Chapter Fourteen
Two weeks had passed since Katie had broken things off with Chad. The pain from the gunshot no longer hurt with the same intensity as before, but still at times it ached, just like her breaking heart. She swore the pain would never go away. Nausea overcame her, and she rose from the couch, hurrying to the bathroom just in time. Katie dropped to her knees. Morning sickness had set in full force a week before.
Alex had gone to the doctor with her this morning. The doctor had given her clearance to work again, but her boss had insisted she take another two weeks off. She thought she might go crazy, sitting around doing nothing. Neither of her brothers would let her do much for herself. They seemed to think a pregnant woman couldn’t do anything besides sit on her butt. For the first week, she’d been glad they were here, but now they were grating on her last nerve. All she wanted was for her life to get back to normal.
Easing back onto her heels, Katie placed her hand on her stomach and willed the nausea to stay away. She sensed her brother at the door before he said a word. Kevin had left this morning to go and talk with Amy. He hadn’t wanted to go, and she practically had to shove him out the door. God, they were protective, but ever since they’d learned she was pregnant they had kicked it up times twenty.
“Morning sickness again?” Alex’s soothing voice filled the room.
“No, I thought I’d come and sit in front of the toilet for the hell of it. What do you think?” She stood and lost her footing, almost falling into the tub. Alex reached out and steadied her. She must have been more tired than she thought. God knew she hadn’t slept in two weeks, between the nightmares of Kaden coming for her and the ones of Chad walking out of her life. She had done the right thing letting him off the hook, but that still didn’t change the way she felt. Now, to be tied to him forever by the birth of their child would be the icing on the cake of her messed-up life.
“No problem. Come on, we need to talk.” He steered her to the living room and eased her onto the couch.
Oh great, what did he want to talk about now? He handed her a ginger ale and some saltine crackers. She nibbled on the crackers and took a sip of the drink. They were the only two things she could handle in the morning that didn’t make her stomach feel like it could free fall at any moment. “What’s on your mind?”
“You and Chad.” Alex took a seat next to her.
“You know I asked you not to say his name. It’s too painful.” Damn, the tears wanted to fall at the mention of his name.
“I know what you said, but I can also tell it’s hurting you as well. I won’t lie. I was pissed when I heard you two had slept together. I wanted to rip him apart for touching you.” Alex scrubbed a hand across his face. “The fact is, you love him and are carrying his child.”
“No, I don’t love him. Yes, I’m pregnant. I’ll figure out later what to do. And what’s best for the baby.” Her heart twisted as she spoke. She couldn’t let Alex know she still loved the man who had only been with her out of pity. It would be so humiliating in the end. She’d already made a fool of herself by getting involved with him, letting him command and handcuff her.
They had heard her and Chad that night. She’d hoped her brothers hadn’t heard. “Fine, I do love him.” She placed the crackers on the table. “That doesn’t change the fact that he was protecting me and kept the truth from me. He was only with me out of pity, thanks to everything Kaden had done to me. I can’t be with a man like that. It’s no reason to be with someone. I won’t raise my child in a loveless marriage like mom and dad had. You saw what happened. They fought all the time, and then the hitting started. I won’t bring my son or daughter into that kind of family.”
“Katie, I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Chad’s not like that. He loves you. We talked in the hospital room. The man is so in love with you that he told me off more than once while protecting you. He wouldn’t let anyone else help or get near you. A guy doesn’t do that unless he cares.” Alex moved to kneel before her, sandwiching her hands in his. His face showed so much love and understanding that it floored her. In all the years, she’d never seen him show any emotions. Ever. “Sweetie, you have to let go of what happened between mom and dad. It was horrible, but we made it through. Chad might be domineering, but he’s not a woman beater. I’ve known him for years, and he’s never once laid a hand on anyone he’s dated. Do you know Chad is the one who took out Kaden, before rushing to your side? He wouldn’t let anyone else near you. He stayed there through it all. Even when I and the others threatened to beat his ass for getting you pregnant, he stood up to us. That’s when I knew he cared more for you than he let on.”
“Why don’t you come in and give it to her yourself?”
Alex stepped aside and Katie saw who was at the door. Chad. He walked in and her breath caught in her chest. He must have just gotten off work, or was on his way there, as he had scrubs on. She’d always loved to see him this way with the shirt stretched against his muscles.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” How she kept her voice calm without shaking she’d never know. His gaze heated her insides, even when she was supposed to be mad at him for lying to her. She still hadn’t forgiven her brothers fully for hiring a bodyguard. He sat next to her and handed her a gift bag. Katie took a peek inside and started pulling out things. Why did he have to have a sweet side to him as well? The bag was filled with peppermint tea, bubble bath and chocolate. Tears simmered in her eyes. She lifted her head to stare at him.
“I thought you might want to relax and all.”
“Sis, I’ve got some errands to run. I’ll be back later.”
She nodded and heard the door shut behind Alex. Words escaped her. She could only look at the man she loved. “Thank you.” Nausea rose to the surface once again, forcing her to dash off the couch and down the hall to the bathroom.
Chad watched her disappear down the hall with her hand clamped across her mouth. He stood, grabbed her glass of ginger ale and ambled down the hall. He had to get her to listen to him, so he could explain. Living without her wasn’t an option anymore. He needed her with him, in his arms at night. She was scared, and he recognized that. He couldn’t blame her, after growing up in the house she did, and after what Kaden had done to her. She didn’t want to trust. But he’d seen the look on her face at the hospital. It had killed her to say those words to him. Her tear-stained face had haunted his mind ever since.
He leaned a shoulder against the door frame and looked down at Katie huddled on the floor near the toilet. The sight turned his heart over. Katie turned and looked up at him, trying to smile, but he could tell the morning sickness was getting the best of her. Bags sat under her eyes, telling him she too had not slept in awhile, too. Pushing off, he took two steps and sank to the ground next to her.
“Here, drink this. It will help.” He handed her the glass, and she took it willingly.
Katie drank slowly from the cup before setting it on the floor. She looked thankful that she’d not gotten sick this time. “Thanks. Look, Chad, we need to talk.”
“We do, but me first. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about looking after you. Your brothers knew how much you wanted to lead a normal life.” He couldn’t sit next to her and not touch her. Chad cupped her cheek in his hands she leaned into his touch, closed her eyes, and sighed. “At first I had my own personal reasons for wanting to bring down Kaden. You remember what I told you about my ex-fiancée?”
“Well, she was Kaden’s sister, and I didn’t know until you told me about what had happened to you the night you tried to leave him. That’s the same night she died.” Pouring salt into an open wound would have been less painful than talking about this. “I tried to stop her, but she said she had to go find her brother, and when the police surrounded the building, he threw his sister into the crossfire and got away.”
Katie pressed a hand to her mouth and moved closer to him. “Oh, Chad. I’m so sorry.”
“Once I got closer to you, it became more about protecting you than getting revenge. Katie, I love you, and I don’t want to lose you due to me fucking up. Our child needs us. Both of us together.”
She rose to her knees. His breath stilled in his lungs. He waited for her to leave the room and ask him to get out. Tears slid down her silky cheeks as she kneeled before him.
“You’re everything that scares me. Everything I ever ran from, since getting away from Kaden: arrogant, dominant, controlling. I don’t want us to end up like my parents. But I talked with Alex, and now I know you’re not like the other men I’ve known. Sure, you’re in charge, no doubt about that, but you’re not one to hit a woman. It hurt me that you didn’t tell me about protecting me. At first I thought you pitied me. Now I know it’s not true. You were trying to help and not cause me more worry. I love you and want to be with you.”
That’s what he wanted to hear. So much love showed in her eyes. Chad leaned in, and he captured her lips and pulled her into his lap. Katie wrapped her legs around his waist and opened fully to his kiss. A moan slipped from her mouth, and he took it.
“Fuck me, Sir.”
Hearing those words had him wanting her with a hunger he’d never felt before. His cock stirred to action just like every other time she was near. She traced lazy circles around his bicep and looked at him through her lashes. Are you sure about this? You just about got sick…”
“Yes, sir. I’m sure I want to do this. The nausea is gone.”
He wanted to be with her, but the health of her and the baby came first. If she truly wanted to do this he would go easier on her than in the past. “Get up, go into the bedroom and strip.”
****
Katie stood without any words and went into the bedroom, slipping off her clothes. She could feel his gaze on her back as it roamed across her body. Slowly, she turned and waited for his instructions. If anyone had told her she’d be a submissive to a Dom, she would’ve laughed at them and told them they were crazy. With Chad, it was different. She never felt she wasn’t in control of the situation. In fact, it was the opposite. For the first time ever she felt loved, cherished and wanted by a man. She willed herself to remain still while looking at him. Her heart swelled with so much love for him.
Chad stalked closer, skimming fingers across her shoulders, awakening sensations only he could as he moved to stand in front of her. With a gentle push, he urged her to the floor before him. Untying his scrubs, he pushed them down. He took his cock in his hand and stroked his shaft…once…twice. Her eyes followed. With her tongue, Katie moistened her lips in anticipation of taking him.
“Put your pretty lips on me and suck.”
“That’s it. You’ve got a wicked mouth on you.”
She couldn’t get enough of his salty taste as he thrust deeper into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she savored the moment of being able to bring him pleasure. Chad’s stomach grew taut as she slid down over the engorged head again, swiping her tongue underneath.
“Stop. I’ve got to taste you and be buried deep inside of you.”
He pulled her to her feet and led her to the bed. He laid her on her back. Katie caught the look on his face as he looked down at her. She knew she was home, and he’d never leave her. He cradled himself between her legs, kissing her. God, she had missed him, and had so much she wanted to say, but knew it would end up with her getting punished instead of pleasure, and right now she needed that more than anything she needed to say.
“Never run away again.” It was a command. Nothing she needed to answer. Chad pressed kisses to her shoulder and down until he took a beaded nipple into his mouth and sucked. Her breath hitched when he bit down, then soothed the area before lavishing the same attention to her other breast. She pushed further into the heaven that was his mouth. God, she’d be sore later, but it would be so worth it.
He slid down and she missed the contact, he was so close to where she needed him. Her clit ached for his touch, his tongue, anything to take the edge off of her desire. She gasped as his tongue swiped across her wet folds. Nothing else registered other than him pleasuring her with his mouth. She pressed her bottom lip between her teeth and tried to keep the moan in, but it was of no use given the things he was doing to her.
He moved into the V of her legs and slid inside. God, she felt filled to the brim with him deep inside of her. Chad cupped her hips and started a slow glide that had every nerve ending standing at attention to him and what he was doing. It was always like this with him. Nothing mattered. If she tried to hold back, she couldn’t. He’d broken through those walls one by one until there was nothing standing between them. Katie wrapped her arms around his neck as he fused them together chest to chest, belly to belly and mouth to mouth. There was nothing he wasn’t stroking between them.
“Never take off when you’re not sure. Promise me we’ll always talk things out.”
“I promise.”
He picked up the pace as he pushed her closer to the edge. Katie kissed his shoulders across to his nipples and began licking them. His sharp intake of breath told her he was closer to a release. Her heart cracked wide open at being in his arms again. She’d never know, but what mattered was that he was here now and not going anywhere.
“Come. Let me feel you come undone,” he whispered into her ear.
Chad rolled over, taking her with him. She snuggled into his embrace with him still deep inside of her. His hand stroked her arm as they lay there catching their breaths.
He rolled over and leaned on his elbow looking at her. He lightly traced his hand across her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You know, I think we should get married soon. I don’t want to spend another moment not loving, caring, and cherishing you.”
“Is that so? What if I don’t want to?” She raised a brow and smiled at him.
His thumb brushed over her nipple. “Well, if that’s the case then I think I might have to work on it. To find a way to persuade you somehow into saying yes.” Chad leaned down and placed kisses on her stomach. “What do you think, baby? You think mommy and daddy should get married?”
“Oh, so already trying to get our child to side with you, huh?” She laughed. “I might like if you try.” Katie cupped his face, pulling his lips to her and kissed him. In that moment, she knew that even though she hadn’t wanted someone watching out for her, he’d been bound to protect her, and there had been no way to stop him.
The End
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