Divided Souls (Captured Miracle #3) (11 page)
“I’m sorry.” I whispered again and this time I felt my eyes welling with tears. “I didn’t know.”
“I know.” He sighed. “I should have expected this when I originally heard you contacted Gabriella through a disposable pre-paid phone.”
I blushed at my obvious stupidity, but honestly, who actually knew anything about making untraceable phone calls?
“I didn’t think it would be traceable.”
“Under normal circumstances, it probably wouldn’t.” He announced, obviously trying to make me feel better. “But your father has connections most don’t have. It’s only a matter of time.”
Again, my eyes misted. “I’m sorry.”
He pulled me into his chest. “I’ll - we will figure it out, Nova. Day by day, we will figure it all out.”
“Thank you, Calix. I’m so sor,”
He cut me off. “Enough. I don’t want to hear you apologize again.”
“But it’s my fault.”
“No, it’s mine.” He lifted my chin to force me to meet his eyes. “I should never have let you go. If I had fought for you, you never would have had to fight to get back to me.”
The tears I’d been holding back finally fell. The strangled sound of his moan as he bent his head to kiss away my tears was a sound I knew I wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
***
I listened to the ringing filling the room from the speaker on the disposable phone Neil had acquired with remarkable speed. I was sitting on the couch, and Calix was pacing the floor of the living room. I could hear him moving, but I couldn’t bring myself to look up at him. I knew he was stressed, and I was stressed, and I knew that if I saw his stress, mine would skyrocket. I feared what that would do to me - so I didn’t look up at him as I waited for Jaylah to answer the phone.
Just as I reached out to press the off button on the phone, Jaylah’s voice flooded the space. “Hello?”
“Jay, it’s me,”
“Nova!” A cry sounded in her voice. “Are you alright? Are you with him? Are you safe and well?”
“Yes to everything.”
“Oh thank God!”
“Jaylah, I need you to listen. We can’t talk long, calls are traceable and I can’t risk Dad finding us yet. We need help.”
“Help?” She gasped. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I assured. “We just,” I paused. “I need you to convince Dad that Calix is right for me. I need you to convince him that he needs to let me go, okay? Because as soon as he accepts him, I can be free. As soon as he accepts Calix and me and the baby, I can see you all again.”
“But, he won’t.”
“Convince him.” I pleaded. “Please try, Jay.”
“O-kay.” I could picture her nodding. “How is the baby?”
“Good.” I felt tears slipping from my eyes. “I have to go and I don’t know when I’ll call again. But please, Jay, please try for me.”
“I promise.” She breathed. “I love you.”
“Love you.” I whispered. And then I disconnected the call.
It’s been a week since I last spoke with Jaylah. For the first few days after I’d talked to her, Calix had spent hours in his office with Neil, as I baked.
And baked.
And baked.
At the house in Alberta, I’d tended to sit with him in his office while he worked, but Neil had never accompanied him in his office there, or I probably wouldn’t have joined at that time either. To be honest, I didn’t have it in me to sit in his office and listen to the men bicker and worry over what couldn’t be changed. There would come a time when my father would find me - and we would have to face him. To be honest, I trusted that Jaylah was doing her best in trying to assure my father that I loved Calix - and that he was no harm to me.
So, instead of wasting all my energy worrying over what couldn’t be changed, I baked. And then I enjoyed my baking. I was pretty sure, by the amount of butter tarts with raisins that I ate, our baby was going to have one hell of a sweet tooth.
This morning, I’d done a bunch of baking, but now at only 9:30 a.m. I was tired. I was thinking of curling up on the sofa with a blanket for a nap when Calix swung open the door of his office. His eyes landed on the sheets of white chocolate macaroon cookies I had cooling on the counter before a frown tugged at his brow and he looked at me.
I squeaked. “Hey.”
“How are you feeling?” He moved quickly to sit on the end of the couch, beside my feet. Picking them up into his lap, I moaned as his wonderful fingers started working the tired bottoms of my feet. “You look tired.”
“Baking is tough work.” I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the armrest. “That feels so good.”
“Maybe you should stop baking so much.” Calix proposed.
“I can’t.” My eyes popped open and I glared at him. “I have nothing else to do. I’m going stir crazy and I need an outlet - baking gives that to me.” I caught sight of Neil walking from the office with a tablet under his arm. “Take a plate of cookies with you, Neil.” I called and he paused to raise a brow at me.
“Are you trying to make me fat, Mrs. McKnight?”
I snorted, “Better you than me!”
“I disagree.” Neil shook his head, but like a good boy, he assembled a plate of cookies before walking from the room. Pausing at the front door, he called to Calix. “I will see you later?”
“Yes.” Calix nodded.
As soon as the door clicked closed, I groaned. “You’re working later tonight too?” I knew I was whining and it was unbecoming and childish, but seriously, I was losing my mind being caged within the house. Calix wasn’t okay with me wandering off without him on the island, so while he worked, I was practically chained to the house. “I can’t bake more today, Calix. Please, can you just take the night off?”
I watched the corner of his lips lift into a grin. “I thought we would both take the night off?”
“Oh,” I straightened a little on the couch - but not so much that I pulled my feet away from his delicious massage. “What are you seeing Neil again tonight for then?”
“I thought maybe you’d like to go into town for a late lunch, early dinner?” His eyes were trained on my face, obviously expecting to see a reaction of pure excitement - and I didn’t disappoint.
My scream of delighted excitement was so shrill I was surprised that he didn’t cringe. No longer feeling tired, I jumped up and dove into his lap. Kissing him fervently, I announced. “Yes!” Before asking. “Really?” And then I decided that I didn’t want to give him the chance to back out, so I giggled again. “Yes! Absolutely, I want to go for dinner.” When I pulled back from kissing and talking to his lips, he was grinning from ear to ear. “I have to go get ready.”
“Love,” his large hands gripped my waist, keeping me prisoner in his stronghold. “Were you not about to lay down for a nap?”
“I was,” I shrugged. “But I’m not tired anymore.”
“I think you should have a nap. When you wake up, I promise we will go into town.”
“But,” I stammered. “I want to get pretty.”
His eyes softened and he leaned forward to kiss the tip of my nose. “You’re always pretty, Nova.”
I frowned, whining. “Calix.”
“No nap, no going into town.” He stated firmly and I glared. “Final offer.”
Grunting under my breath, I climbed from his lap to sink down onto the couch. “Fine.” I snatched my blanket from where it’d fallen onto his lap. “Only for an hour and then you have to wake me, promise?”
He grinned. “I promise.”
I snuggled into the couch before replacing my feet into his lap. “But my feet still need to be rubbed.”
His deep chuckle followed me into heavenly sleep as his fingers set to working on my slightly swollen, pregnant feet.
***
“Did you seriously not order me any heeled boots?” I huffed at Calix from the deep confines of the closet where the shoes had been positioned on the rack.
He was waiting for me by the closet entrance, leaning against the frame with one foot crossed lazily over the other. After I’d taken almost an hour and a half, and tried on nearly fifteen outfits, I’d settled on a pair of dark stretchy jeans and a white long sleeved knit sweater. Risking my snapper-gaze, Calix had pointed out that it was the third outfit I had tried on. I hadn’t seen the comment as one fit for a reply, so I’d ignored it.
“Nova, you’re pregnant.” He replied exasperatedly. “You’re not wearing heels.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “Tons of women who are pregnant wear heels.”
“Not my woman.”
I made a gurgling sound reminiscent of frustration in the back of my throat. “You’re killing me.”
“No, heels could kill you. I’m saving you.”
The snapper-gaze was darting toward him full force, but he didn’t seem even remotely affected. “Wear the brown leather ones.” He pointed to the pair of boots I’d been considering, but I didn’t want him to be right in this instance, so like a child, I indignantly chose a pair of flat black suede, dressy boots.
Shoving my feet into the boots, I stood and grunted. “The brown ones don’t go with this outfit.”
He nodded and I knew by the light in his eyes, that he was appeasing me. “Of course, love.”
I didn’t know if it was hormones, or what, but I was pissy about his quick agreement. Shaking my head, I walked from the closet into the bathroom. Catching sight of myself in the mirror, I stopped dead in my tracks and felt my eyes grow wide.
Before I knew it, tears were filling my eyes and running down my cheeks. I heard Calix behind me, as he gathered me in his arms. “Why are you crying?”
“I have a bump.” I pointed to my belly.
“Nova, that is our baby, don’t you dare say you look fat.” He growled and I felt my body shake harder as laughter joined with my tears.
“I wasn’t going to say I was fat - it’s just - this is the first time I’ve noticed.”
His eyes softened in the mirror and he turned me to face him. Wiping away my tears, he bent his head to press a soft kiss to my lips. “I’ve noticed for a while now. It’s beautiful, knowing our baby is growing inside you.”
“I love you.” I stood up onto my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck. “But please, take me to dinner.”
***
By the time we were seated in the quaint restaurant, it was just past 2:00 p.m. and I was famished. Sunset in Sitka Alaska during the month of December was somewhere around 3:30 p.m. and I knew Calix was firm about not being out past sunset. We had a bit of a boat ride back to the island, and I had no desire to make it in the dark either. The restaurant was a small Italian place, that as soon as I walked in, I smelled the mouth-watering aroma of garlic bread.
We were seated in a booth in the far left corner of the restaurant at Calix’s request and as we waited on our server, I couldn’t help but be reminded of our honeymoon. Dining in public with Calix had only ever happened on the day I’d been taken and while we’d vacationed in Greece. Being with Calix in public, and feeling the kind of freedom that came with being out with my husband, was a little like an aphrodisiac. I mean, I know that’s silly and probably not at all the reality of it, but honestly, looking at his handsome face from across the table, and feeling proud that I’m the woman sitting across from him, was a little bit - or a lot - of a turn on.
Flipping open the menu, I tried to cool the blush in my cheeks as I compared being in public with my husband to an aphrodisiac. Maybe pregnancy hormones really were affecting me, because lord knew I wasn’t making a lick of sense.
Calix leaned into the table and when he spoke, his voice was deep and low. “You’re blushing.”
Thank you Captain Obvious.
I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, effectively ignoring him, as I scanned the list of pastas. I heard him chuckle lowly as he settled back into his chair. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was looking at me - or staring at me. I could
feel
his eyes on me, drinking me in, as I struggled to keep mine from flickering up at him.
By the time our waitress stopped by our table, I was blushing so deep and hot, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d called for the fire department. Okay, maybe I was being a little dramatic - but I was hot with a capital H!
“Welcome,” she grinned at Calix before taking me in, inch by measurable inch. “What can I get for you?”
Calix looked at me and I took that as my hint. “I’d like a sweetened iced tea and the lasagna with meat sauce, please.”
Calix raised a brow before he ordered some fancy kind of angel haired pasta I’m not even going to try to pronounce, and a glass of unsweetened iced tea, before clearly dismissing the young waitress who was trying in vain to tell him how decadent the pasta he’d chosen was.
When she’d walked away with our menus, I no longer had something to hide behind, and I felt my skin flush pink once again. I watched the corner of his lip lift in an easy smile. “Why are you blushing, love?”
I shrugged. “It’s just a little hot in here.”
“Is it?” He never even once removed his eyes from me. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Maybe if you’d stop staring at me,” I leaned into the table to hiss at him. “I wouldn’t feel so hot.”
He leaned into the table too. “Is my staring making you hot, love?”
I gulped. “Maybe.”
He grinned. “You’re beautiful when you blush.”
“And you’re beautiful always.”
“Have we not discussed this, Nova? A man doesn’t like to be called beautiful.”
“Oh yes, pardon me I forgot.” I teased. “Gorgeous.”
“Delicious?” He countered playfully and my belly tightened.
“So delicious.” I breathed, watching in fascination as his cerulean eyes sparked with a new kind of heat that gave a whole new meaning to desire.
“Keep it up and I’ll be taking you home.” He dared.
I shook my head. “Oh no, you wouldn’t deny our baby his lasagna, would you?”
He chuckled with a miniscule shake of his head. “I don’t think I can deny you or our baby much, love.”
I smiled. “We love you.”
His breath caught before he replied breathlessly. “I am a lucky man.”
Before returning home from our date on the town, I’d demanded - or insisted, on stopping by the convenience store for salt and vinegar chips and cream soda. Calix had laughingly teased me about pregnancy cravings, and that if I wasn’t careful, our baby just might be born pink. I snorted as I hugged my bottle of cream soda in my lap the whole way back to the island while Neil driven the boat. The other man, who I couldn’t remember his name, had remained back at the house to ensure no one uninvited ventured onto the island while we were away.