Page 102 of Sinful Mates

“What are you doing?” he asks, staring at the baby sling in my hands.

“How does it work? I feel like he will fall out of it,” I tell him.

“You need to tighten the straps at the back,” he says. Standing up, he places Thaddeus in the bassinet next to the lounge.

“Come here,” he tells me, and I walk over. He tightens the straps, and it feels a lot more secure. I go to grab him out of the bassinet when Tobias touches my arm. I can see the concern in his eyes. He glances at Thaddeus, who is sleeping peacefully.

“You should feed first, Imogen.” I feel like he just punched me in the gut. I can feel his apprehension through the bond. He thinks I will hurt him. It hurts knowing they don’t trust me with our own son.

“It’s not that okay, just better to be safe. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I didn’t trust you,” He blurts, when he feels my mood shift.

“Just feed, then, I will help you get him in the sling.” I nod and he sits on the couch before tapping his lap. I walk over and hesitate. Theo isn’t here to pull me off, if I lose control. Tobias grips my hips pulling me forward making me straddle his legs. He kisses my lips before yawning. He looks exhausted, the sleepless nights taking a toll on him. Tobias shifts and angles his neck toward me. I kiss the side of his neck, my hand rubbing his cheek, his stubble feels rough in my palm. I feel my fangs break through my gums, and I sink my teeth into his neck. Tobias moans loudly from the endorphins in my saliva. I feel his blood flood into my mouth, stopping the burning ache in the back of my throat.

I feel him rub my back, his warm skin making me shiver before I pull myself back. Staring at Tobias, he looks a little buzzed, a lazy smile slipping onto his face. I climb off his lap and eventually he gets up and helps me put Thaddeus in the sling. He feels heavier, like he has put on some weight as he snuggles into the sling across my chest. I feel Tobias’s eyes on me, watching me carefully, as if he is too afraid to leave me alone with him.

“You good? I can stay up; I just need coffee,” he mumbles out while yawning.

“No, go to sleep, I will be fine. You will feel it if I’m not,” I tell him, and he nods before laying down, his eyes instantly closing. I gaze down at Thaddeus stroking his nose with my finger.

“Let’s clean house,” I whisper and walk into the kitchen and start stacking dishes and cleaning the benches.

The entire day goes quickly, and I finally haul the last load of washing inside, when I feel Thaddeus stir. Tobias is right, his sleep pattern is way out of whack. He sleeps the entire day. I quickly make him a bottle and change his bum when I hear tires on the dirt road.

“That’s daddy,” I tell Thaddeus while I feed him, waiting to hear the door open. Tobias is still asleep on the lounge when I hear, not one but two car doors shut, making me get up.

Walking into the lounge room just in time to see Caroline helping Josiah walk into the house. I haven’t seen or spoke to Caroline since before I had Thaddeus, Josiah I hadn’t seen in months. He collapses into the armchair with a grunt. Tobias’s eyes fly open as he jumps to his feet. He sighs when he realizes it is just his parents before locking eyes with his father. Josiah looks terrible. His suit is filthy, his hair a mess, he looks exhausted, and I notice he has a slight limp as he comes inside. He rests his head back on the chair.

Tobias goes to say something, when his mother cuts him off. “Give him a second, son, let him catch his breath,” she tells him. Tobias nods.

“I will go get him a change of clothes,” he tells her before disappearing upstairs. Caroline notices me standing there and a huge grin breaks out on her face as she walks over, embracing me tightly from the side. She looks down in my arms and rubs the back of his hand.

“He is perfect,” she says before ducking down and smelling his little head. Thaddeus stares up at her, wondering who she is.

“You want to hold him,” I ask, and she immediately puts her arms out and I place him in them. She then goes and sits next to Josiah, who immediately sits up a little better to see while he rubs Thaddeus's tiny feet. Josiah smiles brightly, looking at his grandson.

“I will go put on some coffee,” I tell them heading into the kitchen. When I come back out, I hear more tires on the road, and I notice Josiah wearing a pair of track pants and a normal T-shirt. You can tell he isn’t impressed with his attire, but he looks comfy. I have only ever seen him in suits, so I find it funny him looking like an ordinary person. The front door is thrown open and Theo steps on. He hugs his mother briefly before his attention goes to his father.

“Oh god, you’re okay,” he whispers. I knew Theo was worried about his father, but I didn’t realize to what extent. I’ve been so caught up in everything else, I forgot to ask him how he felt about everything. Guilt gnaws at me.

“We do have some news,” his mother announces, and I place the tray with coffee on the table, completely forgetting I’m even holding it before quickly sitting next to Tobias. Caroline hands Thaddeus to Josiah, who is all too happy to hold his grandson as he ignores her, paying all his attention to him.

“They caught Bianca” Caroline says, making my eyes dart to her. Excitement bubbles up at her words, only for it to be squashed with her next ones.

“They are holding the trial in a month, but the council feels reluctant to punish her, especially after Alaric was killed. Seems like Bianca has gotten quite cozy with a few of the council members,” she tells us. This can’t be happening. She can’t just get away with what she did.

“What do the other council members think?” I ask.

“They want her punished, of course, but they won’t go against Christopher.”

“Who is he?” I ask.

“He is an elder, unfortunately he doesn’t like Josiah or Theo for that matter,” Caroline says.

My anger bubbles under my skin.

“Why didn’t you run for council, Josiah?” I ask. Everyone stares at him, only paying attention when I call his name.

“I was a council member; I stepped down and Tobias and Theo didn’t want any part of it,” he says. I can tell he isn’t happy about either of them volunteering in his place.