“So you’ll fall in love with her—and you have, instantly. So you’ll forget all about that Gage and let him sink to the bottom of thesea.”
ThatGage?
“I’m not letting Gage sink to the bottom of some heartlesssea.”
“You’re not exactly giving her back to me either.” She steps in close, but I can’t take my eyes off this magical being, so beautiful and bright. “Perhaps you should keep her a while. Would you like to know hername?”
“No!” She can’t have a name. She can’t exist. My heart breaks because everything in me wants to keep her. I would never want to blink her out of existence. Logan and I can have an affair—a brief,briefaffair. Dear God, what am Isaying?
“What are you saying, indeed?” My mother glares at me after having the audacity to listen in on my private thoughts. “You realize how the Master feels aboutadultery.”
“And you realize how He feels aboutdivorce.”
“That won’t be an issue. Give my love to Logan.” She lifts a hand, and a spray of miniature stars ensconces both her and Sage as they dissipate tonothing.
Sage glares at me as she evaporates to nothing. The weight of her disdain for me sends a violent shiver through me. It’s as if I were her enemy. She sneers at my mother. “She loves her more than me! I hate that little pinkpig.”
“No!” I wail with the perfect tiny being cooing up at me with a smile. “I can’t have another baby. Tad is going to killme.”
Chloe steps in and ogles the tiny babe in my arms. “Oh my shit, Messenger. This is your kid—and Logan Oliver is the father. My,my,don’t you have the happy little ovaries. I’m sure Gage will be thrilled. In fact, I don’t think Tad will be the only one who’ll entertain a homicide.” She scowls as if I’ve really screwed up this time, and I might have. “Now get me island side. There’s an entire bitchy little clique of dead girls I would relish to turn in by evening. I won’t let you down, Messenger. Just you wait and see. Together we will conquer theworld.”
“It’s not the world I want.” The sweet little angel in my arms pulls my hair and squeals with delight, melting my soul and my heart in the process. Oh my God, I am in love, swimming so deep and wide I never want to get out of the angelic waters. And giving her back to my mother is the last thing I want to do. “I just want my people to be safe—my marriage towork.”
“You’re on your own with Gage.” That darkness in Chloe’s eyes returns as she sinks her gaze into mine. “Fornow.”
I take up Chloe’s hand as Tenebrous is traded for the woods behind Marshall’sestate.
I know what Chloe meant. It wasn’t the blatant threat I would have once assumed it to be. It was in reference to Demetri, to his constant pull on my husband. I’ve got news for that Fem rat. In this tug-of-war for Gage Oliver’s soul, I win. Hands down. All fucking daylong.
The baby in my arms chortles as if agreeing with me, and she warms my heart all overagain.
The woods reappearwith each evergreen a shade more vibrant than the next. Even the monotone hues of Paragon are a welcome sight in comparison toTenebrous.
Chloe staggers a moment as do I, weighted with the tiny blonde bundle of joy who happily squirms before knitting her fingers in myhair.
“Ma Ma!” she cries, jubilant and loud, and my stomach tangles inknots.
“You have fun with that.” Chloe smirks at the baby. “I’ll text you and let you know how many I trap. I can spot the G-men a mile away, so obvious with their sunglasses and pressed collared shirts.” She plucks a tube of lipstick from her pocket and applies the bright red caustic hue. “If they’re lucky, I might even fuck them.” The baby in my arm flinches at the expletive. “Aww.” Chloe leans in, and the baby retracts, burying her face in my neck, and it feels like heaven. “She’s just as sensitive as her ma. I’ll catch up with you later,sis. I want to hear all about the fireworks. I’m guessing poor Gage won’t be so enthused to find out he’s an uncle.” She takes off for the street and holds up her middle finger. “Relax, it’s inlove.”
“In love, my foot. Speaking of which.” I pull up the babe’s tiny chunky toes and rub my thumb over the impression of Sage’s teeth. The baby looks up at me and blinks into her own innocence, so heartbreakingly precious, so startlingly beautiful, my heart comes to a complete stop. Tears come to my eyes. Here she is, the sweet angel Logan and I would have made with all of our love. I see him there in the bridge of her nose, the shape of her lips. She has his strong jaw and four little teeth, top and bottom, and I can’t help but note her gums lookswollen.
“Ma Ma!” She smacks me in the chest and picks up the protective hedge and shoves the pendant right into her mouth. She spits it out and goes for the mirrored heart that Logan—her father, gave me instead and suckles on it as if it had the power to soothe her. She lays her tiny body against mine, solid and warm, her heart beating erratic against mine and lets out a raggedsigh.
“Oh my dear God, I love you. I do.” I pepper the top of her head with kisses. “But how is this ever going to work?” I glare at the blank gray sky with a brewing anger. “This is not funny, Mother. You seriously lack a proper sense ofhumor.”
A bout of girlish laughter comes from my left, down by the ravine, and I hesitate a moment before wandering over. The laughter ensues, and before long it’s joined by the growl of a man. He’s saying something to her, and their murmurs grow increasingly sexual in nature along with those hearty, heady, I need you right now groans ofpassion.
The baby falls into a perfect slumber over my chest as I hide behind a tree. Who the hell would be hiding on Marshall’s property? Randy no less? Oh my God. What if Marshall is getting it on with one of his seventeenth-century hussies instead of watching the boys? The thought alone sends me charging out of my hiding place and straightinto—
“Mia?”
Standing before me is a rumple haired, rumple clothed Mia and that rat Gabriel Armistead with his pants unzipped, his junk hanging from hisboxers.
“Oh my God!” I howl and spin as if I just had my eye poked out. “Mia!” I shout so loud the baby jerks and screams without warning. “Oh no!” I’m quick to jostle her, but her cries onlyintensify.
The boy strides past me as if nothing ever happened, and Mia hops in front of me, red-faced andpissed.
“What the hell has gotten into you?” She pokes me hard in the chest, her own shirt still unbuttoned, exposing a black lace bra, and, well, a rather nice set of boobs. Not really fair since I had to have twins to achieve that look myself. When did Mia get tits, and why the hell do they look better thanmine?
