She wondered if he would take a mistress, but she didn’t ask. He wasn’t in love with her so it was inappropriate to badger him as a normal fiancée might. She had no right to demand anything, least of all fidelity. Faith wasn’t sure if he experienced love in a way she’d recognize, anyway.

“Are you on birth control?”

Her head snapped up. It was one of the last things she expected to hear and brought back the fears that he’d try to make her have babies for him to promote the sham marriage. After all, hadn’t she given him her consent… for anything?

“You know I’m not,” she said.

“I have no way of knowing that. The shot lasts three months. You could have taken that right before you met my brother. You could have a contraceptive implant, or an IUD, both of which can last several years.”

“No. I’m not on any form of birth control.” In all the anxiety about pain and scary kink, Faith had forgotten the normal things couples in sexual relationships obsessed about: diseases and pregnancy. With him being a medical professional, she was sure Leo had been careful with the former, but the latter remained a small risk. “A-are you going to make me have babies? Before you said that you wouldn’t.”

“Do you want babies?”

She was afraid to answer. The truth might upset him, or he might use it against her. “There’s about a 90 percent chance I can’t have them. That’s what my doctor said. I’ve always had issues with my cycle, and… the odds aren’t good for me.”

“If you could have them, would you want them?”

She shrugged. “A-are you angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“I could be infertile… and your mom…”

“I told you I wouldn’t force you to have children if you didn’t want them. Do you think my word is worthless?”

“No, Master,” she said quickly, grateful he wasn’t angry.

“Decide if you want them. You’d be surprised how often a 10 percent chance turns into a pregnancy. If you don’t want them, we’ll use birth control. I won’t force you to have my children.”

“What about your mother? She’ll hate me.” Gina had been so nice. Most of them had, in fact. Having family was still a new and novel concept. She hated the thought of dashing all their hopes and dreams for more children in the family and being resented for it.

“It’s not her business. We’ll say we can’t have them.”

“And then they’ll wish you’d married someone who could have babies.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think they would, but if it became an issue, I would tell them the doctor told us it was me. I won’t make you bear their contempt.”

It was another thing to add to the list of things that made Leo feel safe and honorable. None of it matched the change that came over him in the dungeon.

“You can return to your room now. That’s all I wanted to talk about.”