The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapte 35 Jane Pulls a Vanishing A

Jane

Spinning to face Paisley, I find her sitting up in bed, her green eyes wide but still glazed with the remnants of sleep. This is the first time since the surgery that she’s seemed truly lucid, and I have to fight every protective instinct in my body to immediately begin interrogating her about who visited her before she went under.

“Hello my love.” | greet her, crossing the room to sit at the edge of her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Funny.” Paisley answers with a yawn. “Why were you swearing, Mommy?”

Brushing her hair back from her face, I offer her a lopsided smile. “I was just feeling a little out of sorts.” I confess, “But I shouldn’t have said those things.”

Paisley leans forward, raising her hand to her mouth and secretively whispering “I’s heard Daddy say some of dose words too sometimes.” She grins sheepishly, “but he says dey’ re bad words and only bad Daddies say dem in front of pups.”

“And what do you think?” I ask her, overjoyed that she’s up and talking,

She thinks for a moment before deciding, “I tink he’s a good Daddy.”

“I think so too.” I share, unable to stop myself from kissing her little hands. “And I’m so glad you’re alright Paisley, you really scared me for a while there.”

“How’d I do that?” She asks, looking worried.

“It’s not anything you did, little one.” I assure her, “I just get nervous about surgeries. You’re such a brave girl.”

“I’s my last one, you know?” Paisley tells me with excitement. “I never have to have ‘nother.”

“I know.” I beam, “and you know, that means my game of hide and seek with Daddy can end soon too.”

“Really?” She exclaims, “you mean you can be my Mommy?”

I remind her gently, holding a finger to my lips. “It’s not over yet, so we have

agrees, looking unusually somber

too hard. I’ve long past given up on keeping her completely in the dark, but I can’t tell her too much either. She still has weeks of physical therapy to get through before she’ll be well enough to consider moving, and that’s a very long

an answer, because her precious little face lights up like the

“We can get

inquires eagerly, bouncing up and down in

I grin, “let’s you and I

———

Ethan

when I got home, the steaming spray worked wonders on my tense muscles, but all my stress remains. I’m still overwhelmed by everything that happened at the hospital. I’m so

Jane’s words from earlier ring in my head: whoever poisoned Paisley is someone you know, someone with the motive to hurt you or get Paisley

Paisley was somehow keeping us apart. Eve obviously wants to marry me, and Paisley despises her. If she’s willing to torpedo her own business to get Jane out of the way, what would

I watch my mother’s reflection in the mirror, “I suppose you’ve come to tell me what an ogre I’m

She denies simply, “I came

not.” I admit bleakly, “things are

She consoles, raising her voice so I can hear her as I retreat into my closet to get changed. “You know it might be easier to carry the weight of your responsibilities if you had someone to help you bear

I marry Eve again-” I begin, only to get cut

now. She’s lived here,

reinforce my concerns. If she’s willing to give anything, she might be willing to do anything too, including kill. “I don’t love her.” | remind my mother, “And I know how much you

my life, Ethan.

At this point Eve is Mom’s only friend, and if she knew what I’m beginning to suspect… well, let’s just say it would crush her. Mom isn’t as young as she used to be, and she barely survived losing my father. Her only joys left in life are me, Paisley, and Eve. I won’t destroy a third of her happiness unless

you should want the best for her.” I remind Mom. “We know I’m not her mate. It would be better for everyone if she tried to find him instead

argues, a bitter note entering her voice. “You certainly

over my chosen mate’s betrayal, and she never forgave me for not leaving her afterwards. In fact, it’s so rare for her to bring up my former wife that I realize she must know

know, don’t

clarifies, studying her fingernails as

Eve has figured out