Page 232 of Conquered

“We will bathe in his blood, brother. You will take what is owed in flesh and blood,” he tells Kai fiercely, and the tension leaves Kai’s body, a small smile tugging his lips.

Jax’s words should chill me. They should fill me with horror and disgust. But they don’t. My darkness relishes the idea of hurting the vile monster who stole from one of my soulmates. Who took a child’s innocence, and caused such pain and doubt in his heart.

We will all bathe in his blood, paint the walls red with it. And as I look around at the faces of the men I love, body and soul, I see the vow etched there like carving in stone.

Kai’s uncle will die.

And we shall be the ones to do it.

We all help to clean up the living room, waving off Kai’s apologies. Then I run him a bubble bath, getting in with him at his insistence, and letting him hold me as the warmth of the water surrounds us. After we’ve gotten out, we eat a simple meal of pasta with herby tomato sauce that Loki and Ash prepare, then I head upstairs with Kai, who takes me to his room.

I realise as I walk in, that I don’t think I’ve ever really been in here before. It’s tastefully decorated in burnt umbers, reds,and browns, like leaves in autumn. He has pretty much the same furniture as all the others, with the addition of a large dark wooden cupboard.

He gets dressed for bed in a pair of navy silk pyjama bottoms, leaving his chest bare. I put on my own navy silk nightdress, unintentionally matching him. Looking up at him, I’m suddenly unsure as to what happens next. I’ve never slept in a bed with Kai. Never stayed the night in his arms.

He looks at me, his brow furrowed, then he sighs, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed.

“Stay with me tonight, Lilly?” he says, the end sounding like a question. I heave a sigh of relief, a smile forming on my lips as I climb into bed next to him, surrounded by his refreshing woods-after-the-rain scent as we settle down, facing one another.

“Can I play you a song?” I ask, remembering a song that I heard recently, which is perfect for all I want to say to him in this moment.

“Sure,” he replies, reaching for his phone and handing it to me. I’ve left mine downstairs. I can’t bear to look at it right now, not after that message.

I scroll through Spotify until I find what I’m after, connecting the device to the bluetooth speakers in his room, then hitting play.

Carry Youby Ruelle and Fleurie starts to play as we lie there, gazing into each other's souls. My lips move with the lyrics, Kai’s hand cupping my face as tears spring in his eyes. My own smart and burn, and soon the pillow beneath us is damp. I keep mouthing the lyrics, telling him that I am here and that he’s not alone.

We stay that way, letting the music flow through us, going some way to heal the cuts and gashes that the past few hours have inflicted on our souls and hearts. The song finishes, and wecontinue to gaze at each other, Kai’s hand on my cheek, mine on his bare chest, feeling his heartbeat underneath my fingertips.

My eyes go wide as there’s a sudden flutter in my lower stomach.

“What?” Kai asks, his body going stiff as he sits up slightly. I'm about to reply when I feel it again, like butterflies tickling me. A smile tugs my lips up.

“I can feel our baby, Kai,” I whisper, my hand leaving his chest, placing it on my stomach where I can feel the movements. I wait for another flutter, and although I feel it on the inside, my hand remains still. “Only inside, but it’s moving, Kai.”

The smile that lights up his face is so beautiful that angels must weep in the heavens as he practically glows.

“Can I?” he asks, lifting his own hand off my cheek. “I know I won’t feel anything.”

Taking his hand in mine, I place it directly above where the flutters keep happening. As his palm warms the area up, the flutter happens again, three times in quick succession.

“It knows you're here,” I beam, not caring if it's bullshit as the quiver happens once more.

He smiles wide back at me, even though I know he can’t feel a damn thing. We fall asleep like that, facing each other, his warm hand covering the life that’s growing inside of me, smiles on our faces.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

KAI

For the first time in a long time, longer than I can remember, I sleep soundly, with no night terrors to plague my dreams. Perhaps my sleep these past few months would have been more restful if I’d slept in the same bed as Lilly sooner. But she was haunted by her own night-time demons. I didn’t want to add mine as well.

I wake up slowly, beautiful hazel eyes gazing at me, soft with love and acceptance. My heart tightens painfully in my chest, but it’s not an unwelcome sensation.

“Good morning, Kai, love,” she whispers, a smile teasing those lush lips of hers as she continues to drink me in, as I do her.

“Good morning, darling,” I manage to choke out, realising that my hand is still on her stomach, over where her baby grows.

Our baby grows.