Eternal Love: (The Cursed Series, Book 4)

by Kara Leigh Miller

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX:

  Grieving

  I WOKE UP LATE SATURDAY MORNING to find several messages from Trent.

  Trent: I’M SORRY. I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU.

  Trent: CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THIS?

  Trent: I LOVE YOU.

  Trent: CHLOE. PLEASE. I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT WITH YOU.

  Trent: I HATE KNOWING I’VE DISAPPOINTED YOU.

  Trent: AND I CAN’T STAND KNOWING YOU’RE MAD AT ME.

  I sighed and began to type back a response.

  Me: I’M NOT MAD AT YOU. I’M JUST DISAPPOINTED. BUT YOU WERE RIGHT. I stopped typing, then deleted everything. Hesitating, I debated what I should send to him.

  Deep down, I knew he was right, and I hated that he was. But I wasn’t mad at him; I was just severely disappointed, and I needed time to grieve the loss of a dream. I turned off my phone, set it screen-down on the nightstand, and curled up beneath my blankets.

  As much as I wanted to stay in bed all weekend, I couldn’t. Tonight was Trent and Jax’s surprise party, and considering it had been my idea, I couldn’t exactly bail on it. The plan was for Sean to get them out of the house around three so Whitney and I could decorate. Guests would arrive around five-thirty, and Sean would bring the boys home around six.

  Even though Trent and I weren’t speaking right now, I wasn’t going to ruin this night for him. Though, the party was going to be rather awkward if he and I were still arguing. Groaning, I rolled onto my back. I should at least talk to him before then.

  I grabbed my phone and turned it on. It was now 1:32 PM, and I had two new voicemails and four text messages. I read the texts first.

  Trent: ARE YOU PLANNING TO IGNORE ME FOREVER?

  Trent: SERIOUSLY, CHLOE. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

  Trent: PLEASE CALL ME.

  Trent: I’M GETTING WORRIED. ARE YOU OKAY?

  I closed out of my messages and dialed my voicemail.

  The first one was from Whitney. “Hey, I don’t know what’s going on, but Trent is miserable. He’s on a rampage through the house. I assume something happened between you two. I hope you’re doing all right. Are we still on for the you-know-what tonight? Let me know.”

  The next message started, and Trent’s voice filled my ear. “Chloe, honey, I am so incredibly sorry. Please, just call me so we can talk about this. I know you’re upset. I am, too, but you can’t be mad at me about this. It’s not fair. This is a decision we have to make together, and we can’t do that when you’re ignoring me.” There was a brief pause and then, “I love you. For eternity. No matter what.”

  I closed my eyes and inhaled a shaky breath, but I couldn’t stop the tears that streaked down my face.

  What were we supposed to do when I so desperately wanted something and he didn’t? How were we supposed to make a decision about something we couldn’t agree on? We were on completely opposite sides of the issue.

  No matter what decision we managed to make, one of us was going to be hurt by it. If Trent got his way, I’d have to give up the last shred of hope I had of being pregnant, of carrying his child. But if I got my way, I’d be forcing Trent into fatherhood. How could I do that to him? I wanted him to want this as badly as I did. I wanted him to fight for a child the same way he’d always fought for me.

  My phone rang, startling me, and Trent’s name appeared on the screen. My finger hesitated over the reject button. I wasn’t sure I was ready to talk to him just yet, but at the same time, we needed to figure this out. I really didn’t want things to be awkward between us tonight.

  Chickening out, I declined his call. My phone rang again almost immediately, and I expected to see Trent’s name again, but Whitney’s name flashed across my screen. Was it really her? Or had Trent swiped her phone?

  I accepted the call. “Hey,” I said.

  “Okay, what is going on?” Whitney said. “What happened with Trent? Are we still having the party?”

  “It’s a long story,” I said, not ready to divulge everything to her just yet. “And yes, we’re still having the party. I’ll be over as soon as you tell me they left.”

  I stood and stretched, my stomach a bundle of nerves. Trent was going to keep calling and texting, and if I continued to avoid him, he was going to show up here—and that would ruin the plans I’d made.

  “They’re leaving in about twenty minutes,” Whitney said. “Sean decided to drag Trent out of the house early so he could blow off some steam.”

  That would give me plenty of time to shower, get dressed, and drive over there. By the time I arrived, they’d be gone.

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a little bit, then.” I ended the call and clutched my phone to my chest for a moment before opening Trent’s messages. I needed to let him know things were okay so he didn’t worry.

  Me: I’M FINE. PROMISE. JUST NEED TIME TO WORK THINGS OUT IN MY HEAD.

  I once again turned off my phone, knowing if I didn’t, I’d end up spending the afternoon texting with him, and I didn’t have time for that.

  WHEN I ARRIVED AT Trent’s an hour later, he, Jax, Sean, and Wyatt were gone. Whitney had blue and silver balloons and streamers strewn about the living room. A “Happy Birthday” banner hung above the fireplace. She’d had pictures of Trent and Jax framed, and they now sat atop the mantle.

  She glanced up at me and frowned. “Spill it,” she said. “What’s going on?”

  I groaned. “Not now, please,” I said, dropping my bag to the floor near the front door. “It’s something Trent and I need to deal with before I go dragging anyone else into the middle of it.”

  “Then deal with it,” she said, crossing her arms. “Because from what I hear, you’ve been ignoring him.”

  “Obviously not. I’m here, aren’t I?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

  “Fine. I’ll deal with it. Tomorrow, because I’m not going to let anything ruin tonight.” I grabbed a bag of balloons. “So, what do you need me to do?”

  We spent the next hour and a half decorating the living room and kitchen with balloons, streamers, confetti, and various decorations that boasted “Happy Birthday.” Whitney left to go pick up the cake from the diner—I was sure Jax would have something to say about that knowing he considered himself the best chef in the world—and I was in the kitchen setting out snacks and paper products on the island.

  My phone rang, and I pulled it from my back pocket. “What did you forget?” I asked, laughing.

  “What?” Trent said.

  I froze. Crap. It wasn’t Whitney calling. “Um, I thought you were someone else,” I said.

  “Clearly,” he said, his tone frustrated. “Who were you expecting?”

  “Whitney,” I said honestly. “She, um… I mean, we are…” Hanging my head, I took a deep breath, trying to remember everything Jax had taught me about telling a convincing lie.

  “Are you with her?” he asked.

  “No. Yes.” I cringed. “I mean, she’s on her way here,” I said, willing my heartrate to slow.

  “Right.” His tone was clipped. “Then I guess now isn’t a good time to talk about what happened last night.”

  “Not really,” I said. I leaned against the counter and chewed nervously on my bottom lip.

  He sighed. “Okay. Call me later, then, I guess?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  Trent ended the call before I could say anything else. Suddenly, having this party didn’t seem like such a great idea. People were going to notice we were barely speaking, and how would we explain that? I debated calling him back, but Whitney breezed into he house.

  She set the cake in the center of the table and grinned. “What do you think?”

  I stood beside her and studied the cake. It was in the shape of a moose head. A banner with the words “Happy 18th Birthday” was stretched across the antlers. I glanced at her, brows raised.

  “What?” She shrugged. “Moose is their favorite. I thought it was cute.”

  I hug
ged her, laughing. “You’re too much sometimes.”

  Moments later, the first guests arrived—Abby and Isach. Followed by Ellie and Nick, Luke, and Macaih. Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean were going to be a bit late, but they both promised to be here.

  “They’re here!” Whitney said. “Everyone be quiet.”

  I stood in front of the door, heart hammering. I hoped Trent and Jax would like this surprise. Whitney stood on my left.

  Sean was the first one through the door, and he stood to my right and gave me a knowing smile. I was glad he’d agreed to help us with this, made me a little less nervous about Trent’s reaction. If this was something he’d hate, surely Sean would have said something.

  Wyatt walked in next. Trent and Jax were right behind him. Everyone shouted “surprise!” But I was frozen in place, my gaze colliding with Trent’s. His hair was messy, his cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were bright. The sight of him stole my breath.

  He stalked forward and stopped in front of me. “Chloe.” The relief in his tone was palpable. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded. “Happy birthday,” I said.

  For the first time since he walked in, he glanced around before settling his gaze back on me. “You did all this?”

  “It was my idea, but Whitney and Sean helped.”

  Trent reached for my hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. “No one’s ever thrown me a party like this before. Thank you,” he said.

  I smiled, praying things wouldn’t be this awkward all night.

  “I’ve been thinking,” he said. “And it’s not fair for you to be mad at me. You—”

  “I’m not mad at you, Trent. I’m disappointed and upset about the situation,” I whispered.

  “I know. Me too.” His voice was low and compassionate. “But you went behind my back and talked to Ivy about something that involves me, something that involves us, and I didn’t get a say in any of it.”

  I slipped my hands from his and looked around to make sure no one was listening. Jax’s gaze kept wandering in our direction, and I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. The last thing I needed was for him to hear me and Trent fighting.

  “Not now,” I said with a shake of my head. “Not here. We’ll talk later.”

  “Chloe,” Sean said, approaching with a vibrant smile. “Everything looks great.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “We couldn’t have pulled it off without you.”

  He clapped Trent on the back. “Happy birthday, son.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Trent said.

  But Trent’s tone was… off, like he couldn’t care less about his birthday or this party when he and I weren’t on good terms. I knew the feeling, but now really wasn’t the time to get into this. I really should’ve just talked to him earlier.

  “I’m so glad you’re part of our family,” Sean said to me. “I’ve always wanted a daughter.” He laughed. “Don’t mess this up, Trent.”

  “Believe me, I’m trying not to,” Trent said, his gaze once again trained on me, unspoken meaning dancing behind his eyes.

  “Happy birthday, man,” Luke said, affectionately slapping Trent’s back.

  I took advantage of the momentary distraction and slipped away, needing a moment to compose myself. I headed to the kitchen, which was, thankfully, empty. Everyone else was in the living room, talking and laughing.

  Gripping the edge of the sink, I hung my head. Trent wanted to talk about things, and so did I, but he had to know now wasn’t the right time. There were too many people around. And honestly, I still had no idea what to say to him. How could I possibly explain that I simply needed time to grieve the loss of something I never really had in the first place?

  Regardless of how I felt, I couldn’t hide out in the kitchen all night. I straightened, took a deep breath, and walked back into the living room. Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean had arrived. They greeted me with smiles.

  Macaih was now here, too, and he stood near the fireplace with Trent, who smiled at something Macaih said. His smile never failed to make my knees weak—he was so incredibly sexy. Why couldn’t I be happy with what I had? With him and the knowledge that he was mine for eternity? Why did I have to constantly push for more?

  “So, I hear you’re responsible for all of this,” Jax said, snapping me from my thoughts.

  “Huh?” I blinked. “Oh, yeah.” I smiled. “Happy birthday.” I leaned against the wall, hands tucked in my pockets. “I hope you like it.”

  “I do,” he said, mimicking my position, facing me. “I have to admit, though, I’m surprised you did this for me, too.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.

  “Seriously?” He frowned and shook his head. “Well, whatever your reasons, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Think I can give you a hug without my brother trying to kill me?” he asked, his tone teasing.

  I laughed. “Probably not.” My gaze wandered back to Trent, who was now watching me intently, arms crossed, completely ignoring whatever Macaih was saying.

  Jax glanced over his shoulder, then back at me, a wicked glint in his eyes. I knew that look, and nothing good ever followed. “I’m willing to take my chances,” he said.

  Before I could react, he yanked me into his arms and hugged me. Instinctively, I hugged him back, taking comfort in his embrace. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt Jax’s arms around me, and knowing Trent hadn’t so much as kissed me within the last twenty-four hours, I savored the attention Jax gave me.

  I released him and stepped back. Trent was gone.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN:

  Surprise Guests

  EVENTUALLY, TRENT RETURNED, AND THEN HE spent the rest of the night avoiding me, though he didn’t hide the fact that he was watching me. The party died down around ten-thirty, and the final guest left shortly after that. I found Whitney in the kitchen cleaning up, and I started to help.

  “I got this,” Whitney said, pinning me with a hard glare. “You need to go talk to Trent.”

  With a sigh, I nodded and shuffled back toward the living room. My heart was lodged in my throat, but Whitney was right—I needed to talk to Trent. Neither of us could put this off any longer.

  But when I walked into the living room, Trent was talking to Jax. Neither of them appeared to be angry. In fact, they were laughing. I hesitated. Should I interrupt them? They were getting along, and I didn’t want to come between that. I gathered my coat and bag and walked outside, vowing to call Trent when I got home.

  “Chloe,” Trent said just as I’d made it to my SUV.

  I stopped and momentarily closed my eyes. My heart beat frantically in my chest. Slowly, I turned to face him. His expression was torn between sadness and hope, and everything inside of me wanted to comfort him, to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him. But if I did that, I’d never be able to say what I needed to.

  “Look, when I made the choice to change, I was okay with not having a baby on my own. I was willing to accept it because I knew I’d have an eternity with you.” I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “But now that I know there’s a way for us to have a child of our own, that I can still have an eternity with you…” Tears pooled in my eyes. “How am I supposed to be okay with walking away from that?”

  He hesitated, and my stomach knotted tighter and tighter with each second that passed. “Have you changed your mind about becoming a vampire?” he asked.

  “No,” I said without hesitation. “I love you, Trent. I want to marry you and spend eternity with you. None of that has changed.” I sniffled and wiped my cheek with the back of my hand. “You haven’t changed your mind about that, have you?”

  “God, no.” His voice was full of relief. “Nothing will ever change my feelings for you.”

  Momentary peace settled over me. At least now I knew he wasn’t planning to break up with me again. “I want to have your baby,” I whispered. “I want that as badly as I want you.” My voice cracked. “But I didn’t do this just for me.”
/>   “What?” He suddenly sounded distant, like he’d moved away, but he was still standing right in front of me.

  “I saw the way you were with Little Frank.” I wiped away more tears and suppressed a shiver. Now that it was dark, the temperature had dropped, and a light snowfall had started.

  “I saw the look in your eyes every time he’d giggle or when he’d ask for you. You’d get this dreamy expression, and your face would light up brighter than his.” I half laughed, half cried. “You have given me so much, Trent, and I’ve given you nothing in return. So, part of the reason I did this was so I could give you something no one else ever has. I wanted to make you a dad.”

  “Chloe.” He groaned as if my words caused him deep, physical pain. Maybe they did. Taking my face in his hands, he wiped my tears and lowered his head, but before his lips touched mine, he stiffened.

  “What’s wrong?” I whispered.

  “Someone’s here.” He tilted his head, listening intently.

  I held my breath, afraid to speak, and leaned closer to Trent, who used his body to shield me—from who, I had no idea.

  “It’s another vampire,” he said, his voice a lethal hiss. He grabbed my hand and practically dragged me back onto the porch.

  Fear thickened in my veins. Based on his reaction, I had to guess the vampire wasn’t anyone he knew, and probably not very friendly, either.

  “Get inside, Chloe. Now,” he said.

  I didn’t need to be told twice. As soon as I had my hand on the doorknob, Trent spun around and snarled into the darkness. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge.

  “Is that anyway to greet your brother?” said a deep, rich voice. “Especially on his birthday.”

  Brother? Jax was inside, and that wasn’t Jax’s voice. What was going on?

  “Colton?” Trent said, his tone reflecting all the confusion and disbelief that was currently whipping through my mind.

  “Wait. What?” I said, releasing my hold on the door handle and stepping closer to Trent.