He sighed. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared, just in case.”
I chewed on my lip and nodded. I was hoping he’d say he wanted a baby no matter what, but I knew that was a silly fantasy. There were too many risks, too many what-ifs that we hadn’t had a chance to talk about yet.
“Guess I better go finish planning our wedding.” I pushed away from him. “Considering you’ve barely done anything,” I teased.
Trent grabbed me and yanked me down to him. I yelped with surprise.
“Hey. I’ve been working on the list Whitney gave me.” He laughed. “Seriously, though, if you want my help, just ask. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” Smiling, he smoothed my hair away from my face. “If I had my way, we’d elope the day after graduation.”
Laughing, I playfully smacked him. “Like anyone would let us get away with that. And it’s not like we’re going overboard. It’s going to be a small ceremony. Family and close friends.”
“I know.” He sighed. “I guess I’m just tired of waiting. Seems like the day will never get here.” He tucked a hand behind his head. His eyes were ocean blue and clear, his face relaxed, his expression loving.
“You’re just eager for the honeymoon.” I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed again.
“Yeah. Aren’t you?”
“I might be if I knew what you were planning. You know I hate surprises.”
“Not mine.” He winked.
My God, he was so adorably sexy. Moments like this made it hard to grasp the reality that he was going to be my husband and possibly the father of my child. That I’d have him with me for an eternity. My heart was in a constant state of near eruption with all the love I had for him.
“What’re you thinking about?” He rolled onto his side, mimicking my position, head propped in his hand.
“How much I love you.” I smiled. “How lucky I am. How I can’t wait to start our life together.”
He cupped my cheek, and I leaned into his hand, my eyes fluttering closed. “So, you haven’t changed your mind about anything, then?” he asked.
My eyes snapped open. “No. Why? Have you?”
Instantaneous panic choked me. Was he having second thoughts about marrying me? I already knew he was about having a baby. But Trent wouldn’t decide not to marry me. He loved me too much; that was a fact I knew clear to my soul.
“No,” he said without hesitation. “But now with Felicity on the loose, I just wanted to make sure we were still on the same page.”
Felicity was definitely a complication we didn’t need.
“We are,” I assured him. “I’m not letting some crazy rogue witch ruin our plans. We’ll figure out why she’s here, and then we’ll deal with her. Just like we’ll deal with the Zoya when the time comes.” I hoped my voice sounded surer than I felt. “And I thought we weren’t talking about any of this right now?”
“Sorry.” Trent frowned, then captured my lips in a sweet kiss. “We could always practice making a baby again.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I shoved him onto his back and swung my leg over his waist, then laughed. “Sun’s almost up, which means we’re going to have to get out of this bed.” I sat up straight and shrugged. “Sorry.”
“I could always lock you in here with me.”
Before I could react, he had me pinned beneath him. I let out a shocked gasp and smacked his bicep. He silenced any protests I might have made with a hard, deep kiss that had a fresh wave of longing pooling in my belly. I threaded my fingers through his hair, holding him to me, and hooked my leg around his. Heat spread through my body, and I moaned softly against his mouth.
“You’re making it really hard not to do exactly that,” he mumbled, moving his lips down my throat.
My pulse skyrocketed, and I tilted my head. My heart hammered in my chest as I waited to see what he’d do next. We’d made a human bucket list of things I wanted to do while I was still human, and Trent biting me for pure pleasure was on that list. He hadn’t done it yet. Would he now?
A loud knock sounded on the door, and Trent dropped his head to my shoulder, groaning.
“I know you two are awake. I can hear you in there,” Whitney said. “How’s Chloe? It’s time to check in with Beth.”
“I’m fine, Whitney. Feeling great, actually,” I called.
“Good. Then get up and call your aunt. She wants to talk to you.” Whitney paused. “I’m not leaving until I see your smiling face.”
“She really needs to get her own house,” Trent muttered as he pushed off me and stood. He held his hand out to me, and when I took it, he pulled me to my feet. “Go call your aunt.” He kissed the tip of my nose.
I searched through my bag—Abby had brought it inside with her the other night—and retrieved a pair of leggings. I slid them on under Trent’s shirt, which hung to my knees, then ran my brush through my hair. A moment later, I opened the door to find Whitney standing in the hall, exactly like she said she would be.
“Morning.” She smirked, then held out her cell phone.
I took Whitney’s phone. Mine was dead and buried at the bottom of my bag. I dialed Aunt Beth’s number, and she answered on the first ring.
“Hey, Aunt Beth,” I said, trying to make it sound like I was better but still in pain. There was no way I could explain that I was suddenly healed, so I was going to have to fake it for a little while.
“How are you?” she asked, relief heavy in her tone.
“Okay. Still sore but not as bad as before. I’ve been sleeping a lot,” I said.
Whitney shot me a knowing smirk, and I turned away from her so she wouldn’t distract me, which was a huge mistake, because Jax stood at the other end of the hall. He raised a brow, and my heartrate skyrocketed.
“Good. I expect you and Abby home in time for dinner tonight, okay?” Aunt Beth said.
I cleared my throat, my gaze locked on Jax. “Yeah, okay. See you then.” I ended the call.
“Still such a terrible liar.” Jax sauntered past me.
My face heated. I spun around and handed Whitney’s phone back to her. “Are we going to finish planning this wedding or what?” I asked as I stepped around her and headed for the living room, needing a moment to compose myself.
I hated how Jax still rattled me like that, especially when all he had to do was look at me or wink or make some stupid comment that held way too much meaning to the two of us. I took a deep breath and shoved away all thoughts of Jax. Today was about my future with Trent, and that’s what I needed to focus on.
As if on cue, Trent appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around my stomach, his chin resting momentarily on my shoulder before he shifted to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Everything good?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yup. I have to be home for dinner tonight, but other than that, everything’s great.” I twisted to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “We should’ve stayed in bed,” I whispered, then kissed him.
He chuckled against my lips. “I can drag you back there if you want.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.
“No way.” Whitney grabbed my arm and pried me away from Trent. “We’ve got things to do. You”—she waved her hand in Trent’s direction—”go find something else to do for a little while.” Then she dragged me toward her room where Abby and Ellie were waiting.
When had Ellie gotten here? They both smiled when they saw me, and I returned the gesture as I joined them on the bed. Whitney shut the door, and all lingering thoughts of Jax vanished.
It was time to plan my wedding.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
The Elephant in the Room
AFTER SPENDING FOUR HOURS LOCKED IN Whitney’s room, my body ached from sitting in the same position for too long, and my brain was permanently ingrained with visions of accessories and hairstyles and shoes.
I stretched and followed Abby into the living room. Trent, Jax, Colt, and Isach were lounging on the couches, their gazes trained on the TV—until I entered the room.
Then, all eyes were on me. What the heck?
Slowly, I made my way toward Trent, and he tugged me down onto his lap. “I didn’t think Whitney was ever going to let you out of that room.” He laughed.
“You’ll be happy to know all the big decisions have been made,” Whitney said with an air of authority. “Now, Chloe just needs to buy shoes, jewelry, and a veil.” She flitted toward the kitchen. “Who’s hungry?”
She was exaggerating just a tad—there was still quite a bit to decide, but I wasn’t about to argue with her. I draped my arm around Trent’s neck and rested my head on his shoulder, but my stomach rumbled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten anything since I got here Friday evening.
“I need to go home,” Ellie said. “I promised Mom I’d help her clean out the basement.” She scrunched up her face. “See ya tomorrow.” With a wave, she was gone.
Planting a quick kiss on Trent’s lips, I stood and joined Whitney in the kitchen. Karina was there, too, and they were busy piling food on top of the island counter—sandwich fixings, chips, leftover chicken, something that looked like meatloaf, and every single snack she could find. Whitney really did go all-out for everything.
“Help yourself.” Karina smiled.
“Thanks.” I took a plate from the counter. “Hey, Karina, I wanted to ask you something.” I cleared my throat. “Would you like to be a bridesmaid?”
She froze, her eyes wide, and then she nodded with excitement. “Oh, my God. Yes. Thank you.”
I grinned, pleased she’d accepted. One less thing I needed to worry about. I didn’t hesitate to make myself a sandwich and dump a pile of potato chips onto my plate. I carried my food to the table and sat.
Whitney claimed the seat across from me, her plate fuller than mine. I’d never understand why vampires ate so much human food when they didn’t need it to survive. Trent told me it was because it tasted good, and they liked it, but still… it seemed weird how much they always ate. Then again, maybe doing so helped them blend in easier.
“Thank you,” I said, swallowing a bite of my sandwich. “For all your help with the wedding planning. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Are you kidding? I’m having so much fun doing this.” She giggled, then leaned forward conspiratorially. “It’s all so… normal.”
I laughed. “Your kind doesn’t get married that often, huh?”
Whitney shrugged. “Sometimes, but it’s not usually a big affair, and we definitely don’t invite family.” Her voice dropped on that last word, and sadness hooded her eyes. All her family, except her brother, were dead.
“Well, thanks to you, this is going to be a great wedding.” I reached across the table, patted her hand, then took another bite of my food.
Karina joined us, her hazel eyes bright. A moment later, Trent, Abby, Isach, Colt, and Jax walked into the kitchen, laughing. The sight of them like that was, as Whitney had just said, so normal. They weren’t vampires and witches and humans. They were my friends. My family. And I loved every single one of them.
Trent fixed a plate and sat next to me. One by one, everyone else gathered food and squeezed in around the table. Jax stood near the island, though, staring down at the food as if it were rotten garbage. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Jax’s gaze landed on me, hard at first, then softer as his eyes darted above my head. I couldn’t begin to guess what color my aura was, and I didn’t care.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“You.” I nodded at the food. “Not all of us can be gourmet chefs.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Take a break.” I waved my hand dismissively. “Come eat all this junk with us.”
Trent put his hand on my leg and gave a gentle squeeze. There was a small smile on his face, and I couldn’t tell if he was upset or happy that I was trying to include Jax. Soon, he’d be my brother-in-law. I didn’t want our relationship destroyed beyond repair when that time finally came, so I was doing my best to remain strictly friends with him.
But Jax didn’t budge. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at us. “Is anyone going to talk about the huge elephant in the room?”
Trent growled, the sound so quiet I wasn’t sure if I’d actually heard it or if I was just imagining things. Then, Trent shifted in his chair so he was facing Jax, and I knew I hadn’t imagined anything.
“And what elephant is that, Jax?” Trent’s voice was tight with anger.
“Felicity Baines,” Jax said, his tone equally angry. “We still don’t know why she’s here or what she wants and—”
“She obviously wants me,” I said with a huff.
“Exactly.” Jax gripped the edge of the counter. “And rather than try to figure out why, you’re all sitting there eating and laughing and acting like nothing’s wrong.”
His words burrowed deep into my mind. He was right, but beyond that, he was concerned. Even after everything, he still cared too much. He wanted to make sure I’d be safe. That knowledge hit me hard, and I flopped back in my chair. Though, I wasn’t sure why it unsettled me—Jax had been clear about his feelings, and they hadn’t changed. Not once.
Colt’s gaze darted from me to Jax, a questioning look flashing behind his eyes. The way he always watched me and Jax was weird. He’d made a few comments that he enjoyed the drama, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than that. Like maybe he was waiting for me to mess up and do something with Jax that I shouldn’t.
“I’ll find out why,” Isach said. He draped his arm across the back of Abby’s chair.
“How?” Jax demanded.
“I’m going to talk to my father.”
My blood turned to ice, and I could feel the color drain from my face. I had no idea what Isach’s home life was like, but I had to assume it wasn’t talking about their days during a family dinner. Did Isach even live with his parents?
“And tell him what, exactly?” Trent leaned forward, his posture menacing.
“That I’ve seen Felicity around town.” Isach shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I’m going to ask if he knows why, and if he doesn’t, then he’ll find out. He’ll deal with her so we won’t have to.”
“And what happens if he doesn’t know and then goes after her? You think she won’t tell him everything she knows?” Whitney asked. The same icy tone she’d had in the hospital was back. “We have no idea how long she’s been watching Chloe.”
“Yeah, and we can’t risk Rector finding out that Colt is back, either,” Trent said. “God only knows what he’d do.”
I suppressed a shudder, and Trent wrapped his arm protectively around me. “Why not talk to Felicity directly?” I asked.
Isach raised a brow. “Me?”
I nodded. “She knows who you are, right? Use your connection to Rector to get information from her.”
Just saying Rector’s name twisted my stomach. I hoped I’d never have to see that man face to face.
Isach was silent a moment. “That might work.”
“No.” Abby shook her head. “It’s too dangerous.” She faced him, her gaze pleading. “You said she was crazy, that her magic was weakening. What if she tries to hurt you?”
I watched the fear play across Abby’s face, and my heart ached. She was right. I couldn’t risk Isach’s safety like that. Though, who knew how much more dangerous it could be if he talked to Rector.
Isach took her hand and entwined their fingers. “I’m stronger than her. I’ll be fine.”
“And he won’t be alone,” Whitney said. “I’ll go with him.”
I studied her. Was her offer to go with him to ensure his safety, or because she still didn’t trust him? Probably a bit of both.
“I’ll go, too,” Jax said.
“No.” Isach shook his head. “If I try to talk to her with two vampires in tow, she’ll know something’s up. She’ll mark you two like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“Then we’ll stay out of sight.” Jax shrugged. “Close enough to he
lp if needed, but far enough away that she won’t see us.” He once again crossed his arms, and I knew he wasn’t asking for Isach’s permission.
Tense silence settled over the room. Averting my gaze, I picked at my food. I never should’ve suggested Isach talk to Felicity. The situation was blowing up into something it didn’t need to be. We simply needed to know why she was in town, and why she was so interested in me.
“Fine,” Isach said after a moment. “But neither of you step in unless I say so.”
Abby stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor, and then she marched out of the kitchen.
I chased after her. “Abby!” I managed to grab her elbow before she made it out the front door. “Stop. Please.”
She whirled around on me. “Why?” She yanked her arm from my grasp. “He had a perfectly good plan, a safe plan, to talk to his dad, and you just had to suggest he go talk to the wacko witch girl instead. What’s wrong with you?” Her bottom lip trembled, but her eyes were fiery.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” I hugged myself. “And his father… he’s not a good guy, Abby. Talking to him could be a lot more dangerous than talking to Felicity.”
“She’s right.” Isach crossed the room and stood beside Abby. “If I say one wrong thing to my father, he’s going to know something’s going on, and that’s a lot riskier than talking to Felicity.” He pulled her into his arms, and she didn’t fight him. “At least with her, I have the upper hand.”
I exhaled heavily, my shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry.” I frowned. “You’ve done so much already, Isach, and it’s not fair that I’m asking you to do more.”
“Yeah, well, I have a lot of selfish reasons for helping you.” He rubbed Abby’s back, and she wrapped her arms around him, her face hidden in his chest.
I nodded with understanding, and as I stood there, watching how Isach comforted Abby, how he was willing to do whatever it took to be with her, it dawned on me that he loved her just as much as I loved Trent.
“I’ll leave you guys alone,” I muttered, then hurried back to Trent’s room.
I’d barely gotten the door shut when he walked in. I flung my arms around him, and he returned my hug, his hold tight and comforting. “I want all of this to be over,” I said.
Eternal Promise: (The Cursed Series, Book 5) Page 13