Page 41 of Fighting For Light
“She told you?” he asks. I take a deep breath, trying to get my jaw to unclench.
“Yes. Talk to Liam,” I say.
“Is she with you now?” he asks.
“Yeah, but I’m leaving her hotel now,” I say as the valet pulls up the car. The attendant hops out of the driver’s seat and runs around to open the door for Cordelia. “She’s going to stay on the road with us for a few days.”
“Got it, talk soon,” he grunts out and hangs up. I get Cordelia into the car, close the door behind her, and slip the attendant a fifty before driving off.
I knew sooner or later, especially when election season started, Fred would pop his head up. He was a shoo-in last election, but now he has competition. We’ve been paying close attention to his movement, and our father is not a patient man. The last few times have been warnings.
I glance at Cordelia as she looks out the window. I realize this goes against all the things I’ve told myself about why Cordi and I couldn’t be together. But that was then, and this is now. I know I can keep her safe against any and all odds, but Cordi needs to know. She can’t marry me without knowing everything.
21
Cordelia
Kai’s large, warm handrubs my back, waking me up from a deep, dreamless sleep. I groan and roll over to find him already dressed and looking at me with excitement in his eyes. “Why are you waking me up?” I grumble and close my eyes again. He chuckles and rubs the corner of my mouth, where I’m pretty sure drool was a minute ago.
“You’re so cranky in the morning,” he says. I open my eyes to glare at him, but he smiles at me.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“Almost six.”
“Now you’re pissing me off.” He chuckles, leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. He’s always so gentle with me. Even though most of the time, I just want him to throw me around a little. I sigh and rub my stomach. We can’t do that now, but … I blink and look up at him. “Why are you waking me up before six in the morning?”
“I want to take you on a ride,” he says.
“Kai,” I groan.
His dark chuckle sends goosebumps over my arms.
“Say my name like that again, gem, and this will turn into a very different morning.”
I perk up at that and sit up on my elbows. He raises his eyebrows and smiles devilishly. “Don’t start with me, Kai. You know I—“
He stops my words with another kiss and pulls back slightly. “Get on a pair of jeans and a shirt, and meet me outside in five,” he commands. He then stands and leaves the trailer.
“I guess it’s time to get up,” I mumble to myself.
After I get dressed as Kai specified, I find him a few feet away from the door, leaning against his bike with his arms crossed. I wish I could snap a picture of that because I could stare at him like this forever. I rub my stomach mindlessly. I’m a little bigger now, and getting on this bike makes me even more nervous but also excited.
“We’re just going a block or two, I promise,” he says, holding out the helmet to pull it over my head. He buckles the chin strap, then does his own.
We get on the bike, and I hold on to him as tightly as I can. He drives us a few blocks down the dark street to an entrance to the beach.
Kai helps me off the bike but touches my stomach for a moment before he lets go and leads us down the beach. Candles and a blanket are laid out on the empty shore. My heart thumps in my chest while butterflies riot in my stomach. I look out over the water as the sky comes to life with a light purple coloring, and the beautiful ocean breeze fills my lungs.
“What is this?” I ask him. His hand squeezes mine as he reaches for the other, helping me to sit down. I’m not so big that I can’t sit on my own, but I like how he’s always wanting to help or touch me. When you go from pining for each other for over a decade and then suddenly allowed to touch each other, it becomes a craving, an addiction. I don’t think we will beable to get enough until we finally give in to the sexual tension accelerating between us. I’m just waiting for him at this point. There’s a reason he’s waiting, though. I figured out last night that I need to trust that he has his reasons. Kai Coldwell does very few things without reason.
He lays down next to me, leaning on his side with his elbow propping him up.
“The sun is coming up,” I say, lifting my chin toward the ocean. The dark blue waves are starting to lighten with the reflection of the sun. He nods and keeps staring at me. “You didn’t answer my question,” I rasp.
He grins, looking up at me. I lay back, and his other hand palms my cheek and traces my lips with his thumb. “You are so beautiful,” he says. I swear my chest got tighter as the speed of my heart increases.
My hands go to my stomach, and I rub it nervously. I’ve caught myself doing that more and more. It soothes me, and I think it may calm the baby, too. “When did you do all of this?” I ask him.
