Free Romance: Sports Romance: ON SIDE (Secret Baby Pregnancy Football Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Fiction) by Raven Monet

way Micah managed to get it all, right?
    “Let's face it since you're identical twins, we may never know who the real father is. But it doesn't matter. I have to decide what's best for my baby, what's best for me.”
    “I'll give it all up, Lucy,” Deacon said. “I'll be a father in more than a name.”
    I laughed, not because it was funny, but because I knew he meant it. At least for now.
    “Deacon, sweetie, we both know that wouldn't last long. You're an outlaw. That's what you do. This type of life would bore you to tears, darling. And you'd resent me before long. We both know that.”
    Deacon looked past me at his brother, and I stepped in between the two of them. Just in case he thought about attacking after all. Micah wasn't prepared anymore, he wouldn't expect it. It would be the perfect time for Deacon to attack and he could rip his brother's throat out before we knew what had happened.
    Which is why I had to stay between them.
    I trusted Micah, but I wasn't sure about Deacon. I felt like I knew him, but did I really? He never really let me get to know him past the sex and the fun times together.
    “Now why don't you do me a favor – both of you – and turn back into your human form. I'm sure we can make an arrangement that works for everyone. Don't you think?”
    “An arrangement?” Deacon and Micah asked at the same time.
    “Yes, an arrangement,” I said. “Micah and I will be together, raise the child. But Deacon will be allowed to visit, of course.”
    That seemed reasonable, something I knew Micah would agree to. The next part, I wasn't so sure about. But it was possibly the only way to get Deacon to agree to it as well.
    “And Deacon, when you are in town, you can have me to yourself for one night.”
    Micah snuffed behind me, and I turned and shot him a look from the corner of my eye. He wasn't the usual petty, jealous type. But this was his brother. I knew what he feared. But truth was, I'd never love Deacon the way I loved Micah. And I'd never love Micah the way I loved Deacon. Didn't mean I loved one more than the other. I just loved them differently, that's all.
    “Micah, I'm sorry, baby. But he has marked me too. And as you know, there's no way to reverse that I thought having you mark me would sort or override his mark – but it didn't.. And if I'm kept away from him when he's in town, the pain will be unbearable like it was tonight. But we'll lay down some ground rules first.”
    Neither one looked too pleased, but they also weren't trying to tear each other's throat out. So that was a plus. Maybe we'd get out of this without me cleaning up someone's blood tonight. And if so, I called that a win.
    “Let's talk? Like civilized human beings?”
    Micah was the first one to shift back into human form, his bones cracking and popping as he went from four legs to standing on two, still naked as a jaybird. Once he was standing tall, we both looked at Deacon, afraid of what he might do. If Deacon decided to lunge and attack, Micah wouldn't be able to shift back into his bear form in time. He took a chance by shifting back, and I loved him for it. I knew what it cost him to do this, to turn down a fight with his brother. But he knew that no matter what, if they fought, he'd lose either way.
    “Deacon?” I said, trying not to let my nerves get the best of me. “Come on now, you know you still love your brother. Even, after all, you've been through.”
    Deacon moved forward, and instead of me standing in front of Micah, Micah stood in front of me, protecting me, shielding me from his brother even though it could have meant certain death.
    Deacon let out a low roar that slowly turned into a human groan as the fur receded from his body and his skin shifted and changed him back into a human. He was also stark naked now since shifting destroyed his clothing.
    “Fine,” he snarled, his dark hair covering his face from view. “Let's talk.”

Epilogue
    One Year Later
     
    Sitting on the front porch,