A Mate for Lazarus(40)

He tore away, pulling his hands from her grip. “What the fuck…?” He snarled.

“Just kissing you like I mean it and I do mean it, Lazarus…I lo—”

“Don’t say it. People who love each other don’t lie to one another. They don’t have agendas. I don’t believe you. I wish to god I could but I can’t.”

“Let me explain.” Her voice hitched.

“Did you come here with the intention of getting a story for your paper?”

“You know I did,” she whispered. Another tear fell. “I never lied to you about wanting the story.”

Lazarus had to look away. “It’s why you were with me in the first place though?”

“Initially, but my feelings changed. Everything has changed. I wasn’t going to go through with the whole thing. Not after I started having feelings for you.”

“Only because the kings were going to give you an interview. You didn’t need to go behind my back after that. You would’ve left as soon as you got what you wanted. You would be gone now if it weren’t for this baby.” He leaned in. “Admit it.”

“You’re wrong.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Go and write your fucking story. Leave the baby out of it. It’s all I ask. Don’t hurt him over this.” His chest felt like it was in a vice. “We have fuck all to say to one another. The only thing we talk about going forward is this child…my child.” He growled.





Chapter 19




The next day…

Lazarus felt bleary-eyed. His brain felt fuzzy. It was a mixture of lack of sleep and pushing himself in the gym. He pumped weights until the sweat dripped in his eyes, the burn of his muscles, pushing himself beyond the limits. It was the only thing that gave him a modicum of comfort.

Something buzzed on Allison’s desk. “Brant will see you now.”

He glanced her way and she gave him a pitying smile. Fuck that! He grunted his response and headed to his king’s office. Brant had sent him a meeting request this morning. He had cut his afternoon training session short to be here. What the hell did Brant want? Hopefully he and Zane weren’t going to try and talk him into taking Alexandra back for the sake of the child. He had thought about it and it wasn’t something he could do.

No way. He would be there for his child in every conceivable way. Lazarus would raise the child himself if she decided she wanted out. His heart broke all over again just thinking about his son not knowing his mother. Lazarus sighed. He would support Alexandra any which way he could, but he could not be with someone that didn’t love him.

A jarring thought came to him. What if she found someone else in the future? His muscles bunched beneath his leathers. Lazarus shook his head. He couldn’t think like that right now. One step at a time. One day at a time. Thinking too far into the future tore holes into him.

He opened the door to Brant’s spacious office.

His king gave him the once over. “You’re the most physically fit I think I’ve ever seen you, yet you’ve never looked so bad.”

Lazarus snorted. “Thanks…I think.”

“Take a seat.” Brant gave him the same look of pity that Allison had. “How are you holding up?”

Lazarus did as Brant asked, hoping that this wasn’t going to take too long. “Why am I here?”

“I need you to stay calm please.” Brant leaned back in his seat.

“What is going on?” Lazarus couldn’t help the growl or the fact that it came out in a roar. He stood up so quickly that his chair fell back with a clatter.

“Calm the fuck down.” Brant stood up as well.

“What’s wrong? Is Alexandra okay? The baby, is something wrong?” He struggled to breathe, to even think. He couldn’t lose her. The last things he’d said to her were nasty and untrue. He’d said them out of fear and terrible pain. Right now he wished he could take them back. He should’ve explained that he needed some time, some space.

“The human is fine and so is the baby. Calm the fuck down.”

Lazarus sucked in a deep breath. “I’m fucking listening.”

“She’s fine but she is no longer on vampire territory.” Brant put a hand up.

Lazarus roared. When he managed to get air back into his lungs, he locked eyes with Brant. “Where is she? What happened?”

“Pick up the chair and take a seat.”

Lazarus jerked his head and folded his arm. “I’m fine.” He was anything but.

Brant gave him a look that told him he was full of shit. “Suit yourself.” His king sat back down. “Miss Stone came and saw me this morning. She said that she didn’t want to stay on vampire territory. She had her bag with her and told me that she was leaving. That there was nothing I could do to stop her.”

Lazarus clenched his jaw.

“I tried to convince her otherwise. I explained about the fascist groups. Those that would wish to harm her or the child. Those that would want to kidnap him but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said that she couldn’t be here with how things were between the two of you.”

Lazarus picked up the fallen chair and sat down for fear of his legs giving out. He shook his head. “I can’t believe you just let her go.”

“I couldn’t hold her against her will. I…” He paused, his eyes narrowed. “I tried to pay her to stay. I tried to convince her to remain with us and then to hand over the child but she wouldn’t hear of it. I offered her millions. More money than she would see in three lifetimes.” His king looked puzzled. “I expected her to pounce on the opportunity. I mean, why else was she after the story if not for fame and fortune?” His gaze turned cold. “I expect that she will try and milk us for more once the child comes.”

“There won’t be a child if she is harmed.” Lazarus jumped to his feet, already moving towards the door.

“Where do you think you are going?” Brant asked.

“I’m going to bring her back, kicking and screaming if I have to.”

“That’s called kidnapping.”

“So fucking be it.” He growled, continuing towards the door.

“I have five guards assigned to her safety, at all times. They are with her wherever she goes. Do you think I’m an idiot?” Brant spat.

“Don’t make me answer that question right now, my lord. I don’t care if you assign the entire elite team to her care. I’m going to get her back. She’s not safe out there. You are fooling yourself if you think that she is.” He ignored Brant’s calls and left, slamming the door behind him.

“Lazarus,” Allison called after him. He ignored her too and kept moving. She called him again, only this time she was right behind him. He spun around and she almost crashed into him.

She tugged a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, pulling herself back together. “Sorry. I take it that you heard the news?”

He gave a nod of the head. “I can’t believe she did this. Alexandra is risking my son.”

“She left because she couldn’t bear to be here. She thinks that you hate her. She can’t bear to see you and not be able to be with you. To live near you and not to be able to have you. Alex may have said something about seeing you with other females.”

“He is my son too. She has no right to do this!” Lazarus roared.

“I normally wouldn’t involve myself in something like this but you are being pigheaded.”

He narrowed his eyes, taking a step back. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. It’s hard to hear the truth, isn’t it? Go then. Run away. You’re not hearing her out. Giving her a chance and that what’s caused this upset.”

“Fuck that,” Lazarus growled. “It was her lies that caused all this.”

“Listen to yourself. You keep saying the same thing over and over. Stop it. So what if she lied to you? What she did was bad and it was wrong. It doesn’t mean that you should throw everything away over it.”

“She doesn’t love me. This was all about the story. I can’t allow myself to get sucked in again. To believe again. It hurts too fucking badly.”

“You are letting fear cloud your judgment. You are going to regret it. She wants to try and work on it. You should hear her out and give her a chance.”

“Why? It would be for the sake of the child. I love her but she doesn’t feel the same. That is no basis for a relationship or for a family.”

“I understand why you are struggling to believe her after what she did. You are emotionally attached. You can’t think straight or see the situation at a distance.”

“What are you saying? I can see just fucking fine.” He growled.

“No, you can’t but I can. I believe her. What she did was wrong but she does love you and she’s sorry she lied to you. It may have started out as a lie but it wasn’t a lie in the end, Lazarus.”

He thought of their kiss. How she’d kissed him like she meant it and he had believed but only because he wanted it so badly. Could there have been more to it? He shook his head.

“Did you know that she signed the contract, including the non-disclosure clause? She didn’t have to but she did. Brant had pills delivered to her room to try and get her to get rid of the baby.”