Onyx | 18+ ✔️ Book 2

Chapter fourty seven

Rae

The mansion was quieter than usual, save for the distant sound of Phoebe's laughter drifting from the garden, where she was playing dress-up with Lucian and Mason. I was curled up on the velvet settee in the lounge, a hot drink cradled between my palms and my phone buzzing in my lap.

Unknown number.

My stomach dropped. I already knew who it was.

I let it ring. Once. Twice. Three times. I should've let it go to voicemail-but something inside me, that bitter knot of unresolved pain, needed to hear her voice.

I swiped to answer.

"Hello?" My voice was cool, careful.

There was silence on the other end. A breath. Then-

"Rae." Too familiar. Too fake. "It's me."

I didn't say anything.

"I saw the news," she continued, her tone delicate like I might shatter. "About Phoebe."

The name in her mouth made me flinch.

"I know I'm the last person you want to hear from," she went on, "but I was hoping... I was wondering if I could see her. Just once."

I laughed. Sharp. Bitter. "You gave her away. You lied to me. Let me grieve a child who was never gone. And now you want to meet her?"

"I didn't have a choice," she said, voice trembling. "You wouldn't understand-"

"Don't you dare," I cut in. "You don't get to play the victim. You made a choice. You let me break into a thousand pieces. And for what? Control? Reputation? I buried her, Mum. I buried a baby I thought was mine. And you stood there and let me."

Her breath hitched. "I made a mistake. A terrible one. I'm still your mother-"

"You don't get to use that word," I hissed. "You don't get to ask for anything from me. Or from her."

"Please, Rae," she whispered. "I just want to see her. One time."

"No," I said firmly. "You don't deserve to know her. You don't deserve to breathe the same air as her."

Silence.

And then, the quietest, most pitiful voice I'd ever heard from her: "I'm sorry."

I hung up.

My hand trembled as I placed the phone down. My throat burned with unshed tears. I looked out the window, watching Onyx scoop Phoebe into his arms as she laughed, her little crown crooked on her curls.

~

I barely had a chance to sit down with my coffee before Nova swooped in like she'd been waiting all morning for this exact moment.

She had that gleam in her eye mischievous, determined, the kind of look that usually meant something was about to happen whether we agreed or not.

"You two," she said, pointing between Onyx and me like we were misbehaving teenagers. "Are going out tonight."

I blinked. "What?"

Lucian strolled in behind her, arms crossed, smirking. "She's right. You need a break. Both of you."

"We just got Phoebe back," I said, glancing toward the sunroom where she was sitting in Jace's lap braiding his long hair with sparkly pink clips. "I don't want to leave her."

Nova gave me a soft smile, but her voice was firm. "She's safe here. With us. Let her be spoiled by her nana and granddads for one night."

"I have glitter in places glitter should never be," Jace added from the other room, deadpan. "We're already deep in it."

"She made Alaric pretend to be a pony for thirty minutes," Mason said, sipping his coffee like he hadn't been trotting around the garden earlier. "We've got this."

"Please," Zane chimed in, dragging his hand down his face. "Take the opportunity before we end up buying her a real pony."

"She asked for one," Damien muttered, "and I said maybe. Was that wrong?"

Onyx raised an eyebrow. "You're all seriously okay with this?"

Nova stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "You've done so much, sweetheart. You and Rae deserve one evening to breathe. Go out, eat something that isn't cereal, look at each other without a child climbing on your head. You need this."

I looked up at Onyx. He was already watching me, like he'd been waiting for my answer first.

"Alright," I said slowly, smiling. "But only if she's not too much trouble."

"She's an angel," Nova beamed.

From the other room, Phoebe's voice echoed: "Zane! I peed a little on the beanbag!"

Nova winced but recovered quickly. "An adorable angel."

Onyx laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. "Okay then. Guess we're going on a date."

"Dinner, dessert, and maybe even dancing if Rae doesn't fall asleep by nine," Jace teased.

"Rude," I said, grinning.

"Go," Damien urged. "We've got this."

"Group photo before you leave," Nova said, already pulling out her phone like a mom at prom. "Now go get dressed like the hot young couple you are."

And as we slipped upstairs, I heard Phoebe's giggles erupting again, followed by a loud crash and Mason yelling, "That was vintage!"

I turned to Onyx. "We might owe them a pony after this."

He smirked. "Let's just hope they're still alive when we get back."