JORDAN
6 MONTHS LATER
Despite everything that had happened, Ardenza had the mutation situation under control. More territory was taken back every week, and plans for rehabitation were in the works. They were going to put Ardenza back to how it used to be—including the rest of the world. Of course, Borzia hadn’t made a sound, but they received word of protests within the continent. Other continents, like Kolon, had made inquiries about possible future partnerships.
Jordan talked with Raven about their future and the world’s—and what it would look like. How would they, as a human species, survive all that nature was going to throw at them? How could they harbor the safety of generations to come? What other potential problems could arise—and what would be their solutions?
Raven had mused about a solution many times. They had talked often while she practically lived at his place, sleeping over on the days Sev wasn’t there.
After Domasc had been sentenced and she had publicly renounced the Borzian throne, Raven had also opened up about her past. She had spoken to him about her fears and her mother. About what had happened when she and her father fled to Barak. Her nightmares had stopped, too.
The last few months of Jordan’s life were the best he’d ever had. For once, everything in his life made sense and went how he hoped it would. He had tried to get Raven to move in as soon as possible, not wanting to spend another day away from her, but Raven had wanted to take it slow. See how they did first, before meeting his son.
There hadn’t been a doubt in his mind that this wouldn’t work. He loved her as he’d never loved another woman, and knew she was his forever. His happily ever after.
Raven knew, too, but she didn’t want to hamper Ashley and do anything she wouldn’t be okay with, or rush Sevrano into anything.
What she didn’t know was that Ashley had already accepted Raven. She’d been asking Jordan when Sev would finally meet her, but he hadn’t told her. He didn’t want to pressure her into anything she wasn’t ready for, either.
Raven was in the bathroom, fidgeting, although she had been ready for a while. She looked beautiful. But as Jordan had told her Ashley and Sev were on their way, she’d gone back in there saying she needed to have a moment to herself.
Jordan walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out into the city. One building portrayed an enormous banner with Nikolai’s face on it. He chuckled. Nikolai hated it—he had explicitly asked for his face not to be projected anywhere, on any building. But that’s just how Barak celebrated its new chief general. Or at least how Jordan and his father liked to celebrate it.
Jordan smiled every time he saw it from his apartment.
One of the bathroom doors opened in the hallway and Raven walked back in. She was wearing simple black boots, black jeans, and a white, slightly oversized t-shirt. She sat down at the bar and let her head rest in her hands.
Jordan walked over to her, rubbing his hand over her back. “It’ll be fine, Raven.”
“What if he doesn’t like me?” she groaned, sighing deeply.
He suppressed a chuckle. “He’ll like you.”
Another groan. “But what if he doesn’t?”
“Relax, Raven.”
She straightened her neck and shot him a look that could freeze over hell.
“Well, probably not if you look at him like that.”
Her expression cracked, and she laughed. “You’re not nervous he won’t like me?”
Jordan put his hands in his pockets. “No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. It’s a feeling. Call it fatherly instinct.” He shrugged.
The doorbell rang and Raven had a minor meltdown. “Oh, gods.” She stood, rubbing her palms on her pants.
Jordan walked over to the hallway, where he opened the door and was greeted by Ashley and Sev.
“Dad!” Sev said happily and jumped up to him, hugging his legs.
Jordan hoisted him into his arms as he kissed Ashley on her cheek and let her in.
“How’s she doing?” Ashley asked. Jordan had been texting her with updates.
He smiled. “She’s okay. Still a little nervous.”
When they entered the living room, Raven stood at the kitchen island, a little awkward, unlike herself.
“Raven,” Ashley said as she walked up to the other woman and kissed her on the cheeks.
Raven smiled a little, saying something to Ashley, which Ashley brushed off. “Don’t worry about it,” he heard her say, and was suddenly overcome with a feeling of gratefulness for his ex. She and Raven had already met a couple of times, even going to lunch, before Raven wanted to meet Sev.
“Who is that?” Sev whispered in his ear, cupping his little hand as if to shield his voice.
Jordan looked at him. “I told you about her. She’s a very good friend of mine.”
“Like mommy?”
“Sort of,” Jordan agreed. Explaining the differences between their relationships would be a little much for now.
He put his son back on his own two feet as he waved Raven over. Sev looked up but scurried behind Jordan’s legs as she walked closer, as if he was hiding. Raven’s eyes turned a little panicky when she looked at Jordan, communicating something in silence, but Jordan shook his head to say that it was okay.
“Hi, Sev,” Raven said as she lowered into a crouch, leveling the playing field. “Is it okay that I call you Sev?”
Ashley looked at them with her bottom lip between her teeth, like she was trying to hold back a smile.
Sev nodded and let go of his father’s leg.
“I’m Raven,” she offered, holding out her hand.
“I want to do a fist bump,” he said matter-of-factly.
Jordan nodded seriously. “He’s in his fist bump phase.”
She folded her fingers into a fist. “Sure.”
Sev’s fist collided with Raven’s, and she grinned at him. Then, back at Jordan, who was still standing behind him.
“What is that?” Sev asked, pointing to the silver scar on Raven’s face.
Raven smiled. “That’s my battle scar.”
Sev nodded. “Want to play a game with me?” he asked, pulling his hands through his short blonde curls.
“Of course,” Raven said. “I love games.”
Sev said, “Hide and seek.”
Ashley took that as her cue to leave. “I’ll see you guys for dinner in a couple of hours.” She waved to them and planted a kiss on Sev’s cheek. He was also in his hide-and-seek phase, and it took him forever to find everyone.
Sev looked at her. “You won’t play?”
“You will see me tonight, okay? Why don’t you start counting, sweetie?”
“Yes!” Sev was immediately occupied otherwise, and Ashley left the apartment with another wave to them. Later that night, they would meet each other again for dinner reservations in one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Barak.
“How long do we have?” Raven asked as the door closed, but Sev had already started, hands covering his eyes as he put his head to the wall. “One…”
Her eyes widened as she looked around. She asked Jordan, “How far will he be counting?”
He shrugged. “We never know.”
Sprinting, Raven took off toward the master. Jordan followed her. Jordan thought she was being so cute, going above and beyond to leave a good impression on Sev.
He saw the door close to their—well, his, for now—walk-in closet. He opened it immediately after her and burst out laughing as he saw her trying to disappear behind a clothes rack. She jumped when she heard his laughter and tried to shoo him away.
“Shh. He’s counting!” she hissed.
Jordan stepped up to her, locking her up behind all the clothes. “Yeah, but he only knows the numbers one, two, and three and repeats those. He has absolutely no sense of time. And unlike other kids his age, he likes to stretch it instead of jumping it.”
Raven chuckled. “So?”
“So, it will take him forever to start searching.”
“Hmm.” She pouted her lips. “You think I passed the test?”
He let his thumb caress the corner of her mouth. “There was no test, Raven. And if there was, you already had.”
“You think so?”
“Sev likes everyone I like.”
“Careful now, you just admitted to liking me,” she said playfully, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him closer, brushing her lips over his.
Jordan made a sound that was a mix of laughing and a groan. “You’re it for me, Raven,” he murmured against her lips.
Raven kissed him once more, then pushed him away. “Now go find a place to hide!”
“Can’t I stay with you?”
She shook her head. “You’ll make me lose.”
He crossed his hands over his heart. “That hurts.” But he walked out of the closet, closed the door behind him, and went back into the living room, where Sev still stood against the wall. “Three… One… Two…”
Jordan took a blanket from the sofa and pull it over himself, looking like a bunch of blankets. Totally obvious, but not for his kid.
He had been right. It took Sev another full minute before he decided the time was up and started searching.
Jordan was the last to be found.