Page 32 of Black Mark's Heart

Instantly followed by,

Please? I need you.

I held back the tears I felt ready to fall. I wanted him to be here.

I'm sorry. I can't. It's more than I can handle.

Several minutes passed and I thought he wouldn't respond.

Next week at the Halloween Ball? Just one dance?

I swallowed the sob that caught in my throat as I caressed my belly.

I won't be there. I'm sorry Dare, it is better this way. I just needed you to know, it's always going to be you.

I put my phone aside and closed my eyes. I started feeling the need to push and went with it. I was all about listening to my body and happy to accommodate.

"Guess who we just saw?" Zander smiled, coming in the door with Sophie. Sophie looked ready to burst with happiness.

"If you say Dare is out there visiting a friend, I'm going to scream," I groaned. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he turned up right at this moment.

"Not tonight," Zander frowned. "Tomorrow, possibly. Cassandra went into labor an hour ago. Jeremy and her just arrived at the hospital. It looks like you two are racing each other."

I smiled gratefully, "Perhaps we can get a room together."

Zander's smile dropped and he rubbed an anxious palm through his hair. "Dare has come to see them after every baby was born, Mora. It's probably not a good idea to share a room with Cassandra."

I swallowed and nodded. "Do me a favor? If I try to call him or demand you call him when this starts, stop me."

Sophie sat beside me on the bed and put her hand on my belly. "You are going to be way too focused to care about Dare when this starts, Mora. Don't fret about him; just think positive thoughts of welcoming your son into the world."

I nodded and went back to caressing my stomach. The sensation to push passed over me again, so I pushed, then relaxed back, closing my eyes while Sophie picked up my phone to put some music on for me.

"You messaged him already?" Sophie frowned at me. She held out the phone to show Zander the string of messages and Darius's final reply.

I still love you too. Please let me see you?

Zander read the messages and took my hand in his. "You wanted him to know he was still in your heart while you went through this."

Sophie exhaled, "I could call him. Ask him to come down?"

I shook my head, "No, he made his choice."

I was glad I didn't give in. Two hours later when the nurse came to check on me, I was fully dilated and already crowned. The nurse called my obstetrician in - she'd been in with Cassandra, who wasn't quite as far along - and once my obstetrician was settled, she told me to start pushing.

I was proud. I didn't scream once, not even when the baby got his broad shoulders stuck on my pelvic bone and they had to reach in and turn him to get him out. Thirty-three minutes of pushing and panting later, I was holding my baby boy to my chest and giving him his first feed.

Sophie and Zander stood there smiling at me like the wind changed and they couldn't change expressions.

"He's gorgeous," Sophie cooed.

"Beautiful like his mother," Zander nodded.

"Please!" I murmured happily. "His father is a demi-god. As if he was ever going to be anything other than gorgeous." I smiled while Jacob sucked at my breast, making happy sounds. "I love your daddy so much, but I'm going to love you even more, Jacob Blake Rafal."

***

"Knock knock," Jeremy smiled, walking in holding Ashelynn, his new daughter. "I should be disappointed. I just left my wife to get some sleep after finishing a feed, only to walk in on my mistress breastfeeding her baby."

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