Page 49 of Black Mark's Heart

"We'll see you next weekend for dinner?" Zander checked. He'd been trying to organize another group dinner with his girlfriend for a few weeks, but I'd been dodging them since the first. Perhaps I needed to give Sally another chance.

"Of course," I assured. "It's in my diary this time."

"I'll see you at the hotel," Cassandra excused herself, walking off to speak to family members.

I farewelled my friends, then went to find Marshall, who was currently in possession of Jacob. I found him talking to Darius and Jeremy. I hesitated approaching, fearing the topic of conversation would be me.

"Mora." Alex slipped his arm around my waist with a smile. "It's a nice church and the priest did an excellent job with the service."

"Yes, he did," I agreed, letting myself relax against Alex. "It was nice of Cassandra and Jeremy to let me piggyback Ashelynn's christening."

"I think Jeremy and Cassandra would do a lot to help you, Mora. You must have made one hell of an impression on them."

I shrugged, "I just eat good pussy."

Alex laughed. "I miss you. We don't spend enough time together anymore."

"Well, you are now running a Fortune 500 company. You are living with your girlfriend, and I'm a few weeks away from a three-week long tour, which could potentially be a huge success or a massive flop."

Alex kissed my forehead. "Let's have dinner after you get back, just you and I?"

I smiled. "I'd like that." I stood up straight when Dad's phone rang and he forced Jacob into Darius's arms to hold while he answered. Jeremy was holding Ashelynn, so Darius had no choice but to assist.

"Alex, go get the photographer and get him to take a photo of Jeremy and Darius with the babies please?"

"Opportunist," Alex chuckled and walked off.

I stood there watching while Darius quickly overcame the awkwardness of the situation and started talking to Jacob. I watched as Jacob put his hand to Darius's face and called him dada again.

Jeremy and Marshall both stopped and stared, and then looked around to see if anyone else had heard. Dad spotted me and his face fell. I tried to discreetly wipe the tear that had escaped as Jacob called Darius his dad again.

"He keeps calling me that," Darius considered. "Maybe he's trying to say my name."

The photographer walked up and took a photo of Darius and Jacob; Jacob face to face with Darius, both of them smiling at each other. "That's a great father and son shot. Let's get the two dads together now," the photographer complimented.

"What?" Darius asked, surprised.

Jeremy stepped up beside him with Ashelynn, and the photographer took the photo while Darius was still fumbling over what he'd just been called.

"Wonderful! Shall we get the mothers in the photos?"

Darius looked around for me while Jeremy called Cassandra over. "Maybe later," Darius excused himself and made his way over to me. There was no hiding I'd shed a few tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't intend for that to happen," he apologized, handing Jacob back to me.

"Not your fault. People would just naturally presume it." I took Jacob, settling him on my hip.

Darius looked around. There were members of the Fehu here, and I had no doubt his talking to me would not go unnoticed. "What room are you in?"

"Sixteen twenty-seven," I murmured.

"We'll talk tonight." Darius turned to go, but stopped as another body approached.

Dr. Lennon Brooks, the psychologist I met at my father’s, who pissed me off in two quick sentences, stepped up to us. "Darius. Mora," Brooks greeted. "It's good to see you two are able to be cordial towards each other again."

"There is no reason for us to be anything else," Darius responded unhappily.

Brooks stepped towards myself and reached out to touch Jacob. I automatically shifted my hip, moving Jacob out of reach. Brooks snickered. "Come now, Mora, I'm not going to hurt him. He does look like his father, doesn't he?"

Darius's jaw fell open. "Wait, you know who the father is?"

---