Part 17
"How could you not tell me?"
Cayla sniffled, looking up from the pillows she was hugging. Lupe had dragged her back to the mansion. She had spent most of the time since alone wrapped up in bed too depressed to think about anything. Now Ocean had come barging into her room.
"What?" She sat up, leaning back against the mountain of soft fake-fur pillows she had surrounded herself with.
"The baby- it's Ardon's. How could you let that *monster* even *touch* you?"
Cayla frowned. She had known she would have to have this conversation with Ocean at some point. Ocean just couldn't have picked a worse time. "How'd you find out?"
"I ran into Verlaine. She told me."
Cayla's frown remained. "Who?"
"She's Ardon's older sister. Vicious piece of work, but dead now."
"So why believe her?"
"It's the kind of thing she loves to twist, messing with emotions. We were supposed to take Ardon down together. He hurt us both - and you go fuck the bastard and get knocked up?" Ocean's large dark eyes were blazing with unshed tears. She looked like a lost puppy.
Cayla just shrugged helplessly. "We're soulmates," she said softly. "Maybe not ideal, but we couldn't help it."
Ocean's tears spilled. Cayla felt a lump in her chest. "I understand your anger and vendetta, I really do, but - " She stopped herself. She couldn't seem to tell Ocean directly that she loved Ardon. He meant more to her than she could even find words for. "But he's gone," she finished, hating to remind herself of that. "And that's - well - that."
"But not quite." Ocean wiped her eyes, nodding at Cayla's stomach.
Cayla smiled, hand stroking her growing belly. "I guess not."
"Oh, by the way, Astara's dead. Know anything about that?"
Cayla fought back a smirk. She was a little surprised she hadn't heard from her assassin yet. He should have called to demand the rest of his money. Why hadn't he done so? "Um..no."
Ocean snorted. "Yeah, right." She stood up, making to leave.
Cayla caught her arm. "I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say."
"There's nothing to say." Ocean left the room.
Cayla sank back against the pillows. Verlaine.she'd of the girl, she did recall Ardon mentioning something about his vicious vindictive sister. Cayla had dismissed the thought earlier. Now, apparently, she didn't have to worry anymore. Nor about Astara getting her revenge. Well, Regan was going to flip when she found her best friend was dead, but Cayla had learned to deal with Regan. Everything seemed to have worked itself out. Even if she was left without a soulmate. * * *
"How could you not tell me?"
Cayla sniffled, looking up from the pillows she was hugging. Lupe had dragged her back to the mansion. She had spent most of the time since alone wrapped up in bed too depressed to think about anything. Now Ocean had come barging into her room.
"What?" She sat up, leaning back against the mountain of soft fake-fur pillows she had surrounded herself with.
"The baby- it's Ardon's. How could you let that *monster* even *touch* you?"
Cayla frowned. She had known she would have to have this conversation with Ocean at some point. Ocean just couldn't have picked a worse time. "How'd you find out?"
"I ran into Verlaine. She told me."
Cayla's frown remained. "Who?"
"She's Ardon's older sister. Vicious piece of work, but dead now."
"So why believe her?"
"It's the kind of thing she loves to twist, messing with emotions. We were supposed to take Ardon down together. He hurt us both - and you go fuck the bastard and get knocked up?" Ocean's large dark eyes were blazing with unshed tears. She looked like a lost puppy.
Cayla just shrugged helplessly. "We're soulmates," she said softly. "Maybe not ideal, but we couldn't help it."
Ocean's tears spilled. Cayla felt a lump in her chest. "I understand your anger and vendetta, I really do, but - " She stopped herself. She couldn't seem to tell Ocean directly that she loved Ardon. He meant more to her than she could even find words for. "But he's gone," she finished, hating to remind herself of that. "And that's - well - that."
"But not quite." Ocean wiped her eyes, nodding at Cayla's stomach.
Cayla smiled, hand stroking her growing belly. "I guess not."
"Oh, by the way, Astara's dead. Know anything about that?"
Cayla fought back a smirk. She was a little surprised she hadn't heard from her assassin yet. He should have called to demand the rest of his money. Why hadn't he done so? "Um..no."
Ocean snorted. "Yeah, right." She stood up, making to leave.
Cayla caught her arm. "I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say."
"There's nothing to say." Ocean left the room.
Cayla sank back against the pillows. Verlaine.she'd of the girl, she did recall Ardon mentioning something about his vicious vindictive sister. Cayla had dismissed the thought earlier. Now, apparently, she didn't have to worry anymore. Nor about Astara getting her revenge. Well, Regan was going to flip when she found her best friend was dead, but Cayla had learned to deal with Regan. Everything seemed to have worked itself out. Even if she was left without a soulmate. * * *