Dark Prince (Devious Heirs #1)

Chapter Thirty | Cordelia

The car ride is silent as we drive to my old job and the silence is nearly unbearable. After I woke up, Candace, the girls, and I had a heart to heart. Or well they talked and I listened. Being a Mazitti means making the hard decisions, especially the female Mazitti’s. The men are our muscles, but we the women are the brains behind the operation.

Candace said I’ll be taking over the justice side of things in the family. Making sure who needs to disappear, disappears. Which sounds glorious, I’ll get to feed my own beast, with the power of the Mazitti family at my back. I’ll be able to hunt without the fear of being caught, because no Mazitti ever goes out alone and there is always a team waiting for a call for clean up or extraction if I get in trouble.

All of that sounds good, so why do I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, oh right, because I’m married to Satan himself. He forced this pregnancy on me, repeatedly cumming inside me, after I told him not to, time and time again. He’s been planning this the whole time, since the second he took me, hell I’d bet he thought this all through before I ever approached him. He likes to play his games, thinking ten steps ahead and calculating out the results.

“I hate you.” I tell him, watching his fist grip the steering wheel, white knuckles clinging on to the leather. “I just wanted to live my life, one dance and kill at a time.”

“You still can.” He replies through gritted teeth.

“With a baby on my hip,” I laugh.

“We’ll have help. An entire house, full of people willing to step in when we can’t.”

“Why, so my son can grow up to be like you?” I fold my arms over my chest and lean back into the seat, slouching down trying to hide away.

“I hope my daughter is exactly like you. Strong and powerful, smart and fierce.” He rebuttals, almost like he’s thought about it. “And I hope my son is a better man than me.”

We can agree on that, I say to myself, not wanting him to know I feel the same way. “Where are we going?” I ask as he exits the highway.

“To your work.” I watch as his body relaxes next to mine. “And I hope that one day you won’t hate me, but for now, I’ll give you the hate right back, fucking you into submission every damn chance I get.” He turns his head to look at me, “One day, you’ll realize that a love like mine is the strongest out there, because I would destroy the world for you.” He turns his attention back to the road and I’m totally not going to lie to myself, but that was hot and his confession makes my damn underwear soaked. Damn him.

The worst part about hating him, is that I don’t. I haven’t hated him for a while now. I keep telling myself that I hate him, that he’s the reason I’m stuck in his house. But the truth is, I could leave, I just won’t. Because I love him.

Damn whoever say there’s a thin line between love and hate, because I’ll be dammed if it’s not the hardest fucking truth I’ve ever had to face in my life. Even after finding out I was pregnant, realizing that I love his stupid face hits harder than that. I’ve always known I was fucked up, from the time Clayton ruined me until now, I just never knew someone could love me for exactly who I am.

“Who’s unhinged?” Axel asks, pulling me out of my head.

“What?” I blink over at him.

“Who’s unhinged?” He asks again, this time with a smile, throwing his hands up in the air like he’s lost his fucking mind.

I throw my hands in the air, “We’re unhinged.” I reply, laughing as he pulls into the parking lot of the strip club.

“Damn straight little deer, now let’s go in there and show them that you’re not missing and tell your friends the good news.” He steps out of the car and holds a hand out for me as I round the front of his car. Taking his hand as we walked together into the place I called my second home for years. I’m not sure if I believe in happily ever afters, and it’s not because I’m some twisted bitch stuck between hate and love with the crazy person dragging me into the bar. No, it’s because I’ve never known true happiness. Then again, what is happiness but what you make it. Maybe my happiness is a tall man who thinks a bloody valentine is romantic. Well, I mean it totally is, how amazing would it be if he gave me a real heart for Valentine’s Day, bloodsoaked and all.

Okay, so maybe my life won’t be so bad. Bloody Valentines and all. I’m almost certain that this stupid heart in my chest beats only for him, but I’ll be damned if I let him run over me anymore. I will never bow to him, he’ll have to learn to walk hand in hand, side by side with me.

“Just so you know,” I say, stopping him before we get to the door. When he looks down at me, I know without a doubt that I’m stuck with this man, but not because he’s forced a pregnancy on me. Because he’s carved his way into my heart, peeling back each fucking layer of the darkened walls I’ve kept built up so high. “I’m not some ragdoll for you to play with and lock up behind closed doors.”

“I know little deer. But, you need to understand that you are mine, both of you. Nothing and no one will ever take you away from me.” The dark words that come from deep within his possessive soul etch into mine.

“I’ll fight you on it.” I let him know, because even if it seems like I’m giving in, I’ll still fight to be myself.

He squeezes my hand, “I bet you will.” He huffs a small laugh as he touches the doorknob, nodding his head to let me know it’s time to walk into my past hand in hand with my future.

The door opens and I’m greeted with a loud crowd shouting, “Congratulations!” With balloons, banners, and confetti everywhere.

Trish runs over to me, wrapping her hands around my neck as Axel lets go of my hand. I breathe her in and hold back my tears. “Bitch!” She steps back, taking my shoulders in her hands. “Married and pregnant? Mazitti? How? I need all the details!” Trish bounces on her toes. She’s the closest thing I have to a best friend, and I’ll tell her everything.

Well, except the bloody fun parts.

I look back at Axel, who offers me a genuine smile as he leans against the bar, listening to Kenan talk. Everyone’s here with no customers. All of the dancers, bouncers, his family, but how? Did he rent out the whole place just for me to have this party to mix the two parts of my life together?

Did my psychopath’s heart grow three sizes?

I know mine has grown, it’s full of life and smiles right now, knowing that this is my future. He’s let me have a piece of myself back and his family, or well my family will help me with my darker desires.

Did he just Hannah Montana my life, is this the best of both worlds?

The End