Page 39 of The King of Hearts (The Raven Group #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

HER

“ M arried and a baby .”

Emersyn emphasizes the last word for the third time in a row. At least she’s not screeching anymore. When she first heard the news that I was getting married and was pregnant, she damn near blew my ear off through the phone.

“And you’re still a virgin .” Another emphasis. “Damn, Sav. Only you could pull that off.”

I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me. Not that I don’t agree with her. How often do you hear about a pregnant virgin? I’m sure it happens, but really, the chances must be slim.

I sit at my vanity with my phone on speaker.

The reflection that stares back at me through the mirror is me, but it’s not.

My complexion is paler than normal, but it’s probably because I’m still coming to grips with everything, and I didn’t sleep a wink last night.

My eyes look listless with dark circles around them.

Since yesterday, my energy has been non-existent.

My hair, which I’ve always loved, has been irritating me, so I threw it up on top of my head after my shower this morning.

I look like utter shit. Like a person who’s being forced to marry a man not of her choosing, and is pregnant by the same man, and she has no clue how it happened.

I feel different. And no, it’s not because I have another human growing inside me.

I feel like I’ve aged several decades, and I’m on the verge of a mid-life crisis.

I guess maybe I am. Getting married and having a baby is a big deal and changes a person, especially when they’re still technically a teenager.

Nineteen and pregnant.

I feel like I should be on one of the teen pregnancy shows. Lord knows the drama that goes with my situation warrants an appearance.

“Sav? You still there?”

I drop my eyes from the mirror and shake my head. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m just still in a daze, I guess.”

“I can imagine.” Emersyn is quiet for a moment. “You know, I always thought something was off with Ryker. He was so quiet. Intense. Reserved. Mysterious. But I never thought obsession with you was what he was hiding.”

“No kidding.” I laugh, but it’s one of those forced sarcastic ones.

“Did you ever suspect he had any interest in you? Like, did he ever flirt, or did you catch him watching you?”

“No. Nothing.” I release a sigh. “This is just as much of a shock to me as it is to you.”

That’s an understatement. Walking in that room yesterday and seeing Ryker standing there, facing off with Dad and my brothers, it didn’t even occur to me that he was my devil.

I thought he was there because of what happened to Brax.

Not once did the thought cross my mind, in those moments before the truth came out, that he was the one who had been murdering men and sending me their bloody hearts, or was the one who did depraved things to my body.

“Do me a favor?” I ask Emersyn.

“Anything.”

“Call Tomas and let him know what’s going on. I don’t think I have the energy to say it again.”

“Yeah. I can do that.” She pauses. “He’s going to flip his shit.”

“I know. Tell him I’ll call him in a couple days. I just need time to come to terms with it all.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes.” I have no idea how, but I will be okay. Ryker will not destroy me.

We hang up, and I drop my forehead to the top of my vanity, my head making a thunking sound when it hits the surface.

Holy shit . Ryker West is my fucking devil.

I’m carrying his child, and if I don’t marry him in a week, he’ll release information that will ensure my whole family goes to prison, along with everyone else associated with The Raven Group. I refuse to let that happen.

Reading the pregnancy test results on that slip of paper yesterday was unfathomable, but I didn’t question it.

It had Dr. Bale’s signature at the bottom.

I’ve seen it enough to know it wasn’t a forgery.

Besides, it would be stupid of Ryker to fake the results when it would be easy enough to have a test done myself.

I don’t doubt the test is real and the results are solid.

The question is, did Dr. Bale know it was my blood he was testing?

And if so, why didn’t he inform my father of the situation?

Or is he in cahoots with Ryker like Marcelo obviously is?

That scenario is hard to believe since he and my father have been friends since high school, but apparently, Ryker has tricks up his sleeves.

Or maybe he blackmailed Dr. Bale like he did me.

The betrayal of Marcelo still hurts. I trusted him. Put my life in his hands and shared things with him that I haven’t even shared with Emersyn or Tomas. And the whole time, he was working for Ryker.

I peel my forehead off my vanity and look down toward my lap, laying my hand over my still flat stomach. It’s hard to imagine a person growing inside there. A little being that’s a part of me. I refuse to think about it being part of Ryker.

“How are you even here?” I ask the developing group of cells.

It was a question that came to mind yesterday, but one that I was too afraid to ask because I wasn’t ready for the answers. There were many questions I should have asked, and I’ll be demanding answers as soon as Ryker and I are alone.

The pain in my head that I’ve had since yesterday pulses in my temple, and I rub the offending spot. I can’t believe this is happening.

Pregnant and getting married.

I’ve always wanted kids, but I never expected to have them so young.

I thought I’d be happily married to a man that I love when the time came.

Instead, I’m stuck with a psycho killer who has an unhealthy obsession with me.

One who gets off on causing me pain. Who gets enjoyment from ripping out men’s hearts and gifting them to me like they’re some prized possession.

Don’t even act as if you don’t like what Ryker dishes out to you , my mind whispers.

I scowl. “It doesn’t matter if I like it or not. It’s wrong. Twisted and sick,” I mutter to my subconscious.

I push my stupid thoughts away and focus back on my stomach. I run my hand in small circles over the spot where a life grows. “However you came to be,” I whisper, “we’ll get through this together.”

I check the time on my watch and cringe when I see that I only have ten minutes left before Marcelo is due here to pick me up.

Grabbing my phone and purse from the vanity, I get up from my seat and go to my closed bedroom door.

My bags are already downstairs waiting by the front door, along with Loki.

Before I leave, I turn and take one last look at the room that I spent my whole life in.

It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be sleeping here anymore.

I close the door behind me with a soft click and go to a room down the hall.

Liliana and Harper have changed a lot since they were first brought here weeks ago.

Lili is still reserved and quiet, but since her meeting with Dad, she’s opened up a bit more.

There’s a determination and fire in her eyes that wasn’t there in the beginning.

Like being given the opportunity to seek justice against her bastard brother has given her new life.

After some discussion and being given some options, she and Dad came up with the most appropriate way to murder her brother.

The door opens seconds after I knock, as if she had been waiting on my arrival.

“Hey,” I greet the petite woman. “I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

Over her shoulder, Harper is at a desk coloring on a sheet of paper, her short legs swinging back and forth. Her hair has been split into pigtail braids, the ends tied off with two pink ribbons.

“I hate that you’re leaving,” Lili says. “You’re the only one I feel completely comfortable around.”

I reach out and grab her hand. “I’ll come back for visits. Mom and Lea are here, and you have my number, right? You can call me any time.”

She nods. “It’s not going to be the same here without you.”

“I know, but I promise you’re going to be okay.”

I pull Lili forward, and we embrace. Her arms are tight around me, and I tighten mine just the same. After we pull apart, I go over to Harper and place a kiss on the top of her head.

“I’ll see you later, Harper,” I say.

She looks up from the picture she’s drawing. It looks to be a depiction of a big house. Three stick-figure people are in front of it. Two are clearly female, going by the long hair. I can’t tell the third yet, as she’s only drawn the head and the long stick of the body.

“Are you coming back?” She looks sad as she asks the question.

“Absolutely. I’ll come visit you in a few days.”

“Okay. I’m going to draw you a picture for when you get here.”

I smile, my heart melting for the hundredth time for this little girl. “I’d really like that.”

After another hug from Lili, I leave the pair in their room. The house sounds eerily quiet as I walk down the stairs. Family pictures hang on the walls, and I look at each one as I pass by them. I feel like I’m never going to step foot in this house again, which better not be the case.

I don’t know what Ryker’s plans are for me, but keeping me from my family better not be one of them.

It won’t go well for him. I don’t care if he’s bigger and stronger than me and plenty capable of keeping me where he wants me for however long.

I don’t care that he’s obviously a psychotic killer, and I don’t know how safe my life is being in his hands.

For all I know, he has a flesh fetish, and he plans to chop me up into tiny pieces and use me for stew meat.

Well, I do care, and I hope that’s not his plan because that would really suck. I don’t think it is, though. Why would he go through the trouble of getting me pregnant only to kill me once I am? Maybe he’ll wait until after I deliver his baby.

The point is, whatever his plans are, my plans are to make his life a living hell.