Broken Road (Fate's Intent Book 7)

by Bowles, April

  “It’s okay. It’s fine. Don’t.”

  “I know you’re upset about something. Something I did. Will you tell me why you left?”

  I stopped what I was doing with a quiet heavy breath but kept my eyes down just so I wouldn't have to see him. “I found out how you really feel about us.”

  “About us? Something I said to you? I don’t—”

  “Not to me.” I cut in again with a more noticeable sigh. “You were talking to someone else.”

  “Ruby, whatever I said, I didn’t mean it. You should never believe anything I say when I’m like that.” I kept quiet and turned my back completely to him as I started to cry. “What did you hear me say?”

  I sniffled and my voice was clearly broken by my quick rapid breaths. “Just everything that would make sense. People there know how you are.”

  “What did I say?”

  I paused for a moment and looked back at him. “Basically that I don’t mean anything to you. I’m just the chick you knocked up.”

  “Oh, Ruby, no.” Darius reached for me and tried getting me to come to him. “You know that’s not true.”

  I pulled back, my voice becoming more serious with anger. “I’m not done. Then he went on in saying that with your luck the baby wouldn’t make it and you’d be free of this life-ruining mistake and you—you laughed like you hoped so. Do you really want that to happen?”

  “What? No. You should know I don’t. I love you. I want this.”

  “Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’ve just been lying to yourself and had to be drunk to finally realize it.”

  I started getting upset and crying again and Darius took me in his arms whether I wanted him to or not. “No, Ruby. We’ve been over this. That part of me is gone. I’m sorry about what you heard. I didn’t mean any of it. Shit, I don’t even remember it. That should definitely prove that I didn’t mean it. I was drunk. I’d say anything to make whoever I was talking to happy. I don’t start the fights. I finish them.”

  “Are you sure? I’ll give you time to think about it if you need.”

  “But I don’t need time. None of it meant anything. I love you and I want this life. I don’t want to go back to what I used to be. I thought you would have already figured that out.” He took my hand and rubbed his thumb over the ruby of his mother’s ring.

  “Okay. I have. I just—it hurt and with everything that’s already happened between us, I didn’t—”

  Darius quickly pulled me back into his arms. “Stop. Nothing is ever going to come between us. I promise. I’m not going to mess this up again. You’re my life. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

  “I’m sorry. Maybe it was partly my fault. I shouldn’t have just took it so realistically.”

  “I really wish that you would have stayed. I needed you to be there to keep me under control. I was so out of it that I didn’t even know you left until this morning.”

  I backed away and looked up. “Is this another confession?”

  Darius laughed. “No. Nothing like that happened but I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t in the company of anyone.”

  I laughed slightly. “I understand that. You’ve always attracted attention.”

  “Yeah but I can assure you that I didn’t compromise us—again.”

  “If that’s what you say then I believe you. I think we’ve had enough fighting for a while and this was just completely stupid. I don’t want to go on about it anymore.”

  “Then we won’t but I’m still sorry that I didn’t make it back so I could have spent the time with you.”

  “It’s okay. My fault for leaving.”

  “Are you sure we’re okay?”

  I paused while looking in his eyes and nodded with a smile appearing on my face. “Yeah. As long as nothing happened that’s going to need me to go kill some woman, we’re okay.”

  Darius laughed. “No. You don’t have to. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could have—”

  I laughed a little louder than him. “You’re well equipped enough that you wouldn’t need to that much!”

  “But I was pretty wasted. I don’t think I could have even done it a little.”

  “And now?” I had a wanting smile while I brought my hands down to the waist of his pants. “You’ve kind of made me lonely being away like that.”

  Darius smiled and slid his hands lightly down my arms. “I’d say I’m back to fully functioning. My head is still spinning but I would never let that get in the way of any request you may have.”

  “Good. Open for requests now?”

  Darius got his arms more around me and kissed me fully on the lips. “Most definitely. What’ll you have? We’re having specials on personal you-only pleasures this morning with a side order just how you like it or a majority favorite sweat bath with my famous thick cut of meat doing very invasive things to your choice of placement.”

  I bite my bottom lip when he explained it in a form of ordering food and I became more aroused just by thinking about it. “Mmm. It all sounds so tasty. See me not as hasty to want to gorge myself in all of it.”

  “No one here cares to judge. Shall I bring out your appetizer?”

  I nodded repeatedly. “Please hurry.”

  Darius smiled and lifted me right up into his arms as our lips locked. I held tightly around his neck so I wouldn’t fall and let him turn me right towards the bed. His hands slid all over my body and he lowered me down, leaning over me to let our lips linger in this passion for another second.

  Just as soon as we parted, I scurried to get myself to the head of the bed and tried removing my clothes at the same time with anxious anticipation just waiting to get the pleasurable perfection my husband always gave.

  I quickly grabbed his neck as he got closer, forcing his lips back down into mine while my heavy breaths started and I wanted everything happening now. Darius parted our lips, continuing his kisses down my body.

  My hands were on him the whole time and I pushed on his head, leading him lower but he paused from it all when he reached my stomach and looked up. “Is it safe?”

  “Please don’t stop.” I begged through my already panting moans as I lifted my head slightly. “I’d tell you if it wasn’t.”

  “You know I’d never want to hurt you.”

  “I know but you’re not. Now hurry! I’m starving!”

  Darius laughed and slowly kept going with his kisses, closer and closer towards my hips. “It’ll have to wait. I get first taste.”

  I returned the laugh and dropped my head back on the pillow. “By all means do.”

  My body trembled from the feeling of his soft, flickering tongue against my skin and I reached down to him, grabbing handfuls of his rust tinged hair. I twisted and pulled on it with soft moans of pleasure and Darius showed no signs of stopping, no matter how much I squirmed.

  For once, glad we weren’t in another stage of fighting, I easily got passed the mishaps of my night spent alone and made my morning with Darius something to remember.

  Chapter 47

  Adele

  My slow steps carried me farther down the hall towards my room and I just knew Zayden would be in there if he was supposed to be getting ready. I stopped just outside and took a deep breath before I reached for the door knob and let myself in.

  I was still upset about what happened but I didn’t want us to fight as much as I hoped he didn’t. I kept that in mind while I closed the door behind me and saw him sitting at the end of the bed petting Rift like he was waiting for me. It was sad but he was just so gorgeous while doing it that I had to keep myself from rushing to him.

  “Hey, Love.”

  “Hi. Hope your evening was nice.”

  “Ah, I couldn’t fully answer that having not remembered it completely.”

  “I figured.”

  Zayden reached out for my hand before I was able to pass. “Love, wait. I’m sorry, all right.”

  “For what?”

  “For whatever the reason is that you lef
t.”

  I laughed and pulled my hand away. “You can’t be sorry if you don’t even know what you did.”

  “Then tell me.”

  I didn’t want to get emotional but thinking about it made me and it was hard to hide. I hated feeling this way. It made me weak. “We were getting close and you—you treated me like I was just one of the whores you’re used to. You didn’t even know who I was.”

  Zayden sighed and moved closer. “I’m sorry. I should have warned you that things might get out of hand.”

  “And then—when I refused you, you called me a bitch. Your voice; it reminded me of when you’ve called me that before and I didn’t want to think of us that way again. I had to leave before something worse happened.”

  Zayden got up off the bed and stepped up behind me, putting his hands on my arms. “Hey, it’s okay, Love. That wasn’t me. I didn’t mean any of it.”

  “I know. I just don’t ever want to see you like that again. It scared me to think that you didn’t know who I was.”

  Zayden wrapped his arms around me and rested his head against mine. “I know. You won’t have to see that again. That was the last time.”

  I sighed and turned around. “I don’t want to stop you from having fun, Zayden. I know you enjoyed it.”

  “You’re not stopping me. I’m stopping myself. I can’t have fun if you’re not having it with me.”

  “Then what about the rest of your night? You can’t tell me that you hated it. You didn’t even know who I was but I’m sure you still had fun after I left.”

  “She didn’t matter, Love.”

  I paused and my eyes started to narrow. “She who?”

  “Ah—she who joined me after you left apparently.”

  “You mean I was replaced?” My voice was a little harsh and my sadness was completely gone.

  “What? Replaced? No! It wasn’t like that, Love. No one replaced you.”

  “Then who was she? What exactly happened last night?”

  Zayden hesitated. “I’m not really sure.”

  I took a step back with a light gasp. “You didn’t.”

  “I—I don’t know.”

  “Zayden, how could you?”

  “Love, wait!” He used his speed to get in front of me before I could leave. “I didn’t—I mean, I couldn’t have—”

  “You don’t even know!”

  “Love, please! You trust me, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I do. It’s the other you I don’t trust. If you didn’t even know me, it’s doubtful that you even remembered you were married.”

  “Love, I wouldn’t have done anything. I swear to you. I may have passed out next to her but she was already gone when I woke up and I was still—clothed. That would mean nothing came off last night. Please, believe me. Even if I wasn’t thinking of it, I would never have done anything like that to hurt you. I love you and I’m sure a part of me knew that.”

  I listened through his words and I was finding my Zayden within them. I knew I came into this not wanting to fight and I didn’t want to continue it. Zayden was home and whatever damage was caused has already been done and couldn’t be undone. Without a word I just stepped to him and wrapped my arms around him.

  “I mean it, Love. You’re the only one that I ever want to be with and I’m sorry about every word I said to you. You’ll never have to see me like that again.”

  “I guess I’m a little sorry too. I know that I get mad easily. I should have stayed and worked through it. Maybe then you wouldn’t have found yourself in the arms of someone else.”

  Zayden let out a long breath as he pulled away. “Don’t make this in anyway your fault because it’s not. It’s mine and I know that. You don’t need a stress like that now.” He slid his hand down to my stomach and I smiled when I put my hand over his. “That’s not something I would ever want for you. You know that, don’t you?”

  I smiled back and gently kissed him. “I do but you probably should have been downstairs already. Everyone has gathered for breakfast.”

  “I know. I just wanted to make all this right first. You’re more important to me than any of them are.”

  “Well, don’t ignore your guests. I’m fine. We’re fine. I’ll just wait here for you. I’ve been stared at enough for one morning.”

  Zayden smiled and quickly leaned in, kissing my forehead. “All right. I’ve just got to get Darius and Troy to join me as father’s request.”

  I gasped lightly and stepped forward before he could turn away. “Be careful. Ruby and Jaylyn just went in there. They’re probably—you know, something similar to this or worse.”

  Chapter 48

  Zayden

  I walked to Darius’s room naturally next and gave the door a swift knock. There was only a quick silence between it and the frustrated grumble I heard from inside and someone stomping towards the door. I waited and it was Ruby who swung it open and she stood red-eyed and completely naked. “What?!”

  My eyes widened and couldn’t help themselves from shifting down her body. “Sorry. I ah—”

  “Ruby!” Darius quickly got to her and pulled her behind him. “I said don’t!”

  “Well, he interrupted!”

  Darius just smiled and looked at me who was still standing with a look of disbelief. “Sorry. What do you need?”

  “Ah, well—” I slowly started getting my voice back after seeing that. “On the upside, I’m glad you’ve worked things out but your morning pleasures will have to wait.”

  “What?!” Ruby bursts out in anger from behind Darius, still with red eyes.

  “You know father is waiting for us. It probably wouldn’t be best to make him any angrier.”

  Darius nodded his head and looked back over his shoulder. “He’s right.”

  “No!” Ruby moaned, gripping his arm in a deep desperation to get him to stay. “Muscles! I need you!”

  “It really shouldn’t take long.” I said. “At least, I don’t want it to.”

  “All right.” Darius sighed, ignoring Ruby’s childish groaning of displeasure from behind him. “Let me just get dressed real quick and I’ll meet you while you get Troy.”

  I nodded and started to turn from the open door. “Good. Hurry.”

  Darius closed it but I could hear Ruby’s whining begging even as I was walking down the hall to Troy’s room and just smiled even when reaching his door and knocked.

  The pause was longer and I stood there without a sound coming from the other side. I tried knocking again but still, nothing happened. I lightly sighed and reached for the door knob. I didn’t want to interrupt their talk or intimate scene but I knew we had to get downstairs and just stepped inside. “Troy?”

  They were laying together on the bed and Troy carefully lifted his head. “Hmm?”

  “I think you already know. We have to.”

  Troy just sighed and dropped his head back on the pillow for just a second. “All right. I know.” He carefully started to move himself away from Jaylyn who had fallen asleep in his arms and was able to slip away without disturbing her.

  “Everything went well, I hope.”

  Troy looked back at the bed with Jaylyn sleeping peacefully on it. “We both want it to be but it’s not over yet. I can’t believe what I did, Zayden.”

  “You’ll get passed it.”

  “She should never forgive me.”

  “And then where would that leave you? You’d lose her and we all know you don’t want that. She will forgive you even if she needs time.”

  Troy sighed and turned his eyes from Jaylyn. “I guess so. What about you?”

  I laughed quietly as we started towards the door. “We’re okay. It was completely stupid.”

  “And Darius and Ruby?”

  “They’re definitely okay. I didn’t get the details but I just interrupted at least Ruby’s half of his apology. She answered the door naked.”

  Troy laughed while he closed his door quietly. “Really?”

  “Yes, really.” D
arius was finally ready and walking to us. “I had it all set and you had to go and make her pissed about something else.”

  I laughed. “I didn’t mean to. I just knew what we should have been doing. You know father is going to know the moment we walk in there.”

  “Yeah, well, he should have known we couldn’t just leave it and I’m glad we didn’t. Everything work out with you?”

  Troy met his gaze and turned down the hall first. “Still working on it but it will.”

  I looked over to Darius with a nod and we continued down the hall without another word about what happened the previous night or of the outcomes it caused. It wasn’t the time for it. There was somewhere we had to be.

  Chapter 49

  Troy

  We spent the rest of our morning being away from our wives a lot longer than I wanted to be while tending to the guests and wished them a safe farewell back to their home lands. Being more bonded to the leaders of Seni beyond all others, Aleksander was the only one that extended his stay with us. Surely it was noticed by others that the once most hated enemies have now become the world’s strongest alliance.

  “Well, I hope your mornings have been productive.” Aleksander said, finally being able to address us on the issue since the guests have all left.

  “Of course.” Zayden answered with a smile.

  “Easily solved.” Darius added with his own.

  “Ah, yeah.” I muttered. “Solved. I’ll—ah—see you guys later.”

  “Where are you going?” Darius asked while I headed for the doors.

  “If you see Jaylyn, tell her I went out. She’ll know why.” I left it at that and probably left them standing completely baffled while I left on foot into the city.

  I walked with a clear destination in mind and was determined to fix everything. My eyes were focused in a straight forward direction and I soon approached a house just around the first turn and walked steadily towards the door. I took a breath before knocking then stood waiting, thinking of what to say.