Page 39 of The Knotty Clause

“What can I do for you?”

“You know the supply train just got back from town, right? Sam says he heard a rumor that someone was asking about you.”

“It’s not that unusual for people to talk about me,” he said dryly. Everyone in the camp was familiar with him by now but he was used to the wide-eyed stares whenever anyone new arrived.

Curtis shook his head.

“No, not like that. If the rumor was true, the person who was asking was also an alien. I mean, different,” he added hastily

He stiffened, his eyes flying to the locked cabinet where he kept his plasma rifle. There had been a few incidents with the previous guards when he arrived and he still liked to keep a weapon close by.

“Someone like me?” he asked slowly, and Curtis shook his head.

“I don’t think so. Sam said something about a devil.”

That didn’t give him much to go on, but he nodded and thanked Curtis for the information. After the male left he wandered restlessly over to the window. Along with the new buildings that had appeared over the past year, the once rickety shacks had been repaired and replaced and now stood in neat rows, painted in an array of cheerful colors. The fact that he had pitched in to work on them when he first took over had done a lot to convince the workers he could be trusted.

Although his mate and child had undoubtedly done their part as well, he thought with a smile as a very heavily pregnant Gemma appeared, Liam hovering anxiously at her side. Their son was delighted by the prospect of a future brother or sister and had been trying to take care of her ever since they realized she was with child.

He went to meet them and she gave him a breathless smile.

“I swear this hill gets higher every time I climb it.”

“You should not be climbing it,” he scolded, even though he knew it was useless. She liked to go and visit her friends and check in on everything.

“That’s what I told her, Daddy,” Liam said immediately, frowning at his mother.

She laughed, ruffling his hair affectionately.

“You two need to stop worrying. I’m just fine.”

“Nonetheless, you are going to rest for the remainder of the day,” he said firmly, sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her back towards their house.

Although he could cover the distance between the mine and their mountaintop home in less than an hour, Gemma and Liam could not and he refused to be separated from them for that long. They had reluctantly decided to take over Garth’s old house, but just as she had done on the mountain, she had quickly transformed it into a real home.

She objected to being inside for the rest of the day so he settled her on the porch swing while Liam went to make a pot of tea.

“The leaves are starting to change,” she said, looking up at the surrounding mountains. “Winter is coming.”

“Not for a few more months.”

“Mmm.” They rocked in silence for a few minutes, before she looked up and gave him a hopeful look. “Do you think that after the baby is born, we could go home? Back on the mountain?”

Yes. He bit back his immediate response. He’d missed the serenity of the mountain peaks more than he’d expected, but his mate and child were more important.

“Is that really what you want?” he asked slowly.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I don’t mind being here,” she added quickly. “But it’s always so busy and noisy. It was so wonderful last winter when it was just the three of us alone together. Although it will be four of us now.”

She smiled and put her hand on her stomach and he covered it with his.

“Let’s see what Liam thinks,” he said, careful to keep his voice noncommittal.

Their son had a number of friends in the village, especially now that they encouraged workers to bring their families.

“Think about what?” Liam asked as he carefully carried the tea tray out onto the porch.

“About spending part of the winter on the mountain.”