Black Mark Series Book 3: Black Mark's Heart

by Ebony Olson

  Darius looked me over, his eyes filling with emotion. "I transferred Lynwood to your father," Darius explained straight out of the gate. "My obligations to the brotherhood no longer exist. The reason for our separation no longer exists."

  "You still broke my heart. Three times, Dare." I held up my fingers for him to count. "Too many times."

  Darius licked his lips nervously. "Bill. Could you...?"

  "Of course," Bill nodded. "I might take Jacob upstairs to the playroom." Bill walked over and took Jacob out of my arms. "Call me if you need me."

  I smiled. Bill wasn't even half Darius's size. I doubt he could take him if he needed to force him to leave.

  Darius waited until Bill was up the stairs. "I love you, Mora. I've never stopped loving you. The last two years have been torture, but the last three months..." Darius shook his head. "Damn it, Mora, when you just upped and disappeared like that... I was probably verging on alcoholism when the divorce papers arrived."

  Darius stepped forward. "I was already in negotiations with your father before you left. I didn't want to get your hopes up, so I didn't tell you. Then I turned up the next Sunday to see Jacob, and Marshall looked ready to kill something. He told me you'd vanished. He'd been to your apartment that morning to find you gone. You scared the living hell out of us."

  I stayed there, quiet. About two minutes after I walked in the door, my first contraction had hit and I was scared if I moved it would all go to hell. I suddenly realized why my back was aching so badly. I was watching the clock, counting the time between contractions. Not even ten minutes apart. Jesus, I'd probably been in labor all the way home from the lawyer’s office in Edinburgh and not noticed because I was moving and in too much shock.

  Darius looked at me imploringly. "Marshall thinks you hate him, Mora. I thought, after how we parted ways..." Darius stepped closer. "Tell me it's not too late, Mora?"

  I felt my water go, my pants suddenly saturated.

  "Mora?"

  "We are going to have to wait to finish this conversation, Dare," I explained.

  Darius frowned as I sucked in a deep breath and rubbed my belly. "Why?"

  "Because my water just broke and I'm about an hour out from giving birth," I explained. "My bag is in the coat room. Can you drive me to the hospital please?"

  Darius's eyes went wide. "Shit!" He moved quickly to the coat room.

  "Bill!" I yelled, and a little bit of the pain of my next contraction mangled my voice.

  Bill came running down the stairs. "Mora?"

  "Baby's coming. Dare is taking me to the hospital," I informed him as I started moving towards the door.

  "You're only thirty-seven weeks," Bill looked worried.

  I shrugged. "Baby wants out, and frankly, I'm happy to let it do so."

  Darius put a supporting arm across my back and helped me out to his car. While Darius drove down the driveway, I plugged the coordinates into the satellite navigation system so I wouldn't need to direct him to the hospital.

  "Mora, can we talk while we drive?"

  "You talk. I'm busy," I cringed on the next contraction. I looked at the clock. "Shit, she takes after you. Impatient to get out."

  "She?" Darius asked, surprised.

  "It's a girl," I gritted my teeth through the longest contraction yet.

  "Lynwood is now part of Blake Industries," Darius talked quickly while we drove. "I'm still running the company, but I'm just an employee now."

  "That's nice." I gripped his thigh with my hand.

  "So we can either move back to England..."

  "I'm not fucking returning to England," I yelled as the contraction finally subsided.

  Darius's eyes widened. "Or Marshall has agreed to move Lynwood here to Edinburgh and I can run it from here."

  "You are presuming I am going to let you back in my life," I sighed, relieved to have no pain for a moment.

  "I don't give a shit if you let me back in, Mora," Darius growled. "I've known where you've been for a month now. I've already been looking at places to live and possible locations for the office. If my kids are here, then so am I."

  "Okay," I panted as the next contraction kicked in.

  "Aren't you meant to do breathing..." Darius started.

  I gripped his thigh. "Screw that. Drive faster, she's in a hurry."

  Darius shifted gear and we picked up speed. The only comfort I took was that Darius was from this part of the world and actually knew the roads well.

  "I want us to be a family, Mora," Darius kept talking. "Can you at least consider it?"

  I looked at him, exasperated. "Kind of busy right now, Dare, something much bigger than your monster of a cock is trying to push its way out of me."

  Darius cringed. "Okay. Yeah, I can see how you might be distracted." I widened my eyes, glaring at him. "I'm renting a place in Edinburgh until you let me know what you want to do, Mora. I'm not going anywhere. That's all I want you to know."

  Darius hit the brakes, dropped gears, and spun the wheel all at the same time. We swung wildly into the hospital grounds and he drove me up to the door. With a firm, gentle hand, Darius disengaged my claws from his thigh and then jumped out, running around the car to help me out.

  Not even fifteen minutes later, I was gritting my teeth to stop me from screaming as I pushed our daughter into the world. I'd already crowned before I even got inside. Daddy’s little princess was in such a hurry to get out, it literally took all of three pushes and she was here.

  Darius held my hand, kissed my forehead, and encouraged me through it. He didn't even wince when I heard his hand crack under the pressure of my grip. While they did all the post birth checks, Darius wiped my forehead with a cool washcloth, then kissed my mouth tenderly.

  "I love you, Mora," he murmured. "You've given me your heart, your body, and two beautiful parts of our souls joined together for eternity."

  I touched his cheek. "You chose me, finally," I whispered.

  Darius nodded. "I'm sorry I took so long to realize I was nothing without you, Mora." He kissed me again. "My sky was so dark and empty without you shining brightly within it."

  "Don't ever hurt me like that again, Dare," I sighed and sat back to rest.

  The crying stopped and the nurse approached with a little bundle of pink. "Congratulations, Mora. She's perfectly healthy."

  I took my little girl and popped her straight on to my breast. Darius watched with the largest grin on his face. He touched her head gently and his eyes lit up. "Only two more, Mora, and our family is complete."

  I glared at him. "You bring the monster anywhere near me, this will be your last child."

  Darius chuckled, "Give it two months, you'll be begging me to bring the monster near you."

  "Well, he better be wearing a raincoat when he does," I grimaced. "I'm taking a break from the breeding fields for at least two years."

  Darius frowned. "Or you could take contraception."

  "Selfish son of a..." I muttered under my breath. My arms full of baby were the only reason he didn't cop a mouthful of my fist.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "Mama!" Jacob came running into my bedroom, excited. He climbed up onto the bed and crawled over me to lie in the middle of the bed. "Dada." He started tapping Darius on the cheek.

  I lifted my head to look at the clock. Nearly six in the morning. With a yawn, I climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. Willow started crying while I brushed my teeth.

  "Hold on, Jacob. Let me get Willow ready for Mama and then we can go cook breakfast," I heard Darius groan as he walked to the cot. "Good morning, beautiful girl. It was very nice of you to let your mama get four hours of sleep last night. She really needed it. The milk bar is looking mighty full for you just now."

  I rolled my eyes. Darius couldn't take his eyes off my breasts for the past week. We weren't living together yet, but I'd let him stay over last night on the condition that he dealt with our rave queen, who preferred the night to be awake, and to sleep during the day
. My milk supply was low, and the nurse told me if I could get a solid night of sleep, that would fix itself. So, of course, with Darius here, Willow decided to be good and sleep. Typical. She was an utter daddy's girl from the moment she was born.

  I walked out to the bedroom to find Darius just finishing changing her nappy. He was a great dad, very hands on with both of them. Nappies didn't scare him. Darius turned and his smile lit up when he saw me. With Darius around and it being Christmas, I'd given Bill the holidays off.

  "There's Mama. See, I told you the milk bar is full," he grinned from ear to ear, and I saw the monster instantly stand up for a look too.

  I pointed at the monster peeking out of his boxers. "Put that away or I swear to God, I'll put you on your knees, and not in the good way."

  Darius rolled his eyes. "Relax, baby. He's just stretching like normal for a morning. Once I go pee, he'll go back to sleep."

  I eyed him doubtfully, but walked forward to take Willow from him. He slid her into my arms, keeping hold of her long enough to steal a kiss from me.

  "Merry Christmas, Mora," Darius murmured.

  "Merry Christmas, Dare," I blushed.

  Darius didn't try to push for anything more. He smiled and moved into the bathroom while I sank into my rocking chair and put Willow to the breast. She jerked back from the flow and bit down. I yelped but held her close.

  "What's wrong?" Darius rushed out.

  "Apparently, she didn't like how fast the milk was flowing, so she's bitten the nipple to slow it," I cringed.

  "Is that normal?" Darius asked.

  "Yes," I sighed. "It takes a few weeks for the nipples to get used to feeding, so they are very sore right now."

  Jacob was trying to pull Darius with him out of the bedroom. "Hold on, Jacob. Daddy needs pants before he goes downstairs. Aunty Tabitha is a pervert," Darius chuckled. He grabbed his tracksuit pants from his overnight bag and pulled a shirt on.

  "Jacob," I smiled. "Go wake Uncle Alex," I pointed upstairs to where Alex and Tabitha were sleeping. Marshall and Alex's mother were in the room next door. Jacob smiled and ran out the door. "Take your time and have a shower, Dare," I offered. Darius smiled and pulled his shirt back off as he walked into the bathroom. I smiled, watching his sculpted body disappear. Yeah, Aunt Tabitha wasn't the only pervert in the house.

  An hour after Willow was born, while I rested, Darius called Marshall and told him where to find me and that he was a grandfather again. Dad came first, jumping on the first plane. He'd entered my hospital room hesitantly, with a big teddy bear and terrified eyes.

  "Dad," I'd broken down in tears. "I'm so sorry."

  Marshall walked straight to me and bundled me into the biggest hug he'd ever given me. "No, Mora. I'm sorry. You always put up such a strong front, I failed to see just how badly you were breaking."

  Alex came the next day, by himself, and Darius left. I panicked when he wasn't back again that night, but he'd been back and sleeping in the chair next to my bed, Willow on his chest sleeping happily, when I woke the next morning. Now they were all here for Christmas. Rebecca and Timothy were in the guest room downstairs with Henry, and Nigel and Sienna were next door in Willow's room. That's why Darius was in my bed. It was the only place for him to sleep. That, and Willow's cot was in here. Or at least that's the excuse I told myself. I wanted Darius here when the kids woke up. Nanna and Granddad Blake were staying nearby and would come over for lunch. It was going to be our first full family Christmas.

  Ten minutes later there was a knock at my door, which Jacob had left open. Marshall stuck his head in. "Good morning, honey. Merry Christmas."

  "Merry Christmas, Dad," I smiled.

  "Jacob is waking everyone up. He's onto Nigel and Sienna now," Marshall informed me, his eyes going to the open bathroom door and the sound of Darius singing in the shower. "No issues last night?"

  Everyone was being particularly wary of the fragility of my relationship with Darius. "The rave queen was a perfect princess and slept most of the night for her daddy," I cooed down at Willow. "She's going to have him wrapped around her little finger."

  Marshall smirked, "All daughters have that effect on their fathers. I was smitten with you immediately. You had this feisty attitude even then." Marshall looked ready to say more, and I would have liked to have heard it. The shower stopped and Marshall looked at the bathroom door. "I'll take Jacob down and get his breakfast ready."

  "Thanks, Dad," I smiled, trying to keep the emotions of hearing him talk about knowing me as a child at bay. It still hurt that Eliza kept us apart out of hate.

  Marshall walked out and I finished feeding Willow on that side, sitting her up to burp her while I dropped my top on the other side, covering the finished side. Darius took his time, and I'd finished feeding by the time he came out dressed for the day. He was dressed casually, but God he looked good. He looked so happy as his eyes fell on Willow and me.

  "Want me to take her while you shower?" Darius asked.

  "I have to express first and then get her dressed. Why don't you go and help Dad with Jacob and breakfast," I suggested. "No opening presents until I get down there." The tree looked small in comparison to the pile of presents around it. Darius and Marshall turned up with nearly a trailer full yesterday.

  "I can do that," Darius complied and went for the door.

  "Dare..." I hesitated. Darius turned back to me fully. "Would you like to stay again tonight?"

  Darius's large smile grew impossibly bigger. "If you'd be happy with that, yes." His eyes were full of happiness as he walked out the door singing 'Deck the Halls.'

  ***

  It was late Boxing Day evening. The kids were all asleep, except Willow, who was currently having her ten o'clock feed. The adults were all playing cards at the dining room table. Not the normal game of cards, this was Cards Against Humanity, a game Tabitha brought back from the States with her last month. I was sitting up while feeding, lounging in the reading chair I'd set up in the sun room that was off the dining and kitchen area.

  "Well, I think us oldies will head to bed now," Marshall stood with Christine.

  "What?" Alex said, confused, then suddenly jumped up. "Yeah, Tabitha and me too. Night, Mora."

  "We might go to bed too." Rebecca stood.

  "What? Why?" Timothy asked, confused. "Oh! Yeah, night guys."

  I smirked, trying not to laugh. Willow was just about to fall asleep and if I laughed, it would startle her.

  "Our family is about as subtle as a brick," Darius chuckled, coming and standing by me. He gently ran his fingers through the mop of black hair on Willow's head. "I should head off."

  I looked out the window at the snow. "It's too dangerous to drive tonight. Stay."

  "I grew up in the Highlands, Mora. Snow is second nature to me."

  I gently removed Willow from the breast and burped her. She was half asleep. "Jacob used to fall off milk drunk and sleep for a good three to four hours at this age. Then he started crawling, and the only time he's still now is when he's asleep."

  "He likes to find mischief, that's for sure." Darius squatted down. "He was trying to get into your music room today to get to your cello again. I brought him downstairs and let him play piano with me."

  "I heard," I sighed. I stood up. "I need to put her to bed and pump out. Can you stay until I'm finished? I'd like to talk with you. Just us."

  Darius swallowed nervously. He looked to the dining room table. "Those pikers dashed out without cleaning up. I'll neaten up down here while you do the mother thing."

  I smiled and took Willow upstairs. When I came back down, Darius was standing looking out over the back yard. "It's a really nice place you've got here, Mora. It will be good for the kids to have such an open space to run around in," Darius mused as I walked up behind him.

  "We can set up goals for you and Jacob to play football.” I pointed to the corner of the yard. “I want to put a big cubbyhouse over there and build a treehouse fort in that big oak, and I want to ge
t a dog, a big one."

  Darius's eyes lit up. "I like dogs."

  "I think all kids should grow up with animals. It teaches them kindness and responsibility," I explained.

  Darius watched me for a moment. He moved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "You wanted to talk?"

  "You said Steffen has moved here with you?" I asked. Darius nodded. I exhaled. "I've already set Bill up in the guesthouse. I figured with him out there, he could be in here when I needed him to be, and not when I didn't want him around. That's his space out there and if he brings any girls home, it doesn't need to interrupt my life. I don't really want to lose the guest room, but Steffen should have a larger room and not be subjected to the noise by being upstairs near the playroom."

  Darius's brows lifted with surprise. I swallowed. "Follow me."

  I led Darius through the kitchen into the laundry. I opened the back door which led out to a covered and glassed-in walkway. It was cold compared to the house, but not as cold as it would have been if it had been exposed to the elements. I walked past the entrance to the garage and continued to the door at the end. I opened it and stepped inside, turning on the light.

  Darius followed me in and took in the garage-sized room. It had a timber floor and a small bathroom in the corner. Just a shower, pedestal sink, and toilet.

  "Do you think this would be enough for him?" I asked. "The previous owner was an artist and this was her studio. It's got underfloor heating, but we could renovate to give him a bigger space and bathroom if he needs it?"

  Darius kept his back to me for several breaths. Eventually, he turned to face me. "It's bigger than the room he had at my place, Mora. I'm sure he'd be happy in here," he assured me. I smiled, relieved. "Mora..." Darius started seriously, and I panicked. Maybe he didn't want this anymore. "Just to be clear. You are asking me to move in with you, you're not trying to steal my butler, right?"

  I exhaled quickly with a short laugh. I stepped toward him and put my hands on his shoulder. "Do you promise to stay with me this time? No turning nasty and telling me to get out of your life. No waking up to find your key and a note telling me you are leaving me again. No more breaking my heart?"