Page 56 of His Daggered Heart
“Language!” I joke after taking a sip of the warm liquid. She got my favorite white chocolate mocha. “Delicious,” I groan. “Thank you, bestie.”
Her eyes roll with impatience but she quickly recovers. “I found out what I’m having!” she exclaims.
I almost spit my coffee out. “Oh my god! Cora! Why didn’t you lead with that?” I rise up from the chair and reach for her hand, pulling her into a hug. “What are you having? Wait, don’t tell me. I want to wait until the gender reveal!”
“I still think that is silly,” she says, hugging me back.
“Everyone on TikTok does them so you’re getting one and you’re loving it.”
“Fine,” she huffs. “But only because it’s my first baby.”
I shot a look at her “First?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows. “You and Levi planning to have little cowboys and cowgirls running around already?”
Her cheeks redden. “No, but I know I want a big family.”
I release her, sitting back down, right as Crystal enters the room with foils and a bowl full of a white creamy consistency.
“Will you be the baby’s Godmother?” Cora blurts.
I look at her face and tears fill her eyes, causing mine to water, too. “Yes, of course, Cora. I would be honored. I will protect my little nephew or niece with my life.”
“Aww, Cora, are you pregnant, hun?” Crystal asks.
“Yes, I am,” she says proudly. I love how happy she is for this baby, despite the way her pregnancy came to fruition.
“Is Edward so happy?” Crystal asks as she applies the cream to my hair.
“It, umm, it isn’t Edwards,” Cora admits.
Crystal looks at her. “Oh, darling, you don’t have to be shy about it. You have your baby for you, it doesn’t matter who the daddy is.” Cora smiles in response.
Somebody in the room raises the volume on the TV, causing me to look. I see a picture of Xavien’s face on the screen. The news announcer begins to speak, “Xzavien Blank was found dead in his car this morning, authorities say there are no leads and believe the cause of death to be self-inflicted.” The number of helplines flash on the screen next.
I look at Cora, who is already staring at me. I don’t know how she feels about knowing the father of her child is gone forever. It’s something we will have to talk about later.
I can’t believe he is dead. My mind flashes to Kohen, he did this, he said he would take care of it. He told those twins that he needed to be gone forever. Oh my fucking god, I don’t know why but I feel my pussy throb. My man is a fucking god. I should be fucking scared or shocked but instead, I feel so fucking safe. What does that say about me?
Crystal finishes applying the last foil and puts me under a heater where me and Cora sit, eating our food.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, worried for her well-being.
“It’s weird,” she begins to say. “I don’t feel sad for him, he was a horrible guy. Kohen found out so much he was doing to other girls, date raping them, getting them pregnant, forcing them into abortions, abusing them,” she whispers. “Who knew that handsome, smiling, energetic guy was capable of so much darkness?”
I nod in agreement, finishing up the bite of my burger. “Everyone is capable of darkness, Cora. Even you, and the fact that we know his death wasn’t a full accident and we are sitting here eating says something about that.” We stare at each other for a second, no words needed. “It was out of our hands and now, we just continue doing what we need to for this beautiful baby. That is the only good thing that X left you.”
“What the heck is wrong with us? Withme?”she asks.
“Nothing, nothing at all. We are just finally safe, and we don’t care how, we just care that we are.”
“Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry, Alex.” Her words confuse me.
“Sorry for what?” I ask, placing a hand on her knee.
“For getting us in this situation, for not telling you what he did. For getting him killed.”
“No, Cora, he did all that. He hurt me, he hurt Kohen, and the last straw was hurting you. Think of all the women he hurt before us. We didn’t get him killed, he got himself killed because of the choices he made. Not us, not even Kohen. He knew with being a Knight that if he broke their rules it was a possibility. Kohen just brought it to light.”
She nods, a single tear streaming down her cheek, but she swipes it away. “Okay,” she says, nodding. “I forgive him, may he rest in peace.”