Cora's Kismet (The Twin Destinies Saga Book 1) Page 18

  “I went to find you, but you were already gone and I couldn’t blame you for that. Here I’d lied to you. For all you knew I had this boyfriend I was in love with and was cheating on with you. I thought I’d lost you, and that was the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life Liam. I swear nothing has ever made me feel so hopeless and lost,” Cora admitted and dropped her eyes to his hand resting on the bed.

  “I just need to know why you begged your parents to bring Charlie to you,” Liam asked, with a pleading note in his voice. The sheer pain in his voice forced her eyes up to his.

  “Only to tell him there was nothing between him and me, and there never would be. When I went to find you, I wanted to tell you what Viola and I had planned, and ask you to be there with me when I did it,” Cora said, her eyes searching his.

  “So it wasn’t because you had feelings for him and wanted him here close to you?” Liam asked embarrassed.

  “Not even close. If I was being honest with myself, I don’t think I’ve ever had feelings for Charlie. He was just someone who got under Patrick’s skin whenever I went out with him, so I continued to do so out of spite. Charlie irritates the crap out of me,” Cora said finishing with a smile. “How did you know we asked Thomas and Angelica to set up a secure meeting with him?” Her smile fading as she asked the question.

  “Well, I went out to the lake, where we’d had our picnic, to try to clear my mind. Lying there holding one of the many roses that were left on the ground, I realized you were my world, and I couldn’t live without you, so I’d fight to keep you. I came rushing back up to the house and heard you talking to your parents in the kitchen and thought that, since you wanted him here, you couldn’t possibly want me, so I left to give you what I thought you wanted. Believe me, it ripped my heart out to do it,” Liam said lifting his hand, hoping this time she would take it in hers. His face lit up like the sun when she reached out and grabbed his hand in hers.

  “Well, maybe you shouldn’t assume anything,” Cora said being smart, and then smiled at him with a radiance that made Liam’s heart swell.

  “That’s what Sage said when he ripped me a new one right after you left. He was right. All of this could have been avoided if I would have listened. I am so sorry Cora, can you forgive me?” Liam said and squeezed her hand tight, afraid to ever let go. “Please say you can forgive me.”

  Cora looked deep into his eyes and smiled bright. “For what? There’s nothing to forgive Liam, you did nothing wrong. Can you forgive me at all?”

  “For what Cora? You did nothing wrong either. There’s nothing for me to forgive you for,” Liam smiled with his response and saw how relieved she looked. He never once thought she’d been blaming herself for everything that happened. He felt even more stupid once he realized that, but didn’t let go of her hand.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Liam looked deep into her eyes, and found himself getting lost. She was the most amazing woman he’d ever met in his life. She didn’t blame him for anything that had happened, and was taking the blame upon on her own shoulders, where none should be at all.

  “I love you so much Cora. I am so thankful you are my mate,” Liam spoke from the heart, knowing anything less wouldn’t be worthy of her.

  “Ok, you must have bumped your head somewhere along the way. Liam, you don’t know me well enough to love me,” Cora said trying to escape the moment.

  “I know all I need to know. You are amazing, smart, beautiful, funny, loving, loyal, humble and strong. You have a stubborn streak that reaches for miles, just like I do. The rest is just details, and we have plenty of time to learn those about each other,” Liam said, pouring everything he felt in his heart, into his words.

  “Liam, I have to be honest with you. I’m scared,” Cora whispered. “All of this has happened so fast.”

  “Yes I know that already. I wasn’t going to tell you for a while, because I know how hard your life has been, and was afraid I would scare you away from me, from us. After everything that’s happened in the last day, I can’t hold it back from you any longer. We did almost lose each other. Even though you are scared, we can work past that, but I will not hold my feelings back from you ever again.” Liam pulled her closer and she had to move from the chair to sitting on the bed next to him, leaning over him. “I was so afraid I’d lost you forever.”

  “I was afraid I’d lost you forever, too. When you started calling to me through our connection, I could hear the pain and suffering in your voice. All I could think about was getting to you and saving you from Anna, because she’s the only one I could think of who could cause that much agony for the sheer pleasure of it. I wouldn’t let Thomas, Sage and Angelica keep me here while they ran the rescue mission because I had to see with my own eyes that you were alright. I blamed myself, only myself for your pain, for your torture, because it is my fault. After we got you back here and the doctors were working on you, Sage kept trying to tell me, over and over again, that it wasn’t my fault, but I couldn’t believe that. I still don’t. Standing there talking to Sage made me realize something though,” Cora paused and took a deep breath.

  “What did you realize?” Liam asked holding his breath. He so badly wanted to hear her say the words he was hoping for.

  “I realized that I love you, and it scares me more than you can ever imagine,” Cora said.

  “I will never do anything that will hurt you or abuse your love for me. I am so sorry I was such a bull-headed ass, who assumed he knew what was going on when he had no clue. I can’t promise I will never make that mistake again, but I will promise to try. You are my world, my life, my soul, and without you I would be nothing,” Liam said and watched tears pool in Cora’s beautiful eyes, highlighting the flecks of chocolate brown that only made an appearance when she was emotional.

  She didn’t get a chance to react though, because there was a knock on the door and it opened without waiting for an invitation. In strolled Sage, Thomas, Angelica and Viola, all wearing the biggest grins they could muster.

  “Should I say I told you so now or later?” Viola asked in her normal cocky manner, smirking at her sister.

  “Give it a rest Viola. Gloating isn’t becoming,” Sage told her, although he had the same twinkle in his eye.

  Cora looked back and forth between Sage and Viola but didn’t say anything. Liam tugged on her arm pulling her off balance so she toppled over, landing with a perfect fit in the crook of his arm. He wrapped his arm around her before she could sit back up, away from him, and grinned. The crowd that had joined them cheered and clapped with joy. What surprised her most was Thomas’ open reaction. She smiled to see her father coming out of his shell enough to share this moment with them, touching her heart in a way that made the moment even more special.

  “Are you done being an idiot Little Brother, so you can be the mate Cora deserves?” Sage asked, as he sauntered over and plopped down into the chair Cora had been sitting in before.

  “Yeah, I think I’ve learned my lesson in assuming I know what’s going on.” Liam sighed, knowing his brother wasn’t going to let this one go anytime soon.

  “Good, because we have an unbinding ceremony to plan for tonight,” Thomas said, breaking the jovial mood. “We’ve already lost one day, we can’t afford to lose anymore.”

  Cora and Viola both nodded, ready to take on their new task of learning how to use the powers they just learned they had a few days before, and face the prophecy they were destined to fulfill.

  “We are in luck because most of the details are already in place, we just shifted them from last evening to this one. We just need to explain to you girls what to expect so Cora, you may spend some time with Liam before coming over to the house, but we need to meet with you both at least an hour before the ceremony is set to begin, which is at the exact time of sundown.” Angelica stepped in to inform the girls before smiling and walking over to the bed and placing light, maternal kisses on each of Cora and Liam’s heads and walking out of the room.
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  Viola walked over and sat down on the foot of the bed smiling from ear to ear. “When are you ever going to learn not to doubt me Sis?”

  “Oh shut up Vi,” Cora said, with her eyes twinkling and a huge smile on her face.

  “So, are we planning a mating ceremony as well?” Sage asked, already knowing. It almost seemed to Cora as if Sage had been doing a little bit of eavesdropping himself.

  Cora wasn’t sure what the mating ceremony entailed, but she knew she wanted Liam by her side for the rest of their lives. She looked up at him hoping he felt the same way.

  “I don’t know, everyone kind of interrupted our private conversation. Wanna leave so we can finish it?” Liam asked, with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

  “Aw come on, it’s not as if we don’t already know the answer,” Viola huffed out.

  “I would like the chance to at least ask her, if that’s alright with you,” Liam snapped at her, getting irritated at the continued intrusion.

  “Well excuse me,” Viola snapped back with a grin. “By the way, don’t forget Charlie’s at the main house, and he’s getting more than pissy about it. You might want to handle that, so he can get the hell out, before I have to do something about him.”

  “Oh crap, I forgot all about him, again!” Cora said and slapped her head. Liam, Viola and Sage all burst into laughter.

  “It must be my irresistible charm that keeps making you forget about him,” Liam said with his chest puffed up. She could tell by the look he was trying to hide that it hurt him, so she threw him a grin she knew would make him happy and help him to relax.

  “Oh yeah, that must be it lover boy,” Sage said and rolled his eyes in disgust at his brother’s antics. “Thanks Cora for mating with him and taking him off my hands. He’s your problem now.”

  With that Viola and Sage got up and left the room. Cora let out the laugh she’d been holding in while they were exiting.

  “What’s so funny?” Liam asked with a frown on his face.

  “The fact that I forgot about Charlie, a second time, because all I could think about was you. He’s gonna love hearing that. That ought to make him not want me anymore,” Cora said and continued laughing.

  “Yeah, I think that would hurt my ego enough to leave a girl alone. Either that or it would make me chase her harder so she’d notice me,” Liam said, growing disgruntled at the thought of Charlie chasing after his mate.

  “Oh, got big plans for chasing girls do you?” Cora asked, leaning up to look him square in the eyes.

  “Yes ma’am. Just as soon as I get out of this hospital bed I’m going to…” that was as far as he got before Cora locked her mouth onto his, making him forget everything he was about to say to tease her. When she pulled back, he looked deep into her eyes.

  “You were saying?” she asked with a grin.

  “Uh, I can’t remember. Maybe if you do that again it’ll jog my memory,” Liam said and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

  “Nope, I believe there was something you wanted to ask me in private, or did I just imagine that?” she said trying to push her way off the bed, but Liam grabbed her and pulled her back down close to his body, causing him to wince a little bit.

  “Don’t you go anywhere just yet. I thought I’d lost you. Now that I know that I haven’t, all I can think about is holding you close,” he said, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the pillows for a minute.

  “It’s getting a little uncomfortable holding my head this way,” Cora said, trying to adjust without hurting him.

  “Here,” he said and pulled her head down onto a spot of his shoulder that wasn’t sore. She nestled close and closed her eyes.

  They rested in silence, wrapped in each other’s arms for about an hour before Liam lifted his head to look at her. She looked so peaceful that he thought she was sleeping. He watched her for a few minutes and then her eyes opened.

  “Are you just going to keep staring at me?” she asked with a smile.

  “Am I bothering you?” he asked, smiling back.

  “It’s a little weird,” Cora said and gave him a gentle nudge.

  “Nah, you just looked so peaceful, and beautiful, I couldn’t speak and didn’t want to disturb you,” Liam said bringing a giggle to her lips. She’d never thought she was beautiful and hearing it from him made her feel almost giddy.

  He used the arm wrapped around her to nudge her chin upwards and leaned down just enough to capture her lips with his for a slow drawn out kiss that had her insides quivering in response. He lingered there, kissing her like that for a couple of minutes, before pulling away and caressing her face with his eyes.

  “Cora?” he asked in a whisper.

  “Yes?” she whispered back.

  “Will you be my mate, my one and only, for the rest of our lives?” he whispered, feeling her love wash over him as he said the words she’d been longing to hear long before she’d ever met him.

  “Nothing would make me happier,” she whispered back, and kissed him again, reaching up to hold his head to hers.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Cora settled into the crook of Liam’s arm and fell asleep, contented for the first time she could remember. She felt safe wrapped in his arms and there weren’t any nightmares to yank her from her peaceful sleep. Liam watched for quite a while until there was a soft knock on the door and it slid open with a soft whoosh.

  “Ah, she’s sleeping, that’s good. I was worried about her for a while,” Sage said in a whisper. “Do you mind if I come in, or should I come back later?”

  “No it’s fine, come in,” Liam invited. He tried to adjust himself so he could see Sage better over her, but it only caused him intense pain. Sage seeing Liam’s struggle walked around the bed and sat in the seat he’d sat in across from Cora the night before.

  “So, how are you doing?” Sage asked, concerned.

  “I’ve been better, but then again, in other ways, I’ve never been better, and I doubt I will ever be better, if you can understand that,” Liam said and gave a soft laugh, being careful not to disturb the sleeping beauty in his arms.

  “Yeah, I think I do,” Sage said and chuckled. He was so thankful his brother was going to be fine, he relaxed a bit.

  “Hey, thanks for knocking some sense into me this morning,” Liam said and gave Cora the most contented look Sage had ever seen cross his brother’s face.

  “That’s my job. Don’t worry about it.” Sage brushed off Liam’s gratitude. All he wanted was for his brother to be healthy and happy and that’s the opportunity he gave him.

  “No, it means a lot to me,” Liam said with a solemn voice.

  “Okay, okay, you’re welcome all right? Can we drop it now?” Sage said, almost squirming in his seat. He was a soldier not a touchy-feely, emotional type guy, so this conversation was making him uncomfortable.

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re too much of a big man to accept gratitude from your brother,” Liam said and laughed.

  “So I take it you two worked everything out?” Sage asked, turning the conversation serious.

  “Yeah, she’s amazing man. You wanna know what she told me when I asked her to forgive me for being an idiot? She told me that there’s nothing to forgive me for because she doesn’t blame me for anything. You were right, most of it was my own fault because of my pig-headedness,” Liam shook his head and looked at Cora with amazement. It was so hard to believe she was his forever.

  “Most of it? Dude, try all of it,” Sage said with a glare. “You put her through hell and back, and she damn near killed herself trying to save your sorry behind.”

  “Whoa man. What’s up with you?” Liam said, picking up on something, but not quite sure what it was.

  Sage shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “Nothing, it’s just been a hell of a long day. I haven’t been to sleep yet either.”

  Liam narrowed his eyes at Sage, but decided to let it go, at least for now. He didn’t want to fight with his brother while the love of his life
was sleeping contented in his arms.

  “Go get some rest, we’ll be fine. Neither one of us is running off tonight, I promise,” Liam said and chuckled.

  “I can’t, I came to get Cora for the unbinding prep. I should have already been back there with her, but seeing her sleeping for the first time in a while, I decided to visit for a few and let her sleep a little longer,” Sage said and slid a quick gaze over Cora’s sleeping form and then back to his brother.

  Liam did not miss the longing look in Sage’s eyes when they slid over Cora. That’s when it clicked for him what was bothering Sage.

  “Please tell me you are not falling in love with her too, Sage?” Liam groaned.

  “No, I’m not falling for her, but I do care a lot about her and if you hurt her I will beat the snot out of you without a second thought. She’s my friend Liam, that’s all,” Sage stated while staring hard into Liam’s eyes.

  “The look you just gave her was more than caring or friendship man. I saw it, be straight with me,” Liam said, sitting up a little higher against the pillows.

  “It’s not her. It’s more what you have with her, if that makes any sense to you,” Sage said, feeling tired and weary. He didn’t want a fight with his brother. His feelings toward Cora were as a big brother would feel toward a little sister, platonic.

  “Yes, I do understand that. Don’t worry man, you’ll find your mate. You and Viola looked a little cozy there earlier,” Liam hinted with a wink. He was willing to steer Sage anywhere but his Cora.

  “Viola’s cool, but because she’s Cora’s twin it still feels like a big brother-little sister relationship to me. I get they are nowhere near the same person and all, but it just doesn’t work for me,” Sage tried to explain.