Rebel Obsession (44 page)
“An hour after sundown, which is in about….” Micah paused as if checking the time. “That’s about two hours from now.”
Miriam turned and laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him.
“We’ll be there,” Io said.
“We?”
“I’m bringing Miriam with me. She doesn’t leave my sight.” His free arm encircled her and held her tightly.
“Understood. I’d feel the same way if it were Sam.”
Io frowned, realizing something. “Hey, why are you calling me instead of Tristan?”
A long pause, then, “Because I’m in charge now.”
“What?” If Io had still been drowsy, he was now wide-awake.
“You heard me. Tristan got suspended and King Bain put me in charge in the interim.”
“There goes the neighborhood.”
“Yeah, fuck you, too.”
Io actually smiled. In the past few weeks, he’d come to like Micah. “You’ll make a good boss.”
“Don’t blow smoke up my ass.”
“I’m being serious, asshole.” Io wished he could live long enough to see how well Micah ran the team, but he knew he was as good as dead when he returned Miriam to her father.
“Yeah, well….” Micah trailed off as if he didn’t know how to take the compliment. “Just get in here, you got me?”
“Yeah, I’ve got you.” Io glanced down at the top of Miriam’s head. He could already smell her tears. “And don’t worry. I won’t play hero this time. I’ll turn myself in without a fight, okay?”
“Okay, buddy. See you soon.”
“See ya.”
He hung up and set his phone down.
“Miriam, look at me, baby.” He tucked his index finger under her chin and urged her to look up.
Her beautiful eyes glistened with tears.
“I don’t want you to go,” she said.
“It’s okay. I’m okay now. But you have to promise me. You will have our baby and raise it for us. For
both
of us. Don’t do anything stupid, okay? Promise me.”
She fought not to sob but failed, breaking down.
“Promise me, Miri. I need to know you’ll take care of yourself and our baby.”
The fantasy that he would be a father was over. They wouldn’t be together forever or raise their child together. He was sentenced for execution. The royal decree had already been announced. He couldn’t hope that his saving King Bain’s daughter would grant him leniency.
Miriam sobbed, and her tears fell against his chest. “I promise, Io. I promise.”
“Come here,” he pulled her up and kissed her. “Make love to me again. One last time before we go. I want to feel you one last time, Miri.”
Miriam gave him everything she had to give, opening her body and her soul to him. And when she came, he let himself go, too, pouring all the love he had in his heart into his release, hoping it would be enough to sustain her after he was gone.
King Bain sat at the richly carved desk in his chambers. The desk had been his father’s before his, and his father’s before him. The elegant antique had weathered time through exquisite care and love, having been crafted by hands older than he was and restored numerous times.
He ran his large hand over the smooth surface and looked at the picture of his daughter, so small on his lap, with her dark curls hanging around her heart-shaped face.
But Miriam was no longer a babe. She had grown into a mature and strong-willed female, stubborn and independent, decisive and passionate, ready to die for what she believed in. At one time, Bain had thought the traits to be a weakness in her, but now he realized that those same attributes were what made him such an effective and powerful king.
Miriam would make a fine ruler of the race if it ever came to that.
Queen Miriam.
Unlike with her brother, Colin, who didn’t have the spine to rule, King Bain felt no trepidation if he suddenly died and had to leave the future of the race in her hands. She was more than capable to take care of anything that needed done.
But for now, Bain was still in charge, and he had hard decisions to make. Decisions that put his family second and risked estranging his daughter from him forever. But that was what it meant to be king.
He rose and headed for the door, weary of all that had happened and all that he still had to face, but Io and Miriam were waiting for him. It was time to get this over with.
Opening the door, he walked the short distance down the hall and entered the large room where he had met with the others a few days ago, where Cordray had picked apart the minds of the two drecks, who were now locked in his dungeon.
Io and Miriam sat at the far end of the table, holding each other as if they would never let go. Their eyes lifted in unison and looked at him as he approached.
Io made to stand, but Bain lifted his hand.
“No, Io. Stay seated.”
Io frowned and settled back into Miriam’s arms. It was obvious she had been crying.
“Let’s make this quick,” Io said. “I don’t want Miriam to suffer any longer than she has to.”
Bain slammed his fist down on the table, causing the posted guards to jump. One cleared his throat awkwardly, as if embarrassed.
“You insufferable bastard. Do you think I wish for my daughter to suffer, Io? She is my
daughter.
I should know her better than—” King Bain’s voice cracked and he quickly turned away.
He refused to break in front his daughter or her mate. A strong front and solid show of power were critical for a king, who needed to remain personally detached from his work.
He bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. The truth was Bain couldn’t remain personally detached. That was his daughter. His blood. His child. His baby. And while he should know her better than anyone, he didn’t. Because he had ceased being a critical part of her life a long time ago.
“Father?” Miriam’s perfect voice touched his ears with concern.
Drawing in a lungful of air, Bain held it, fighting his emotions before blowing it out and clearing his throat. His baby wasn’t a baby anymore. She was all grown up. Carrying a child of her own. His grandchild and future heir.
“Daddy?” Despite being an adult, Bain heard the little girl she had been over forty years ago speaking to him, her high-pitched voice ringing like silver bells as she patted his cheeks, smiling her precious little-girl smile.
Daddy, play Barbie with me.
Not now, honey. Daddy has work to do.
Damn him for never giving Miriam the time she had deserved. All she had wanted was for him to play with her and give her a little attention, but he had always been too busy being king to be a father.
He didn’t want to miss any more of Miriam’s life, and he didn’t want her child growing up without a father the way he’d condemned Miriam to grow up without one.
Breaking down, he bowed his head into his hands, and for the first time in his life, he cried in front of others. Never since his childhood had he allowed himself the luxury of sorrow where others could see it. Not even when his father died had he broken down until he was safely alone.
“Leave us,” he heard Miriam say from behind him.
He assumed she was telling the guards to leave, and within seconds he heard the door open and close as they did.
“Daddy?” Her hand touched the back of his shoulder.
That was all it took for him to completely shatter. Her tender caress undid him, and in an instant, he whipped around and pulled her into his grasp, hugging her harder than he could ever remember.
“I love you, Miri. I love you so much. I’m so sorry. I’ve never been the father you deserved. But if you’ll let me, I’ll make it up to you or die trying. I promise.” He sobbed through his words, burying his face in her hair.
* * *
Miriam could hardly breathe. Her father held her so tightly.
It took her a moment to shift gears, but before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around him and let fresh tears flow down her cheeks and against his shirt.
“Daddy….” She hadn’t called him daddy since she was a little girl who thought of him as her hero.
“I can’t lose you, Miri. You mean too much to me.” He kissed her hair and reinforced his hold on her.
“I’m still here, Daddy.” Her own embrace tightened. “You just haven’t listened.”
“I know, sweetheart. God, I know.” He spoke against the top of her head, washing her scalp in warmth. “But that stops right now. I promise.”
She let herself get lost in her father’s outpouring of love, feasting on it, having craved it for so long, and then she pushed away.
He resisted, but she had to make sure he knew she was a package deal now. If he couldn’t accept Io as her mate, his breakthrough and show of emotion wouldn’t matter, because if he forced her to choose, she would choose Io.
“Father,” she said, wiping her tears away and composing herself. She needed him to take her seriously.
Her father frowned, but it was an expression of pain, not anger.
“Father, I love you, but….” She turned and looked at Io, who had stood but remained back by the table, giving her room to work this out with her father. “Io is my mate, Father. If you want to make amends with me—”
But her father was walking away from her, toward Io, wiping his face with his palm as if he didn’t hear her.
As he drew near Io, Miriam feared the worst and held her breath as she watched Io take a wary step backward.
“Forgive me.” Her father extended his hand toward Io. “I’m Miriam’s father. It’s…” It was obvious that sucking up his pride was hard for him and that he still needed to work through the ghosts that haunted him over realizing she was no longer his little girl. But he was making an effort. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Io.”
Io glanced at her, his eyes wide. Then he stared down at her father’s outstretched hand as if it were a poisonous snake before looking up and meeting his eyes.
Miriam could only imagine how confused Io was.
He took her father’s hand. “Iobates Liatos, sire. The pleasure’s mine.” Io said the right words, but it was obvious his guard was still up. This new side of her father would take getting used to…for both of them. Hell, for
all
of them, her father included.
The two most important males in her life shook hands as she blew out the breath she had been holding, and another round of tears began to fall as she covered her nose and mouth with her hands. She had her father back. Somehow she had gotten through.
“You take good care of my daughter, Io. She’s one of a kind.” Her father gave Io’s hand another hardy shake.
“Yes, Sire, she is.”
Her father released Io’s hand. “Call me….” He cleared his throat, biting back his pride. “Call me Bain, Io. You’re family now.”
Miriam rushed forward and hugged Io and looked up at her father with a sense of wonder. What had happened to change his mind?
She knew it would take him time to fully adjust to Io, but he seemed ready to commit to making things right with her. After all this time, she felt like she and her father had a chance to make peace and become reacquainted with one another.
“You’re not going to punish him?” she asked as her father turned away.
Looking back over his shoulder, her father shook his head. “Don’t you think he’s been punished enough?”
Miriam opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“What? No sassy comeback this time, my daughter.” Her father smiled at her. “Have I finally made you speechless?”
A broad grin spread over her face. “Um, well…sure, you could say that.”
With a nod of deferment, her father turned and began walking away, chuckling. “Besides, Io will be punished enough if you birth him a little girl.”
Miriam gasped. “You knew?” So that explained the sudden change. Well, maybe part of it.
Without turning around, her father hesitated in the doorway. “I know everything I need to know, Miri.” He paused, his long hair falling like a black waterfall down his back. “I love you. Now go on. Take your mate and go home. But I warn you….” He turned and held up his hand, his index finger pointing. “You’ll be hearing from my security team. I want to make sure your home is well protected.”
“Absolutely,” Io said, hugging her close. “Yes sir. I’ll take good care of her.”
“I know you will, now go on before I change my mind.” Her father winked then disappeared through the doorway, leaving them alone. She turned to Io, meeting his gaze.
“Is it over?” he asked.
“Is what over?” She brushed her fingertips over his brow, unsure what to feel now that her father had surprised the hell out of her. Of all she and Io had expected by coming here, his blessing was the last thing they thought they would get.
“All of it. Everything. Am I…? Am I safe? I mean, did he just give us his blessing?”
Miriam nodded. “Yes. I do believe he did.”
Poor Io. He looked shell-shocked. “I’m not going to be executed? Put back in the dungeon? Not even cuffed?”
She laughed at him, arching one eyebrow. “Well, I’m sure I can cuff you if that’s what you want.”
His eyes twinkled as a grin spread across his face. “Mmm, you won’t get any complaints from me.” Io dipped his forehead to rest against hers.
“Then I’d better get you home.”
Home. With Io. Her mate. With her father’s blessing.
“Yes, I think you should.”
She took Io’s hand and led him out. It would take a little while for all that had just happened to sink in, but she had a feeling when it did, she and Io would be off the grid for a few days.
Once the reality that he wasn’t going to die had finally settled in, Io and Miriam had spent the next few days in each other’s arms. His
calling
was gradually subsiding, so they hadn’t spent the entire time making love, but he couldn’t imagine not holding her and feeling her arms around him. Even if they were just watching a movie, he needed to feel her and keep his hand on her belly to feel the tiny life growing inside her.
Now that he and the king were on a first name basis and Miriam was becoming settled into his home, he had only one more person he had to make things right with.
