distracted himself by finishing his cup of tea, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes with a napkin. William sobered too, mumbling an apology to Brendan.
“You’re taking this better than I expected,” the alpha confessed. “Now, last but not least, I had my lawyer friend draft a scathing letter listing all the things we knew Dante and Samuel had done. From impersonating Harper to interfering with his medical treatment and living arrangements. We left no room for misunderstanding—if they attempt any contact, no matter how small, no matter the reason, we’ll pursue them through the courts to the fullest extent. As it is, your three-month order of protection can easily be extended for up to a year. I don’t think it’ll be necessary, but you might feel differently, especially with a baby on the way.”
“Did they reply to the letter?”
“They’ve both given an undertaking to the court where the order of protection was filed to keep their distance. They’ve confirmed, separately and in writing, that they’ll abide by your wishes and cease all further contact.”
“Then it’s over?”
Harper was reluctant to celebrate too soon.
“It was a foolish, opportunistic plan by two manipulative bastards who didn’t have the first clue what was actually going on. Dante’s looking for an easy life, and he knows there’s no hope of that with you, William, not anymore. Your father is harder to pin down. No doubt, in the future, he’ll make overtures. Just document everything and pass it on to me as you get it. I’ll keep on top of it.”
“Thank you. We appreciate all your help.”
“I hate to see people get away with bad behavior, especially against good people like yourselves. I hope that’s put your minds to rest.”
“It has,” Harper promised him, distracted once again by his shiny ring, all thoughts of Dante fleeing from his mind. “It really has.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
The next few months were some of the busiest of William’s life. Between managing the renovation of their new home, work, and preparing for the arrival of his and Harper’s baby, it seemed like every moment was filled. And he couldn’t have been happier. He had to give it to Harper: counseling might have been hard work, but it was well worth the effort for the peace of mind he felt from working through things.
He and Beckett were in the midst of an important meeting with a new client when his phone rang. He had it set so that the only calls that would get through were urgent ones. Exchanging a glance with Beckett, he apologized and excused himself.
“His partner is expecting their first child,” he heard Beckett explain quietly as he stepped away.
“Of course. We know how nerve-wracking being a first-time parent is,” the client remarked.
He closed the doors behind him as he moved out into the corridor and answered the call. “Hey, Harper. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I hate interrupting your meeting, but Zac insisted I call.”
“Why’s that? What’s wrong?”
Harper huffed, but his breath caught, and when he spoke again, his voice sounded strained.
“My water’s broken. Now, there’s no need to panic or come running. I’m only getting a few tiny contractions. It could be hours or even days yet. Zac is adamant that I go to the hospital to be checked out. They’ll probably send me straight home and tell me to come back when things really get going. Either way, there’s no need to interrupt your meeting. I’ll be fine, and I’ll call you if anything changes.”
William paused before replying. “Are you sure I shouldn’t…?”
“I’m sure,” Harper said firmly. “Go back to work.” And he ended the call.
William hovered there in the corridor, staring at his phone. On the one hand, Harper was probably right—this being their first baby and all, it wouldn’t happen in a hurry. But there was something about his voice, the hitch in his breath, that made William wonder if Harper was downplaying things. He was between two minds about what to do as he headed back inside when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Zac.
You should come now.
That settled it. He reached for his jacket as he spoke.
“I’ll leave you in Beckett’s capable hands. I have to head to the hospital to be with my partner.”
“I’ll call you,” Beckett said as the clients wished him good luck.
Would knowing one of their prospective architects was about to become a father make them more or less likely to hire their firm? He’d find that out soon enough.
He sent a text to Zac as