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    “The Goddess?” SE asked.
    “Yo, Richard, seems like your boy needs some catching up,” Diesel said, helping himself to more gravy.
    SE glanced at Richard, who looked over at Adriana. Now didn’t that promise to be a whole load of fun? For fuck’s sake. Then he noticed something he hadn’t before. Adriana was seated a little way back from the table. The female was pregnant. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he made a mental note to congratulate her later. Then he surveyed the group of formidable males around him as he picked up his fork and aimed it at his roast beef. “So…is this everyone?”
    An uncomfortable quiet settled over the males. Perfect , SE thought, feeling like he’d just developed a raging case of foot in mouth disease.
    X finally spoke up. “Ah, Troy isn’t here right now. He doesn’t usually make it to meals.”
    After dinner, SE, Richard, and Adriana sat down in the conservatory for the inevitable. SE peered through the glass walls and ceiling, at the amazing garden and blue sky that seemed to stretch out for miles.
    “How do you guys have a sunroom in a compound?”
    “Oh, right,” Richard said. “The glass is bullet-proof. Dimitri had it specially installed as a gift when Adri came. He felt bad that she wouldn’t be able to garden here.”
    “Sounds like a standup male. Congratulations, by the way. How far along are you?”
    Adriana smiled. “Thanks. Ten months.”
    “Hey, only five to go. You look amazing.” He suddenly remembered the matter at hand and looked down at the floor.
    “No, SE.” Adriana stood up and walked over to him. She reached under his chin and lifted his face until they were eye to eye. “You don’t ever need to feel ashamed with us. You’re still the same male.”
    She kissed his cheek, and walked through the doorway, leaving the two males alone.
    Something told SE that her mate didn’t feel the same way. He looked up at Richard.
    Richard lowered his lids. “Don’t look at me like that.”
    “Like what? Like with my eyes?”
    “Like you’re looking for sympathy.”
    “Hey, nobody asked for any!”
    Just as SE was about to get up, Richard dropped the bomb. “Your son is fine, by the way.”
    Cesar . He was the one thing he’d never forgive himself for. Cesar had been so young when Gabi died. SE had been so goddamn crazytown after losing Gabi that he’d just left him. Sure, Cesar had Richard and Adriana. But… Jesus.
    “I…I don’t know what to say.”
    Richard sighed and rubbed his forehead. “You aren’t the first male to permaphase after losing your mate. Look, Cesar is fine. He’s living with his mate at our old compound in Mexico.”
    A tear ran down SE’s cheek. He was so sick with regret that he didn’t know what to do with himself. “I…thank you, Richard…for taking care of him.”
    “Hey, I’m glad we were there for him, for both of you. I know this can’t be easy. You wake up and find you’ve lost years of your life. And your mate. If you hadn’t received the call when you did, we might never have gotten you back. Listen, I called Cesar yesterday to let him know that you’re here with us. He’s glad you’re okay, but he’s not ready yet.”
    SE wiped the tear away and nodded. “That’s okay. He’s mated. He’s got his own life now. That’s good. He can contact me whenever he’s ready.”
    “That’s what I told him. He’ll come around in time. He’s quite a male.”
    The two stood and Richard clapped SE on the back. “Good to have you back, brother. The Goddess has chosen well.”
    SE didn’t know about that.
    “Hey, Richard, whatever happened to that orphan girl that the housekeeper adopted?” He regretted it the instant he said it.
    “Ana? We found out she was the daughter of one of Toltec’s leaders. I’m sure you remember Victrixa? The spy who was supposedly on our side? Turns out, she put Ana up for adoption when she was just ten years old. She set the whole thing up. Her own