Page 46 of Ruler

Liam growls angrily. “That’s some fucked up shit, doc. Who the hell are all you people to play with anyone like this?”

“I have to agree,” Gus spits. “This doesn’t sound like something my dad would come up with.”

A part of me wants to laugh at the denial. This sounds exactly like a plan worthy of Nikolaos the Ruthless. I know he cared in his own way, and yeah, it’s possible this was the last way he could think of to protect me and Gus. But shit… wouldn’t it have been better if we knew? And what if the kid was Liam’s? I can’t help wondering if my protection would extend to him.

“Why didn’t you tell her?” Kai asks, sounding like he barely cares.

Oh gods, is he angry with me? Is that why he sounds like this barely bothers him?

“I had my orders, Ruler,” Abel says.

Even though I know it’s important, I can’t stand sitting here talking about anything but what’s really important. Why is no one asking about the pregnancy? Don’t they want to know? Because I do. More than anything, I need more info about the life that was growing inside me—the one that paid the ultimate price for my negligence.

“How far along was I?” I ask around a sob.

“Shh, Cia. It doesn’t matter,” Gus whispers. Crouching in front of me, he runs his hand up and down my arm.

I shuffle around until I can see him, then I shoot a glare in his direction. “It matters to me,” I hiss. I know he means well, but dammit.

Abel clears his throat, not speaking until I turn my head towards him. “The normal rule of thumb doesn’t seem to apply here—”

“What’s the normal rule?” Liam asks, interrupting.

Kai asks his own question at the same time. “Why the fuck not?”

Ignoring my outburst, Gus also pipes up. “Is Cia okay? That’s all that fucking matters.”

My heart breaks a little at his words. How can he say that, let alone think it?

Abel doesn’t acknowledge the questions before he continues his explanation unperturbed. “I would have to do a vaginal scan to know anything for certain. However, based on her discharge and what you described when I arrived, I don’t know what else it could be.”

I don’t need a scan to know his suspicions are correct, I can feel the truth of his words in my soul. It’s the only thing that makes sense, and it explains why I’m feeling like a part of me is dying.

“Do it,” I cry. “If that’s the only way to know, I want you to.”

With a sharp nod, Abel walks over to the door. After opening it, he calls to someone out there, someone I can’t see.

“You’re not taking agápi anywhere,” Liam snarls.

I tense, readying myself for having to move. I’ll do anything to get some answers, even pull myself from this bed.

“That won’t be necessary. I have my equipment with me, and my guards are fetching it as we speak,” Abel calmly replies. Turning to me, he excuses himself before disappearing through the bedroom door.

As soon as we’re alone, Liam, Kai, and Gus move closer. Each of them touching a part of me while expressing their regret for my loss. They have no way of knowing how much their words sting. It’s not my loss, it’s ours—yet none of them acknowledges that, and it hurts my heart.

Closing my eyes, I picture a small boy with Gus’ amazingly blue eyes and blond hair. The picture changes, and now the boy has Liam’s black hair and amber eyes. Then that version morphs into someone with Kai’s dark brown tresses and green eyes.

Every version is beautiful and perfect, even the pictures of little girls matching the hair and eyes of each of my guys. Before I can pull myself together, a wail is ripped from my throat. The heartache is crippling.

“You have to give her something for the pain,” Kai begs when Abel comes back into the bedroom.

Three guys follow him, and I’m not surprised to see the wyvern on their shoulders. I can’t focus on that now, so I squeeze my eyes shut while they go about setting up Abel’s equipment.

“Please, doc,” Gus says in a broken voice when Abel doesn’t answer Kai.

“I can give her something once I’m done with the scan,” Abel says.

Shaking my head, I try to decline, but sobs keep stealing my voice. “N-no,” I wail as another lance of pain shoots through me. “I-I d-deserve the p-pain,” I hiccup.

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