Reyona had thought she would have to go to the detention centre where Maze was held.
He was held in Kayooma Federal Detention Center after his lack of cooperation in the first hearing.
The judge had been pissed off and had him sent there to cool his feet for a week before the next hearing.
In the meantime, the police were gathering more evidence based on the recording that Maxwell had made.
The recording in which Maze had denied his own voice.
Reyona still wondered why Maxwell had thought it would be possible to have someone like that strike a deal with them.
She was sure the bastard might even prefer going to a long-term jail just to spite them.
After all, Maxwell had played him.
With the new evidence of his gasoline purchase and other incriminating information that Officer Guy had gotten from Susan though, Reyona supposed he might decide to be more reasonable when he realised that his "I-know-nothing, I did-nothing" tactic was not going to work.
Any environmentally aware person would know how much the Kayooma law frowned upon grievous acts like arson and the like anyway.
One way or the other, he was not going to be let off easily.
This was a better way for him.
Any reasonable person would take the deal they are presenting to him.
"Though I doubt a bastard like that has any idea of what the word reasonable means," Reyona grumbled as Maxwell helped her put her shoes on.
She could still bend if she wanted to, but he had insisted on doing things like that for her.
She wiggled her feet in the low-heeled shoes.
Did it feel tighter? It seemed it was tighter.
She had told him the other day that her feet looked swollen, but he had shrugged it off and told her that they looked just the same to him.
She wouldn't trust a man to know such things anyway.
Though he was the most aware man she had known, with his attention to detail, she supposed he was deliberately trying to make her feel better about the changes in her body.
For example, her sagging stomach.
He rose and gave her an adoring look that never failed to make her preen inside. "You look so beautiful," he said before he gave her a lingering kiss on her forehead.
She wrinkled her nose at him and said "I don't want to do this."
"I know, babe. I am sorry that I am asking this of you."
She smiled and laid her hand against his cheek. "You know I wouldn't agree with it if I didn't think it was necessary. I want us to get all these behind us, so we can finally focus on ourselves. Just us and our kids."
"I know, babe. I want nothing more," he said as he cupped her face with one hand, then lay the other on her stomach. "I…"
Reyona's eyes widened just as she saw the astonishment on his face too.
She didn't need to ask him as she saw the way he looked down at his hand on her stomach.
"That…oh my god!" she exclaimed as she felt it again. The babies kicked! Twice!
Maxwell bent down to kiss her stomach before whispering, "Hey there. It is Dad."
The kick came again and again. "Oh…. oh…oh…my." Reyona said with excitement in her voice as she held onto his shoulder.
With his hands still on her stomach, he felt every single vibration.
He looked up at her with the biggest grin on his face as he said with wonder "I felt it. I felt them, Reyona."
Then he straightened and wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug.
"Thank you. Thank you," he said in a heartfelt tone as he kissed her neck again and again.
Before she could say anything, the babies kicked again.
As if reminding their parents that they were the ones doing the work, the kick came again.
Reyona laughed gaily as overwhelming tears gathered in her eyes.
It was the most marvelous sensation Reyona had ever had.
Feeling the movement of the kids they had made with love while being wrapped in the hands of the man who had redefined her definition of love.
"I love you," she whispered with a surge borne from the depth of her soul. "I love you so much"
**********
Will he ever stop surprising her? Reyona wondered.
When they finally left the room, she thought they were heading out.
But then he told her he wanted to show her something in his office.
Her mind had gone straight to the gutter as she remembered the last time he had told her that same statement.
Well, let's just say she had discovered a newfound affection for Persian rugs and fireplaces.
As she tried to take her mind off the delicious reminder of climaxing to the mimic snap and crackle sounds of the smart fireplace, Reyona tried to keep her mind in the present.
He wouldn't suggest that now, would he?
She doubted it, not when he had told her in the room that they needed to get going so they wouldn't be late for the meeting.
"Not that you would mind anyway," her subconsciousness taunted.
"Oh, shush," she thought with a small smile just before he turned to her and said.
"After you, ma'am."
He opened the door and she stepped in.
Her jaw dropped when she saw the setting.
The lighted area has been set up with a wide-screen system already. She could see the audio device and the bottles of water and refreshment on the side.
She was confused for a moment as she asked "What did you want to…?" she looked back at the perfect setup that any content creator would envy.
Then she realised it as she looked back at him. "Here? I am meeting him here?"
Maxwell smiled as he guided her to the sleek leather conference chair set far away from the system.
"You didn't think I would let my queen go to a place like that, did you?" he said with a grin. "He is not worthy of you going to meet him face to face. I asked Guy, and he said we could do it online. Arrangements have been made."
Reyona could see the DSLR camera, beneath the computer too, so she supposed distance wouldn't be a barrier.
She smiled as she realised why he had done the setup like that.
He had been extra wary of her getting close to any form of radiation since he had read in one of his expectant dad's books that an expectant mother should strive to stay away from any device that could emit such.
He kissed her as he eased her into the chair and clipped the audio device to the v-neck of her dress.
"Is that okay? Do you need anything before we start?"
Reyona squeezed his hand as she looked at him with a loving smile and said "No, I have everything I need right here with me."
His gaze softened, and he kissed her fully on the mouth.
He leaned back and gave her a penetrating look as he smoothed her hair back.
Then he cleared his throat and said "I will call Guy."
Reyona nodded.
He stepped sideways and made the call.
"They are ready," he said as he went towards the system and connected to the other end.
They must have been waiting for them because immediately it connected, she could see Maze already seated with a blank look on his face.
That uncanny resemblance jolted her again as always.
"How could he look so much like Rafe?"