Page 67 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

“Do what?”

He stroked my cheek lovingly. “Don’t start doubting yourself. You did what you had to do to survive.”

“I’m just…” I glanced down at Sydney, who had fallen asleep. She looked so content in my arms, so happy to be with her family. I didn’t want to ruin it. “I’m doing what’s best for you.”

“And what’s best for you?”

I shrugged my right shoulder, the one that wasn’t holding up a child’s drooling face. “What’s good for her is good for me.”

“Okay, sure. But what about what you need, Princess? What about what you want?”

“I want to do things without being given the third degree about it.”

He leaned back an inch. “Excuse me for trying to take care of you.”

I closed my eyes. “I don’t want to fight.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’re not feeling well. Here—” He removed his arm and replaced it with a fluffy pillow. Then, he tucked the faux fur blanket tighter around my legs. Just the way I liked it. “I’m sorry, baby. Forgive me.”

“No, forgive me.”

“If you two keep apologizing, I might barf,” Faye joked from across the room.

I hiccupped and covered my mouth. “Don’t mention barf right now.”

Faye carried a tray with a teapot and cups to the coffee table. I sat up a little more, being careful not to wake my daughter who was probably in need of a lot more than just sleepright now. She needed stability. She neededcertaintythat the future wouldn’t be filled with evil chaos again.

Everything was so fragile right now.

Once tea was served and Sydney was set up in a snug area near me without using my shoulder for a pillow, I took a long breath in. “The exorcism should be easier with a witch present, right?”

“On paper, yes,” Cliff agreed. “Practice might be a different story.”

I sipped my tea. “She needs to survive, Cliff. She’s my best friend. She’s been there through everything.”

“You mean she was there when I wasn’t?”

Faye averted her gaze while Cliff set his teacup down on the coffee table. I cradled my teacup on my knees, noticing the dirt and grime covering my jeans. My blouse had a barf stain. I looked like crap.

Yet Cliff hadn’t said a word about the mess and hadn’t judged me for it.

“Yes,” I whispered, “she was here for us when you weren’t here.”

Silence stretched on for a few minutes. I kept looking at the pictures on the wall across from me, the ones Bill had hung up before his body had been invaded. Now that he was dead, we had to sort through those pictures and figure out where to put them.

Cliff rested his hand on my thigh. “I’m glad she was here when I couldn’t be.”

“I thought that would make you angry.”

“No, that makes me happy. I mean…” He sniffled and then chuckled lightly. “I’m definitely kicking myself right now, Robyn. But I still feel good that someone was responsible for you.”

I nodded. “She’s been a last-minute babysitter more times than I can remember.”

“Then, she deserves the greatest care we can give her.” He turned to Faye. “Have Hector call in a few nurses to share rotating shifts. Do you think you can do some kind of divination for the demon name?”

Faye nodded obediently. “Yes, I can look through my most recent books.”

“Great. If you can get to that today, please do.”

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