The Drakos Dynasty - Book 3

She paced in front of the door. It had been four days. She was not a particularly patient person as it was, but waiting for someone to arrive, was pure unadulterated torture. She hadn’t seen him in nearly eight years and her current husband, his brother was bringing him here. Home. Home. That word made her nervous. She had built a life with Zane for years and smoothly Dimitri had fit in over the last months. Was this normal? Telling Zane his other father was actually not dead and tada here he is? Rayne was pregnant to boot. She had to pee again. Dammit. Everyone had left and gone back home. Kristos had made the trip with Dimitri so his wife, Miranda, was left with a worn-out, over emotional Rayne and Zane the over excited chatter box. Thankfully, Miranda was of good stock and knew how to handle chaos in its rarest form. “Rayne, you need to sit down they have a few minutes still.” Miranda said softly. Rayne had taken her time that morning, trying to kill the minutes. It lasted all of ten minutes and she couldn’t stop looking at the clock. “Miranda what do I do here? Dimitri has been colder and more distant sounding on the phone. Darius called me. ME! First when he thought he could reach someone. I am pregnant with Dimitri’s baby and Zane is actually Darius’.” “Wait. What? How the hell do you know that Rayne? Did you tell Dimitri.” Miranda asked surprised. “Yes, well I tried. Dimitri said it was unimportant. At the time it didn’t matter but now it will be a factor and I can’t have Zane and Dimitri pulled apart in anyway at all. Darius is O- blood type. Dimitri is AB- and I am B-. So when Zane came back O- I kinda knew.” She groaned, “What a f*****g mess. I need cake.” Rayne headed into the kitchen. Miranda followed intently. “Look Rayne, it doesn’t really matter. Dimitri and Zane are father and son, Darius will fit in the same and your babies there will undoubtedly be loved by all as well. Unless of course you plan on rejecting Darius, which in that case, I am going back to my home. I don’t want to see that. Although I wouldn’t blame you.” Rayne steadily shoved a mouthful of Sock It To Me cake into her mouth. She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy it. Miranda’s phone dinged and Rayne nearly choked. “They are pulling up the drive now.” Miranda stated nervously. Rayne swallowed her bite of cake and downed a few gulps of oat milk. She watched the door and was pretty sure was going to vomit any second. Zane and Arianna were in the playroom watching some animated video and laughing hilariously. The car door sounded and Rayne heaved. Nope. Keep it down. Don’t do it girl. She took a deep breath and put the rest of her cake on the other counter and walked out of the kitchen. Kristos came through the door first to check things out. “He’s nervous but overly anxious to see you Rayne.” “How is Dimitri handling this? How much did he tell Darius.” “Dimitri and I talked privately and nothing with him or you has changed in his mind but he is nervous of how this will go with you and Darius. I believe he knows everything except Zane and your pregnancy. The reasons Dimitri didn’t tell him seemed valid but I am still concerned. Miranda and Arianna and I are going to be in the playroom with Zane. We will close the door and someone can come get us when you are ready.” Rayne nodded and looked nauseous again. She turned and waited for the front door open. That thirty seconds seemed like a million years. She was torn inside. Wanting to run to Dimitri and feel his kisses. But she also wanted to see Darius and touch his face to prove this was real. Dimitri walked through the door with his suitcase in hand and she couldn’t resist her urges. Just four days away and she was in dire need of his lips on hers. The way his hands touched her body. She walked towards him and upon seeing her, Dimitri strode just as quickly in her direction. His hands were on her hips in a second and her arms around his shoulders. The kiss was emblazoned and deprived. She let a small moan out as he quickly slid his tongue over hers. Pulling back he smiled widely and looked down at her belly then around the room. “Where’s Zane?” “In the playroom with Miranda and the others. They thought it best...” Dimitri nodded in agreement and looked back to her faintly protruding belly. He placed his hand on it and looked in Rayne’s eyes. “How is our other kiddo doing? And, how are you?” “Well kiddo #2 needs me to pee every thirty minutes and I want cake. Sit in the middle of the floor naked with a whole Bundt and a fork, type cake need level...” She laughed. “Not that I would mind seeing that but why naked?” he snickered. She rolled her eyes and pushed his arm. “Just making sure you were paying attention.” “I don’t think you naked would ever be something I would miss.” He said. The sound of the front door pushing open caught their attention. Rayne turned her head and there he was, Darius Ryker Drakos, back from the not really dead, dead. Her eyes were on his for that moment. He looked at her up and down, lingering on her belly for a moment where Dimitri’s hand still rested. There was a twinge of concern in his eyes. He looked different. Trimmer, bulkier in the chest and legs muscle mass wise but over all nearly no body fat. It was obvious in the captivity of his room, there was not much else to do but grown his hair to nearly past his waist and bulk up to sexy perfection. The fit dry shirt and jeans didn’t lie. His eyes were paler green but still waiting to see her reaction. She knew it was her that kept him going.  She walked over to him and stood in front of him looking up.  There were no words at first. They only stood looking and his eyes began to well up slightly. It was as if his mind and soul realized this was real. Reaching up she lay her hand on his left cheek and he closed his eyes at the touch. She placed her other hand on the other cheek. His head was in her hands and his eyes wept at the contact. She wanted to say so many words but looking back at Dimitri for a moment he smiled and nodded. It wasn’t asking permission; it was asking if this was real. Her heart was slow and steady. Pulling him down she placed her lips on his. The convergence was electrifying. She had forgotten how much his touch inscribed a fire of yearning in her soul for him. He was real, he was here and as the realization hit Darius his arms wrapped around her lifter her up to him closer. Her legs wrapped around his waist and his face buried into her neck and hair while he released a long collection of happy tears.  She held him tight and kissed his cheek, while stroking his hair. For minutes it was the hug and light kisses while he wept. For all the madness inside him, all the days he had given up hope, this woman, this scent was all his hope was based on. She was still real and still accepting him in her arms. Whatever came next was moot in his heart, this was what he needed for the last eight years and finally he had it again. “I am really here Darius. You are home.” She said softly in his ear. Pulling his head out of her neck and hair, he smiled and placed a small kiss on her cheek and let her down.  He looked to his brother who was in his nature voyeur repose sitting in the large leather chair across the room.  Dimitri nodded and fanned out his arm asking them to sit with him. “I didn’t know. I thought you two had build so much without me and I would no longer be loved as we once were.” Darius said, his voice still raspier than she remembered. “That brother is not how this works. We are family and you are always loved here. Things have changed and as I have told you, I was an ass and have just found place back with Rayne, so you really are only about three months late to this party.” Rayne snickered a little. Sitting close to Darius and holding his hand in hers. “There are a few more changes that you don’t know about either. So we should go ahead and get them out of the way now as well.” Rayne said matter of factly. “Well I noticed you are with child. I hope you don’t think that would truly upset me or bother me Dimitri. You could have told me.” Darius said honestly. “I wasn’t sure how to say, Oh yeah while you were gone, I knocked her up just in case. Kinda sounds like an asshole, doesn’t it?” Darius looked at Rayne confused. “What have you done? My brother is worried about sounding like an asshole?!?! You have broken him.” “No healed me brother. I am good. Still an asshole just realize after losing all those I love that choosing when to be an asshole was something I should learn.” He winked at Rayne and she smiled winking back. “So, the other thing we have to deal with is, going to come as a shock in some ways to you both.” Rayne said standing and moving to the middle of the room. “Darius sit in this chair next to Dimitri please.” He got up from the couch and she faced both brothers. Dimitri’s eyebrow raised and Darius with a look a cautionary question. “So when you ‘died’ and Dimitri left I was actually pregnant.” She stopped and let Darius have a moment. He started to smile. “And his name is Zane Ryker Drakos. He is seven and just down the hall.  Now, here is the part I want you both to listen to very carefully. Zane is biologically…” She paused and looked at Dimitri. He nodded with that damn raised eyebrow. “He is Darius’. His blood type is O- which means…well you get it.” Dimitri looked at Rayne and winked. It was like he already knew. He leaned over and high fived Darius. It was clear Darius wasn’t sure how to handle his brother’s reaction or the fact that this whole time he had been a father. “With that being said. Zane has TWO fathers. That is how this will be. I cannot be with both of you and cause separation between the children. When they are old enough, for health reasons and paternity information we can tell the kids but not now. Clear?” “And the ones in your belly are Dimitri’s I can’t claim them. I mean how will we handle that?” Darius asked “If we are all together, then they are our children. Geezus I feel like I am having the f*****g conversation about money with Rayne. Same talk just different item. You two.” He huffed and smiled at Rayne and Darius in kind. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want….” “Look bro I don’t care what the f**k a test says that boy in there is mine too. He broke my walls and called me daddy. I can’t let that be taken back and when you meet him…well you will understand.” Rayne held up her finger for them to wait a few minutes. She headed down the hall. A few moments later Kris, Miranda and Arianna surfaced. They all hugged Darius tightly and then Dimitri walked them out. Before leaving Ari gave a large raspberry directed at Dimitri and he growled really loud. She giggled all the way to the car.