Raining Light (Fate's Intent Book 5) (15 page)

It was a heavy workout and I could feel it in every muscle of my body.

“I don’t know if I can sleep.” Kole said while lighting a cigar during the first breaths of our rest.

I laughed. “Not work enough?”

“No. Maybe too much. I’m too awake.”

“That’s fine.” Jaylyn replied. “But I think I need a shower. I’m sticky allover.”

Kole lightly chuckled and held up his hand to the corner of the room. A hole opened up and he made a shower for her like Adele once had when it was raining but he didn’t put up a water wall to shield her.

“Thank you.”

I watched her walk over and get herself completely soaked while she took down her hair. It flowed down her back and I caught myself staring.

“Whoa.” I glanced back and Kole was staring too. “She is the most striking woman ever known.”

“Yeah. We are lucky, aren’t we?”

“Want to go again?”

I laughed. “Again? Really?”

“Look at her.” He turned my head for me so I was looking at Jaylyn again. She was rubbing her hands on her body to clean herself and she just looked amazing. “How can you say no?”

I didn’t want to say no but my eyelids we getting heavy. I didn’t really know how much longer I could stay awake let alone go for another round and I didn’t want to watch him do it either.

“I think you’re beginning to take advantage of my hospitality.”

“I’m not. I can’t even begin to describe what I have to do to pay you back for this.”

I hated bringing it up but I did. “You know why I let you at all, right?”

He sighed and his mood lowered. “Yeah and I thank you. Tomorrow is the big day.”

He got up and started getting dressed while I looked back at Jaylyn. She was happy but I didn’t want to think about what would happen tomorrow. She was going to fall apart. I wanted to change it; stop it from happening at all but I knew Kole wouldn’t listen. He’s pretty set on it happening no matter what. All I could do was just hope; hope that I was enough to make her happy again after he’s gone.

Chapter 19

Ruby

Men sweet men.

Ryon and Darius were sitting on the same couch that early morning smoking another Leccan cigar and I was right between them just taking in the masculine scent.

“Wow, you’re up early.” Zayden said, looking at Darius.

“Well, I know you weren’t talking to me but it’s not exactly early.” Ryon replied.

“Yeah.” Darius agreed. “We’ve been out here for a couple of hours already.”

“Nice breakfast.” Adele said. “Where is everyone else?”

“Well, we haven’t heard a sound come from those three yet.” I said, looking back at the sealed door. “We’re wondering if they’re ever going to come out of there.”

“They’re probably not looking forward to the exact thing you’re waiting for; rude questioning.”

“I promise not to be so invasive.”

Darius laughed. “Hope not. Jaylyn’s probably had enough of that.”

We all laughed even harder but Adele and Zayden just sat on another couch and stared at us.

“What’s wrong with you?” Adele asked.

“Just in a good mood I guess.”

“Thanks to Darius.” Ryon whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Darius smiled, ready to take another pull from his cigar.

Adele just rolled her eyes as usual and leaned back on Zayden. “Is my father up yet?”

“Oh, yeah.” Ryon said. “He and Trever woke up before the sun and went to find civilization.”

“What?! You’re kidding me!”

“Not for that. They had to find a way to send some instruction back to Dorlin. They were deciding on the new General last night. That’s probably what the news was but I’m not really sure. They didn’t really explain.”

“Well, how long will that take?”

“Not too long. They took Roslyn and Rajet so it should be fairly quick.”

“Who’d they leave in charge?”

“Why does someone always have to be in charge?”

“It creates order and a world without order—”

“Yeah. Yeah. We get it.”

“Well, then I vote me to be in charge.”

“Oh, so we have to vote?”

“No objections? Good. I’m in charge.”

“Okay. Now what, miss high and mighty?”

“Nothing. Now I just feel better.”

“Well, we’d love to have real breakfast.” I said, slowly hinting to her that she should get us some.

“Oh, what? You couldn’t get it yourself? You had to wait for me?”

“You or Kole. He hasn’t come out yet but here you are. Please?”

“I don’t feel like it. I guess you’ll have to wait.”

I let out a long sigh and brought my feet up onto the couch to put my head down on them. “Great.”

A laugh echoed and the sound of a door closed. “You’re sometimes worse than Jay, Red.”

I turned around quick and saw Kole and a smile instantly appeared on my face. “Hey, Kole!”

“Here’s your breakfast.” The table in front of us filled with food but everyone still had eyes on him. “What?”

“You’re in huge trouble, that’s what.” Adele said before I could start with the questions I thought to ask all morning.

“What? You want something different to eat?”

Ryon laughed. “No. She’s talking about what you did last night, you know, making Jay agree to help you.”

Kole only laughed again but it sounded a bit more confused than amused. “What? I never made her agree.”

“I don’t believe it!” Adele snatched. “She would not have agreed on her own! We’re not stupid, Kole!”

“I think that maybe you are because I did no such thing. I’ve never had to use that on Jay, ever but apparently, I was right in saying I know her better than you do.”

“Doubtful.”

“Maybe you should start doubting that. Jay is a simple person. She likes simple things. All I had to do was offer her the right kind of food.”

“That sounds so shallow.”

“Well, it’s true. A longtime tradition you don’t know about since it always takes place in a private setting. Although, I did surrender it at the lodge when I told her Ellie was there.”

“I’d rather just go on believing that you’re purely a selfish ass who always likes to use your gift to get your way.”

“And you can go right ahead. It doesn’t hurt my feelings.” He leaned forward and started taking food from the table in front of him first and that’s how I knew it was safe and slowly started to follow.

“Well, you have to tell us!” I said with excitement. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“What?”

“How’d Troy handle it?”

Kole’s eyes shifted around and he seemed confused when he made it back to me. “What do you mean? You say that like it was his first time.”

My eyes widened. “It wasn’t?” That didn’t sound like Troy at all.

“Why are you asking me? You should be asking them.”

I immediately turned to Darius. “I should?”

He laughed and held back from putting food in his mouth. “You really think it was with me?! Please! I only know about it. I wasn’t there.”

All eyes then looked to Zayden who sat still and expressionless. “What?”

“It was you?”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Not that long ago.” Darius said. “We were seventeen so it’s only been like four years.”

“Tell us!” I said with my excitement level back up.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Nah, not really.” Darius said. “They just taught some girl how to fuck.”

“That’s so charming.” Adele smiled sarcastically.

“A one-time thing for me.” Zayden said. “But it didn’t turn out that way for Troy. He became emotionally attached.”

“Shit.” Kole muttered. “That’s rough.”

“Oh, yeah!” Darius said loudly. “That’s right! Marina! I keep forgetting that’s how they met! What happened to her again?”

“She moved south just before we left on our last mission.”

I was a little surprised to hear this. “You mean Troy was involved with someone before you left?”

“He probably wouldn’t say involved.” Darius said. “But it seemed obvious.”

“Please tell me that she wasn’t blonde with curls.” Adele sighed.

Zayden lost his serious look with a laugh. “No. No. Ah, she was actually brunette but she did have curls.”

“Then I seriously hope that’s not why he fell for Jaylyn so quick. It’ll break her heart to know that he was still attached to someone else.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Ryon said. “That’s not why. Besides, he didn’t even find out Jay had curls until later.” Adele was looking at him like he was crazy but it was already clear why he would have known that. “What? Yeah, I’ve seen it. You know that. Just helping to get the facts straight. They were out there for months. He got over it before meeting Jay.”

“And I don’t think any of it has to be mentioned to her.” Zayden said.

“I agree.” Kole added. “She would think the wrong thing no matter what was true.”

“Then we won’t.” Adele replied. “That’s really the last thing we would need.”

“Okay, so let’s back up for a second.” I said.

Adele immediately sighed. “Ruby, please no more questions.”

“But I just have one more. Promise.”

“I don’t mind, Adele.”

“Of course you don’t.”

Kole smiled even bigger and looked over towards me. “What is it?”

“How’d he handle it?”

“Didn’t you already ask me that?”

“I meant, how did he handle sharing her?”

“Oh. Quite generous actually. Does it shock you?”

“A little. Being nice to you is one thing but willing to share her with you, that’s something else entirely.”

“Well, I’d say it went well. Jay knows what she’s doing. I mean, we went for three rounds.”

“Really? Both of you?”

“Of course both of us.”

“Okay. One more question.”

“Ruby!” Adele snapped with an echoing voice.

“What? I’m curious!”

“I know and it’s rather annoying.”

“Seriously, Adele. This one isn’t about details.”

“Don’t worry about her.” Kole smiled. “What?”

“Has this changed her mood? Even Adele should want to know that.”

“I think we’re going to find out.” Darius whispered.

Jaylyn came out of her room and walked right over to Kole with a smile and without making eye contact with any of us. “Hey, Blackbird. You missed wake up.”

I gasped lightly and tapped Ryon’s arm next to me with a whisper. “She used his pet name! That has to be good!”

“Well, just look at her smile directed at him. I’d say you’re right.”

“Did I?” Kole smiled, tilting his head back to look at Jaylyn leaned over the back of the couch behind him.

“Yeah you did.” Jaylyn stood up completely with her smile still visible and looked back at Troy exiting the room. “But don’t worry I was more than welcome to take yours for you.”

“Then consider that my thanks.” Kole moved over so Jaylyn and Troy could join him on the couch.

“I have and I did.”

Jaylyn and Kole both laughed but it was suddenly interrupted when Zayden used his speed to get in front of Troy before he could sit down. His look was serious, jaw clenching inside his mouth and he just stood with his arms crossed.

“What?”

“We need to talk.”

Troy turned to go into another room without replying and Zayden followed in the same manner.

“What is he doing?” I whispered.

“I’ll get the details.” Darius got up and followed Zayden like he was being a loyal friend.

I was glad but noticed Jaylyn’s eyes were tracing back towards the door Darius had closed behind him.

“It’s all right, Jaylyn.” I said. “You know they’re not going to hurt him or anything.”

“No.” Adele agreed. “Probably just knocking some sense in him.”

“What do you mean?” Kole asked.

“You know, for warming up to you and actually willing to share the one thing he cares about most with you.”

Kole and Jaylyn looked at each other for a moment and Jaylyn took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “It’s no big deal, Adele. You know it’s not going to last.”

Kole let out a joking laugh. “Yeah! It won’t be long before we fight over something stupid and she cuts me off!”

Jaylyn laughed at it and playfully hit him in the arm. “Quit it! That’s not what I meant. I meant when we get there. The city is full of women and you won’t need me anymore. I’m just helping for now but for a fee!”