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tongue.
Nathan had set up a practice in town but we'd also built and equipped an office here on the ranch. Not too long ago, I made trips into Clearwater without using the ring of illusion Gregori had gifted me. But in the last couple of weeks, my stomach had taken on a life of its own, and I had the look of someone six months pregnant. If I kept this up I'd be the size of a small barn by the end of my four months.
My brother was concerned over the development but I didn't believe there was anything to worry about. My bones still hurt along with the joints in my hips, back, and knees. I continued to get nauseous sometimes and I had the appetite of a linebacker for some of the strangest food combinations. Maybe I wouldn't instinctually know if something was wrong. There wasn't a book on male pregnancy or anyone I could talk to about what to expect. So we were left guessing.
Marjan finished setting the table, leaned over and kissed my forehead, then Ushna's and Gregori's. She reminded me of my mother, Rose, who'd died long ago in a car accident with my father, Ramsey. I glanced at my older brother, Nathan, and felt a pang of regret. Mother, Father, brother, and sister; I still regarded them as such, even though my birth parents were assassinated when I was born.
"Tristan," Jory said, watching Nathan pack his bag. "What is wrong with you?"
Nathan looked up after he snapped the black bag closed and pinned my friends with a hard stare. "He's pregnant with twins," he explained.
Stan, who'd been taking a sip of coffee, choked, and spit it out… on me. I guess that's one way to get some coffee. Jory slapped Stan on the back, staring at me with wide eyes. Gregori handed a dish towel to me and I cleaned myself off.
"Go ahead, Einstein, call him fat again," Gregori snapped at Jory with a barely controlled sneer.
"What?" exclaimed Nathan. I held my hand up to halt his outburst. It was the least of my worries right now.
Once everything was wiped down, Stan pierced me with a glare. "You'd better start from the beginning."
Ushna gave a low sound of warning and pulled me closer. "Back off, Stan. You've no reason to be pissed off at any of us. I'm tired of the two of you jumping to conclusions before anything's said. At this point, I'm inches away from kicking your asses back to California. If you're going to continue to be combative, we don't need you here."
Stan looked from me to Ushna to Gregori to Nathan. "Don't look at me," Gregori said. "Stay or go, it's your choice. You left before, you'll leave again. I don't care either way."
Jory rubbed at the nape of his neck. "They're right, Stan. We've been intense since we arrived. Let's hear what they have to say."
Stan crossed his arms and nodded his head. I started filling my plate and my stomach snarled loud enough for everyone to hear. "This all started back when I broke from Theo Sullivan."
I didn't get any further when Jory snorted and wouldn't meet my gaze. I got a sick feeling in my gut that I knew what his problem was.
"Speak your mind, Jory. I'd like to know what you're thinking."
Jory stared at me accusingly. "You broke with your Twin Flame. Do you know how many of us don't find our Bashert? How we go through our life hoping for something that might not come? Waiting for the one person who'll make us whole, who'll bring us peace and you… you had it all, only to throw him away like trash. Then… then you entice Ushna to your bed. Are you going to toss him away when you've grown tired of him?"
Ushna had begun growling again. As much as I loved it, I'd rather they were sounds of passion and not ones of anger. "Stop, Ushna." I laced my fingers with his. "I asked him to speak his mind. He's concerned for your wellbeing."
"Bullshit." Gregori's voice was icy cold. "He is talking about things he wasn't here to witness. He's taking someone else's opinion and not questioning the validity of it. He's supposed to be our friend, our brother, our family." Gregori stared at Jory with scorn.