“And Sebastian,” CK says stiffly.
“Not intentionally,” I say. “It just is. Seb, can we have a minute alone, please?” I have things to say to them that will hurt Sebastian’s feelings. I’d rather he left so he doesn’t hear it.
“Yeah,” he says reluctantly and without another word puffs out.
I take CK’s and Cole’s hands and lead them into the library.
“No more lies, Aefre,” CK says, taking his hand out of mine. He is pissed and I understand it.
“Straight up. I had to choose, and I have. It is either being with somebody who I like or being with that creature who has done nothing but torment me for months on end. But really, it isn’t about either one of them. Or the Dragons or Faeries. This is a choice between my father and my mother. It boils down to that, plain and simple. And I choose Drake. Tell me that you can understand the difference.”
They both do understand it. I can see it on their faces, but neither one will admit it yet.
“But you will still have to have a baby with Sebastian,” Cole says defiantly. “How am I supposed to stick around and watch that?”
“We,” CK says, hands on hips now. “How are we supposed to stick around and watch that? The gods, Aefre. How can you even ask that of us? If the tables were turned, would you accept it?”
Jesus, no! But they aren’t.
“It will be hard, I know that. We will have to deal with it. I am not choosing Sebastian. He will not be my husband as you are…”
“Just as Xane is,” Cole says nastily, and I flinch at the hostility.
“We aren’t talking about him now,” I say quietly.
“Well, we should,” Cole says.
“Enough,” I say, stamping my foot. “This isn’t a negotiation. If you don’t like it, there’s the door!” I spin and leave through said door, leaving them gaping after me. It’s a brass move. It could backfire and launch me to the moon, but I have a feeling they will be along shortly to make it right with me.
I’m not wrong.
Before I hit the stairs, Cole is grabbing for me. “Liv, don’t. I’m sorry I made you angry. I understand, I do. But it doesn’t mean I can stop it from hurting.”
“And you?” I ask of
CK who is hovering in the doorway.
“I need time to get used to the idea,” he says.
“We have time,” I say. “It is only my mother who pushed this as far as it has gone. Once I speak to Drake, he will be okay with waiting.” I hope.
“Reaffirm your promise to me,” he demands suddenly. His eyes have gone black and he is desperately trying to hold onto his self-control.
Cole looks between the two of us and I shift my eyes away from his lost look. “Of course,” I say. “I told you last week. Err, the other month. I said it and I meant it.”
He nods stiffly and goes back into the library. I want to follow him, but I vividly remember how that went down last time. I crack my neck and take Cole’s hand, leading him upstairs to our bedroom for some alone time.
Chapter 9
The Underworld, March 2014 - Constantine
For once he is glad, she left him alone. But she remembers, as clearly as he does, what happened the last time she followed him when he was like this. He is nowhere near as angry as he was that day, but angry enough that it has come to this. How, where, when did he manage to become second best to Sebastian? And with her no less. It stabs at his heart to think of her pregnant with his charge’s child. He can deal with the sex. It’s just sex. He already knows they are having it. He gave his blessing for them to go for it. Of course, he took it away again once he discovered his wife’s Dark Fae nature, but Sebastian can’t lie to him. His doe-eyed gaze when he looks at her gives him away. He wants to enforce his displeasure at their actions, but what would be the point? Aefre has always gone after what she can’t have, and the same can be said for Sebastian. Isebella wouldn’t have given Sebastian the time of day if it hadn’t been for him. All he would have done is force them together in an illicit affair that would have further excited both of them. He sighs heavily and moves the desk chair back into place. She has been back only five minutes and already the drama has started again. He sits and pushes in the desk drawers. The bottom one gets stuck and he pulls it out to straighten it. Something catches his eye. He peers inside and it looks like a false bottom to the drawer. It has come loose so he jiggles it back into place, but he sees there is something under the thin wood. He takes it off completely and stares at the heavy cream envelope that has been stashed in there for a moment before he picks it up. It isn’t addressed to anyone, but it has to be for Aefre as this is her desk. What is she hiding now? He carefully takes out the letter, written in an elegant hand, and reads it. As he re-reads it, his lungs feel like they have been lit on fire. It is hard to breathe, and his vision goes blurry for a second in his attempt to not rip the entire house apart.
Fraser.
The one from the alternate universe is asking his wife to bring him to her so that they can be together. The sheer audacity of the request makes his hands tremble in rage and he wants to beat the bastard black and blue before he rips his head off his shoulders. How did Aefre even get this? Has she been to see him? Has she told him she will make a plan to bring him here? He needs to know the answers to these questions. He knows that Fraser is the one man, the only thing that lies between him and his destiny. Constantine knows that he is the only one that Aefre will choose over him if she had that choice. His jealously is threatening to overwhelm him. He stands up in his blind fury and marches to the door of the library.
But something stops him suddenly.