Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7) (8 page)

“Darius, you have to see this.” Troy whispered.

Darius sighed and slowly started to sit up just a little bit and open his eyes. “Is that who I think it is?”

“Yes.”

Darius laughed and sat up the rest of the way. “You’re bringing a girl home? Adele’s going to be pissed.”

“I’m pissed!” My father shouted loudly, making Rift whine and back himself under the bed at my feet. “What were you thinking?”

“Father, I couldn’t let them keep her there.”

“That’s not really our business, is it? You should have just left it alone like I said you should.”

“Don’t worry. They’re not going to find out.”

“You’re right because we’re bringing her back. Troy, go!”

“Troy, wait!” I cut in, making Troy stop again, confused as to who he should listen to. “Father, they won’t know it was us.”

“So, what do you plan to do now? She’s out. Now what’s your master plan?”

“We take her back with us and keep her safe.”

“For how long?”

“However long it takes.”

He was pacing the floor. Breaths heavy with his thoughts, trying to come up with a solution.

“You should think about all of the options here, Izin.” Aleksander said. “Taking her back could lead to problems.”

“And keeping her wouldn’t?”

“They’re all about rules. They could never prove that it was Zayden. Women make a run for it on a daily basis. They’re first assumption would never be that someone stole her. It wouldn’t even be their second.”

“Okay, so we do nothing?”

“It would be the best way.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Fine but if this accelerates, you’re going to give me no choice but to answer with force for this family and every death will be on you.”

“I’m willing to take that risk, father.”

“Troy, you can relax. Get some sleep. We all need it.”

I looked over at Meg and she’s just been standing quietly through the yelling. I only gave her a quiet nod to let her know that it was going to be okay. She was out. She at least had to be grateful for that. I’d do the rest.

Chapter 11

Jaylyn

I could no longer watch him ride away from me, knowing I wouldn’t see him for weeks. The thought of it hurt and I just had to go inside.

It was quiet when Adele closed the door behind her and we went into the first floor lounge.

“So—” Ruby said, breaking the long silence as we sat down. “This should be a new experience. It hasn’t been just us in a while.”

“Doesn’t make it a good one.” I muttered.

“They’ll be back soon.” Adele assured me. “Zayden’s going to make sure their trip is quick. Travel time will be cut really short. So, they should only be gone for like four days.”

“Yeah.” Ruby agreed. “That’s not really that long.”

“Easy for you to say. Who’s going to help me get to sleep and keep me warm at night? Not Troy. He’ll be spending his nights with a Hintin Kitten.”

“You think Troy won’t be faithful to you?” Ruby wondered. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. He’s Troy. He would never do that.”

“Still doesn’t stop me from thinking about it. Aren’t you worried?”

Adele and Ruby looked at each other, probably thinking of past experiences. I was sorry to bring it up but I know what they were like there and I was worried.

“Trust can be hard sometimes.” Ruby said. “But when you love him enough, it’s easy. I trust that Darius won’t do anything he’ll regret.”

“And I trust Zayden but I still thought about it. We just have to remember that we’re better and know that they know that.”

It got a smile out of me. “Yeah. Okay. Maybe you’re right about that. I just miss him already. I didn’t want him to go.”

Adele got up and sat down next to me. “I know. None of us did but it won’t be long. We’ll survive.”

“Well, I know what I’m going to do.” Ruby said as she got up.

I laughed. “Sleep?”

“Absolutely! I’ll be up for dinner.”

“Okay.” Adele said. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I think I will be. I just got to quit thinking about it.”

“Okay. I’m going to check our stock to see how low we’re getting on supplies so we can get more. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just going to my room for a while.”

Adele nodded and I went up the stairs to the big empty bed in my room and laid back on it, looking at the ceiling. I felt tired but couldn’t stop thinking about Troy gone.

My hand slowly moved down and rested on my stomach and I started to smile as I rubbed it. “Hurry home.”

I closed my eyes where I laid and was able to fall asleep and sleep off some of this time just like Ruby was doing. It would be good for me. This time alone could help me figure out how I was going to tell him.

Adele just made a small meal for the three of us that night but we ate together in silence. It was weird. It hasn’t been just us since we met them and it seemed none of us knew what to talk about.

“So—” Adele said through the pause as she reached for her glass of wine. “How about a toast?”

“Okay.” Ruby took her glass in her hand as well. “To surviving our first day.”

They smiled as I picked up my glass and touched it with the other two.

Adele and Ruby brought their glasses to their mouths right away but I just set mine back down on the table completely full. I wasn’t in the mood for this for several reasons.

“Jaylyn, you have to take a drink.” Adele said. “That’s kind of the point.”

“Ah—I know but—I can’t.”

“You can’t?” Ruby asked. “Why not?”

“Ah—” I didn’t know how to word it or what to really say at all.

“Jaylyn! Shit!” Adele bursts out with a big smile like she could read my mind about all the things I wasn’t saying. “You’re not! You’re pregnant?!”

“What?!” Ruby shouted.

“Ah, yeah.” I said quietly.

“What’s wrong with you?” Adele asked. “You don’t sound happy?”

“I am happy. I just didn’t get to tell Troy before he left. I couldn’t.”

“Is that all?”

I paused for a moment and moved food around on my plate. Confessing something like this was hard but I knew I could tell them anything. They were my sisters. I wouldn’t be tormented about it too badly. “I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Everything, what it’s going to be like. Ellie—” I choked up from having to say her name and tried holding back my emotions so I could go on. “She was mine but I didn’t physically have her. What if something goes wrong?”

“We’ll be here.” Adele said as she moved closer and took my hand. “Nothing bad will happen. How about tomorrow I read up on some of it for you while you relax?”

“Really? Okay. That would be—great.”

“Maybe you should get to bed.”

I laughed to her need to take care of me. “I’m pregnant not dying.”

“Still. Rest is the best thing for you so nothing bad does happen.”

That was a little incentive to do what she recommended and I got up. “Well, since you put it that way. I think that is a good idea. I’m just going to get to bed and see how well I can fall asleep again without Troy.”

Chapter 12

Adele

“Wow.” Ruby muttered. “Who knew?”

“I think it’s great. She already has the experience and Troy has proven his father skills with Ellie.”

“Yeah. I remember but what do you think will happen when she really starts thinking about Ellie?”

I shrugged while I got up. “I don’t know. I hope nothing too drastic. I’m going to get this stuff cleaned up and get to bed too.”

“Okay. Let me help.”

We started picking up the plates from the table and brought them into the kitchen. I took care of everything I used to make the meal and we went upstairs to bed.

I laid in mine and couldn’t help but wonder if I was carrying too. I looked next to me where Zayden would sleep and touched the empty space. I knew we would have a child but didn’t know when. A part of me was hoping it was soon. For now, I was going to keep my concerns on Jaylyn and do what I said I would.

I spent most of the next day in the library reading up on what she should expect when it comes to having a baby. It helped a little for me as well but it wasn’t all that bad. Women have been doing it for centuries. It was a natural thing that we were built for. She’d be fine.

I sat on the couch with a stack of books in front of me and one open in my hand. It was really quiet with only the sound of my breaths and rustling of the paper whenever I turned a page but then the book I was holding started to close on its own.

I was a bit stunned to see it though I shouldn’t have been and immediately came to a conclusion as to who it might be. “Ryon?”

Nothing happened. He didn’t appear to me or say anything back. I was starting to wonder if it was him at all until a pen lifted up on the table in front of me and started writing.

No. It’s Troy.

I looked around again, wondering how long he’s been watching me and why. “Troy?”

The pen moved back towards the parchment and I looked down at it.

You going to tell me why you’re reading that particular book?

I was extremely hesitant if I should even mention it. I know she didn’t get to tell him so I would be the one telling him. I reached for the floating pen and started writing back with just a simple answer.

No.

The pen was immediately taken, probably in frustration to my vagueness.

Is it you?

I took the pen back with a heavy breath. He wasn’t giving up but I should have known better. He was Troy. If he even slightly thought it could be Jaylyn, he would continue until he got some kind of answer.

No.

I held it out, knowing Troy would right something else and just waited. There was really no point in trying to ignore him now.

Then who?

He wasn’t going to go away―of course. I had no choice but to give in though I needed to do so carefully. I looked around and went over to the door, closing it before walking back to the table. I ripped the pen from the air and wrote while I kept glancing up at the door just so Jaylyn wouldn’t happen to walk in and find me telling her secret.

All right but you didn’t hear this from me. She wanted to tell you before you left but she didn’t want the news to interfere with the trip.

There was no more response and the pen stayed in my hand. I started to smile, knowing he was probably too stunned to write back or even panicking a little. “Troy?” He didn’t show signs of being around after that and I destroyed our written conversation and got back to my reading.

I was wondering what he was thinking with the news and hoped I didn’t just ruin everything by telling him. He should take it too hard, right? I mean, he wasn’t like Darius when it came to talking about children. He’s seen his son a few times, just hasn’t heard his name; his little Bryce.

Chapter 13

Ruby

For liking to sleep off time so they’d be home sooner, I wasn’t doing so well at it since Jaylyn came out and told us she was pregnant. I was happy for her, surely but I started thinking about myself and the more I did, the more it seemed a reality; I was too. I just couldn’t tell anyone. What would I say? Trever was the only other that knew but I never had to tell him. He just knew.

Having Jaylyn’s pregnancy out in the open made me worried about when I would have to share about my own. Darius would take it completely different than Troy would and I knew it. The thought of having children and he’d panic or get angry. I didn’t know how I was going to tell him but I at least knew it would have to be soon. I already saw physical changes in myself and didn’t know how long I could keep them from him.

My usual flat stomach had already begun to bump out and I laid in bed that night, holding it with my hand. It only made me more depressed and waited out another night alone but not completely.

The palace now seemed just as quiet as ever. We spent our time with each other just relaxing down on the first floor lounge, hoping for time to pass quickly.

“How long did you say it could take?” I groaned.

“That depends on when the wedding is.” Adele said. “It would have normally taken five days to get there so they’re probably just hanging around the palace right now waiting.”

“Yeah, with their Kittens.” Jaylyn muttered. “I hate this. We should have gone.”

“You know we hate going there.” I said.

“Yeah, but we just sent our husbands, who happen to be the best looking men out there, to a place where they hand women out like free food and who doesn’t enjoy free food?”

Adele laughed from the anxiousness in her voice. “Calm down, Jaylyn. Just because they’re given the free food, doesn’t mean that they’re going to eat it or even taste it for that matter. They probably want to get home as much as we want them here.”

“I’m just saying, okay? I miss him more than when we escaped Randal that first time and they had to catch up to us or when I left the lodge without him. This just feels worse now because our connection is stronger.”

“Have you thought about how to tell him?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Just tell him, I guess. Do I have to make it some special thing?”

“Well, it is special.” Adele smiled. “We knew this was going to happen. It will to all of us—eventually.”

“But why do I have to be first? Can you get pregnant with me?”

Adele and I laughed.

“It’s not something we can really plan for exactly.” Adele said. “We’ll just have to see. You found out the moment there was life in you. It could take longer for us.”

Jaylyn looked at us both and started to smile but I dreaded seeing it. “I could always check.”

Adele and I immediately looked at each other with wide eyes. “No, that’s okay.”

“Oh, come on.” Jaylyn begged as she moved to the edge of her seat. “Please? How will you know unless I tell you? We’re supposed to do everything together. Wouldn’t it be perfect if we did this too?”

Adele and I looked at each other again.

“She’s not going to let it go.” Adele said.

I sighed. “I know.” I could have been ready to tell them. It was easier now that we were here alone and I gave in. “What do we have to do?”

Jaylyn clapped her hands in excitement. “Great! Just lean back and I’ll check.”

“Don’t get so excited.” Adele said. “It doesn’t mean we are. I mean, I’ve hardly had sex in the last couple months.”

“Glad to see you’re hopeful. It only takes one time and you know Zayden needs this. Maybe it will knock him out of his recent state of depression.”

“You really think it was depression?”

Jaylyn and I looked at each other, knowing Adele wasn’t ever supposed to find out about the baby that was sacrificed and came up with an adequate response.

“Could have been from being away from everything like we said.” I answered. “He’s not used to that.”

“I guess it would help and I have been feeling a bit off lately or maybe I just want to be. You better hurry and just check.”

Jaylyn smiled and got closer to her. “Okay, let’s see.” Adele closed her eyes and Jaylyn brought her hand towards her stomach. “What would you really say if I told you, you were?”

“You know I’d be happy. I’ve already seen him so I’d just want you to get it over with and tell me!”

“You are!” Jaylyn shouted, hugging her at the same time. “See? Isn’t it great! Let me try you now.”

She was about to sit next to me with her excitement just growing and I snapped. I needed to do this my way. “No! There’s something I need to show you.”

Jaylyn looked over at Adele and they were both confused. “What?”

“Don’t get mad.” I stood up and opened the front of my long shirt. At first, they didn’t seem to know what they were supposed to be looking at until I slid my hand down and tightened the shirt I was wearing underneath.

They both immediately saw the bump and came right over, expressing shock.

“Ruby!” Adele shouted. “Why didn’t you tell us?!”

“Is this what Trever was talking about?” Jaylyn asked. “The thing you haven’t told Darius?”

“What do you think?”

“Ruby—” Adele was still in shock but was calming when she started to look me over a little better and I knew she was just starting to figure it out. “You’ve got to be months along—like several.”

“I know.”

“When did this happen?” Jaylyn asked. “It hasn’t been that long since you’ve really started to be with him unless—oh no.”

My eyes started to water and I dropped down onto the couch, holding my limbs in close to my body. “Our first time together, okay. I’ve known for a while. I just can’t tell him. He’s going to hate me.”

“He’s not going to hate you.” Adele said. “It is a hard thing to have to explain to someone but—”

“Thanks a lot.” Jaylyn sighed. “We have to do this too.”

“I know. I’m just saying, it may not be how they saw themselves a year ago or even a day before they met us but they’re married now. Things change. They know this is part of it and he’ll be happy.”

I lifted my head and wiped my eyes. “How do you know?”

“Because, it’ll be with you and he loves you so much. Seeing what you create together will change him.”

I hoped she was right but the true reality of it all was hitting me now. It made me feel sick and I had to get up. “I’m just going to go throw up now.”

I walked into the kitchen ready to leave this behind me for now. I still had a couple days before I would have to explain it again but I wouldn’t know where to begin in telling him. Just remembering his reaction every time the word child came up, caused me to rethink telling him for a while even if Adele says he’ll be fine. I still wasn’t sure if that was true or maybe until he figured it out on his own or someone blabbed to him through conversations of their own pregnancies. Jaylyn was capable of that easily and I almost counted on it.