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around the room. She shook hands, and I made brief introductions and explanations. My fellow enforcers were first.“Angela, this is Brian, Vic, and Marc. They work for my father.”
    â€œOn the ranch? Like Jace?” Her eyes lit up; she was pleased to have found some logic to cling to in the sea of confusion we’d tossed her into.
    â€œUm, yeah.” They each shook her hand and welcomed her, but Marc eyed Jace as he followed us around the room.
    Next came Kaci. “This is my cousin Karli.” The identity under which she would attend school, once everything had calmed down. Assuming that ever happened.
    â€œHi, Karli,” Angela said, obviously more at ease with a young girl than with a room full of strange men.
    â€œHey. So, you’re gonna have Ethan’s baby?” Kaci said, after a frank, curious glance at Angela’s flat belly. “Well, I guess it’s your baby, too. But I hope it looks like him, at least a little bit.”
    Angela smiled. “Me, too.” And just like that, she’d won Kaci over.
    While we crossed the rug toward Owen, he bent to help Manx up, with Des in her arms. Her hands were carefully arranged beneath the folds of the baby’s blankets, so that her fingers—the nails ruined from her recent declawing—wouldn’t show. “And this is my brother Owen.”
    Owen shot her a friendly, lopsided grin, and stuck out one calloused hand for hers, his other arm around Manx. “Pleased to meet you. I’m just sorry Ethan isn’t here to make the introductions.”
    â€œSo am I.” Angela shook his hand warmly, then her gaze was drawn to Des’s face as he yawned and stretchedone chubby arm from beneath his blanket. “And who’s this? Ethan didn’t mention a nephew.”
    Owen flushed, but stroked the baby’s face with one long finger. “Mercedes is a friend of the family, and this is her son, Desiderio.”
    â€œHow beautiful!” Angela said, when Manx tilted her bundle forward so her child could be admired.
    â€œPlease forgive me for not shaking,” she said, and Angela smiled at her exotic accent.
    â€œDon’t worry about it. You’ve got your hands full.”
    Manx smiled in relief and glanced at Owen, who beamed back at her. She’d been nervous about hiding her hands, no matter how many times he’d assured her that it wouldn’t be an issue.
    â€œDad?” I said, and my father stepped forward in his usual suit, minus the jacket. “This is my father, Greg Sanders.” It felt weird not to add his title after the basic introduction, but Angela wouldn’t even know what an Alpha was, and telling her—exposing our existence to a human—would only get me brought up on more charges.
    She held out her hand and my father shook it formally, studying her face like he’d be tested on it later. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I see now why Ethan tried to keep you all to himself.”
    Angela blushed, and I stared at my father in surprise. Who’d have known he could be charming, when he wasn’t barking out orders?
    â€œAnd this is my mother,” I said, as my mom clasped her hands in front of her own perfectly pressed slacks. “Karen Sanders.”
    Angela took a deep breath, and I almost laughed out loud at the sudden realization that in a room full oflarge, strange men, she was more nervous to meet my mom than anyone else. What the hell had Ethan told her about our mother? Or was there some sort of ritualistic meet-the-mom nerves I’d been spared by virtue of the fact that Marc—an orphan—was my only long-term relationship?
    Angela held out one shaking hand, and Mom took it in both of hers. “I’m so very happy to meet you,” my mother said, looking directly into her eyes. “And I want you to know that you—and your child—are always welcome here. We hope you’ll bring him to see us