"Mm." She let her head drop back against his shoulder, sinking into him even as some dry corner of her wanted to note how badly she was outnumbered in this house full of possessive men. "I do know it."
His arms drew tighter, just a fraction, before he eased back enough to study her face, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "I checked on the babies. Every one of them, perfect.
We've worked out a schedule so you don't run yourself into the ground. Feeds, cuddles, nothing past that unless you ask for it. And we're still tracking Lucan." He waited a little bit, his throat working. "We can still catch him; the trail hasn't gone cold."
His name dropped into her chest like a stone into still water, ripples spreading wide. Her nose prickled before she could brace against it, and she pressed the back of her wrist to it, humiliated by how quickly the tears arrived these days.
"I'm sorry," Dimitri said at once, his tone dipping low and rough. "I'm so sorry, Bug, I shouldn't have…"
