Conquering Love (The Santorno Stories)

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  “I want you, too, but yes. I can wait.”

  “Well, it won’t be in a tent.” Landon kissed her softly.

  “I’m a little scared though. All the girls I know who aren’t virgins said it hurts really bad at first.” Kat blushed.

  “I would never hurt you and if we get to that point where we are ready to make love, you will call the shots, okay?”

  His erection made another appearance and she smiled and pulled away, looking down.

  Landon blushed and rolled off of her. “I swear I can’t control him.”

  “Did you name it?” Kat giggled.

  “Yes. His name is Thor,” Landon cracked up.

  “Have you done anything more than kiss?” Kat asked.

  “Well, Bree and I…” Landon looked at her face. “I didn’t have sex with her and I just did a lot more with you than her, okay? I love you, Kat, and only you.”

  Damon’s eyes were closed, once again Lily was pushing the limits and it was taking everything he had to control himself. She was on top of him rocking across him with no underwear on and Damon knew he wasn’t going to be holding on much longer. He grabbed her hips and pulled her over him again.

  “Damon.” Lily moaned.

  “Christ.” Damon looked at her face, he pulled her down and licked her nipple taking it in his mouth and flicking it with his tongue.

  Lily pulled her hair back and sat up on him pulling him up with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to rock her hips over him. Damon took her breasts in his hand and pushed them together sucking and licking both nipples.

  He slipped two fingers inside her and Lily moaned, her head thrown back. Damon continued licking her nipples; God he loved her breasts. His fingers slid in and he brushed his knuckle against her.

  Lily’s breaths were coming out faster and she knew she was going to come. “Damon! Oh!” Lily’s head went back and she wrapped her legs around him. Damon’s own orgasm hit with a vengeance and he held onto her, riding it out. They lay there looking in each other’s eyes and Lily palmed his face.

  “I’m sorry I was so hard on you.”

  “In the past. We’re together now.”

  chapter twelve

  The following week found them all at Greystone’s celebrating their all coming home alive. Phoebe watched Stefan talk with Nico and she ran her hands over her stomach, thinking about the life within her. They had spent every night together in their house and Phoebe had wanted to tell him a million times but it never seemed like the right time. She wanted it to be special.

  “Look at you.” Tanner smiled at her. “You look so happy, Phoebs.”

  “I am. You and Nico, anything happening?” Phoebe winked.

  “I think I’m ready.”

  Phoebe hugged him. “I’m happy for you guys.”

  Phoebe looked over the dance floor and smiled at everyone together in the same room and happy. The only people missing were on their way. Sergio and Luka had been out on a mission for four months and had taken a side trip to help them in Iraq. Friends Melanie Hoffman and Bree Sinclair were on their way to Fort Worth. Her grandparents had adopted them when two former Mob leaders wanted them to be kept safe. They would be starting at Fort Worth High in the fall.

  Conner had decided to forgo Harvard and stay close to home, working with Phoebe at Greystone Inc. part-time and going to school. Their friends Max, Cameron, Jesse, and Toby were all on their way to Fort Worth as well. The family had been pushing for them to be nearby and they had finally relented. They had all been there when decorative tracking bracelets had been handed out to the new family members (everyone in the extended family wore one) When her grandfather Stefan had hugged Max and Cameron, Phoebe was sure she saw something special in his eyes.

  Phoebe’s phone rand and she looked down at her caller ID and smiled. I was Bree.

  “Are you here?”

  “Yep, at the airport. You coming to get us?”

  “Be right there.” Phoebe hung up and motioned Stefan over. “Bree and Melanie just landed; I’ll be back okay?”

  “You want me to go with?”

  “Nah, we’ll just be having a girl talk.” Phoebe hugged him.

  Stefan pouted. “I can be girly.”

  Phoebe laughed loud. “In what universe? Walk me out.”

  Stefan walked her to her car and kissed her. “I’ll be right here.”

  Phoebe smiled and started backing the car out. She went out the parking lot and made the turn onto the street. Stefan smiled and waved and then noticed a truck barreling toward her. He started running and then the truck hit her full on, sending the Mustang flying. It rolled over three times before coming to a stop upside down.

  “Phoebe!” Stefan screamed and took off running.

  “What the fuck was that?” Tanner looked at the group.

  “An accident!” Nico ran out of the club with everyone on his heels, they saw Phoebe’s Mustang upside down and a man crawling out of the truck.

  “Call 911!” Nico shouted.

  “Phoebe!” Stefan skidded to a stop and dropped to his knees; thank God she had her seatbelt on. “Talk to me!”

  “Is she dead?”

  Stefan turned to see her ex-boyfriend Travis covered in blood, sitting on the curb.

  “What the fuck?”

  “I hope she is,” he gasped. Then you will hurt as much as you hurt me. My father cut me off, did you know that? Said I had dishonored the family by slapping Phoebe and turning her crazy family on ours.” Travis lay back on the ground.

  “You son of a bitch!” Stefan grabbed him by his shirt. “You did this over money?”

  “Stefan.”

  Stefan turned around and saw Phoebe’s eyes open. He rushed to her, listening to the sirens and noting the whole group’s arrival.

  Nico stood Travis up and sneered at him. “You better hope they lock you up forever, you bastard,” Nico growled. “By the way, you’re about to be surrounded by a dozen of trained assassins. Nice move, dickhead.”

  “You son of a bitch!” Landon flew at Travis. “You tried to kill my sister!”

  Joshua grabbed Landon before he landed his punch and the rest of them were holding back Colin and Conner. There was absolute chaos as the cops showed up and tried to keep everyone calm.

  “Stefan,” Phoebe whispered.

  “I’m here.” Stefan took her hand; he didn’t want to move her.

  “Tell them I’m pregnant,” Phoebe whispered.

  Stefan blinked. “What?”

  “Pregnant. Yours.” Phoebe closed her eyes.

  “Phoebe!” Stefan felt her neck for a pulse, it was there but weak.

  The EMTs came through and worked on getting Phoebe out of the car. She had to be cut out, and the firemen took the door off letting the EMTs get in and brace Phoebe.

  Stefan hurried to them. “She’s pregnant.”

  “We’ll take care of it. Are you her husband?”

  “I’m going to be.”

  The police had Travis in custody, giving him a breathalyzer test. He came in way over the legal limit and it took all of them to restrain Conner and Colin.

  “If she dies, I’ll kill you!” Conner screamed.

  Stefan approached Nico and Lily. “I’m riding in the ambulance. I’ll meet you guys there?”

  “Yeah.” Nico ran a hand through his hair.

  “We’ll get Bree and Melanie.” Katarina took his hand. “We’ll meet up with you at the hospital.”

  Paul and Mark were on their way, Mark at the wheel. After they got the phone call, Paul had gone into a rage and it had taken everything Mark had to calm him down. They finally got to the hospital and found Stefan in the waiting room with his face in his hands.

  “Is she okay?” Mark pulled his face up.

  “The doctor said he would come out as soon as he knew something.” Stefan looked at them. “She had her seatbelt on.”

  Stefan ran in with Jordan right on his heels.

  “What bay is she in?” J
ordan demanded.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Who’s responsible for Miss Greystone?”

  Paul and Mark jumped up. “We are. She’s our daughter.”

  “Your daughter suffered cuts and bruises, she has a mild concussion, and a dislocated shoulder, but I didn’t see any other signs of damage. The baby is just fine.”

  “The baby?” Paul looked blank.

  “She’s only ten weeks, so the baby is still very well protected.”

  “I’m sorry. Did you say the baby?” Paul sat down quickly.

  “Yes, I thought you knew.” The doctor eyed Stefan. “You didn’t tell them?”

  “I didn’t know what to say, or when. I just found out. If she lost it, I didn’t want…” Stefan looked at the group and took a deep breath. “The baby is mine.”

  “You’re going to be a father?” Heath stared shocked at his son.

  By now they had all arrived, and Conner and Colin had just walked in on the last part of the conversation. They all stopped in the middle of the hallway.

  “Phoebe’s pregnant?” Colin stared at Stefan.

  “Yes. I just found out tonight when she told me in the car.” He ran a hand through his hair.

  Bree smiled; she had just come in with the rest of them. “Phoebe’s pregnant.”

  Mark looked at Stefan. “My daughter is pregnant. With your child?”

  “It only happened once, the night of the benefit in Europe.” Stefan gulped. “I swear, I didn’t know until an hour ago.”

  “You are the father of my daughter’s baby.” Paul pinned him with steely eyes.

  Now Stefan was getting nervous. It was one thing to date his uncles’ daughter and promised not to have sex. But to have slept with her and gotten her pregnant? He knew what was coming and stood his ground, bracing for the uproar.

  “I’ll be a good father to our baby. I’m not running out on her. I never would. I love her more than anything.” Stefan looked nervously at his uncles Paul and Mark.

  Paul grabbed him and hugged him hard. Mark let out a breath and smiled as his husband hugged Stefan. He knew he would be happy about it. There was never a doubt in his mind. Phoebe and Stefan belonged together.

  “I’m a grandpa!” Paul smiled wide.

  “Um, I guess that makes me and Caleb grandparents.” He looked stunned.

  Jordan sighed. “And we are great-grandparents.”

  Katiana giggled. “Yes, you are.”

  “You’re not mad?” Stefan looked at his uncles.

  “Are you kidding?” Paul took Stefan’s face in his hands. “Okay, a little disappointed that you both weren’t honest with us. But I knew you and Phoebe were meant to be the day she was born, Stefan. For her to be pregnant after her first time, with you, and on the pill? Yeah. I think this child was meant to be.”

  “I’m a dad.” Stefan smiled.

  “Oh Lord.” Heath smiled looking at his son. “Here it comes.”

  “I’m a dad.” Stefan sat down in a chair.

  “I’m an uncle.” Nico smiled.

  “So are we!” Colin hugged Conner.

  “So am I.” Landon smiled wide.

  “I’m Aunt Lily,” Lily giggled.

  The doctor was watching them all and finally smiled. “She is still sleeping, but you can see her. She fought being sedated for the pain and I think that pretty much took the rest of her strength.”

  Paul pushed Stefan. “Go see her.”

  “But.”

  “Go, Stefan.” Mark aimed him down the hall.

  Heath watched his son walk down the hospital hallway and smiled. His son was going to be a father. He felt Caleb take his hand and rest his head on his shoulder.

  Stefan opened the door to Phoebe’s room and smiled. She was asleep, looking like an angel. He sat in the chair next to the bed and took her hand. He could feel something inside him and he didn’t know whether it was pride, or something else. Fear would probably be logical. He only knew that he was happy about this. He put his hand her on her stomach and smiled; his baby was in there, small and defenseless and he was going to make sure nothing happened to it.

  He took Phoebe’s hand and slipped the ring she had given him off his finger and slid it on her ring finger.

  “I always told you I’d marry you, Phoebe, I intend to do just that.”

  Phoebe woke up with sunlight in her eyes. She looked around and saw Stefan by the bed, asleep. The events of the night before were hazy. Stefan was here. Phoebe sat up and put her hands on her stomach; was the baby okay? Oh God, what if she had lost the baby?

  “The baby is fine, Phoebe.” Stefan smiled at her.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.” Stefan smiled as he sat on the edge of her bed. “You’re ten weeks and the baby was very well protected.” Stefan looked into her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I wanted to.” Phoebe sighed. “I found out when you guys were in Iraq and then when you came home, I wanted to. I know we said we wanted kids when we were younger.”

  “Yeah. I’m twenty-six, Phoebs. I’m ready for a child. Our baby.” Stefan put his hand on her stomach.

  “Really? You’re happy?” Phoebe palmed his face and saw his ring on her finger. “Stefan?”

  “Marry me, Phoebe. Not just because you’re having our child but because no matter what obstacles were thrown at us, we still came together. One night of making love produced a miracle. I love you with my whole heart and I will never love anyone else.”

  Phoebe would never love anyone the way she loved Stefan Youngblood.

  “Yes.”

  Phoebe spent the next few days in the hospital. To say her fathers were excited that she and Stefan were getting married was an understatement. They were all over them, hugging and kissing them and Paul had almost squished Stefan in a hug. Her uncles Heath and Caleb were just as excited and, of course, her grandfathers had offered up the oak tree in the back yard as a wedding site.

  “We wouldn’t want to get married anywhere else, Grandpa. That is a special place – and look how long you and Grandpa have been together. We would love to.”

  “Yeah? Well you better get married soon before you get fat,” Conner chuckled.

  “Conner!” Phoebe threw her pillow at him.

  “You are cleared to go home. Doctor’s orders are to take it easy, though. Your shoulder is relocated but not healed yet and you need to feed that baby.” Jordan smiled.

  “It’s still sore.” Phoebe looked at her arm in a sling.

  “Yeah, trust me. I remember how much that hurts and I did it twice.” Caleb smiled.

  “You’re a year late, Stefan.” Paul smiled.

  “What?”

  “You said you’d marry Phoebe when you were twenty-five,” Paul chuckled.

  “I’m going to take my fiancée home.” Stefan smiled, taking her hand. “Our home.”

  “I love you Stefan.”

  “I love you.”

  The first week had Stefan exhausted. Between helping Phoebe shower and making runs to the store at all hours of the night, he could barely see straight. The vomiting had stopped and the cravings had kicked in. He opened one eye to the sound of very loud crunching, rolling over to see Phoebe sitting cross-legged on the bed, with a picnic surrounding her. She was spraying Cheez Whiz on her chip when she caught him looking at her.

  “What?”

  Stefan smiled and rubbed her stomach. “Someone’s hungry?”

  Phoebe giggled placing her hand over his. “Someone is always hungry.” She looked around the pile of food on the bed and sighed.

  “What, babe?”

  “I don’t have any olives,” Phoebe pouted.

  Stefan smiled and kissed her softly. “I’ll be right back.”

  Phoebe smiled. Stefan was so attentive to her, whenever she needed anything he was up and out the door with no arguments and no complaining. He grabbed his wallet and headed to the bedroom door; he stopped and looked at her.

  “Anything else?”
<
br />   Phoebe shook the can of Cheese Whiz. “Another can?”

  Stefan laughed. “I bought two yesterday.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, honey.” Phoebe gave him a wide smile.

  Stefan returned to the bed and caressed her face, kissing her softly. “Don’t ever be sorry. That’s our baby in there and whatever he or she wants he or she gets, as well as mommy.” Phoebe closed her eyes as Stefan kissed her and drew back. “That does taste good.”

  Phoebe giggled. “I told ya.”

  Stefan palmed her face and kissed her again, and the action got heated. “I think we killed the chips.”

  “I want us to make love again Stefan.”

  “And we will. Can you heal first?” Stefan smiled.

  “Okay, as long as you don’t say something like we can’t because you don’t want the first thing our baby to see is your penis coming at him or her.”

  Stefan laughed. “I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe we shouldn’t.” Stefan got off of her and smiled.

  “Hey!” Phoebe threw a chip at him,

  Stefan laughed and headed out, he ran into his uncles coming in and Paul smiled at him. “Store run?”

  “Yep.” Stefan smiled.

  “And Twinkies!” Phoebe yelled from the bedroom.

  “I got it, hon.”

  Mark entered the bedroom to find his daughter on the bed surrounded by food. He laughed and sat down next to her, stealing a chip. “How is my baby?” Mark smiled.

  “She’s fine.” Phoebe giggled. “Hi, Daddy.”

  “You look beautiful. Being pregnant suits you.”

  “I’m not staying this way just for that reason,” Phoebe laughed.

  Paul sat on the other side of the bed. “I see you are running Stefan ragged. Poor guy looks exhausted. Let your dad and I do some of the shopping for you once in a while.”

  “You going to shop at two in the morning?”

  “Poor, Stefan,” Mark laughed.

  “He’s so… Stefan, you know?”

  “Yes we do.” Mark smiled.

  Bree sat at the bedroom window looking out over the valley, they had been put up in one of the many houses that on the Youngblood property. the pond had been made bigger after more houses had gone up and she smiled. She could see Stefan and Phoebe’s house across the pond. Viktoriya and Jordan were a mile from them, and then Nico and Tanner’s house.