"Do you think I would harm my own child?" Sean shouted, then looked at Shanna.
"Don't you see what they're doing? They never leave you alone, do they? They never let you make a decision. They're controlling you."
"It was my decision to see you." Shanna crossed the small room to a table against the wall. She pulled out a chair and sat.
Sean glanced at the mirror that spanned the entire wall above the table. He and Shanna showed up in it, but the Scotsman wasn't reflected. "We're being watched?"
Shanna glanced at the mirror behind her. "Yes. My husband and another guard are on the other side."
Sean looked to his left to see if the Scotsman was still there. He was. It was unnerving how he didn't show up in the mirror. "This is an interrogation room."
Shanna laughed. "No. You're at Romatech. This room is used for marketing research."
She motioned to the mirror behind her. "That's the observation room."
"You're always watched, aren't you? You're a prisoner." Sean wondered for the millionth time if he'd made a huge mistake by not telling Shanna what the vampires had done to her mother. But he couldn't stand for anyone to know how Darlene had been punished for his mistakes. And he'd worried that Shanna would tell her mother the truth.
"Dad, you have to believe me. I married Roman because I wanted to. I love him, and he loves me."
"He's a demon!" Sean shouted. "Look what he's done to you. How could he get you pregnant? Did he pimp you out to other men?"
"What?" Shanna scrambled to her feet.
Behind him, Connor growled.
Shanna marched toward him, a hand placed protectively on top of her huge belly. "My husband is the father of this child. How dare you accuse me or him—"
"That's impossible," Sean hissed. "He's dead. He can't father a child. Goddammit, Shanna, he's duped you. He's controlled your mind and used you like a prostitute!"
The door swung open with a bang, and Roman Draganesti stepped inside. His dark eyes blazed with anger. "No one speaks to my wife like that, not even her father."
"You can't be this baby's father," Sean insisted.
Roman strode toward him, his jaw clenched. "Your disbelief does not give you the right to insult your daughter."
Shanna touched his arm. "I can handle this."
Roman stopped. His face softened when he regarded Shanna. Sean could only hope that meant the vampire didn't abuse her.
His daughter and the demon gazed at each other for a while, then Roman bowed his head. "I will be watching. Be careful. I don't want you upset right now."
Shanna smiled at him. "I'll be fine."
Roman turned to glare at Sean. "I'm only leaving so you can see that Shanna is the one in charge here. I would do anything for her."
"Then go die," Sean muttered.
The Scotsman cuffed him on the back of the head.
"Connor." Shanna shot him a disapproving look.
"My apologies," Connor growled. "I have verra little patience with morons."
Roman chuckled and planted a kiss on Shanna's brow.
Sean flinched, recalling how his wife had been controlled and molested. He glared at Roman's back as he left the room.
"You should get used to him," Shanna said quietly. "He's going to be my husband for a very long time."
Sean stiffened. "He's going to transform you?"
"And risk killing his own child? Don't be silly."
"How—?"
"How can this child be his?" Shanna patted her belly. "Roman is a brilliant scientist. He used live human sperm with his own DNA—"
"What?" Sean strained at the duct tape around his wrists. "That bastard's performing experiments on you. Shanna, you have to get out of here."
The Scotsman grabbed his shoulders to keep him still.
Shanna stepped closer. "I wanted this baby. I have a wonderful, loving, brilliant husband, and we're going to have a baby. Why can't you be happy for me?"
"Because you married a monster! And you're about to give birth to—" Sean gasped when the full import washed over him. A half-breed baby? A child monster? "Oh God, Shanna. What have you done?"
Her eyes narrowed. "I'm bringing a child into this world who will be blessed with two loving parents. That's more than Roman experienced. It's more than I had, too."
Sean gritted his teeth. "I knew it. You're doing this to get back at me. You were always the rebellious one."