Page 94 of Seared Fates

“You’re worried about him.”

“I’m worried about him.”

I take hold of his chin and drag him forward until our lips meet. Owning his mouth with my tongue and swallowing his every gasp, exploring deeper.

Slowly, regretfully, I pull back, only our foreheads touching.

“He’ll be okay. And you are going to make a good Father, Kai. I’m glad you’re having my babies.”

Emotions flicker across the jade in his eyes until they shine brilliantly. “Really?”

“I have no doubt.”

We stay enclosed in the car for a beat or two. Eyes hooded and connected, fingers entwined. Sharing each breath.

“Thank you.” Kai kisses me again, then slips out of the car. “And I can’t wait to get you pregnant.”

I clear my throat, then clear it again before I follow him out, holding the brownies. “We haven’t actually agreed on….”

He grins, taking my arm and leading me up. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“But…” I clear my throat. “It’s something you enjoy?”

He raises his fist, flashing me a smirk as he knocks on the door.

Before I have time to speak or question the strange stirring low in my gut, the door flings open, and a short, portly man with dark skin and black coiled hair is pulling Kai into a bear hug.

“Welcome home!” The man, Kwame, I assume, cries like his son just came back from war. Huge dark eyes filling with tears.

“Hey, Dad…” Kai replies, clinging on to him.

I realise, while Kai is enveloped in his father’s thick arms, how much he needed this visit.

The click of heels on hardwood announces another person before a tall, sleek, black woman slinks towards us with the grace of a hunting panther.

A sharp, assessing glare pins me in place as Kai’s mother comes to a stop in front of her husband and son. Her long, pin-straight black hair flows down her back like a river of ink at midnight.

“Oh, darling. ” Kwame beams, wiping away a stray tear. “Kai is here!”

“And it’s good to have him home, darling.” Her voice is a dusky rasp. “And who is this man you’ve brought, Kai?” she says ‘this man’ like Kai dragged me in on the bottom of his shoe.

Kai clears his throat. “This is Vidar, Mum, my boyfriend.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I say. I take a risk and nod to Kwame. “You’ve built a lovely house.”

He shines at the praise like diamonds under sunlight. “Such a polite man! And so handsome, too. And you brought brownies! Wonderful.”

Charlotte’s icy exterior doesn’t melt like her husband's.

“Now you boys must be freezing. Come inside, come come.” Kwame ushers us into a landing bathed in an amber glow.

The hardwood is elegant, polished to a blinding point. Yet the walls hang with a staggering amount of family pictures and childhood art.

“Why did you never tell us about your friend?” Charlotte’s piercing gaze never once leaves me, even as she addresses her son.

Kai clears his throat. “I do like to keep some things private…”

She cocks a perfectly arched eyebrow, looking him over. “Why are you so pale, Kai? Have you been taking care of yourself? Your boyfriend should be taking better care of you.”