Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) (23 page)

“Shh! I wasn’t supposed to tell.”

“You know I won’t say anything. What did he think?”

“He didn’t openly say but I think he was impressed. He doesn’t want Ruby to know.”

“He wants her to be surprised by the hair color?”

“I think so.”

“He does care.”

“Please don’t say anything.”

He laughed and pulled me closer to him. “I said I won’t.” We started kissing but I only kept getting flashes going through my mind of my time with Darius and pulled away. “Zayden, not tonight. I’m tired from the day.”

“Are you sure? You know I could make it fun for both of us.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Okay. I just thought I’d try.”

“And I appreciate the effort. Never stop doing that but tonight, it’s best if we just go to sleep.”

“Okay.” Zayden moved away and laid on his back. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Goodnight.” I leaned in and we kissed one more time before I move back and put my head on his shoulder.

“Goodnight.”

Zayden soon fell asleep but as I laid there, trying to fall asleep, my mind just kept drifting to every possible thing and wouldn’t leave me to have any kind of peace. I was nervous that he would find out about my whole time with Darius and I knew that I had to tell him at some point before this guilt killed me.

Chapter 37

Zayden

I was glad to hear things for Darius might be changing even if it all was secretive, it was a start.

We received our belongings about two weeks later and things started to feel a little more like this place was turning into home but I knew something was still missing. I saw it in Adele as well but I had an idea about how to bring a bigger piece of home to her so we began secretly transforming the back balcony of the palace into the courtyard from Balwin Manor. It had the same layout of obstacles and it was also equipped with a training ring. I remembered one of her visions she first described to me of our son training with the two others and knew she would just love to see it here for herself.

After five days of construction on that alone, it was complete and we went to find her to show her. Jaylyn and I raced around looking for her since we were the most excited about it and found her laying in the study on the second floor.

“Adele!” Jaylyn shouted.

Adele kept her eyes closed while answering. “What?”

“Get up. We have something to show you.” I said.

“I don’t feel like it.”

“Oh, come on.” Jaylyn said. “You’re going to love it.”

We grabbed her arms and pulled her off the couch, making her finally open her eyes. “All right! I’m up. Now what?”

“This way.” Jaylyn said as we dragged her to the stairs.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I smiled.

After going up four flights, Adele was getting annoyed. “Where are you taking me?”

“We’re almost there.”

“Okay, close your eyes.” Jaylyn said.

We reached the door leading out onto the balcony and waited for her to do it. “Do I have to?”

“I’ll do it for you.” Jaylyn held her hands over Adele’s eyes herself and she was led outside. “Okay, are you ready?”

“I guess.”

She removed her hands from Adele’s eyes and she looked around. It was like walking right into her dream. The waterfalls cascaded down over the cliffs and this was surely the place.

“You like it?”

“Like it? I love it! How did you—” She seemed happy but then her voice went south with her mood. “Why did you all do this for me? I don’t deserve it. I’m sorry.”

She was truly upset now and turned away to go back inside.

“What was that about?” Ruby asked.

“I’ll go find out. You can play for a while. Come on, Rift.”

He followed me down one flight of stairs to our room. I could already hear Adele crying from inside and I needed to know why.

“Love?”

She sucked in her breath with her back turned to act like nothing was wrong but I knew better.

“What is it? Are you okay? I thought you’d be happy to see it.”

“No. I am. I am happy. It’s just—you didn’t have to do that for me. I don’t deserve it.”

“Of course you do.”

“No. I’m such a horrible person and I’m so sorry.”

She was really starting to concern me now and I went fully over to her so I could get her to look at me. “Love, what’s wrong.”

“I am. There’s something that I haven’t told you and it’s been eating at me ever since it happened. I didn’t know how to tell you. I wanted to but I just couldn’t.”

“What?”

She looked at me and she was so torn apart. Her eyes were soaked and bloodshot, she had trouble breathing but she desperately wanted to get out her problem but I could have never imagined what it would be.

“That day I took Darius out to clear the road, I really only did it because I wanted to show him his son without the pressure of everyone else bearing down on him.”

“I know. You told me, remember?”

“You should have seen him, Zayden. He changed somehow like he was finally hopeful and I was so proud that it worked. He was sweet like I had just noticed for the first time and—”

“And what?” I didn’t like where this was going and it only got worse.

“And I’m so sorry.”

She told me by not telling me but I knew. Darius was involved. How could I not know?

I restrained from letting my eyes turn black in front of her but I couldn’t look at her. “You slept with him.”

“Zayden, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what I was thinking. It all just kind of happened. You don’t know how horrible I feel.” I didn’t know if there was anything I should say or could say but she tried to get me to. “Zayden?”

“Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you. That wasn’t love and I wanted to tell you so much sooner. I just didn’t know how.”

“Then I need to know one thing. Was your recent sexual appetite because of him?”

“No.” Adele quickly got closer to me like my question had worried her. “It wasn’t. I don’t know what it was other than you.” I was quiet and continued to look at the floor in front of me. “You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know what I should believe.”

“Zayden—I love you. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just—” She paused and her tears stopped her from continuing.

“It’s okay, Love. Stay here. I’m going to sort a few things out.”

She was too distraught to follow and that’s okay. I didn’t want her to see what I was about to do next. My eyes blackened while I walked out of the room and Rift followed with a whine.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have a choice.”

Chapter 38

Troy

We didn’t know what was wrong with her. Zayden assured us all this work would be worth it and she’d be happy but she wasn’t. We let him deal with it while we got to watch Ruby and Jaylyn duel again. It has been a while but they were still amazing. It was much more playful which made it fun for us. We’d point things out to each other and laugh about it.

We were having a good time until the unexpected happened.

Zayden was walking towards us, picking up a stick along the way but he had black eyes. I figured that he wanted to join in the fun with a little cheating his way and he hit Darius in the face with it. It was hard enough that it made him tumble to the ground and I laughed because he wasn’t paying the least bit attention but Zayden didn’t laugh with me. He approached Darius farther and continued hitting him, aiming for his head with the stick and even using his feet.

“Zayden! What are you doing?!” My yelling caused Ruby and Jaylyn to stop and rush over.

“Zayden, stop!” Ruby shouted. Her eyes turned red and she was strong enough now to pull Zayden away but she also threw him to the ground—hard.

He groaned in agony while trying to get up. His eyes were still black and furious. “You fucking bastard! I should kill you!”

He got around Ruby and started kicking Darius anywhere he could when Darius was trying to get up; his face was beaten and bloodied from all the open wounds.

I immediately stepped in and pulled Zayden back, keeping him away from Darius. “Zayden, enough!”

“What has gotten into you?!” Ruby asked.

“Ask him! You fucking ask him what he did! Stupid son of a bitch! I’ll kill him!”

He was still trying to kick at him while I was holding him or it was a way to escape me but I wouldn’t let go. “Calm down! Now, what’s going on?”

Zayden was starting to calm, at least enough that he wasn’t yelling and gave himself some time to breathe while looking towards Darius. “Go ahead, stud. Tell them what you did. Tell everyone how you violated my trust and took something that was mine. Tell everyone how you fucked my wife!”

Jaylyn’s gasp was the loudest of course but we were all shocked about this.

“When did this happen?” I asked.

Darius was clearly in some kind of pain but still tried speaking through it. “Zayden, I’m sorry.”

“Not yet you’re not.”

He tried to weasel his way away from me but I wouldn’t let him. “Zayden, calm down.”

“Let me go! He deserves every bit of it!”

“I’m not letting you kill him.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Troy!”

Jaylyn gasped again and came right over, kicking Zayden under his chin so he’d be free of my grasp and tumbled backwards then she pulled me towards her so we were in front of Darius.

“What are you doing?”

“He could bite you. Stay back.”

“Now you’re both in trouble.” Zayden said, climbing back to his feet.

“No.” Jaylyn said. “Just me. Bite me to calm down.”

“I don’t want to calm down. I want his head.”

“You don’t want to kill him.” I was worried when she took a few steps towards Zayden. “Take my blood.”

She cut herself and I watched Zayden tense. I’ve never seen him like this before and it was clear that he still couldn’t control it. He couldn’t ignore her blood exposed a few feet from him and he rushed into Jaylyn instantly, plunging his teeth into her neck. I wanted to stop it but I couldn’t. I knew he needed it or figured he did but it was still hard to watch.

“That’s still gross.”

I turned and Darius was trying to get to his feet. I helped him to distract me from what was going on feet away. “Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay to you?”

“No.”

“But I deserve it, don’t I?”

“I’m sure my opinion isn’t needed.”

I heard Zayden’s deep breath and turned around. He had pulled away on his own and Jaylyn was holding the wound, waiting for it to heal. His eyes were blue again so I guess that was a good sign.

“Zayden?” Darius was on his feet and Zayden lifted his eyes to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“Really? You didn’t mean to like it was some kind of accident? Let’s see what your wife thinks about that.”

We looked around and I just noticed she wasn’t out here anymore. “Ruby?”

“Where is she?” Jaylyn asked.

A distant scream drew our attention to the door. It was her for sure and we rushed inside while she was coming up the stairs.

“What happened?” I asked.

Ruby was crying and tried to talk. “I didn’t mean to.”

Something was wrong with Adele and that alone panicked Zayden even more. He sped away from us and all we could do was follow.

He was inside his room and Adele was laying on the floor but she wasn’t moving.

“What did you do?” Jaylyn asked, beginning to cry herself.

“We were talking—”

“Arguing.” Jaylyn corrected.

“Okay and then I slapped her in the face.”

Jaylyn was down by Adele examining her. “Were your eyes red?”

Ruby hesitated. “I—I don’t know—maybe—I don’t know—I was—frustrated. Why? Tell me she’s going to be okay.”

“She’s not.”

Chapter 39

Darius

“You broke her neck, Ruby.”

My stomach turned and Ruby fell apart more than I’ve ever seen.

“You have to bring her back.” Zayden said.

Jaylyn seemed doubtful through her tears. “I don’t know if I can!”