Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) (18 page)

Chapter 33

Adele

Zayden stopped us just outside the first gate before entering the military base and got on his horse like the rest of us.

“What’s the point of this?” Ruby asked.

“It’s all about image now. It gives them better assurance to our arrival when they can see us.”

Ruby sighed and looked over at Darius. He smiled to her and puckered his lips as if giving her a kiss but they couldn’t reach each other on the horses. It was sweet but I knew how she felt. I hated this just as much and it was worse when we entered the city.

The people were celebrating the coming of the Prince’s birthday and everyone seemed happy to see us ride up the streets towards the palace.

This would be the city’s second sighting of Zayden with me, his new Princess and they showed just as much respect for me as they did him. It was a surprise to me. The first time I rode through this place, I was on the horse with Zayden and got looks of scorn from all the women. The time after when we came to create peace, it was more of a fear because everyone knew who I was. This was just different for me and I knew it would take some time to get used to. I did my best to keep a warming smile on my face and wave when it was required and hoped that no one was offended.

When we finally made it to the palace gates and were let in, I sighed in relief, relaxing my cheek muscles from the seemingly constant strain of a smile. We rode into the stables and handed off the horses to be put away and took our bags inside.

I was surprised to see my father standing at one end of the main hall, holding a bow and attaching an arrow to it. He pointed it straight in front of him at Izin standing all the way at the other end with his eyes closed and shirtless.

“Father?” Zayden wondered.

“One second, Zayden.” My father let the arrow go and it went shooting towards Izin. I gasped, thinking it would hit him but Izin quickly put up a single hand and knocked it away.

His eyes opened and they were solid black, slowly fading to blue. “It’s about time, boys. We figured you to be here by now.”

“What are you doing?” Zayden asked.

Izin was last to reach us while he waited for two servants to come from behind. One slipped a white button-up shirt on his arms to his shoulders where he buttoned just one button in the middle and the other servant placed the King’s royal crown on his head before they parted and left the scene.

“Just having some fun.”

“Good to see you, girls.” My father said.

I smiled and went to him, hugging him like a little child would and I even used the voice. “Daddy!”

“Uh oh.” He pulled me back by my shoulders and didn’t seem happy. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. I can’t be happy to see you?”

“I suppose not.”

My father moved his eyes to Zayden and Zayden just smiled. “She’s pregnant.”

“Really?” My father finally smiled and looked down at me.

“We all are, actually. I mean, those of us that can be.”

“Yeah, you have to see this.” Darius turned to Ruby and pulled her clothing tight so they could see her belly.

“Whoa.” Izin muttered. “That is a surprise. You’ve got to be at least six months in already.”

Ruby smiled. “Yeah, funny thing about that.”

“It was from our first time together.” Darius said proudly, putting his arm around her shoulders. “We were actually here.”

“And we’re just finding out?” Izin asked.

“She feared a different reaction than what we’re seeing from him now.” My father explained.

“I understand completely. So, I guess congratulations is in order. We knew it would be soon.”

“Yes, father. We’re thrilled.”

“As you should be.”

“Um—Aleksander.” Jaylyn spoke slowly among all of the happiness. “Have you heard anything? You know, from my brother?”

“He’s well. I haven’t seen him but traveling the world at the steady pace he’s not used to takes a long time.”

“Yes. I imagine it would.”

“Come.” Izin cut in, trying to break the mood. “Get settled in and we can catch up on our weeks apart.”

We started walking to the stairs and Darius looked over at Ruby right next to me. “I’m not going to look forward to that.”

No he wouldn’t but it’s not like we could leave that part out. Izin surely knows Meg was with us. He’d want to know why she no longer is.

We gathered down in the lounge just to the left of the King’s private arena after we settled in completely. It was sunken into the floor with an extremely high ceiling and windows all around. I remembered it from our first time here and it was still very lovely.

Kathryn immediately stood up and came over when we entered. “Oh, let me have a look at you.” She took my hands and looked me over briefly.

“Hello, Kathryn.”

“It’s so obvious! You’re simply radiant.”

I laughed and glanced over at Zayden. “Thank you.”

“Mother.” Zayden stepped to her and they hugged.

“Zayden, darling. I’m so happy for you. Congratulations!”

“Thank you, mother.”

Kathryn looked over at me again and still had a smile on her face. “Oh, I just can’t get over it. Look at you two.” She pushed us close together and leaned back for a view. “My little Zeebee is all grown up with a beautiful wife and a little one of your own on the way! Oh, this is just so exciting!”

Zayden looked up with wide-eyes and his father stepped behind Kathryn, pulling her slightly back by her shoulders. “Kathryn, dear. You promised you wouldn’t do this. Give them time to breathe the air in here, okay?”

Kathryn laughed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I did. I’m going to behave.”

My father laughed a little louder as Izin was bringing her back over to their seat. “Really? Well, first time for everything I suppose.”

“I’m in a good mood so I’m going to let that one go. Just don’t turn your back.”

“Threat received. Do sit down, won’t you, Adele?”

I sat next to my father and Zayden sat on the other side of me.

“So—” Izin said. “Since you didn’t bring her, I would assume that Meg has parted from the safety of your protection.”

We were hesitant to say anything at first and Darius sat like he didn’t notice anyone asked anything.

“Ah, yes, father.” Zayden finally replied. “She felt she stayed as long as we agreed on and is now taking refuge with the exiled Hintin Princess of Prince Venny’s deeper in the mountains. No one should find her there and she can have the baby safely.”

“We was pregnant too? That’s just great.”

“Oh, that poor child.” Kathryn said. “Their kind of behavior has always made me so angry.”

“But is not our place to get involved.” Izin added. “I’m glad to know that she has moved on.”

“Yes, well, we housed her for a couple of weeks and everything was great.” Zayden smiled, trying to make happy of the situation and not get into Ruby and Darius being apart or Darius being with Meg. “We hope to see her again—someday.”

“Did you get to decipher what she’s having so she’s aware of the danger levels, Jaylyn?” My father asked.

“I did. It’s going to be a girl.”

Kathryn let in a long breath of air like a gasp. “They can’t find her.”

“Oh, it’s okay.” I assured her. “We already talked to Meg about it. We’re going to be with her when she presents the child to Wyatt as—”

“Are you insane?” Darius cut in with a loud voice as he sat up a little.

Izin was looking at him weird and I didn’t want this to turn ugly so I put a smile on my face and tried to play it off as nothing. “Obviously, Darius wasn’t in this conversation. It was more of a woman thing or he would have known had he let me finish my sentence, that we’re going to be with her when she presents her daughter to Wyatt as my personal successor of the future for the Kalu Assassins. The timing of it will just be perfect.”

“Oh.” Darius muttered.

“It should be fine. It’s completely legal. Meg is Kaluian.”

“I must have missed that conversation too.” Ruby said. “Because no one asked me.”

“I was supposed to ask you?”

“Yeah, it was supposed to go like this: hey, Ruby, how do you feel about Meg and her mistake child being in our lives for the rest of forever? My response to that: two cold steel blades through her stomach, killing them both. Both our future misery would be over quickly.”

“Ruby, your stress.” Darius whispered.

She huffed and started to get up. “I need to throw up.” She started walking out and Darius got up too, going after her.

It was too late to hide everything now. My father, Kathryn and Izin were looking more confused than they’ve ever been and it would have to be explained but none of us looked forward to doing it.

Chapter 34

Darius

I followed her as quickly as I could and went inside my room after her. “Ruby, I know you don’t really have to throw up. You should lay down for a minute.”

She angrily turned to me. “Did you know about this?”

“Of course I didn’t know. Did you see how I reacted?”

“Yeah, I did. You were worried about her.”

“Ruby, it’s not like that.” I stepped closer while she was in a raging pace.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to take having her around.”

“Oh, so you can with Adele but not Meg?”

“This was completely different! You did the
you thing
with Adele! You were with her one time but not Meg! You cared about her!”

“But I never loved her!” I argued.

“That’s not the point! She’s always going to be something to you and we can’t have a life together if she’s in it!”

“Then you should know exactly how I feel. It’s been the same way with Trever.”

“Oh, it has not. We haven’t seen him in a while and he was just my friend!”

“Your friend that you spent years having sex with!”

“That was before you! It’s not like I was still doing it when I was with you! What? You want me to hate every woman in the world you’ve ever slept with so you feel better? That would be every damn woman except for Jaylyn! So, you might as well get on with fucking her too so I can just make it easy and hate everyone!”

“Ruby, that’s not what I’d want. I know we could make it through it because I would never choose her over you.”

Ruby calmed down a little and turned away. “You already did.”

“I thought we talked about this? I didn’t think you were going to come back to me and the time I’ve spent with you taught me that I don’t want to be alone. I couldn’t be. I didn’t choose her over you. I chose the only thing that seemed to want me.”

“I wanted you.” She turned around with tears in her eyes. “I still do. I just don’t want to see you around her and look at her thinking what might have been.”

“That’s not going to happen. She knew I still loved you. She left because she didn’t want to get in the way of us and I’m glad she did. In reality, losing you would have caused me to do what my mother did to end the pain.”

Ruby slapped me across the face without hesitation or much force behind it and she didn’t speak until I turned my head back to her. “Don’t ever say that!”

“But it’s the truth. I know I couldn’t really live without you. I used Meg to try and forget. If she wasn’t there, I don’t think I would be either.”

A tear fell out of Ruby’s eye and she wrapped her arms around me, putting her face up against my chest. “That would have been foolish of you because it wouldn’t be long before I followed.”

I held her tightly and laid my head down on the top of hers. “We won’t have to worry about that happening. We’re together now and I want to keep it this way.”

She moved away from me and kissed my lips. I held her head to make it last and Ruby showed no signs of letting go either. Her arms held tight around me and started to move up the back of my shirt as our tongues were curling around that of the others. She wanted it off and nothing was going to get in the way, except for maybe me.

“Ruby, are you sure? I was willing to—”

“I haven’t had it in weeks!” She ripped my shirt off in a fit of anxiousness. “And I want it right now whether you like it or not!” She turned me around and pushed me back onto the bed then advanced over me. I wasn’t going to stop it either.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you.” I pulled Ruby down to me and locked our lips again.

My hands were all over her body until she started taking her kisses down mine. Her tongue touched my skin before her lips as she made her way down and she pulled back when she reached my waist.

I took a breath and lifted my head to look at her. She was standing at the foot of the bed, taking her clothes off in a hurry and I sat right up to help. I started kissing her ribs as I did it and moved down to her stomach then backed away to look with my hands on her. I still wasn’t sure if this was a good idea.

“Don’t worry. He’s relaxed. Now I want to be.”

Ruby pushed her pants down off her hips and took them the rest of the way off with her feet. Then she pushed me back on the bed and made me move back to the pillows as she followed, straddling my hips. I kind of had no choice now and to be completely honest, I kind of liked it.

Ruby leaned down and kissed me just after while she pushed down my pants to where they needed to be with her foot. I was ready for this now. She was perfect. With just a couple of hip thrusts over mine, she got me to penetrate her without help.

I was truly surprised and Ruby backed off with a smile and sat up. “Just relax. Limiting the aggression, remember?”

“I have missed you.”

Ruby still had the smile on her face as she leaned down to me as best she could and we started kissing again.

The feel of skin on skin began to become sticky the longer it lasted and the air was feeling hot around us with our desire. I was lost in the feeling and relished the sweet tenderness of her lips against mine. I had one of my hands down on her hip, helping with the motion while the other was on her back, keeping her close to me but before it could get any better, she pulled away completely.

“What are you doing?”

She had a smile on her face and was off the bed, getting her clothes back on. “I got what I wanted.”

“Yeah, but—” I just looked down to let the sight do the rest of the talking.

She laughed. “Did you honestly believe I was going to let you get one too? It’s been longer for me.”

I sighed and dropped my head back to the pillow as I repositioned my pants to try and relax myself. “All right. I get it but I still enjoyed it.”

Ruby laughed again and came around the bed and laid next to me completely dressed. “Not as much as me!”

I laughed too and kissed her head. “No but I’m glad it was good for you.”

“It’s always good for me.”

“That’s worse than my plan which was not doing it at all.”

“It’s a better punishment.”

“Thinking back, she might have been the punishment.”

Ruby laughed. “What do you mean?”

I couldn’t believe that I just said that out loud and tried to get away from it. “It’s probably best if we don’t talk about it. I don’t want it to start anything.”

“It’s okay. If it’s trash talk, I want to hear it. Was she bad?”

I tried taking it seriously and hoped she wouldn’t get mad since she’s the one that asked. “Compared to nothing, no but compared to you, most definitely.”

She laughed loudly this time and sat up. “Really! I’m sorry for laughing but I guess I don’t get that.”

“That she wasn’t you? It shouldn’t have been hard to get. You’re wild and comfortable with your sexuality. I could tell she wasn’t. It was just normal missionary sex with us. She barely got involved. Not like you and I did miss that.”

“Well, I know what I want.”

“And what do you want?”

“I don’t know. Stop talking about this for good now and get something to eat? It’s been hours.”

“Then what would you like? I’ll get whatever you want.”

“Mmm—I’m craving something—fruity.”

I started to get up. “Okay. Let me see what I can find.”

“Don’t take too long!”

“I shouldn’t. There’s only one flight of stairs here.”

Ruby smiled as I left the room and started down the hall. I went all the way downstairs and ordered a fruit platter to be put together for her, not knowing exactly what kind of fruit she was craving. It included four long metal skewers with a variety of fruit on each one.

The first one had three kinds of melon chopped up into squares: cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon. The second had whole strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. The third had both red and green grapes and the fourth had chunks of pineapple and banana.

I took the platter after it was covered and was met by Izin outside of the dining hall while I was leaving it. “Darius, my boy, may I have a word with you?”

I slowed down as he reached my side and he started to walk with me. “Of course, father.”

“I’d like to ask you something but I really want you to think about it before you answer.”

“Okay.” I was a little worried as we headed towards the stairs.

“Exactly how many more slashes are you going to make to your wife’s heart before she locks you out?”

I quickly looked over and my answer came out swiftly and harsh. “None!”

“I said think about it. A woman only has so much tolerance. I’m afraid Ruby’s is running out if you continue to discredit your respect towards her with other women.”

“I know, father but it was a complete misunderstanding.”

“Really?”

“She got mad at me because I was being overprotective of her. I just didn’t want her to get hurt but she didn’t like it so much and told me to back off so I did. I didn’t think it would take her long but I didn’t see or talk to her for days. I couldn’t take it and honestly thought she wasn’t coming back. Meg was the one that was there.”

“I hear you were actually with her for a week.”

“Yeah.” I muttered, not proud of it. “Another week that Ruby didn’t come to me. Meg left then by her own will. She didn’t want to come between us because she knew that I still thought about Ruby.”

“And why wouldn’t you have? She’s the one that got you to rethink your life for the better.”

“Well, it turned out all those days were wasted because she was actually the one waiting for me to apologize for my previous behavior.”

“Does she know about Meg? She seemed to.”

“She does. I can tell it still bothers her though she tries to hide it but we’re getting through it.”

“I think she’s going to need some assurance of your devotion to her if you’re ever going to.”

“I hoped I did that. I gave her my mother’s ring.”

“Did you now?”

“She almost cried but this time in a good way.”

Izin smiled and patted my back just as we made it to my door. “Good. I’ll let you get back to her then. Tell her to enjoy that fruit. It came in fresh this morning.”

“I will.”

Izin walked off and I entered the room with the covered platter. Ruby was laying on the bed with one of her hands on her stomach and the other on her head.

“Are you all right?” I set the platter on the night stand and sat next to her.

“Yeah. Just suddenly feel tired.”

“Still hungry? This fruit came in this morning.”

“Yeah, why not.” Ruby sat up and I moved the platter to the bed in front of her, opening it. “Wow. That’s a lot. Share it with me? I’ll feed it to you!” I had to smile to hers and climbed on the other side of the bed next to her. I went to reach for one but she hit my hand away. “Hey! I said I’ll feed you. Observe.”

She shared the fruit with me and turned it into a juicy sexual game. Only her hands were touching the skewers and the fruit was taken off and shared by using her teeth and tongue.

I indulged in every moment that we bonded our physical and emotional relationship and it made the fruit taste all the sweeter. Things for me were beginning to feel as if they were finally getting back to the way it was and I wouldn’t let anything else get in the way ever again.