Gage’s eyes round out. “Not under my roof.”
The boys continue to giggle, fight, and wrestle, blissfully unaware of their parents’ discord.
“It’s my roof, too, Gage. And don’t worry. I won’t make a habit of sleeping around. It’s just Logan for me from here on out.” I reach over and pick up Logan’s hand and a devilish smile glides up his lips. I look back to Gage. “You’re finally with who you were destined to be with and so am I. Only in my case, I’m truly happy.”
It’s as if the lights go out in Gage Oliver’s eyes. A tangible click of that last morsel of sanity extinguishing itself. As if the obvious had the power to finally push him over the edge he’s been teetering on.
“I just got word from Demetri.” His lips flicker with the hint of a dangerous smile. “The inaugural ceremony is in a few days. The boys will be there.”
“And so will I. I’ll be with them.” My heart thumps out a protest but my lips won’t give it.
Logan groans, “And as much as I’d love to miss this, there is no way you can hold me back.”
Chloe offers a soft applause. “I’m so glad neither of you will miss this miraculous event. It’s never happened before in all of human Nephilim history. Trust me. I’ve dug my claws into this.”
“Just like you dug your claws into Gage.” I force a smile to come and go at the unlucky couple.
Chloe waves me off. “Your mother and I are putting together the details for the after party. I thought we’d host it in the heavenlies, but Demetri has informed me that was a no-go. All partial humans are getting the big heave-ho soon after the big moment.”
“I won’t be leaving soon thereafter, Chloe. Neither will Logan. But have fun falling back to earth. We’ll be speaking with my other mother. Besides”—I look to Gage—“I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to congratulate you on your new accomplishment. You’re making history, Gage.”
Logan’s chest expands as wide as the world with his next breath. “You might say you are royally screwing up.”
I nod, my gaze still pinned to my former husband’s. “It’s such a unique error in judgment—that as your wife pointed out, has never been done before.”
Gage averts his eyes a moment as the boys giggle and box with their feet.
Chloe takes up his hand and Gage doesn’t flinch. My stomach does a hard roll at the sight and makes an egregiously loud noise as if protesting the malfeasance at top volume.
“If you would just answer one question for me.” I may as well throw it out there while I have his full attention, a rare feat these days. “Why? Why vie for the Fems? Why become their king? Kill my people and break my spiritual neck?”
Chloe lifts a finger. “Let the record show, I would literally love to do that.” She gives a soft wink to go along with the threat.
I openly frown at her before reverting back to Gage. “Why Chloe? Why all of it?”
My heart thumps wildly in my chest as if I just started a revolution, ran a mile in under thirty seconds, and decapitated every Fem on the planet. I’m not sure why, but it felt dangerous asking Gage those questions. God knows I don’t expect an answer.
Chloe gives his arm a rattle. “Go on. Tell her.”
Logan taps my foot with his as we both wait hypnotically for Gage to utter a single sound.
“Let’s hear it, man,” he chides. “We’ve got all night.”
Gage twists his lips as he bears those cobalt blue peepers hard over me. He looks beyond angry. He looks downright furious that I even bothered to ask.
“Don’t you look at me like that.” My voice shakes as I say it. “I bore your children. I deserve a simple answer.”
“Three children, Gage.” Logan shrugs. “Skyla deserves answers, and we both know it.”
Gage shifts on his feet. His hand dislodges from Chloe’s and he stuffs them into the pockets of his jeans.
“Look”—his affect softens toward me, his dimples dig in deep inadvertently in the process, and it makes me want to jump up and shake the old Gage back to life—“there isn’t an answer that will please you, Skyla. I’m not under a spell. Not one being in the universe is twisting my arm to do the things I’m doing.”
I search his features for clues, as if every word that came from his lips was a riddle.
“And so that means you’re doing them of your own volition,” I say mostly to myself.
Chloe belts out a laugh and the boys stop rolling around like bear cubs for the briefest of moments before resuming their pre-bedtime anarchy.
