Chapter 50: Hunter

Jalen got into his truck, started the engine, and then sat behind the wheel for a moment, the engine rumbling quietly as he stared out at the driveway, still lit by the glow of the party lights spilling from the Horner mansion. His hands tightened around the steering wheel and his jaw was clenched.

He had just crossed a line. Another one. He knew what the Architect’s prophecy meant. He knew what came next.

While he knew pregnancy wasn’t a certainty from one encounter, the fact was that he was committed to Heidi now. Based on how things have gone, she would likely have his child sooner or later.

He let out a slow, heavy breath and leaned his head back against the seat, eyes closing briefly. Six women. Sydney. Kristen. Megan. Rachel. Karla, and now Heidi.

If tonight resulted in a pregnancy, and he had a gut feeling it would, it meant the prophecy was almost complete. Only two more women would remain. It also meant that the most volatile family in the mix was about to get involved. Tim Horner.

God help me.

He checked his phone. There were several texts and notifications waiting for him.

Rachel: “Please bring more peanut butter when you come? I ran out.”

Kristen: “God, I’m so sick of feeling nauseous all the time! Uggh ... sorry just venting ... How was your day at work?”

Rodney: “Yo! Any chance you can roll with me to Ice and Flame tomorrow night??”

Tik Tok: “Sydney Swanson shared a video with you.”

There was no way in hell he was going to the club with Rodney with everything going on. Jalen typed out a quick response telling Rodney he wouldn’t be able to make it.

He watched the short video Sydney sent him on Tik Tok and responded with several laughing emojis.

Then he typed and sent a brief response to Kristen expressing sympathy to her symptoms and giving a short summary of his work day. He purposely left the stuff about Heidi out. That conversation would need to be in person when he was ready.

Finally, he assured Rachel that he’d pick up peanut butter before coming to her place tomorrow morning.

After sending the last message, he set his phone down and took a moment to breathe, closing his eyes.

After a few moments, he opened them, turned the keys in the ignition, and started the drive down the long winding road out of the Horner estate, headlights cutting through the Georgia night.

His thoughts raced, but under the tension there was a calm too. There was something comforting about Heidi’s conviction, passion, and the way she looked at him like she knew what she was doing and chose him anyway.

He didn’t know how they were going to survive the chaos that would surely come, but she was in it now, and he knew she had no regrets.

As casually as she could, Heidi slipped back to the main floor where the party was and began to make her way upstairs to the 3rd floor so that she could freshen up in her room.

The heat from the sex with Jalen and subsequent clean up with the towels downstairs left her face essentially bare.

She had almost made it to the stairs when a voice called out, “Heidi! There you are! I’ve been looking for you!”

“Crap,” Heidi muttered under her breath.

Her mother, Sylvia, walked up to her wearing a concerned look on her face. “Where have you been? I need your help with the drinks and the cake! We’re gonna start the toast soon.”

Her mother started analyzing her face and its noticeable lack of makeup. “What happened to you?” she said, eyeing her suspiciously.

Heidi deduced that Leslie must not have told her that she’d been vomiting after all.

Heidi doubled down on the lie. “I’ve been downstairs in the basement bathroom. Something I ate didn’t sit well with my stomach, so I was chucking it up. I feel better now, but I obviously need to freshen up.”