Chapter 79

Ramon POV

“Or it’s five years of practice at pretending,” Troy whispered, and I recognized the same words he’d said in the garden yesterday. “I can’t tell him, Ramon. I can’t risk it.”

We sat in silence for a long moment. I could hear the house settling around us, the distant sound of someone—probably one of the kids—getting up to use the bathroom. Outside, crickets were singing their nighttime chorus.

“What were you looking at?” I finally asked, nodding toward the laptop. “On those clinic websites?”

Troy’s hand drifted to his stomach again, that unconscious protective gesture. “Trying to figure out my options. The clinic I went to before—when I was going to terminate the pregnancy with Sophia—they require mate approval now. Updated their policies a few years ago after some legal case. But there are other clinics. Some that don’t ask as many questions if you pay in cash.”

Horror settled in my chest. “Troy, those places—they’re not safe. If someth