by Juniper Hart
“I know,” she told him. “It’s not good enough. But I am here, ready to accept my penance.”
“You penance?” he repeated. “What do you think that should be?”
She lifted her eyes and stared boldly at him, her face not betraying an ounce of the churning in her gut.
“Can we not do this in front of my child?” she begged. “I won’t fight you, but we can’t do this here.”
“Do what?” Tobias demanded, folding his arms across his athletic chest. She frowned, her jaw twitching slightly.
He’s going to make me say it aloud. Fine.
“I’m ready to die, Tobias. Let’s get this over with.”
13
Toby swallowed the urge to laugh, keeping the stoic, angry expression on his face. He wanted Sierra to be alarmed, if only for a moment.
She should know how it feels, he thought grimly.
“That’s good,” he told her solemnly. “You should always be ready for death.” He watched uncertainty flash in her eyes, but she displayed none of her nervousness.
“Please don’t do this in front of my daughter,” she said again, and Toby felt a pang of shame, knowing that everything she’d done, she’d done to keep their child safe.
“Let’s talk about your daughter, shall we?” he retorted, and Sierra balked at the phrasing. “You were really that mad at me that you would keep my own child from me? Who does something like that? I thought you were better than that!”
“You left me,” Sierra reminded him coldly. “The last thing I thought you wanted was a snotty, sick kid running around. And then I started hearing about the corruption in your company, and then about the underworld… I did what I thought was best for my daughter.”
The defensiveness in her tone made him cringe, but he did admit she had some valid points.
What kind of father would I have been to Aurora if I had known from the start? Would anything have changed? Would I still have conducted my life in the same way?
The problem was, he would never have the chance to know. Sierra had stolen two precious years with his daughter from him. Toby couldn’t just let that go.
“So, what now?” he demanded. “What happens?”
Sierra’s mouth parted slightly, and she eyed him, finally realizing that he wasn’t about to kill the mother of his child.
“I guess that’s up to you, Tobias. I wouldn’t have stolen from you if Rowan hadn’t misled me. I was only worried about Aurora, but I know the punishment for this kind of thing is swift and merciless.”
“I don’t think there has ever been this kind of thing,” Toby commented dryly. “You’re probably the first witch to ever steal a Chasm of Purity—or even attempt to steal one. This is one for the books, for sure. Hell, I bet the Chasm has already adjusted itself to announce the event.” Sierra stared at him, and he could see she was trying to determine if he was impressed or angry. “You have quite a talent,” Toby continued, realizing he wasn’t sure if he was impressed or angry, either. Maybe a bit of both.
“That’s one way of looking at it,” she replied shortly. “Others might call it a curse. But it’s a living, and it’s done well for me and Aurora over the years.”
Toby stepped closer to her, his eyes darkening as he peered down at her. “I never wanted you to get away. I meant everything I said to you, even though you had other things on your mind at my house.”
“No, I didn’t!” she exclaimed, her face coloring with anger and embarrassment. “There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about you since that night. I have a living, breathing reminder of you glued to my side, and you’re a fool if you think anything else.”
The confession was so sudden, so heartfelt, that it struck a chord with him.
“But as I’ve said, everything I’ve done, I’ve done for Aurora’s good,” she went on. “And I don’t regret a second of it. She’s my daughter.”
“Our daughter,” Toby corrected quietly. “She’s our daughter.” For a moment, he thought she was going to protest his characterization, but instead, she shrugged and nodded.
“You saved her life, Tobias. That alone proves that you have what it takes to be her father.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you would doubt my ability to take care of our daughter,” he grunted. “Regardless of what you might think of my business practices.”
Sierra was silent for a long moment, her mouth pursed into a fine line as she stared at her hands.
“Maybe that wasn’t the end of it,” she muttered. “Maybe I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to co-parent with you.” She raised her head and met his eyes guiltily.
“Sierra, you shouldn’t have had to do this alone,” Toby murmured. “You just disappeared, and I searched for you, everywhere. I had my best man looking for you. I went to your old apartment…” He inhaled sharply, catching his breath.
“I’m sorry,” Sierra apologized. “I don’t have anything else to say about it.”
“So, what now?” he asked again. “Where do we go from here, Sierra?”
She shrugged, her chin quivering slightly. “If you want to be a part of her life, I won’t stop you, but I won’t force you, either.”
He shook his head and snorted. Was she purposely being dense, or did she not understand?
“No, Sierra, I don’t want to be a part of her life. I want to be your lives. I want to stare at you while you sleep and get woken up to a flying elbow on our shared bed. I want to make up for all the time we lost because I answered a call I should have never acknowledged.”
May Marius rest in peace, but he really screwed up everything.
Sierra pursed her lips together, and he could see the leeriness in her expression. “Yeah?”
“Think of it this way,” he said lightly. “I can’t go missing if you’re living in my house.”
Sierra guffawed, but he saw her emerald eyes lighten slightly and then darken again. “And what about all your business, Toby? I don’t want Aurora growing up as some mobster’s daughter.”
The words stung deeper than they should have. They were true, after all, and he couldn’t fault her for being worried about it.
“I own a multibillion-dollar empire,” he reminded her. “The underworld is my hobby.”
She scowled slightly. “Some hobby,” she snapped. “Extorting and running drugs and gods know what else.”
“It’s mostly money laundering,” he said defensively. “Like cheating the system. You know a bit about that, don’t you?”
Their eyes clashed, but instantly, they grinned at one another.
Is that why I was always so drawn to her? Because she’s so much like me? He knew the reason didn’t matter—he was smitten, enamored, and he had been since the moment he had fought her for the drink inside that dim, pulsating club.
“What do you say, Sierra?” he asked, reaching for her hand and squeezing gently. “Do you think we can make this work between us?”
“Are you sure that’s what you really want?” she breathed, and he laughed.
“That’s what I’ve always wanted. Aren’t you listening? I never wanted anything else. I didn’t leave you willingly. I had no choice in what happened, but it will never happen again.”
Sierra met his gaze and slowly began to bob her head.
“I mean, we could try it. We’re both going to need to make some major life changes,” she sighed. “Ones that we might not be happy about.”
“I won’t be happy without you and Aurora,” Toby insisted. “Stop trying to talk me out of this. The question is, are you ready to take the leap with me?” This time, she didn’t hesitate when she nodded.
“I think I am,” she answered, exhaling as if releasing the weight of the world from her shoulders.
He pulled her into a hug, gently kissing the top of her head.
“It’s better than it sounds,” he assured her, embracing her tightly. “We’ll make it work.”
“Mama? You hugging that man?”
They parted slightly as Aurora ventured toward them, her bright eyes inquisitive.
She looks exactly like Sierra. I wonder if her brothers and sisters will look like her, too, Toby thought, crouching down to look at her warmly. He hoped so. He couldn’t think of anything more magical than being surrounded by a litter of Sierra-looking bear cubs.
He met his daughter’s eyes evenly, and she gave him the same wary look that her mother had mastered many times over. Toby was just as in love with her as he was with Sierra.
“Aurora, this is your papa,” Sierra said softly. “We are going to live with him.”
Aurora’s eyes became saucers as she stared at him. Simone joined the small family in the living room, but Toby barely paid her any mind. He was transfixed by the guileless blue of his daughter’s eyes.
“You got a swing set?” Aurora demanded. Toby’s smile widened, and he nodded.
“I will have everything your heart desires,” he promised her. “All you need to do is ask.”
She seemed content with the response, but more concern etched her face as she glanced at her mother. “Mama coming, too?”
“Of course,” Toby assured her. “Going forward, we don’t go anywhere without your mama. We go everywhere as a family.”
Aurora’s brow furrowed, waiting for Sierra’s confirmation on what he’d said.
“It’s true, baby,” Sierra said. “You and I are going to be together always.”
Relief colored Aurora’s face, and she turned back to Toby, shuffling forward slightly with her arms outstretched. Her next words filled his heart with something he’d never known before.
“I hug him, Mama?”
“Of course, sweetheart, he’s your papa,” she replied, and Toby did not miss the catch in her voice. He extended his arms welcomingly, and the child ventured tentatively into his clutches.
Toby closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her baby hair, a warmth welling inside him. It was as if everything had fallen precisely into place, just as it was meant to be, and he couldn’t get enough of the moment between them.
There will be many more moments like this, he thought, swallowing the lump of joy in his throat. An eternity’s worth…
He froze as he remembered something. Sierra was not immortal.
They would have to do something about that, but it would have to wait for the time being. Aurora was struggling to wriggle free of his hug. As they parted, Toby smiled at her affectionately.
“Are you ready to go home?” he asked her earnestly, and she nodded eagerly.
“Me too,” Sierra sighed. “Me too.”
Epilogue
Two Days Later
They sat around the huge front room in various stages of lounging, some more comfortable than others.
Toby and Sierra perched on a wingchair, she in his lap, her spine so taut, he thought it might snap in half. Across from the couple was another—Simone and Theo, seated on the edge of the suede sofa. The only one standing was Lane, who peered innocuously out the heavily draped windows like she wasn’t even there.
Theo had been in Seattle for thirty-six hours, but it was only now that he had learned the truth about what had happened with Helios and Aurora.
“He was here?” Theo choked in disbelief. “The entire time?”
Toby nodded. “Looking for me, yes,” he replied. He had left out the part about the Chasm of Purity and Sierra’s theft. They really had no bearing on the situation in the long run.
“And you talked to him?” Theo asked for what felt like the third time.
“If you can call it that,” Toby conceded. “He broke into Sierra’s house, and I encountered him there.”
“What…?” Theo trailed off, trying to reconcile all of what he’d learned. Finally, he turned his attention toward his mate. “This is disastrous,” he moaned, shaking his head in despair. “What were you thinking, Simone?”
Simone flipped her hair nonchalantly and shrugged.
“This wasn’t exactly my plan, Theo,” she reminded him. “And Aurora’s paternity wasn’t really my secret to tell.”
“Don’t blame Simone,” Sierra interjected quickly. “I told her not to tell you.”
“Is that supposed to make things better?” Theo growled, his eyes flashing with anger as he glared at everyone around the room. “You have a mass conspiracy on your hands. There will be hell to pay for this.”
A soft snort captured everyone’s attention, and all eyes fell on Lane, the Council of Seven witch-vampire hybrid, who turned her pale profile toward them, a slight grin on her face.
“And what are you smirking at, Lane?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what your main concern is,” Lane Aldwin said easily, sinking back against the couch. “Helios escaping again, the fact that Simone withheld information from you, or the notion that the Council might learn about your coverup.”
Theo’s face turned opaque, and his eyes darted around the room in shock.
“They all know I’m a vampire, too,” Simone sighed, shifting her eyes downward guiltily.
“Oh, Simone,” Theo groaned. “Did you tell them?”
“Ah, so it’s the coverup that’s bothering you,” Lane offered, turning her head back to look outside.
“It’s your coverup, too!” Theo roared. “Or have you forgotten your huge part in it all? I’m eternally grateful, but you turned Simone into a vampire so she could be immortal.”
Toby and Sierra exchanged nervous looks.
“I haven’t forgotten anything,” Lane replied lightly. “I’m just a lot less concerned than you seem to be.”
Theo seemed to tire of his wrath on Lane and turned it toward Toby instead.
“And you!” he spat. “I should have sentenced you to die with your thug cousin! Your entire pack is a mess. Mobsters, ingrates!”
“Don’t say that!” Sierra yelled, her face red. “He saved my daughter’s life! He staved off Helios, in case you’ve forgotten! He’s basically done your job for you!”
Theo didn’t like the reminder and groaned again.
“What are we going to do?” he moaned, dropping his head into his hands. “The Council is going to find out about this now. There’s no hiding any of this.”
“Sure there is,” Simone said easily. “There’s no reason for them to know.”
“How can they not know?” Theo exploded. “They’ll know! They will definitely know!”
“Not if no one tells them,” Simone replied reasonably. “And there’s no one here who’s apt to say anything. Who else could possibly say anything?”
Toby pulled his eyes away from his mate and settled them evenly on Theo.
“I might,” he countered. All stares were on him in disbelief.
“Toby!” Sierra cried. “Don’t even joke about that!”
“I’m not joking,” he replied. “I’m serious.”
Theo sprung from his spot and advanced on Toby, but the CEO didn’t flinch.
“Considering your connections to the underworld, Tobias, I’d say you’re tap dancing on very thin ice. What is it? You don’t have enough problems with your business, you need to take on the Council of Seven, too? Not a smart move, friend.”
“You have no proof of any wrong-doing,” Toby said evenly. “If you did, you would have put me away by now. I, on the other hand, only need to breathe a word of how you illegally participated in a turning and let the Council do the rest. It won’t take much to determine that Simone is a hybrid now, and I’m sure the Council won’t find any record of her being turned, will they?”
“Tobias, why are you being like this?” Simone hissed. “If it wasn’t for me, your child would be dead.”
He felt Sierra’s clammy hand close around his, and through his peripheral vision, he could read her imploring look.
“Toby, stop talking like that!” Sierra begged. “You’re not that guy. I know you want everyone to think you are, but I know you’re not. Just stop!”
But Toby wouldn’t st
op—he couldn’t. Not until he got what he wanted. It was what he and Sierra needed.
“What is it you want, Tobias?” Lane asked, and Toby could see she was the only one who understood. Their gazes locked, and she nodded wisely, perhaps sensing what he was going to say before he said it.
“I want Theo to turn Sierra,” he answered simply.
There was a collective inhale of breath.
“Oh, gods. This just gets better and better, doesn’t it?” Theo growled. “Not going to happen, Sutton. You better think of a better ask.”
“That is the only ask,” Toby retorted. “If you want your secrets hidden for good.”
“Toby, no! You can’t blackmail them like that!” Sierra begged. “I don’t want to be turned under these circumstances.”
“Why not?” Toby insisted. “It’s a fair, even trade. That way, no one can ever breathe a word of this to anyone. It will be a pact amongst us all.”
The members of Council eyed one another, and Toby could almost hear their thoughts as they considered what he was asking.
They’re in agreement! he thought excitedly. In his gut, he hadn’t been sure that they would go for it, but watching them, he knew they were sincerely contemplating the outcome of allowing it. It’s the only way. If I can get a Council member to turn Sierra, we’ll be protected forever. She’ll be untouchable.
But Theo shook his head and wrenched his neck around.
“No,” he said suddenly. “No, that’s not good enough.”
For the first time, the Council witch seemed nervous, and she ambled back toward them, full attention on the others now.
“Theo, maybe we should talk about this,” Lane murmured. “It’s not just us who will take the heat for this, Theo. Henry, my mate, is complicit, too, in case you’ve forgotten.”
But Theo was barely paying her any mind. His eyes bored into Toby’s, and the CEO was all ears. There’s more. This isn’t a hard no…
“I want something other than your silence,” Theo told him. “If we agree to this.”
