Page 14 of His Daggered Heart

Nothing.

Me: I know you read my first message, don’t make me check your location and show up where you are.

The read notification appears and now the bubbles are bubbling. I smirk. I can’t wait to see her. I miss my best friend.

The bubbles stop. I decide to show my cards and hope that she answers me. Because I will show up where she is if she doesn’t. I send a quick text back and open the app we use to track each other.

Me: Kohen told me.

She’s typing back but I’m already headed to my car. I shoot Levi a quick text, letting him know I’m okay but I left to meet Cora. The locator says she’s at Kohen’s place. I know he isn’t there because we just left him at the training center, so I turn my location off and head over. I don’t want her to see me coming and leave to avoid whatever it is she’s been hiding. My phone vibrates and the Bluetooth Levi installed announces a text from Cora, and then proceeds to read it out loud.

“Text from Cora…”

Cora: What did he say?

Cora: Alex?

I ignore it. I’m only a few minutes away from Kohen’s place. I speed up, trying to make it there as fast as possible.

I pull into the driveway and take a deep breath. Tears are already welling up at the thought of Cora going through something I have no idea about. She felt forced to turn to my ex-boyfriend instead of me, her best friend.

I open the door and make my way up the long walkway to his giant mansion. When I look up, I see her standing in the giant door frame, cradling her belly. A weak smile graces her lips. She looks beautiful but also frail. Like a porcelain doll that needs to be handled with the utmost care.

I rush up the rest of the walkway and wrap my arms around her. Tears fall from my eyes as she returns the embrace. I look up at her and she’s crying too. Of course, she is. We never fight, not like this. The heat is sweltering, causing sweat to bead up on my forehead. How is she wearing a cardigan right now?

“Is it snowing inside?” She giggles and my heart swells. I miss her so much.

“No, but it’s freezing. Kohen keeps it cold.” She wraps her cardigan around her tightly, clutching her belly again. Either she has a stomach bug or the conversation we are about to have is going to break my fucking heart. Because if I missed out on something huge, I’m going to break. Cora is the most important person in my life. I love her more than I love myself, and I’m so fucking sad that I haven’t been there for her.

She clears her throat, bringing my gaze from her belly to her face. Her eyes fill with tears and her face is etched in sadness. She reaches a hand out for me and I grab it. She leads me to the living room where everyone hangs out. We sit and both inhale at the same time. We giggle for a second and it fades, our eyes meeting and our smiles fading away.

A single tear rolls down her beautiful face as the words I’m dreading leave her puffy pink lips. “I’m pregnant.”

Chapter 14

Kohen

Isitintheguest house while Cora and Alex talk. I don’t want to be a distraction while they let the dust settle between them. Cora has been a great comfort while she’s had to stay here. When I saw Edward talking to her in the upstairs restroom, I held my tongue. I thought they were just going through something, and even though he sounded angry and she was crying, I couldn’t make out what they were saying. A month passed and then I came home from training early and caught him hurting her in the hallway. A red mark splayed across her cheek, tears running down her face. He was gripping her dainty arm so tight that the skin was purple. I saw red, I just reacted. Pent-up anger was useful that day as I laid him the fuck out. Packed her shit and moved her into a room closer to mine.

I had the staff empty his room and donate everything to a local nonprofit that takes clothing donations for the homeless. When he came to, he was already placed outside on the grass like the dog he was. When I talked to Cora, she told me she was pregnant. I encouraged her to tell Alex, but she said she couldn’t. I know Edward isn’t the father, which is why he was treating her so badly.

“He said I was an embarrassment,” she told me. She wouldn’t tell me who the father was. She does know and said she only slept with the father. I don’t question her, and I don’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. I decided then and there that I would do anything to protect her and told her she could stay as long as she needed.

I know that Alex might be pissed that I didn’t tell her, but I also hope she will understand why. I love Alex, and by extension, I care for Cora because I know how much she means to Alex. Even though it may affect us ever being able to be together, I know she will understand. It’s because I love her that I’m doing whatever Cora needs me to.

She has been a listening ear and my sober buddy. Helping me get back on track with training and school. These past couple of months have been hell. The partying, drugs, missing practice, and just feeling angry haven’t been good for anyone. Having her here, to just be my friend, has been everything I needed. She cooks, cleans, and is just a positive energy. Cora has this light about her and I know that’s why Alex loves her. We have gotten close and I’m grateful to call her my friend now. I don’t know how Alex will feel, but based on what she said, that’s basically what Levi is to her. God always has a plan.

I peek out the window and can see them in the kitchen. It looks like they’re baking. They are laughing, talking, then laughing and crying. I don’t even know how long I watch them for but it’s long enough that standing by this window is making me fucking sweat. Damn, Texas heat, I can’t wait for cooler weather.

I need to chat with this Levi guy one-on-one and really see where his head is at with Alex. He could be secretly in love with her or something, no guy just wants to be platonic friends with a female. He has to want something or he is lying and they are already something. Fuck buddies, fuck! I hope the fuck not. I couldn’t take that. I can take a lot but knowing she actually fucked someone and moved on, I can’t. I’ve been working so hard on myself, struggling with my demons, demons she let back out when she cracked open the cement cage I had them locked up inside of. Only Alex fucking Monroe can make me fall so fucking in love with her pretty, pretty poison. My angel with a devil’s heart.Okay, enough with the brain rambling, Kohen. Go get your girl.

I leave the guest house and walk across the pool area looking at her the whole time. She must feel my gaze because she looks around and then she sees me, making eye contact, and I smirk. Her thighs clench together under the bar and I lick my lips for dramatic effect. She rubs her palms on her thighs and bites that luscious bottom lip. I mouth the wordsI love you,and her cheeks turn pink.

We lose sight of each other as I pass the windows and make my way to the door of the mudroom. I pull it open and she’s there, waiting. I walk right up to her, placing my hand around her throat. She gulps, fire in her eyes as she takes me in. Her breasts rise and fall dramatically as her heart races against my chest.

“Don’t be mad at me, angel,” I demand.

She closes her eyes and opens them slowly. “Why would I be mad?” she questions, her voice breathy.

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