Of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (20 page)

As soon as the door was closed, Eli pounced. “She contacted you didn’t she?”

Jericho nodded and then shook his head. “Well, not directly. But I’m going to be seeing her tonight.” He thought his heart was going to crack from being too full as he thought about finally seeing her face again. Holding her. Kissing her. Loving her.

Eli sighed resignedly. “Do whatchya gotta do, man. God, I don’t know how I’m going to explain how she didn’t die to everyone if you bring her back.”

Even the possibility had his grin widening. He ran to his room to pack. Two hours later he was at the airport, and a quick five-hour flight later, he was back in Southern California driving his rental car to the address of the house he’d purchased for Dahlia, Gabriel, and Esperanza.

She was waiting for him when he got there. The truck he’d bought sat in the driveway, and she was sitting on the porch swing, pushing back and forth agitatedly. When she spotted him pulling up to the curb, she launched from her seat and stormed in his direction.

And all of Jericho’s hope fizzled. Shit. He wasn’t here because she wanted him; he was here because he was in trouble.

How was he going to go back to his life after this? After seeing her again? After the hope he’d had that they would finally be together?

His legs weighed hundreds of pounds as he forced himself to leave the cocoon of his car, still perfumed with hope. He took one step onto the lawn, and she pitched something at him. He caught it instinctively right before it hit his chest, and then he opened his palm.

Keys. If he had one guess, he would say keys to her new house that he’d had left for her in her new mailbox.

“I know you know, Jericho, so cut the shit,” she yelled on a huff.

Jericho froze. What was it that he knew? Possibilities flew through Jericho’s mind. Did she have a man? His heart plummeted. “Where is he?” Jericho forced himself to ask. God help him, if this man wasn’t worthy of Dahlia, Jericho was going to — what? Kill him. He didn’t laugh at the thought, which only worried him more.

“Gabriel isn’t here,” she snapped.

“I’m not talking about Gabriel, and you know it,” he said softly.

“I don’t know if it’s a boy yet, Jericho. God.”

Jericho’s knees felt wobbly. Had he heard that right? Could the thing he was supposed to know all about be a baby? “Dahlia,” he began, licking his suddenly dry lips. “Sweetheart, are you … pregnant?”

She froze like a deer in the headlights. “Oh God,” she said and closed her eyes. “You didn’t know.” They were silent for several seconds, each embroiled in their own thoughts, and then she opened her eyes. “You didn’t know?”

Jericho managed to nod once, and then he fell to his knees, clutched Dahlia’s hips and dragged her forward so he could bury his face in her stomach. “My baby,” he whispered against her, not sure which of the beings he currently held he was talking about.

He felt her fingers in his hair, and he rubbed his face back and forth against Dahlia’s dress, thrilled at the slight bulge he felt there.

“If you didn’t know, why did you send — ” She drifted off.

He drew back from her warmth and smiled up at her radiantly. “I wanted you to be happy. I couldn’t be here with you to make sure that happened, so I did the only thing I could. I tried to make life easier for you.”

She stared at him for several long seconds, and then gave him a wavery smile. “You really love me don’t you?” she asked as though she couldn’t believe it.

Jericho frowned. “Of course I do,” he scolded. He’d made that more than clear.

Dahlia burst into tears.

• • •

Oh God, how was she supposed to handle this? He was so good. Good to her. Good to her son. Just plain good.

Who spends millions of dollars on someone to make their life easier? Things like that just don’t happen.

She covered her face with her hands and let her sobs overtake her. She was such an idiot. She’d sent this man away, and he had done the only thing he could think of to make sure she knew he still loved her. She’d thrown the knowledge of their baby at him, fully expecting him to erupt in the anger and fury that Luis had when he’d found out about Gabriel.

And he’d done the one thing she hadn’t anticipated: fallen to his knees at her feet and pressed his face to her womb, shuddering like she’d given him — the man who had showered her with gifts — the most precious gift in the world.

She felt the change in the air around her as Jericho rose unsteadily to his feet. His arms came around her, and he pulled her gently against him. “Shh, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Your tears kill me. Please don’t cry.”

Which, of course, only made her cry harder.

“I love you,” she said between gulping sobs, her words muffled by her hands.

She felt Jericho stiffen against her. Her hands were tugged away from her face, and his vivid blue eyes came into her vision. “What did you say?” he asked breathlessly.

She took another deep breath, calmed her nerves, and clearly stated, “I love you. So much.”

And, of course, he responded in the one way that would cause her heart to melt even more. A huge grin split his face. He lunged at her, wrapping his arms around her and spinning her around. A barrage of kisses rained down on her face, each one peppered with a hurried, desperate “I love you,” until Dahlia was laughing like a carefree child.

Suddenly, Jericho reached down, swooped up the keys he’d dropped in the yard, swept her up in his arms and made for the front door of the house like a man possessed.

“Where are we going?” she asked with an uncharacteristic giggle.

“We’re going to initiate every damn room in this house, sweetheart.”

She tossed her head back with a laugh, her hair blowing in the wind. “Sounds like a pl — ”

He cut off her last word with a searing kiss, his tongue invading her mouth. She had no idea how he could see where he was going, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to open her eyes to make sure he didn’t trip.

She heard him fumble with the front door, and then the crash it made as he slammed it behind them.

They never made it beyond the foyer.

Micah Persell holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a double master’s degree in literature and English pedagogy. She is an avid reader of all types of literature, but has a soft spot for romance. She currently teaches high school language arts classes in California where she lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.
Of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
is her second book. She loves to answer e-mails and connect with readers on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Visit her website at
www.micahpersell.com
.

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