Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“As happy as this is,” Sinclair says, folding his arms over his chest and looking around at the four of us. “And it is happy,” he says, looking at Cora and Roger to let them know that he’s sincere. They nod their understanding. “We do still have a problem on our hands,” he says, nodding to Rafe

in my arms.

“Yes,” I say, looking eagerly up at Cora. “Henry found out some more about the cult – I’ll tell you

all about it. It’s…not good,” I say, with a little grimace.

“Oh,” she says, drawing her brows together. “Okay – yes, I want to hear everything.” I nod, tugging at her waist so that she’ll follow me into the house. Sinclair and Roger come close behind.

“Did you find anything else out?” Sinclair asks Roger.

“No,” Roger replies, a little apologetic. “Just what we sent you from the library. Was it useful?”

“Incredibly,” Sinclair confirms, thankful. “But yes, we found out more…”

”

My mate and I take Roger and Cora into the little office and tell them everything, seating Rafe in

a little swing that we’ve placed there temporarily since we’ve been spending so much time here.

working on this issue. They’re both as horrified as we were to discover that we likely have

someone in our midst who is working for the cult, who either has already betrayed us or will soon.

Though both wrack their minds they, like us, can’t come up with a viable candidate for who it is.

“We need more information,” Sinclair growls, thoughtful, as he flips through what paperwork his

investigators have produced for the case, as if he might find something else there. I nod, agreeing,

but I look at Cora and see her fading a bit.

“You haven’t slept, have you?” I ask, concerned.

She smiles at me, apologetic, but shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Ella,” she says. “I want to help but I

think…”

“Upstairs,” I say, my voice definitive, swatting her on the rear. “Immediately, sleep.”

“I’ll take her,” Roger says, stepping forward to take Cora by the arm.

hand on his chest and shoving him back. Though I’m not

Roger complies, laughing and falling back a bit. “I said sleep. Not bed.”

hands up. “I promise,” he says, “I just

narrowing my eyes and then giving Cora a peck on her cheek. “We’ll figure it all out when you wake up, okay?” I say, giving her

we will.” And then she takes Roger’s

our sight. “I’m so happy,” I say, leaning against his chest and sighing contentedly. He wraps his arms around my shoulders, dipping his head to give me a kiss on the cheek.

him. “They’re idiots for not

the things that held them back in the

easy for them,”

head against the back of my neck. “You almost died like, four times since we’ve been together. How is that easy.”

and looking sincerely

especially that I was a

with us, it was always

into

“Like ours. They’re going to work

against his chest and closing my eyes. “That’s all

both of them.”

next five days pass with that seeming like a very real possibility. Cora and Roger stay

why they can’t

day to see them growing closer. To see the tiny little touches he places on her back when he

way she turns her face up to

his dark, wry little jokes.

then, on day six, Cora takes me by the shoulders and gives me a

must go back

whine, tiling my head back on my neck and groaning. “Just stay here with

need you!”

”

taking her hands back and folding her arms

love bubble with Roger so that

something.”

my eyebrows at her and giving her a too–innocent smile. “Is

head at me. “I’m not changing my mind, Ella. I’m in love

a little to hear her say it but she holds a finger up, stopping me. “But I have a life. And a boyfriend who I never broke up with. And a job that requires me to actually help people. And I

with all of

I mumble, looking petulantly down at my shoes. “Did you

I ask, glancing up at her.

to her forehead and

But I need to be a

her on the arm in what I hope