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Cora laughed
as Jack wrapped her in the covers with him. “Where are we
going?”

“
You’ll
see.”

Jack led them
to a door she hadn’t known was there. With one arm wrapped around
her waist and their covers, Jack used his other hand to open the
door. The cold air hit them. Cora pushed the covers up to warm her
shoulders. They walked up some steps and out onto a balcony that
overlooked the harbour. The lights winked across the water,
allowing her to see the silhouettes of people. Jack walked her to
the end so that the cold air seemed to smack her in the face. She
shivered.

“
Hold on,” Jack
whispered. He left her and ran back inside. She laughed at his
naked ass running. He quickly returned and wrapped the cover around
the two of them.

The cold
instantly vanished from their bodies. She focused now on the view
of Sydney harbour.

“
Jack, this
is-”

Her words were
cut short when the first brilliant firework burst upon the dark
background. Jack pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of
her head as they watched the New Year’s celebrations, a whole world
away from their problems.

“
Happy new
year, beautiful. This year is going to be the best year yet, I
promise you.”

“
Happy new
year. I love you,” Cora murmured as the fireworks boomed above
them.

“
Love you
too.”

14

ONE LITTLE STEP AT A TIME

Jack bit his
lip to hold back the angry words that were more than ready to spill
out of his mouth. The Scottish git hadn’t put in an appearance.
Hardly surprising really, yet, this lack of appearance got his mind
churning over. Why wasn’t Alastair here to meet them? What kind of
plan did he have up his sleeve?

They waited in
the hotel reception which was pleasant enough with the subtle
colours, the big beds and spacious bathrooms. They’d stayed away
from
The Balmoral
,
choosing to lay low instead. He glanced over at Cora and saw the
nerves play on her face as she fought against her frustration. Jack
watched how Tabitha and Ember rallied around her, equally
susceptible to Cora’s feelings.

“
What the hell
are we waiting here for?!” Clay shouted impatiently.

“
The note said
to wait here,” Ayden growled but he was annoyed too.

“
Why should we
wait? We don’t need to. Come on, let’s go,” Clay hissed.

“
We could,”
Tabitha conceded.

This surprised
Jack. Cora looked at Tabitha in shock, she was usually so level
headed. Tabitha’s leaf green eyes swirled with mischief.

“
Well, why
should we wait?” Tabitha shrugged.

As soon as
they stood to leave, Eli whistled softly which brought everyone’s
attention to the entrance. Tavish and Alva strutted in to the
reception, like they had all the time in the world. That long
bloody coat annoyed the hell out of Jack. Why did he wear it? It
made him look stupid. More so than usual. His long, ginger hair
flowed near his waist. Alva also had her hair down, their blue eyes
narrowed as they looked at them.

“
Why the hell
did we wait this long?” Clay gritted his teeth and stepped towards
them.

Tavish’s pale
blue eyes glared at Clay. “You will wait as long as we want yer
tae.”

“
No, we won’t,”
Clay snapped and stepped around Tavish and Alva, heading to the
doors.

Tavish grabbed
Clay’s arm. Within seconds everyone had shifted their bodies to the
defensive. Jack felt his element glide around him. If he had to
lift everyone in front of Commoners, he would do it.

“
Oh, you really
don’t want to do that,” Clay sneered.

Tavish
stupidly kept his hand on Clay. Jack shook his head. Clay turned
and grabbed Tavish’s throat.

“
Let. Him. Go.”
Alva hissed as she made a move to push Clay.

Jack stepped
in front of Alva. “Don’t think I won’t kick your ass just because
you’re a woman.”

“
Good, because
A’m going tae hurt you!”

Jack felt the
challenge hit his gut. Would it be wrong to deal with the Scottish
coven now? Why stick with the plan if they could pick them off one
by one? He looked over to Cora, could feel her element bump up
against his. She would help if it was needed.

“
Will Alastair
like what you are doing?” Cora asked.

Alva hissed as
Tavish growled.
That answered Cora’s
question
, Jack thought.

But seeing the
result, Jack knew that they had to push at the twins. Tavish had a
temper when it came to Clay and himself. Alva had a temper when it
came to her brother being threatened. Jack grabbed Alva’s arm and
squeezed it.

“
It must piss
you off to have to follow instructions all day, every day,” Clay
goaded Tavish.

“
A don’t follow
instructions!”

“
You poor sod.
I’m guessing Alastair took your balls and ate them for breakfast.
No wonder you can’t get a woman!” Clay teased.

Jack watched
Clay and saw the wicked glint in Clay’s eyes. He knew what he was
doing. Alva watched her brother, waited for his command. Jack found
it pathetic. Clay laughed, like he was sharing a personal joke. He
turned to Jack for enjoyment. “He must still be a virgin,” Clay
whispered for dramatic effect.

That did it.
Tavish’s blue eyes widened. His nostrils flared as he reared back
and punched Clay. Clay stumbled back. He wiped the blood from his
mouth and smirked. Jack held Alva who had already begun thrashing
against his hold.

Clay stood to
his full height and clenched his fists. Jack saw the moment it
snapped. Clay’s fist rammed into Tavish’s face and then all hell
broke loose.

Alva pulled
and screeched as Jack held her. “Stop that!” he hissed.

She continued,
only now she clawed at his face.

“
Mind if I do
something, Jack?” Eli asked.

“
By all
means.”

Within
seconds, Alva few across the room and hit a wall. The force from it
winded her.

“
Jesus, that
screeching is annoying!” Eli cursed.

Clay and
Tavish were brawling. Blood and spit were flying in every
direction. Alva got to her feet and charged towards Clay in the
hope of pushing him off her brother.

“
I don’t think
so,” Cora muttered as she stepped into Alva’s path.

Jack watched
Alva slowly register who was stood in her way. Alva stopped short,
but she didn’t stop quick enough as her body touched Cora’s. For
good measure, Cora wobbled unsteadily. Ember and Tabitha rushed to
Cora’s aid. The hotel staff and security were now leaping into
action because a pregnant woman looked like she was going to fall
and they were probably thinking of the consequences. Why hadn’t
they interrupted the fighting before now?

“
Whit the hell
is going on?” Alastair demanded as he stomped into the
hotel.

“
You should ask
your right hand man,” Tabitha snapped as she soothed
Cora.

“
Well?”
Alastair turned to Tavish whose face was now showing several cuts
and bumps.

“
Clay started
it,” Tavish hissed.

“
No, I
didn’t.”

“
He did,” Alva
agreed with her brother.

“
Sir?” A
security man interrupted.

“
Whit?”
Alastair snapped, spittle flew everywhere.

Cora tried to
keep a straight face but she was finding it harder not to laugh
every time she looked at Jack.

“
The video
cameras, they show the man there, he started the fight.” The
security man was pointing at Tavish.

Alastair
ignored the security man and turned toward Tavish. “Yer lied tae
me!”

“
Clay started
it verbally!” Tavish argued.

“
So! Wit do
words matter!”

Jack smiled,
loving the colour creeping into Tavish’s face. Tavish wouldn’t tell
Alastair what the verbal abuse had been about. He would want to
save face and not talk about his apparent virginity in front of his
leader.

The hotel
receptionist handed Cora a glass of water. Jack had to bite back
his laughter as he slid his arm around her waist whilst she
remained on the floor. He held her close, feeling the vibration of
her silent laughter as he held her, prepared to lift her. Cora was
playing this whole thing beautifully.

“
Whit
happened?” Alastair demanded, looking at Cora.

“
A-”

“
Yer
whit?”

Jack watched
as Cora slowly stood and hissed in pain. Her hand cupped her now
growing belly. She didn’t want to be lifted. She wanted to appear
strong.

“
She nearly
pushed me and I lost my balance. I must have stretched
something.”

“
Yer did whit!”
Alastair boomed and turned on Alva.

Alva looked
down at the floor. She didn’t have any kind of authority to talk
back to Alastair. Neither did Tavish, but he could push it
more.

“
Yer two will
be on probation, yer do not do anything wivout ma permission first!
Clear!”

Tavish and
Alva nodded in unison. Alastair turned to their group. “Be in
reception at 5am, no arguments. Be prompt.”

“
So, we waited
all this time for you to come and tell us that!?” Jack
bellowed.

Alastair
smiled but he didn’t say a word. They watched the three of them
leave. Jack hadn’t expected Alastair to apologise for his coven’s
behaviour, and without Cora’s pregnancy, Alastair would have
congratulated such behaviour.

“
It is like we
never left,” Jack muttered.

“
We have an
advantage this time,” Eli reminded them as they made their way to
their rooms.

Jack sincerely
hoped the advantage worked to their favour.

1
5

NEW LOWS

They were made
to wait outside the room yet again. Cora had seen the library as
they’d walked past, but now it made her think of the book and that
book made her think of Quinn. She always felt her blood boil when
she thought of him; she always wanted to hit something. She would
not wait in that room, ever.

“
He does this
for effect,” Ayden muttered.

“
Don’t give him
a reaction,” Tabitha stated.

Cora smiled as
an idea popped into her head. “Everyone, sit on the floor and pull
out your phones, make sure you are doing something fun.”

Her idea made
Jack grin. The dimples popped making her heart thump. He slid to
the floor, already working on his phone. Within seconds, it was
alive with noise and vibrations.

“
You expect me
to sit on this floor?” Ember asked her as she looked at the floor
in disgust.

“
No one tells
you to wear expensive clothes,” Cora snorted as she manoeuvred
herself down to the floor.

Bloody baby
bump.

“
Well, I look
good,” Ember pouted.

“
You’d look
good in a black bag,” Clay added from his position on the
floor.

“
Was that a
compliment?” Ember asked incredulously.

Clay shrugged.
“That will be your only one this year, enjoy!”

Ember smiled
as she sat down on the floor.

This was how
Alastair found them ten minutes later, sat on the floor, noise
coming from their many games. Cora had installed one on Tabitha’s
phone because obviously, she didn’t have the time to play games.
They looked like they didn’t have a care in the world. Alastair
glared at them and turned, blocking out the room’s view of a
defiant coven sitting on the floor playing games. Alastair wasn’t
successful as Cora could see that many coven members smiled at
them.

“
Now, the look
on Alastair face was worth dirtying my £500 jeans,” Ember
whispered.

Cora choked.
“You spent £500 on those jeans!?”

Ember
shrugged. “These are one of my cheapest pairs.”

“
Now, welcome
again,” Alastair greeted them jovially, gesturing with his
arms.

Cora walked
into the room first. She could sense the tension the second Clay’s
eyes met Tavish’s. Tavish had a swollen lip, but the half-closed
eye had to be painful. It was red and angry looking. Clay
smirked.

“
Happy new
year, everyone,” Alastair said. “Cora looks swell, don’t yer
think?” Alastair stepped towards Cora, his hands positioned ready
to touch her bump.

“
If you touch
the bump, I will break your fingers,” Cora snapped.

She heard
people snicker and try to cover it with their coughs. Her coven
were the only people brave enough to laugh out loud.

“
Aye, A can
imagine being that fat brings pain,” Alastair sneered.