Chapter 29

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

I snuggle up to Irina as I watch her sleep. The sun has already risen and I know Jace will soon be at my door. Reluctantly, I pull myself away from my sleeping mate. She mumbles something in her sleep but doesn’t wake up. I grin as an idea forms in my head. I will get Jace settled with breakfast, then I will bring Irina her breakfast.

I take a quick shower, dress for the day, then I head down the hall to check on my son. As expected, Jace is already awake, but he isn’t in his room. Shaking my head, I go to his playroom. He has been obsessed with his train set since we put it together. When I open the door, Jace looks up at me with a frown. That isn’t a good sign this early in the morning.

“What’s wrong, buddy?”

“Is that lady in your room going to live here now?”

I expected this to happen. Eventually I knew I was going to have to talk to him about Irina and her position in our lives. I had hoped that I would have more time. With my parents being here, I figured he would be so wrapped up in spending time with them. With an internal sigh, I sit down on the floor with him.

“Her name is Irina, Jace. She will stay here with us for a little while.”

“Will she be like mommy and leave us too?” His voice quivers at the mention of Gia.

“You miss your mother, don’t you?”

“Sometimes, but she was mean to me last time.”

“Come here,” I open my arms for him.

Jace scrambles up off the floor, then flings himself into my arms. The nightmares have stopped, but I can tell that the damage done to him will take longer to fade. I rub his back as he clings to me, “Are you afraid that Irina will hurt you?”

“Yes.”

Oh, what have I done to my child? How do I even help him heal from what he went through? “I know that what I am going to tell you may not help, but Irina won’t hurt you. I promise. She has a little girl of her own. Irina would never harm either of you.”

“Will she be staying in your room like Mommy used to sometimes?”

Oh, shit. I hadn’t even thought of that. How do I explain mates to a four-year-old? “Not always. She has her own room down the hall from your room. Irina and I are dating.”

“Like Aunt Ari and Uncle Flynn?”

I chuckle at his innocent statement, “Kinda like that, yes.”

“Can I meet her little girl?”

“Not right now, Jace. Zasha is out of town right now, but maybe when she gets back.”

His eyes looked sad, but then his nose picked up the scent I did. Pancakes. Jace scrambles off my lap, then runs out of the room before he says anything more. I laughed at my son’s need to fill his stomach. My mother must be downstairs cooking up a storm from the smells that are assaulting my nose. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, and toast. Bless her heart for cooking when she doesn’t have to.

Glancing down at my watch, I groan when I see the time. I need to wake Irina up now or we will not have time for breakfast before we start the drive to Portland. Standing up off the floor, I straighten my suit then make my way back to my room. As I enter, Irina is stretching on the bed. The comforter is pooled at her waist to reveal her breasts to the morning sunshine.

I grow instantly erect at the sight of her in my bed. Here she is for my eyes only. Holy fuck, how am I going to resist her now? I need to get us on the road soon, but damn it, the idea of a quickie is very tempting. With a smile on my face, I walk into the room and close the door behind me. The sound of the door closing brings her attention to me, and fuck, I am in trouble.

“You are staring.”

“Can you blame me?” I walk to the end of the bed to continue to devour her with my eyes.

“I would glady drag you into this bed with me, but I smell bacon, so your dirty mind will have to wait.”

“You sound like Jace. He will do anything for bacon and pancakes. That child thinks with his stomach.”

“He is four and a growing boy, that is expected.”

To my disappointment Irina wraps the comforter around her body then got up out of bed. She walks to stand next to me as I turned to face her, then she wraps her arms around my waist as she presses her face to my chest. This simple act made my heart flutter. It was sweet and made me wrap my arms around her for a hug.

Irina’s stomach growls, causing me to pull back and laugh as I look down at the grin on her face. “Go get dressed, meet me downstairs. My mother is cooking up a storm, no doubt. We will eat, then get on the road to attend those meetings.”

“What about Nat?”

I had completely forgotten about her sister after the events of last night. Crap. “She can come with us.”

“I would love that. I will ask her after I get dressed.”

I nodded, kissed her softly, then let her go. “I will meet you two downstairs.”

Turning away from her, I walk to the bedroom door, but stop to look back at her before I open it. The urge to strip the blanket from her and ravage her right on the floor is strong. She must have seen the look in my eyes because all she did was give me a knowing smile before she walks into the bathroom for a shower.

With a shake of my head, I open the door to leave her in peace. Though I wouldn’t mind a repeat of last night’s shower fun. Heading downstairs for breakfast is the best way to clear the lust from my mind. If anything will have a cold shower effect on me, it will be facing my mother and Jace over breakfast.

I make my way down to the kitchen where the scents from my mother’s cooking make my mouth water. I like Flynn’s cooking, but having my mother cook for us makes everything feel right with the world. It is an illusion that I know will not last. Reality has a way of making its presence known all too well and all too soon. Jace has experienced more of what reality has to offer than I ever thought he would have to at his age.

I push that aside as I enter the kitchen. Jace, Natalia, and my father are sitting at the kitchen island watching my mother cook. Jace’s deep belly laughs make me smile as I join them. The kitchen island is wrapped around one stove and a sink. My mother is showing Jace how to make pancakes into shapes. His eyes are glued to the pan as she shows him how to make a star.

“I see we have turned breakfast into a learning experience,” I say to my mother as I sit down next to Jace.

“Daddy, I made a triangle!” Jace’s voice was full of pride.

I looked at the plate on the counter next to the stove. On it were various shapes in all sizes. Some were neat and others were messy, but you could tell what shape he was trying for. “Wow, those look so good. What do you have planned with Sarah today?”

Jace scrunched up his face in disgust as he thought of Sarah’s lesson plan for the day. “Numbers.”

I try hard to suppress a laugh, but I could tell by his face I failed. “Well eat up buddy, she will be here soon. I have to go into town for work and will be back later.”

Irina’s scent invaded my senses as she entered the kitchen, causing me to turn to look at her. She is dressed in a pale grey dress with a white jacket over it. I couldn’t help but look her over from head to toe. I had to close the link between us before she felt what I was feeling. The look on my face must have given it away because she smiles at me.

I spent the rest of breakfast readjusting myself on the stool because of the tightening of my slacks. The ride to Portland was going to be pure torture with her sitting right next to me. Maybe if the meeting goes smoothly, I can take Irina to lunch somewhere very private.

**Get your mind out of the gutter.** Aries laughs at me.

*Shut up. You want to mate and mark her just as much as I do.*

I close the link between us and huff out a breath as I stand up from my stool. “I am going to go grab my briefcase from my office and I will meet you out front.”