Page 72 of Black Mark's Heart

Darius put a supporting arm across my back and helped me out to his car. While Darius drove down the driveway, I plugged the coordinates into the satellite navigation system so I wouldn't need to direct him to the hospital.

"Mora, can we talk while we drive?"

"You talk. I'm busy," I cringed on the next contraction. I looked at the clock. "Shit, she takes after you. Impatient to get out."

"She?" Darius asked, surprised.

"It's a girl," I gritted my teeth through the longest contraction yet.

"Lynwood is now part of Blake Industries," Darius talked quickly while we drove. "I'm still running the company, but I'm just an employee now."

"That's nice." I gripped his thigh with my hand.

"So we can either move back to England..."

"I'm not fucking returning to England," I yelled as the contraction finally subsided.

Darius's eyes widened. "Or Marshall has agreed to move Lynwood here to Edinburgh and I can run it from here."

"You are presuming I am going to let you back in my life," I sighed, relieved to have no pain for a moment.

"I don't give a shit if you let me back in, Mora," Darius growled. "I've known where you've been for a month now. I've already been looking at places to live and possible locations for the office. If my kids are here, then so am I."

"Okay," I panted as the next contraction kicked in.

"Aren't you meant to do breathing..." Darius started.

I gripped his thigh. "Screw that. Drive faster, she's in a hurry."

Darius shifted gear and we picked up speed. The only comfort I took was that Darius was from this part of the world and actually knew the roads well.

"I want us to be a family, Mora," Darius kept talking. "Can you at least consider it?"

I looked at him, exasperated. "Kind of busy right now, Dare, something much bigger than your monster of a cock is trying to push its way out of me."

Darius cringed. "Okay. Yeah, I can see how you might be distracted." I widened my eyes, glaring at him. "I'm renting a place in Edinburgh until you let me know what you want to do, Mora. I'm not going anywhere. That's all I want you to know."

Darius hit the brakes, dropped gears, and spun the wheel all at the same time. We swung wildly into the hospital grounds and he drove me up to the door. With a firm, gentle hand, Darius disengaged my claws from his thigh and then jumped out, running around the car to help me out.

Not even fifteen minutes later, I was gritting my teeth to stop me from screaming as I pushed our daughter into the world. I'd already crowned before I even got inside. Daddy’s little princess was in such a hurry to get out, it literally took all of three pushes and she was here.

Darius held my hand, kissed my forehead, and encouraged me through it. He didn't even wince when I heard his hand crack under the pressure of my grip. While they did all the post birth checks, Darius wiped my forehead with a cool washcloth, then kissed my mouth tenderly.

"I love you, Mora," he murmured. "You've given me your heart, your body, and two beautiful parts of our souls joined together for eternity."

I touched his cheek. "You chose me, finally," I whispered.

Darius nodded. "I'm sorry I took so long to realize I was nothing without you, Mora." He kissed me again. "My sky was so dark and empty without you shining brightly within it."

"Don't ever hurt me like that again, Dare," I sighed and sat back to rest.

The crying stopped and the nurse approached with a little bundle of pink. "Congratulations, Mora. She's perfectly healthy."

I took my little girl and popped her straight on to my breast. Darius watched with the largest grin on his face. He touched her head gently and his eyes lit up. "Only two more, Mora, and our family is complete."

I glared at him. "You bring the monster anywhere near me, this will be your last child."

Darius chuckled, "Give it two months, you'll be begging me to bring the monster near you."

"Well, he better be wearing a raincoat when he does," I grimaced. "I'm taking a break from the breeding fields for at least two years."

Darius frowned. "Or you could take contraception."

"Selfish son of a..." I muttered under my breath. My arms full of baby were the only reason he didn't cop a mouthful of my fist.

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