A Broken Fate (The Beautiful Fate Series book 2) by Cat Mann Read Free Book Online Page A

his wrist up to check the time. Seven in the morning – the early morning sun was beating down and my headache was not relenting. I turned, holding on to Ari’s hand and walked back towards the house, pulling him with me. Lauren parked and trailed in behind us.
    I made my way to the coffee pot and Lauren slipped her hands around me in a hug.
    “Thank you so much for all my gifts, Ava. I love you.”
    “You don ’t love me, Lauren,” I grumbled. “You just love the fact that I have a better fashion sense than your mother and your wardrobe has dramatically improved since I came into your life.”
    “Well, maybe a little bit, but I still just mostly love you,” she said, letting me go.
    “I love you, too.”
    I poured some coffee and set a mug down in front of Ari, then sat down to look at the paper.
    “So did you guys hear that Damien Kakos died last night?” Lauren asked.
    Ari coughed on his coffee and shot me a suspicious look. I quickly looked away.
    “Mmm, I think I knew that,” I answered. Ari rolled his eyes at me and then looked back down at the paper.
    “Ava,” Lauren said sheepishly, “are you alright? What happened last night with the lighter?”
    “Lauren!” Ari yelled disapprovingly.
    “What? I want to know, too,” she said to him, assuming that I had told him all about my flashback.
    “Lauren, I’m fine, really,” I spoke up. “The lighter just brought back some pretty gory memories; you have nothing to worry about.”
    “Fine, no one ever tells me anything,” she pouted. Ari shot her a warning look so she decided to change the subject.
    “So when are you guys going to have kids?” she chirped.
    “Never,” I replied at the same time Ari said, “Someday.”
    We both shot each other shocked looks.
    “Lauren,” Ari said standing up, “go bother Rory, it ’s too early for this shit.”
    “Fine,” she stood up to leave, “but I am having a party tonight on the beach with my friends, so please tell mom not to do anything embarrassing.”
    “Oh, holy hell. I am so glad we don’t live in that house anymore,” I muttered over my coffee.
    “No kidding,” Ari chimed in as he walked Lauren to the door.
    Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath. I tried to clear my thoughts but Ari brought me quickly back to reality.
    “I cannot believe you did that last night,” Ari said as he walked back into the kitchen.
    I shrugged, “No. 6 had to die; no sense in prolonging the inevitable.”
    He shook his head at me disapprovingly. Then he said, “so… no kids, huh?”
    I bit at a fingernail, feeling uncomfortable.
    “I guess I have always pictured myself with children until I found out who my dad was and who I was. I just don ’t think I want to continue down that path. I don’t want someone else to have to bear my burden as a fate.”
    “Ava, the worst part is over; you ’ve taken away any burden that might have fallen on our children. Everything you’ve gone through has been for our future. You’ve done something that no one in your past has had the strength to do.”
    I thought back to the night before, how No. 6 had had company. Something in the back of my mind was trying to surface, something that told me my business with the Kakos was not yet over.
    “I just don’t know if I want to take my chances,” I said to him.
    “I want kids, Ava,” Ari responded flatly.
    Looking down at my coffee. I was unwilling to meet his eyes.
    “I am only eighteen. I didn ’t plan on getting married this young, let alone having children. Give me some time; let’s enjoy our marriage first and then we can maybe cross that bridge when we get to it... if we get to it.”
    ****
    Ari and I spent our morning together hanging out at home. We sat on the sun porch with the newspaper and looked out at the crashing waves.
    “Hey,” I said as a thought popped in my head. “What on Earth does Piase Kokkino mean and when did your mom become such a nut?”
    “She’s always been a nut, Ava, as for Piase