Black Mark Series Book 3: Black Mark's Heart

by Ebony Olson

  I smiled, kissing Marshall's cheek before kissing Jacob's head. "I'll be down in twenty minutes. I'll shower and pack before I come down," I promised. Marshall raised a brow, looking to Darius. "He is heading back to his room now."

  Marshall nodded and left, telling Jacob he really worried about me sometimes. It was sweet.

  "Okay. So your dad is turning a blind eye, and so is Jeremy. If only I could get the rest of the Fehu to do the same," Darius grumbled, getting dressed.

  "If only," I sighed.

  Darius walked over and kissed me passionately. "I'll see you in the dining room."

  "What?" I asked, shocked.

  "I'm eating breakfast with Jeremy, Cassandra, and the kids," he informed me. "I'll be wishing it was with you the entire time."

  I gave a half smile, watching Darius walk out the door. "Me too," I murmured as the door shut.

  Chapter Ten

  Someone knocked at my front door. Okay, banged the life out of it would be more accurate. I sighed, setting my cello aside, looking at the clock. Just past five in the afternoon. Jacob was walking his way around the furniture of the lounge room while I practiced the new songs I needed to learn for work. "How the hell did someone get up without buzzing in?" I asked Jacob. He was too busy trying to climb up on the sofa to care.

  I walked to the door and opened it. Darius looked at me, red-rimmed eyes like he'd been crying, but now filled with rage. "I think we need to talk." He stormed in without waiting.

  Well, at least that answered the question of buzzing in. Darius had been using the key I'd given him to spend two nights a week with me since I got home from the Carnival tour - which was a massive success, thanks for asking.

  "Dare, what's happened?" I asked, wondering why he was so angry. "Did someone find out about us?"

  Darius turned to face me. "No, you are very good at keeping your secrets, Mora, and getting others to keep them for you." His voice was a whip against the tender skin of my back. "Warren is away for his mother's birthday."

  "He's proposing to Sophie while there." I tried to lighten his mood.

  Darius glared at me, and I swallowed hard. He was seriously pissed. "So, when Taylor, my accountant, came up to clear up some matters for the tax to be done, Warren wasn't there to answer them."

  I swallowed, suddenly understanding where this was going.

  "Taylor put the tax forms in front of me to discuss the problem," Darius explained. "No big deal in itself, easily sorted out, and then Taylor congratulated me on my marriage last year and the birth of my child." Darius looked at me. "As you can imagine, Mora, I was sort of a bit lost for words. What I managed to fumble out was asking how he knew. Turns out, having a dependent creates a tax break for me, so a very confused Taylor flicked back to the very front page of the forms to show me where you are listed as my legal wife and Jacob Blake Rafal is listed as my dependent." Darius stepped closer to me. "Care to fucking explain that to me, Mora?"

  Tears were running down my cheek. "I tried to tell you."

  "Bullshit!" Darius yelled. "You hid it from me."

  "I came to your office the day I found out," I murmured. "I brought back everything you'd bought me. I saw you hiding in your office rather than face me. I was about to tell Warren when he handed me the annulment papers," I sobbed. "I...I couldn't tell you that the very reason I knew those papers were a lie was growing inside of me."

  "And every time since?" Darius raged.

  I looked at Darius exasperated. "I was angry. You broke my heart! You tore my world apart and, in the midst of it all, I found out I was pregnant with your child, Dare. What did you expect?"

  "I expected you to tell me I'm a father. That the child I've held and sung to for the last month is actually mine," Darius yelled. "How many times have I asked you who the father is, Mora? I've given you ample opportunity to tell me."

  "I would have told you the first time you asked," I explained, "But it didn't even occur to you that he was yours." I stepped to the side and pointed to Jacob crawling around the floor. "Look at him, Darius. He's you all over. Everyone else could see it straightaway. You didn't see it because you weren't ready to. You subconsciously refused to acknowledge the possibility Jacob was yours, because then you would have to admit that not only did you give me up, but in choosing them, you abandoned your son."

  Darius looked at Jacob, shocked. He looked back at me, then to Jacob again. "You're sure he's mine?"

  "How could you even ask me that?" I screamed at him. "There was no one else. From the time I was with you until four months after you'd left me."

  Darius looked at me doubtfully. I gave him the filthiest look. "Watch Jacob," I ordered him. I stormed up the hall to my bedroom and went to the top drawer of my dresser. I pulled out a set of papers and walked back into the kitchen, thrusting them at Darius. "Jacob's birth certificate and paternity test," I snarled at him. "Zander got me a DNA sample the week Jacob was born. Warren wanted paternity assured in case you were ever stupid enough to ask me that question."

  I walked over, picking Jacob up as he tried to get to my cello. I turned around to find Darius reading the paperwork. I waited for him to process it, anger burbling inside of me at his accusations, but beneath that was a whole bucket load of relief. He finally knew.

  Darius put the papers on the kitchen counter and looked at his feet for several minutes. "I'm a father," he finally murmured, anger still coloring his tone. He looked over at me holding Jacob. "And we are still married?"

  I swallowed. "I couldn't sign the papers. They were a lie, and I didn't want Jacob born illegitimate," I defended. "I decided that if you moved on with someone else, we could divorce then." I took a deep breath and walked forward. "Dare, I want you to meet your son." I held Jacob out to him.

  Darius took Jacob from me and looked at him. I saw him finally taking in Jacob's hair and eyes and recognizing himself in his son. "How did you choose the name?"

  "Bex told me it's the name you liked for a boy." I held up my hand for him to see. "She also made me an eternity ring to go with the set, since you should have given me one on the birth of our first child."

  Darius frowned, looking at the full wedding set on my hand. "That's why you were at my place two months ago?" he fumed. I nodded. "I'm going to kill her for not telling me."

  "You might have to kill her twice over then," I simpered, taking his hand and placing it to my abdomen. "In six months, you will be a father again, Dare."

  Darius looked at me, shocked. "You're pregnant now?"

  I nodded. "The recording studio. I did warn you."

  "I said I didn't care," Darius groaned. His eyes lifted to me. "Were you going to tell me about this one?"

  I nodded, "I was waiting until three months to be safe, but I was sure to make sure you knew it had only been you. I didn't want you doubting it was yours," I clarified.

  Darius rubbed my belly, astounded for a few seconds. Jacob was talking babble and blowing bubbles of spit in Darius's expensive suit. "Shit! I'm a dad," Darius roared suddenly. I jumped. Jacob jolted and started crying. "Oh, shit, sorry," Darius apologized to Jacob, trying to soothe him. Darius frowned, looking at me. "He knew I was his dad."

  "I play him recordings of you singing or reading bedtime stories every night." I observed Jacob trying to get away from Darius. "Let him down. He's learned he can get into mischief and likes it," I encouraged.

  "I'd ask how you got the recordings, but I can hazard a guess," Darius grumbled as he put Jacob down before pulling me into him. "I can't believe I've missed all this time with him, that you are already pregnant with our next child. Jesus! This is a lot to take in." He kissed me passionately.

  Darius broke away, tugging me around to the other side of the kitchen bench. He pulled my panties down, lifted me up onto the bench, and shoved my skirt up. "I need to be inside you," he breathed, unzipping his pants. "God, I need to fuck you."

  "Dare. Jacob?" I reminded, but I spread my legs and moaned as he slipped his head against my opening
.

  "I'll keep an eye on him," Darius promised as he shoved into me.

  I bit my lip to prevent crying out as Darius shoved in as far as he could go. "Tell me if he goes near my cello," I moaned.

  Darius pushed me back to lie upon the bench. He took my hips and thrust into me. I felt like a weight had been lifted off me. He knew now. It didn't matter if anyone else found out, because the person who mattered knew. He was angry as hell, yes, but he knew. I was on the peak of orgasm when Darius stopped.

  "He's going for the cello," Darius barked.

  I arched my back to look back at Jacob. "Jacob!" I called in a stern voice. "No!"

  Jacob stopped and looked back at me. He looked at my cello, pouted, and sat looking between me and the cello for a moment. When I didn't look away, Jacob spotted his firetruck across the room and decided to go with that.

  Darius was still moving inside of me. He groaned, picking up his pace again. I dug my fingers into his arm as my back arched and I came. Darius pinned me down and pounded into me. I bit my lip. "Dare, the baby," I panted.

  Darius slowed all of a sudden and looked at me, awed. He lifted my dress a little higher in order to see my stomach. "Damn, you're going to make me wait to fuck you, aren't you?"

  I laughed, "No, but within limits. You can do me hard, but not deep. If you want to go deep, you go slow."

  Darius smiled. "Shallow it is. Deep tonight."

  I moaned at the promise as he found a good place to hit and lost himself inside me. He picked me up and cuddled me to him. "You're my wife," he whispered.

  I smiled. Now, if only he could get away from the Fehu and be with us.

  ***

  Darius stayed the night. I cooked dinner while he read to Jacob, and then he even fed Jacob. He sung him to sleep while I practiced my cello, and then we made love again, slow, and intimate, and deep. I fell asleep in his arms and knew this was how it should be. In the morning, I woke to find Darius already up and giving Jacob his breakfast. My first sleep-in since Jacob was born.

  "I should get going," Darius kissed me good morning. "Mornings like today I'm glad I keep a spare suit in the office."

  "Are you busy this morning?" I asked carefully.

  Darius shrugged. "Summer is always busy in the entertainment world. Why, do you think I should call in sick?" He wrapped his arms around me and kissed down my neck.

  "I'm at the studio today, but I have an appointment at lunchtime and I'd like you to be there," I smiled, rubbing my belly.

  "For the baby?" Darius asked. I nodded. "I'll pick you up from the studio. What time?"

  "It's walking distance from the studio, so why don't I meet you there?"

  Darius nodded. I wrote the address and time down for him then kissed him goodbye before he left for work. This was how it was meant to be.

  At eleven thirty, Darius was waiting outside the medical center when I walked up. He took my hand and walked with me inside. When it was my turn to go in, I took Darius's hand and tugged him along with me. He sat there, mouth open, while the sonographer showed him pictures of his child on the television monitor. After the sonographer left the room, Darius kissed me heatedly. "I need to make love to you right now," he growled.

  My eyes went wide. "Ah, not here. Come back to me tonight."

  Darius kissed me goodbye. We spent that night in each other’s arms discussing baby names we both liked. The next morning, I woke early and found my bed empty. I sat up looking around, wondering if I'd dreamed it all, but Darius's shirt and jacket were still hanging over the back of my reading chair. Getting out of bed, I went to look for him. I found him in the nursery watching Jacob sleep.

  "Dare?" I walked over, wrapping myself around his back. He was still angry with me, I could feel it, but I couldn't help but be happy to have him here, for him to finally know.

  "We need a bigger place," Darius told me quietly. "We agreed on four, and I want them to all have their own room."

  I smiled before I remembered I'd be living there alone.

  "I want to be there for my kids," Dare continued. "I want to be at all the scans, see their first steps, and hear their first words. I want to come home and hear about your day. To go to sleep in your arms and wake up inside you. I want to be your husband, and a father to my kids."

  "I want that too," I whispered. "But I won't ask you to give up Lynwood, Dare. I know what it means to you."

  Darius turned to face me. "I need time to figure this out, Mora."

  "Dare...please don't promise me anything. You've broken my heart already. I couldn't bear to get my hopes up and lose you again," I admitted. I went up on tiptoes and kissed his lips. "Come back to bed."

  We made love again, and when we finished, Darius kissed me goodbye and left. It was still dark out. A heavy weight of loss settled into my stomach as I heard the door close. I got up and went to fix myself a drink. That's when I found the key on the kitchen table on top of his farewell note.

  Mora,

  I can't do this to you anymore. You deserve more, the kids deserve more than what I can offer right now.

  Never doubt for a moment I love you. Just give me time to work this out.

  Your loving husband

  Dare.

  I picked up my phone, swiping the tears from my eyes, and sent him a text.

  You have until my birthday. Come home with me for good after the Halloween ball, or I file for divorce on the first of November.

  Two hours later, Marshall buzzed at my front door. I let him up while I chased Jacob around trying to get him ready. Marshall came in, tackled Jacob, and played with him while I finished getting ready for work.

  "I got a call from Darius this morning." Marshall sipped his coffee when I came back into the kitchen. "He wanted my advice on what a suitable amount for child support would be. I'm guessing you finally told him?"

  "Yes," I answered with more melancholy than I knew I was feeling.

  "Has he asked for shared custody?" Marshall asked carefully. I shook my head. "It may be coming, Mora. Can you prepare yourself for that?" I nodded. Dad sighed. "What happened, Mora? I expected you to rant and rave or be happy, but you look..." Marshall paused and his face fell. "Like you did the day you finally came home." Dad cursed under his breath. "He's walked away completely again, hasn't he?"

  I put the note Darius left in front of my father. "I have to get to work. I'll see you at dinner on Friday." I picked up Jacob and my bag, heading for the door.

  "Mora," Marshall called. I stopped, and he walked over to hug both Jacob and me at once. "Don't give up yet."

  "I have to go."

  Chapter Eleven

  "No!" Sophie yelled at the top of her lungs, standing up suddenly and gaining the attention of everyone in the restaurant with us. "Not him?"

  "Shh!" I grabbed her wrist and yanked her back into her seat. "It just happened, okay?" I told her quietly.

  Sophie gave me a dark look. "How does that..." she indicated, my still mostly flat belly, "Just happen?"

  I sighed, "This wasn't planned, and neither was having my brains fucked out in the practice room at the studio. He was there, I was there, it happened."

  Sophie looked murderous. "I can't believe you are pregnant again. You can't do this by yourself, Mora. You'll have to give up your career and..."

  "Plenty of women have raised children by themselves, Sophie, and a lot of them haven't had the means that I do to support themselves. I'll be fine," I assured.

  Sophie shook her head. "How are you going to keep performing?"

  I exhaled dynamically. "Jeremy has given me the name of a nanny agency, the one they used to hire Svetlana," I informed her. "I'm interviewing in a few weeks and will get a nanny to help care for the kids. Dare is paying child support now, and that will more than cover the cost."

  "Wait! What?" Sophie asked, her eyes bugging out. "Did he finally realize Jacob was his?"

  "Last week when you and Warren were getting engaged. He found out and lost his nana over it," I report
ed. "Then I told him about number two and he sort of...I don't know. For a minute he got excited."

  Sophie was quiet. "But it changed nothing, did it?"

  I shook my head. "He's paying maintenance at least."

  Sophie folded her hands in her lap. "You still really love him, don't you?"

  "I always will, Soph," I murmured. "There will never be anyone else."

  Sophie got a dreamy look in her eyes. "God, I hope it's like that for Warren and I." She fidgeted with the ring on her finger. Her eyes glanced to my belly. "When are you due?"

  "January." I caressed the small bump.

  Sophie sagged in relief. "Oh thank God. We are planning a June wedding, so you should be fine to be my maid of honor."

  "Yeah, I will be." I took a breath. "So, are you moving in together?"

  Sophie bit her lip. "Yeah, but Warren isn't moving."

  I frowned in confusion then realized what she was saying. "You're moving into Darius's apartment?" I asked. Sophie nodded. "Soph, I can't visit you there."

  "Of course you can," Sophie debated. "He works during the day, and I'm still going to babysit Jacob for you on occasion, so you will have to come by at times."

  "We'll see," I sighed. "So, have you started thinking about the dress, etcetera?"

  Sophie grinned big. "Have I what? I know exactly what I want."

  I smiled, happy that Sophie was happy. I rubbed my left hand over my baby bulge and looked down at my wedding ring set. My wedding had been one of the happiest days of my life and had turned into one of the worst. I seriously hoped Sophie was a lot luckier than me.

  ***

  Three weeks later, I buzzed at the front gate. "Yes?" Steffen asked.

  "Hi, Steffen. I'm here to get Jacob." I forced a smile, hoping it covered my nerves. The gate buzzed open and I walked up to the door, taking the stairs like always. It was later than I planned, but Darius should still be at work or the gym, so we shouldn't run into each other.

  "Good evening, Miss Blake," Steffen greeted at the apartment doors. "Can I take your coat?"