Shattered Vengeance (The Alderidges Book 2)

Thirty-Two: Horace

ZAHRIA

With Verena's hands covering my eyes, I was made to sit down on the couch. "Okaaaay..."

"Open your palm", she told me.

I hesitated. "This better not be a prank. If you place any insect on my hand, I'll throw it at you."

Verena and Asael's chuckles reached my ear and I said, "Arien?"

"Yes, darling." He answered from somewhere in the room.

I just wanted to know if he was here, his presence made me feel safe.

I opened my palm and something was placed onto it, it didn't feel as weird as I expected, something long and thin...

Verena removed her hands from my eyes and I glanced down at my palm.

A pregnancy test. Positive.

Glancing up, I found Verena standing next to Asael, grinning, happiness practically radiating off her.

I jumped up, tackling her into a hug, both of us laughing. "You are pregnant?!"

Still embraced in a hug, we both jumped up and down, not able to contain our excitement.

"Be careful," Asael muttered, sounding scared.

We broke the hug as Verena turned to him, "A little jumping won't hurt the baby, don't worry."

He rubbed his forehead. "If you say so."

My eyes searched for Arien and I found him leaning against the wall, watching me with a heated look, lost in his thoughts.

Oh God, is he thinking about getting me pregnant too?

Gulping, I looked away and engaged in a deep conversation with Verena.

.
.
.

Submerged in the hot water in the bathtub, I leaned my back against Arien's front, sitting in between his legs.

Arien's hand moved over my leg and sneakily slipped in between my thighs.

I slapped his hand. "No, don't think of it."

He cupped me there making pleasure roll through me. "Why not?"

"Because I am sore. No more sex today."

"Then how will I get you pregnant?" He asked nonchalantly.

I blushed. "Arien, you can't say that so casually."

"Why?"

"We are not even married yet."

His nose nuzzled my neck. "Just say it and we will get married tomorrow."

I chuckled. "I'm sure you will do that. Skipping straight to the wedding..." I lifted my left hand, teasing him, "I should at least get an engagement ring, don't you think?"

"Here", he whispered, lifting his hand out of the water and with some tries, he slipped a ring on my finger. "Your engagement ring."

My mouth dropped open. "Where the fuck did that come from?"

I tilted my head so I could see him and sure enough, he was smirking. "Were you carrying it all along?"

He shrugged, his smirk widening. "Do you like it?"

I didn't even look at the ring, that wasn't even important. "Arien, please don't joke."

He turned serious, and cupped my cheek, pulling my face closer to his. "I am not joking, Zahria. This is your engagement ring. Please marry me or else I'll die."