WINDY CITY: The complete series

by Stone, Measha

  Friday nights were permanently scheduled with her friends. Although he hoped she'd used good sense to stay home, a small part of him feared she'd gone out. Her shoulder had to be hurting, she needed rest, not dinner out.

  He anticipated some resistance to his entry to the building when he pressed her bell and was surprised when he was buzzed straight in. The door to her apartment was open when he arrived, and he pushed it open further to look in the room. He'd told her not to leave her door open like that, even when she thought she knew who was coming up the stairs.

  Royce and Alex stared back at him as he peeked his head into the apartment. He let out a sigh of relief and entered, shutting the door behind him.

  "Hey."

  Royce lifted his hand in greeting. Alex shot him a grateful glance.

  "Royce, I don't think—" Jessica entered the crowded living room and caught Kendrick's eye. Her calm expression turned dark, her lips thinned, and her eyes narrowed. "Well, it's about damn time!" she spat at him.

  "Jessica." Royce's tone held a warning, which Jessica surprisingly ignored.

  "Where the hell have you been? She's tormenting herself with the stupid idea that you hate her! Why would you let her twist in the wind like that?" Her anger was apparent as her hands fisted into balls.

  "Jessica." Royce's voice sharpened. "Stop. Now."

  She took a deep breath and looked at Royce. Her eyes softened, but the irritation lingered.

  "He hurt her."

  "How he deals with Kelly is none of your business." Royce crossed his arms over his chest, shooting a warning glare at Jessica.

  Alex closed the distance between himself and Kendrick. Clapping a hand on his shoulder, he led Kendrick past the angry woman and toward Kelly's room.

  "She's supposed to be sleeping, but I keep hearing the TV flip on and off," he said as they reached her door. "She does think you hate her. She thinks you'll never forgive her."

  "Hate her? I don't think that's possible." Kendrick said, his voice low. "She may not like seeing me in there. She's been ignoring my calls all day."

  Alex's brow wrinkled and he pulled a phone from his back pocket. "I've had her phone all night. She didn't get any calls." He looked down at the device and pressed the side button. Nothing happened. He gave a deep groan. "She didn't charge it. It's been dead all day, I bet."

  Kendrick took the phone from him and knocked on the door quietly. The soft murmurs of the television could be heard, but nothing else.

  "She's probably sleeping," Alex said.

  Kendrick knocked again. Still nothing. He slowly opened the door enough to get a peek at her. Her hair was splayed across the pillow and covering her face. Her chest rose and fell steadily with her breathing. If only she would look so angelic when she woke to seeing him in her apartment.

  He eased the door shut. "Let's leave her for now."

  Kendrick and Alex walked back to the living room where Jessica stood in the corner of the room, her arms folded over her chest and her glare steady on Kendrick.

  "Jess, stop. He did call her. She never charged her phone." Alex waved a hand at her.

  She didn't relax or soften her eyes.

  "If I remember right, you ran off on Royce once," he pointed out.

  "Yeah. And he came after me. Kendrick just stayed away."

  "Stayed away?" Kendrick tried to keep his building irritation from touching his voice, but the accusation was too much. "You have no idea how hard it was to give her space. She wouldn't have responded to me barging over here, demanding to take me back. She needed to figure out what she wanted, what she needed. At no point in the last week did I think of anything other than getting that woman back into my life!"

  "Good." Jessica dropped her arms to her sides. "But you made Alex take her home last night. It should have been you." Her voice was no longer laced with acid, but her words still stung.

  "Jessica," Royce warned again. "Not everyone responds as you do." He walked to her and pulled her into his arms. "I know you're worried for her, but she's going to be okay. Kendrick will handle her how he sees fit. He will give her what she needs." Royce kissed the top of her head.

  "I couldn't bring her home last night. I had to go to the station and be sure those two were processed correctly. Peltner is a lead detective in the precinct. I didn't want any favors being pulled during his booking. And Ted's slipped through their cracks too many times. I waited until I was sure they'd be spending the night in lockup before I left. Kelly had been through enough. I wasn't going to let her sit at the station while all that took place. I was so angry with her, and so relieved she was okay, I didn't trust myself around her," he confessed. "If I'd touched her or tried to hold her… I didn't trust I could do what I needed to after that. I sent her home to protect her. As far as hating her…I love that woman too damn much to hate her."

  A long pause stretched throughout the room.

  "Jess, we're going home. Kendrick can take it from here." Royce grabbed Jessica's sweater from the couch and handed to her.

  She looked reluctant. "I don't know—"

  "I said we're leaving." Royce's voice left no room for her to argue any further.

  She slid her arms through her sleeves. "Alex, you wanna get some dinner?" she asked as she reached for her purse.

  "No." Royce shook his head. "You and I need to get home." He slid his own coat over his suit and held out his hand for her.

  "I was only protecting her," she whispered when she took his hand.

  "I know." Royce nodded to Kendrick and then to Alex as they walked to the front door. "Kendrick, I wish you all the luck with Kelly. If she is as stubborn as her friend here, it should be interesting." Royce winked at Kendrick, and he and Jessica disappeared into the hall.

  "Well. I guess you have this under control. She took some Ibuprofen about three hours ago and will probably want more soon. Her shoulder was bothering her a lot. She'll have a headache from all the crying too." Alex headed over to the door and turned back before he left. "She's being hard on herself, but don't go easy on her," Alex suggested before leaving Kendrick standing in the living room alone.

  The entire evening was becoming messier than he'd hoped, and he hadn't even talked with Kelly yet.

  Once the door was closed and Kendrick had the bolt in place, he headed back to her room. He had to see her, to feel her, to make sure she was okay.

  He peeled off his jacket and tossed it on the loveseat before heading down the hall. As he turned the corner into the hallway, he jumped at the sight of Kelly standing outside her door, her hair a mess all around her, her eyes puffy and red, her cheeks swollen from crying. He had never seen a more beautiful sight.

  "You love me?" she asked with a sniffle.

  Chapter 32

  Kelly stood in the hall of her apartment, staring at Kendrick. She'd heard his voice after Jessica's overbearing tirade, and she'd jumped from her bed. A sharp pain had shot through her, but she'd ignored it.

  When Kendrick responded to Jessica, his voice had been hard. He didn't yell though, he never did. He was being extremely serious with her. He'd said he loved Kelly.

  The declaration stilled her.

  "Kelly…" He said her name as though it was the most delicious dessert he'd ever tasted.

  The urge to run to him and throw her body against him was strong, but she held out and settled for staring at him.

  He looked rugged. The usual amount of stubble on his chin was longer. His eyes looked puffy and tired. His hair was mussed, as though he'd been shoving his hands through it.

  "I heard Jessica's ranting. She can be a bit overbearing at times." She shifted her feet on the carpeted floor.

  "She was just looking out for you." Kendrick moved toward her. "Your shoulder, does it still hurt?" Another step toward her closed the gap.

  “Yeah, a bit.”

  "You should be in bed."

  "Why?" She tilted her head. "Alex kept shoving me there too. Bed isn't going to cure my shoulder." She waved him off with
the arm that didn't feel like it had been torn from her body and thrown back on with rusty staples.

  "Rest will help you heal faster," he pointed out. The musky scent of him filled her with comfort.

  "You love me," she said again, no question this time, just a confident statement.

  He sighed. "Yes. Of course, I do. I don't see how anyone couldn't love you, you impertinent, impulsive, crazy woman. Now, get into bed and we can talk." He twirled his finger in the air, directing her to turn around. “Now get moving.”

  The boulder in her chest crumbled, letting hope flow through. She couldn't help the large grin crossing her lips as she followed his directions. She marched back into her room and climbed back into bed. Folding her legs in front of herself as she leaned back against the headboard, she made sure there was plenty of room for him to join her.

  Kendrick sat on the bed facing her. "You scared me," he said with a firm tone. "You just walked out on me with no explanation."

  "I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I should have at least told you why."

  "Explain yourself now." He folded his arms over his chest and waited.

  She looked at him, wondering where to begin. Her worries of a week ago seemed so silly and unimportant after the last twenty-four hours.

  "Ever since I was little, I've wanted a family. A husband and kids. I wanted to be surrounded by my family every day. I barely saw my parents, and when I did, it was at a silent dinner where they both either read over work or talked about work. I was more of an ornament in the house than their child. I've spent the last several years looking for a husband." She laughed at the absurdity of her statement. "But while been doing that, I've been falling more and more into a world I didn't think I would ever find. I know it's silly to think the romance novels are right, but the idea of a man owning me, possessing me, it was just so wonderful. When I met you, everything felt right. I finally felt normal. Sitting at your feet, giving over control, it was all as ease breathing. There was no thinking about it; it just happened. At first, I was so happy at finding my place, at finding the spot I felt most at home, most like me, I forgot how much I wanted the other things. But then…" She paused.

  His brow lowered and he gestured for her to continue. "But then, I started to really, really like you, and I started thinking about a family. I figured I couldn’t have both. I can't be your submissive and a wife and a mother." She took a deep breath.

  "Why didn't you say something to me?" he asked, placing his hands over hers when she began to fidget.

  "We hadn't been together very long. I didn't want to scare you away by asking about kids and stuff."

  "So you made my decision for me and left. Without considering maybe I want marriage and kids and a dog and all that?"

  "A dog?" she asked.

  "Yes. A white terrier that barks at the annoying neighbor's cat and snuggles up to you on the bed when I'm working late. That's if our little girl isn't running in from a nightmare or because she misses us." His words couldn't have been more poetic if he'd been singing them to the tune of a lute.

  "Oh." Kelly wrinkled her brow and felt tears well up in her eyes again. After all the crying she'd done that evening, she didn't think she had anymore to shed. "I didn't know."

  "Of course, you didn't. You didn't ask."

  "You didn't offer," she countered and slammed her lips shut at his darkened stare.

  "Like you said, we'd only been together a short time. But if you'd been worried, you should have said something. Why do you think you can't be my submissive as well as my wife and mother to my children? It's not like I'm going to tie you up in the living room all day and have you nude in the kitchen. Well…okay, until we have kids, I'd have you nude in the kitchen. But a family only changes some of the ways we live the dynamic, not the dynamic itself."

  "Yeah, I realize that now. I bumped into Teri at the coffee shop. She has the cutest little boy. I just, well, I freaked out," she said again. "But by then, I'd already messed it all up. You let me leave. I figured it was over."

  "I was giving you space to think, but obviously, that's a dangerous thing to do." His eyebrow shot up, and he moved his eyes to focus on her shoulder. "Now, why the hell did you try to catch Ted? I was pretty damn clear about what you should do if you saw him. And you went and drew him out!"

  At the mention of Ted, his features hardened, but she could tell he was holding back his anger. He wanted to talk it all through and fighting over Ted wouldn't help them.

  Anyone who didn't know Kendrick would probably quiver beneath his stare, but she wasn't intimidated by it. "Detective Peltner called me the day after I saw you. He insisted I help. He said Ted was targeting younger girls and was becoming more dangerous. I knew I blew it with you, but I thought if I could get Ted behind bars—for you, maybe…well…I don't know…I thought you'd want him off the streets. Not able to hurt anyone again."

  Kendrick scooted further up the bed until he could press his lips to her forehead.

  The warmth of the kiss melted her, and she couldn't hold back anymore. She wrapped her good arm around him and quietly cried into his neck. "I'm so sorry I fucked it all up," she said between sniffles.

  He pulled away and wiped her cheeks clear of the falling tears. "You fucked up, yes. But you didn't screw us up. I love you." He said the words clearly as he picked up her arm and gently lifted it. He pulled the bracelet he had given her weeks ago from his pocket and slid it around her wrist.

  "This isn't just a bracelet. It's my mark. It's the statement that says you belong to me. And you do. You are mine." The strength in his words triggered a deep yearning she'd been trying to shove away since breaking up with him.

  "You'll forgive me?" she whispered, searching his face for a soft place to hide.

  "You're already forgiven," he stated. "But you can never hide your worries from me. They're mine too. And you're never to go off on any stupid heroic missions again."

  “Agreed.”

  "I'm so glad you at least told Alex about it. He can't seem to stop you from going through with your harebrained ideas, but at least he watches over you."

  Kelly leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder. "I was so scared I'd never get you back. That you'd hate me forever and never forgive me," she whispered. "I love you too, and I promise to do better, to obey, and not take decisions from you."

  "I love you, and I promise to protect you, even from yourself, to love you and to hold you to your promises." His words were spoken as a determined vow.

  "I promise to come to you with my troubles. To try and remember I don't make decisions on my own anymore."

  "Damn right." He kissed her head and pushed away from her. "Let's get you in the tub." Before she could protest or move, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

  She sat on the toilet as he readied the bath for her. Once the water was to his satisfaction, he helped peel her pajamas off and got her situated in the warm water. It felt wonderful over her sore muscles and tired soul.

  He sat beside the tub as she relaxed into the heat of the water. When she reached for the shampoo, he slapped her hand away and took over the task himself. Washing and conditioning her hair was the last thing she thought they'd be doing together. She'd been so convinced she'd lost him and had no hope of ever feeling his loving touch again.

  When she was once again dressed and her hair had been braided—a skill she hadn’t realized he possessed—he put her back into her bed without giving her a chance to argue. He stripped and slipped in beside her. She snuggled back to him, wanting more of him touching her. His arms wrapped around her waist, careful of her shoulder.

  She wiggled again, and he gave her a playful slap to her ass.

  "As much as I want to bury myself inside you right now, your shoulder is really banged up. It would hurt in all the bad ways, so keep still." His gruff voice was softened by the tender kiss he placed on her cheek. "Sleep."

  As promised, she obeyed, her eyes fluttering closed.

/>   Epilogue

  Three months after she almost screwed things up beyond possible repair, Kelly stood at the foot of Kendrick's bed with her hands tied behind her back, right above her ass. Having been stripped bare upon entering his apartment that evening, her nipples reacted to the chill in the air. The early fall winds outside were picking up, and the windows rattled every now and again to remind them of the season.

  Kendrick stood at the bathroom door, wearing only his jeans. Her eyes found his, as he inspected her beauty.

  The large mound of her breasts jutted outward from the position of her arms being tied in the way he'd restrained her. Her nipples hardened into peaks. Her spread legs exposed her bare pussy.

  He licked his lips at the sight.

  He stalked to her, carrying a crop in his right hand. She struggled to keep her eyes forward as he came to stand behind her.

  He ran the leather flogger across her shoulders and lightly tapped her shoulder. "How is this?" he asked.

  "It's fine." She let out a breath.

  He brought the crop down harshly on her backside.

  "I mean, it's feeling okay," she rephrased.

  "Good. Be sure to let me know if that changes." He'd been careful of her shoulder when he'd bound her arms together behind her back, but he still worried. It had been several months, but there were still times when her shoulder was sore. She'd done more than pull a muscle, and it had taken several weeks for the tear to heal.

  "Understand?" He slapped her backside once more.

  "Yes!" she cried out at the sharpness of the strike. Her backside had a nice red glow from the long spanking he'd given her.

  Having her draped over his lap, naked and raw, had been exactly how he'd envisioned their afternoon. She was off for Thanksgiving break, and he'd decided to take the week for himself as well.

  Her backside bounced with each strike of his hand, hardening his cock with each moan of satisfaction she gave from the spanking. Between volleys of spanks, he dipped his fingers between her legs and fingered her pussy.