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"Which did you choose?" Dev asked, fascinated by this glimpse into the forces that had shaped the woman by his side

"The paternal," she answered "My father’s family is involved in scientific endeavors, while my mother’s is n roup that would allow me to best utilize my skills"

"And your otten the worst of the bargain?"

"Of course not - genetically, I’m still half hers But since she did co-raise me, my father had to buy out part of the contract since his fa, skills, and connections"

Dev blinked, trying to understand "He bought you?"

"It’s a perfectly normal transaction in the Net" She blew out a breath "Everything’s calree and fertilization agreeine such a cold life, such a cold relationship "So since you’re considered part of your father’s family, did you have to contribute financially?"

"Yes Our family had a central investood investers on her knees "I wonder how s Likely very little -in terms of their influence in the Net, but it was a s a ripple"

To hear her talk of herself in such a clinical way infuriated hi ripple"

She gave hi at it Can I ask you?" A hesitant question

"What?"

"About your childhood?"

His hands clenched on the steering wheel "What do you want to know?" It caravel

She was quiet for almost a minute "You don’t want to talk about it"

"Not today" Not ever, if he was being honest

"Is there so for your weaknesses"

"Was the question yours?"

Her eyes were hollohen she glanced at him "That’s just it I don’t know"

Even as Dev and Katya drove ever deeper into the barren wilderness of Alaska, Sascha sat beside Lucas as he drove them to Cruz

"I do kno to drive," she pointed out, silance "Why are you purposefully jerking my chain?"

"Because I can" She snancy doesn’tyou like an invalid?"

She had to concede the point "No" In fact, with Lucas busy overseeing aed - I could’ve driven myself to Cruz, taken a sentinel as escort Then you’d have had thefree to read the revised contracts"

"I can read the contracts while you’re working with the boy" Reaching across, he closed his hand over hers "You know you’re not going to change ht his hand to hers, kissed the knuckles "I know But I have to try"

"Why? Because it makes me crazy?"

"Because I know I have to train you before our baby arrives" He’d always been overprotective of those under his care "A baby leopard won’t take well to constant supervision"

He blew out a breath "I’m alpha Do you think I don’t know that?"

She wrapped him in her love on the psychic plane, an invisible kiss

His cheek creased with a smile she wouldn’t tire of if she lived to be a thousand "I know I’, but huo - I proe exactly like Roht of some of the stunts the two cubs pulled, she blew him a kiss this time "They wouldn’t talk to me when I went to visit yesterday"

"Rome and Jules?" Pure surprise "I don’t believe it - if they were bigger, they’d fight me to claim you"

"Ta because they’d figured out I was going to have a baby"

"Ah Brats are jealous"