But things weren’t the same, nor would they ever be. The steady pulse of his connection with Heaven was proof. To think it would be stronger if they fully restored their soulmate connection…
She would be his again, like she was created to be.
As if his energy had pulled her from her sleep, she began stirring. Air expanded her lungs. She arched her back, the heat between them fading from the lack of her touch. He waited to see how she’d react to his being there.
He got his wish a moment later. She leaned back, twisting slightly as she peeked at him. Her lips eased upward, then she pressed her forehead to his chest. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
God, he could never get tired of her, would never get tired of waking up next to her, if she chose to do so. How could Dylan walk away from her? Maybe because she wasn’t the perfect angel he painted her to be. She was flawed. She made mistakes. They all had at some point. Her biggest fault was her heart. It led her places she never chose to go. Neither did he. Fate had other plans for them.
He brushed a few locks behind her ear before tilting her chin higher. When he held her attention, he ran his fingers across her cheek. “How did you sleep?”
“I don’t think I moved all night.”
“Me neither, and I always toss and turn.”
He prayed it wasn’t a dream, having her there, knowing why she was there. He never thought he’d be able to claim her as his, nor had he fully, but he could easily do so if she wanted it to be official.
It wouldn’t change the fact they had obstacles to face. She loved Dylan. The pain in her heart didn’t change how she felt. They may not be married, but they had a child—a child she longed to hold—a child he longed to have.
Reality disappointed him. Right or wrong, he wanted her to be his wife, to have his child. It wouldn’t change the way he felt about Adalyn. It wouldn’t affect his ability to protect them. Delia said he would be the most powerful Keeper.
“Where did you go?”
Her voice brought his thoughts back to the present, to the bed they lay in, where their bodies pressed together. She touched his face, cupping his jaw with her slender fingers. As much as he enjoyed the feeling, it couldn’t last.
“I want to stay right here in this position with you forever, but I know we can’t. Just because we know what we mean to each other doesn’t mean we can ride off into the sunset. We have issues to deal with, people to talk to, and most of all, your safety to consider.”
“I know. I just… I want to hide.”
“We can’t. Someone will come looking for you. I don’t know if it will be Dylan, but someone will.”
As if he’d jinxed them, a faint knock came from the front of the apartment. He didn’t try to hide the smirk on his face when Hope’s voice followed.
“Heaven? Are you in here?”
“Shit.” He grumbled the words, pulling the cover further up her body. She hadn’t changed out of the towel he’d wrapped around her. Of all people to come searching for them, it had to be Hope. Guess it was better than Faith, but Hope didn’t like him much either. Yet the only thing he sensed in her at present was concern for her sister.
“I’m in the spare bedroom.”
Once Heaven shouted the words, it didn’t take long for Hope to reach the room. Her eyes fell on her sister, shot to him, and then back to her sister.
“So it’s true?”
Disbelief quaked within her. She would spew seven kinds of shit at any moment and seven more just for sport. But when she patted her chest, the disbelief switched to relief.
“I went to see you at the cottage ten minutes ago. Dylan told me what happened and I started looking for you.”
“If you’ve come to tell me how stupid I am or what a mistake I’ve made, let me save you the time.”
“That’s not why I’m here, Heaven. I was worried you’d left, or someone had found you again.”
Sincerity surged through Hope, which shocked the hell out of him. She didn’t care if her sister had been intimate with him or any of the details involved. Her only concern was Heaven’s safety.
“Can we chat?”
Heaven glanced at him. He couldn’t deny he was any less curious about what Hope had to say. If she expected him to object, she needn’t worry.
Once he nodded, the heat of her body left his. She kept the towel edges from parting as she made it to her feet. She gazed at him one last time, then she moved toward the hallway, tugging her sister along.
The door to Faith’s room shut a moment later. Muffled voices hummed in the distance, but he didn’t focus on what they were saying. He pushed the covers away and stood. Might as well get ready for the day. He had no doubt it would be a long one.
Hope wouldn’t be the only person they encountered. The rest of Heaven’s family would be around, as well as his family. More importantly, he knew he’d have to face Dylan soon enough. Adalyn would be hungry. His friend would have no other choice than to bring her to her mother.
He’d be by her side when Dylan showed up. Nothing would keep him away because the second Dylan said or did anything to hurt her, Layne wouldn’t hesitate in the least to defend what was his.
CHAPTER 26
The weight of her sister’s eyes followed Heaven around the room. Each pulse of her energy said she struggled to grasp everything she’d been told. And she’d been told everything, from how Layne’s life was saved to the lies about the affinity. Hope listened to each word, not passing judgment. The fact she didn’t proved shocking. She’d never hid how much she disliked Layne, especially when she learned he was a Keeper.
Should Hope change her mind and criticize her for what happened, it would be karmic justice. It wasn’t but a few months ago Heaven condemned Faith for her actions with Jerry. She and her youngest sister weren’t much different. She never thought they were, but Faith did and hated her all the same.
“Aren’t you going to tell me what an idiot I am?”
“No,” Hope mumbled. “I don’t think you’re an idiot. I think you were born into a life greater than you expected. You mean a lot to many people, Heaven. You always have.”
“Maybe so, but I lost two of those people last night.”
The dull ache within her threatened to resurface. If it did, it would take her back to the darkness she’d fought last night. The real test would be seeing Dylan and Adalyn. Whenever it happened, it would hurt like hell. Layne needed to be with her when the dreaded moment came. No one else would get her through it.
She needed to figure out how to approach the rest of the day. At some point, she’d have to go back to the cottage, if for no other reason than getting her clothes.
The thought of returning didn’t upset her. It was the questions in her mind. Would Dylan stick around now that she’d broken his heart, or would he return to L.A. and take Adalyn with him?
“Everything will work out, Heaven. Dylan will calm down. There’s no way he will keep your daughter away from you.”
“Why did you come looking for me this morning anyway? Was there something wrong?”
The rhythm of Hope’s vibrations picked up in pace, a good indication she was hiding something. “It’s nothing important. It can wait until another time. Right now, I want to help you.”
“So you needed my help with something?”
Hope hesitated again, but once Heaven cleared her throat, her sister glanced up.
“I need my sister to be my sister and listen to my problems. You have so many of your own, it doesn’t feel right asking you to listen to mine.”
It wasn’t hard to see the anxiety she sensed in her sister. Her lips were pressed so tight that they paled in color.
“My problems aren’t going away anytime soon. If there is something on your mind, tell me what it is.”
Hope leaned against the dresser, gripping the edge with both hands. Her reluctant nod said she’d do as Heaven asked, but there was something else she wanted to say. Something else she felt she needed to say.
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“I owe you the biggest apology, Heaven. I’ve never been fair to you about your connection with Layne. None of it made sense. I’m glad you told me about the affinity, but even if you hadn’t, I want you to know I finally get it. I understand the pull between a Seeker and Keeper is unavoidable.”
It was the last thing Heaven expected to pass over Hope’s lips. While it brought her a significant amount of relief, it also worried her. Hope never changed her mind on anything unless she had proof what she believed wasn’t true. And before she could ask her sister what caused her change of heart, she realized she already knew.
“So my suspicions were right. Garrett Blake is your Keeper, isn’t he?”
Hope’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t deny the truth Heaven spoke. “Yes. Garrett’s my Keeper. From the second I laid eyes on him, I felt this uncontrollable urge to be near him. You always told me about the urge you felt toward Layne, so I knew something was up when it began.”
So had Heaven. No one else seemed to notice the vibes radiating within him every time he looked Hope’s way. They hadn’t noticed how Hope’s changed rhythm either. Heaven almost missed it herself. The shock over seeing Zeke distracted her from sensing them at first.
“Have you mentioned this to Scott?”
“Not yet. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it until last night. Mom and Dad were busy making arrangements for Phillip and Marissa’s arrival. You do know they’re coming, right?” Hope paused long enough for her to nod. “After Scott went upstairs to bed, I went to the den. I couldn’t sleep until I wrapped my head around all the new feelings I was experiencing. Garrett came in later, and we started talking. I swear, Heaven, it’s like I’ve known him my whole life. I feel so comfortable with him, so safe.”
Heaven understood. From the moment she and Layne agreed to be friends, he made her feel safe. She didn’t learn he was her Keeper until weeks later. Even with the distance he placed between them after they learned, she never doubted he’d protect her. He hadn’t proved her wrong.
“I do plan to tell Scott, but I wanted to take time and figure out how I feel about it.”
“And?”
Hope shifted her weight to her other leg. She gazed across the room toward the window, but her thoughts were not on the blue sky in the distance. They were on the question Heaven asked.
“There are no words to describe how I feel about Garrett. It’s similar to the way I feel about Scott, but different. I barely know him, but I feel so protective of him. If Scott gives me the least bit of grief, I swear, I think I’ll deck him.”
A rumble of laughter escaped Heaven’s mouth. Hope frowned, but the tension in her face faded and she laughed too. It felt good to laugh, to breathe, and focus on something positive.
“I can’t imagine how the affinity increased the feelings between you and Layne, but I know he cares a hell of a lot about you. I sense his aura, and he is so pink, Heaven. He’s head over heels in love with you.”
She smiled at the thought, even though the ache in her soul continued to pulse. It reminded her that part of her heart belonged to Dylan. She loved him, would always love him, but it didn’t matter. He made his choice. There was nothing she could do or say to change his mind.
Before she could succumb to the negative thoughts, there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called, not thinking about whether Hope was finished talking.
The door crept open as Layne stepped inside the room. “Hey. I’m going to check the cabinets, see if Faith has any coffee in here. Just wanted you to know where I’ll be.”
He disappeared behind the door before she could object. Guess it was just as well. It seemed as though Hope had more to say. The fact she didn’t mention leaving was a clear indication.
“Was there more you wanted to tell me?”
“Only that I’m sorry this is happening to you, Heaven. It’s not like you had control of what Fate intended. I know Dylan’s hurting right now, but I’m hoping he’ll calm down. If he doesn’t, he isn’t the man I thought he was. Layne is proving to be that man, and I have no doubts he’ll take care of you.”
If that were all she needed to worry about, this whole situation would be a little easier.
“It means a lot to know you understand and support me. After last night, I didn’t think you would, but I don’t know how much it will matter. The prophecy says the love I’m supposed to share with Dylan will save mankind. He hates me, Hope. I’ve not only ruined his life, I’ve damned humanity.”
“I don’t believe that for a second, Heaven. You just explained how Layne is your original soulmate. What if it’s the love you share with him that will save us.”
She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought the same. She hoped it was true, because anything else meant she’d failed on her mission to save everyone she loved. It meant she’d failed the mission she was created for.
So much had changed in just a few months. It seemed like yesterday they were at the cabin, waiting for Adalyn’s arrival. Now she worried if she’d ever see her daughter again. The thought of losing her was unbearable.
Tears formed. When a few fell, she swiped them away and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She studied her belly as she remembered Adalyn’s kicks, flips, even her hiccups. She missed feeling her daughter’s movements.
Heat filled her cheeks, heat that stemmed from the conversation she and Layne shared last night. Could it be possible?
“Heaven? Is something wrong?”
Hope’s voice filtered through her thoughts, but she paid her little attention. Instead, she touched her fingertips to her stomach. A wave of curiosity spun through her.
“I uh… How soon can you get pregnant after having a baby?”
A perfect ‘o’ formed on Hope’s lips. “Oh… Um… I think, right away, especially if your periods return. Is there a chance—?”
“Yeah.”
“And it would be…?”
“Layne’s.”
So it was possible. Layne’s child could be growing inside her at this moment. The thought scared her, but at the same time, it lightened her heart.
When she looked at her sister, she parted her lips to say more, but the figure standing in the doorway stole all thoughts from her mind. She didn’t know how long Dylan had been standing there or how long he’d been listening. Had he heard their conversation?
“What are you doing here?” Hope asked the question, even though it was on the tip of Heaven’s tongue. Her sister was just as worried about whether Dylan had heard them.
The hardness that appeared on his face last night remained. He stepped further into the room until he could look past Hope toward her. His eyes trailed down her body, hesitating on the hand she pressed to her stomach, before moving back to her face.
“Can I speak with you? Alone?”
His question caught her off guard. For the first time in a year, she couldn’t read him, not even his body language. His energy had a rhythm, but no emotion fed their connection. It was as if a shell of a man stood before her, and his shell contained a shattered soul.
Hope stayed close to her as she observed Dylan. “Before my sister answers your question, I have one for you. Have you calmed down enough to talk to her?”
“I know you’re trying to protect her Hope, but this is between me and Heaven.”
Gruffness returned to his voice. It reminded her of the hateful words he’d spewed in her direction the night before. Then a deeper voice boomed from the doorway, a voice that eased the tension in her body.
“Is it Heaven you really want to talk to, or is it me you’re looking for?” Layne entered the room, glaring at his former best friend. “I know you want to kick my ass, so if you’ve come here looking for a fight, I’ll happily oblige you.”
“Maybe I should take you up on that. You need someone to teach you respect. A good old-fashion ass whipping should do.”
“Bring it, bro. If anyone needs a lesson in respect, it’s you. By the way, I’ll be damned if
you keep Adalyn from her mother. Quit telling Heaven her daughter doesn’t want her around.”
“Maybe it’s you she doesn’t want around.”
“Both of you stop,” she snapped. “This fighting is going to end, today. I refuse to deal with it.”
The energy in the room spun. A mixture of anger, hostility, and guilt proved more than she could handle. The only way they could move past any of this would depend on one conversation, no matter how much she might dread it.
“Dylan and I need to talk. Could we please have some privacy?”
She worried Layne would argue his way into staying, but he didn’t. He sneered at Dylan once more then motioned for Hope to join him. As much as her sister didn’t want to, she complied, but Dylan called to her before she reached the door.
“Would you mind going to the cottage to watch Adalyn? She’s sleeping in her crib.”
“Sure. I’ll go keep an eye on my niece,” Hope answered as she bypassed Layne on her way through the door.
Heaven sensed his concern. He wanted to be by her side for moral support, but she had to do this alone. Whatever Dylan had to say, she had to face it.
“I’ll be in the kitchen.” He shot Dylan one more glare, then looked her way. “Yell if you need anything.”
Layne closed the door behind him. Almost. He left it slightly ajar, for no other reason than to hear her if she yelled for him. It wasn’t as if he needed to hear her voice. She could send him desperate vibes through their connection a lot quicker.
When the sound of his footsteps disappeared, she sensed Dylan watching her. This was the conversation she feared most. Though she didn’t feel as heartbroken as she did last night, he could utter a few words and she’d be back in the same emotional mess in which Layne found her.
“Please,” she began, clearing the thickness from her throat. “Say what you need to say and then leave. I don’t have the strength to fight with you.”
“I already told you, I’m not here to hurt you.” His voice rose, but he stopped what he was saying and took a deep breath. “I’m here because… Look, I know I shouldn’t have said what I did about Adalyn. You hurt me, and I wanted you to hurt too. I used your love for our daughter against you because I knew you would always love her, even if you didn’t love me anymore.”