You wouldn't understand." Hell, Ophelia didn't even understand it herself, so there was no way she could explain it to her sister. The lines of just how insane her life had become were never more evident than at this moment. She needed to get a grip.
"Have you even told the father yet?" Zoey scolded her in that mom-like tone of hers, which only made Ophelia want to start weeping again.
"Not yet. I'll handle it. I just needed you, and when I got the message that you weren't coming home, I freaked a bit. I can't do this without you, Zoey." She felt the fresh burn of tears, blinked them back, and hung her head.
"Let's talk about this later. Why don't you get some rest this afternoon and then we can discuss it more tonight." Zoey maneuvered Lia, pulling her to the bed, and mothering her like she had after their parents had died.
Ophelia let her. "Thank you, Zoey. I really am happy for you. Declan seems like a wonderful guy. Can I ask that you not tell him?"
The last thing she needed was for Tobias to find out before she'd had the chance to talk to him, and if he and Declan were friends, the implications could be a disaster in the making. Her life was one big conundrum.
"No. I'm sorry, I can't do that. He's going to be my husband, Lia. I won't keep secrets from him, even for you. What I will do is tell him in the privacy of our room so no one else will overhear, and ask him to keep it between us. Okay?"
That would have to do for now. "Thank you."
"Get some rest. I'll come get you for dinner this evening." Zoey exited the room, flipping the light switch off, and leaving Ophelia alone with her jumbled thoughts.
She stared at the darkened canopy, imagining a million different scenarios, confident that she'd never be able to settle her racing mind enough to sleep. Jet lag ended up being more powerful than her anxieties, and tugged her into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Five
Tobias ran a hand over his face as he stared out the darkened window of his room at the shadowy outlines of the highland mountains. This far north and away from civilization, the Milky Way gleamed like an effervescent river through the night sky. He liked everything about Scotland, except for the cold. If he could transplant the barren wilderness to southern California, that would be ideal.
Dinner had been a disaster. Lia had avoided him all evening. His attempts at flirting had fallen flat. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel, moving on to less difficult conquests—except Tobias had seen a hint of a blush every time Ophelia looked at him. She desired him; her gaze had been downright carnal when she did look his way. Then she would blush, shift in her seat, and go back to talking to her sister and Declan.
He'd made it a habit to study women, and his little wounded bird was more skittish than some of the horses he'd come across on the battlefield. One wrong move would send her scurrying for cover. His desire for her was unreasonable. Sure, he'd loved and lost other women in his thirty-two years, but none had ever gotten under his skin this
How would she tell Tobias? What if he wanted her to get rid of the baby, or didn't care one way or the other as long as she didn't bother him about it? As her crying jag subsided, bone weariness infused her limbs. She had to move forward knowing that in all likelihood she would be alone on this journey.
"Yes, I do plan to keep my baby, but as for the rest, I don't know. This changes everything for me."
"Of course it does. Who is the father? I didn't know you were dating someone. Why have I never met him?" Zoey asked.
"It's complicated. You wouldn't understand." Hell, Ophelia didn't even understand it herself, so there was no way she could explain it to her sister. The lines of just how insane her life had become were never more evident than at this moment. She needed to get a grip.
"Have you even told the father yet?" Zoey scolded her in that mom-like tone of hers, which only made Ophelia want to start weeping again.
"Not yet. I'll handle it. I just needed you, and when I got the message that you weren't coming home, I freaked a bit. I can't do this without you, Zoey." She felt the fresh burn of tears, blinked them back, and hung her head.
"Let's talk about this later. Why don't you get some rest this afternoon and then we can discuss it more tonight." Zoey maneuvered Lia, pulling her to the bed, and mothering her like she had after their parents had died.
Ophelia let her. "Thank you, Zoey. I really am happy for you. Declan seems like a wonderful guy. Can I ask that you not tell him?"
The last thing she needed was for Tobias to find out before she'd had the chance to talk to him, and if he and Declan were friends, the implications could be a disaster in the making. Her life was one big conundrum.
"No. I'm sorry, I can't do that. He's going to be my husband, Lia. I won't keep secrets from him, even for you. What I will do is tell him in the privacy of our room so no one else will overhear, and ask him to keep it between us. Okay?"
That would have to do for now. "Thank you."
"Get some rest. I'll come get you for dinner this evening." Zoey exited the room, flipping the light switch off, and leaving Ophelia alone with her jumbled thoughts.
She stared at the darkened canopy, imagining a million different scenarios, confident that she'd never be able to settle her racing mind enough to sleep. Jet lag ended up being more powerful than her anxieties, and tugged her into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Five
Tobias ran a hand over his face as he stared out the darkened window of his room at the shadowy outlines of the highland mountains. This far north and away from civilization, the Milky Way gleamed like an effervescent river through the night sky. He liked everything about Scotland, except for the cold. If he could transplant the barren wilderness to southern California, that would be ideal.
Dinner had been a disaster. Lia had avoided him all evening. His attempts at flirting had fallen flat. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel, moving on to less difficult conquests—except Tobias had seen a hint of a blush every time Ophelia looked at him. She desired him; her gaze had been downright carnal when she did look his way. Then she would blush, shift in her seat, and go back to talking to her sister and Declan.
He'd made it a habit to study women, and his little wounded bird was more skittish than some of the horses he'd come across on the battlefield. One wrong move would send her scurrying for cover. His desire for her was unreasonable. Sure, he'd loved and lost other women in his thirty-two years, but none had ever gotten under his skin this
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