“I will,” I’m quick to assure him before turning to Ezrina. “And I want a full report on what you find regarding Holden and Serena. I’ll be checking in with you every day.”
“I expect nothing else. Oh and Skyla? I’ll need your vomit to be contained. I’ll be by to bring you a bucket. I’ll be curious to see the effects of it when mixed with the soil I’ve procured from the Transfer. The last mushrooms that sprouted were excellent for regeneration purposes but not quite enough on their own. I’m guessing this pure Celestra knitting in your womb will produce that much more of a potent supply.” She looks to the boys and Alice who seem to be consumed with a pile of felt puppets. “I’ll take the boys home with me for a bit. Pick them up whenever you wish.” She gives a sly wink before she and Nev herd the miniature crew farther down this labyrinth.
Marshall swoops in, and the next thing I know he’s fully ensconced me in his muscular arms, those feel-good vibratronics are soothing me already.
He tips my chin up a notch gently and penetrates me with his heated gaze. “I love you. You are mine. But for a time, you will be with another.”
“Dudley,” Logan growls it out like a threat and a small giggle rides up my throat. I can’t help it. I’m too giddy to deny myself a single second of joy.
“Nevertheless.” Marshall clasps me gently by the cheeks and plants a stunner of a kiss square over my lips, and a rocket of indescribable impulses rips through me like a tornado of wanton desire.
“What the hell.” Logan clips him with his shoulder and Marshall dissolves slowly in a blur of molecules dancing out of place.
“Congratulations, Skyla. Congratulations to you, too, Master Logan. Your child will undoubtedly be pretty—and blessed. It will certainly be blessed. All of my love. You are forever mine.” And just like that, his voice fades to nothing.
“On that note.” Chloe takes Gage by the hand. “Why don’t we leave the lovebirds alone and head back to our own love nest?”
Rory bubbles with laughter. “Love nest.” Her demeanor and tone are suddenly dead serious. “How very lucky of you.” She takes a step in toward Chloe, her every mannerism like my own. It’s eerie, uncanny, and I wonder if it’s dangerous, too. “Gage Oliver must be a superior lover.” She shrugs Chloe’s way. “The things those strong hands must do to you, that oven-hot mouth riding all over your body.”
“Rory.” I’m suddenly moved to kick my big sister. “I certainly don’t want to hear it.” But she doesn’t take her eyes off Chloe.
“You are a lucky,luckygirl.” Her eyes widen a notch as she sinks her gaze from the queen of mean to the king of jackasses himself. Gage glares at my sister, and if I didn’t know better, there’s a threat buried in there somewhere. “Enjoy him.” Rory takes a brazen step in toward Gage and all of her anger is pinned on him. “Enjoy the traitor who turned his back on his people, his wife, and ultimately his children.” She huffs a dull laugh in his face. “He’ll deny that last part, but there is no denying the fact those children are more Celestra than they are the garbage he’s manufactured from. And the next time you decide to gouge my sister’s people—do consider that for every life you take, your own sons will loathe you that much more once they’re old enough to realize what you’ve done. You’ll be slipping in the filth of your own mess for the rest of eternity.” Her lips curl up at the tips as if it were an inside joke. “Go on, run away with your little tail between your legs. You’re not wanted here. Not either of you. Go on—shoo.”
Rory makes a sport of waving them off, but Gage steps boldly past her.
“Congratulations again.” He nods our way. Those intense blue eyes of his stagnate over mine a moment too long. He looks down at the floor before turning around. “I love you both.”
My heart sinks a moment, and my adrenaline picks up again. I’m not sure Gage understands what love is. Love doesn’t kill and destroy the one they propose to care about and then do it again for sport.
Gage takes up Chloe’s hand and turns my way as if to make sure I was watching, a knife to the heart, and yes, Gage, I saw it.
Chloe bubbles with a laugh as she turns our way. “We’ll see you back at the house! We’ll pick up a pizza. Our treat. Is there anything else you would like? I’m sure that baby Logan planted in your belly has you craving something special—other than more of his or her daddy, of course.” She bats those doe eyes my way, dark and cold like the deepest part of the ocean.
I want to tell her that I’m craving my people and my husband back—not that I would trade Logan out for him. Nope. I just wish Gage could wake up and see what’s happened to him. He would have nailed himself in a casket had he known what hell he was about to dive into head-on.
Gage pins me with his stare before shooting Logan with spears, but something in his features softens as if he were emotionally acquiescing.
“I’m happy for you both,” he says it low, just above a whisper, and they take off for the stairs.
Rory laughs as they leave. “Goodbye!” she calls out as if she had the upper hand.
“Where have you been? What are you up to?” I had planned on asking the first question, but the second streamed out as if it had to.
Rory rolls her eyes and looks more like Mia than me in the action.
“Who cares where I’ve been. I’m here.” She takes a step forward. “I’m working for you behind the scenes.” Her hand cradles my cheek, and I can feel her as sure as if she was in the flesh and this frightens me on an intrinsic level. “I’m taking care of the things you can’t, little sister. And it will all masterfully come together—soon. I promise.”
“What are you doing?” My voice shakes. I’m so horrified by her words, by what her response might be that it feels as if I’m about to fly right out of my own flesh.
She lunges forward and kisses Logan on the cheek. “All will be revealed in time.” She begins to fade to nothing. “And you will both prosper greatly because of it.”
“Oh God.” My stomach rolls at the thought of what it might be. “And what about Shaddai? He’s still at Marshall’s!” I shout, but I’m left with silence on her end because she’s off to the races without her horse. “Why do I get the feeling she needs a spiritual leash?”
“Your mother is her spiritual leash.”
I wince as I take a quick look around. “Hey? Have you noticed she hasn’t shown yet? I mean, even my long-lost sister came out of the spiritual woodwork to wish us well. And my mother is staunchly obsessed with you.”
A dark rumble of a laugh expels from him. “I’m thinking that your mother has wisely noted that we’re alone for the first time in forever.” His eyes sweep gently over mine because I know for a fact Logan doesn’t want to overstep his bounds. We haven’t slept together since that fateful day—or should I say days—last month and I’m about to rectify that.
