by Charity West
“Worst mistake of my life. Well, second to dating you to begin with. You were so far beneath me, but I thought you’d be easy, and I was right. Best of all, you were too stupid to realize I was fucking half the cheerleaders when you weren’t looking.”
Nausea welled inside of me.
“Kaycee,” he whispered.
I whimpered, and just as I was about to run, he lunged at me, his face looming white in the darkness. A scream welled in my throat as I slashed at him. I felt the knife slice through his shirt and into his skin. He cried out in pain and anger, and then he was on me. We tumbled to the floor, and he slammed my hand against the wall several times, trying to dislodge the knife from my grip. I thrashed and kicked, fighting for my life.
“You’re dead, bitch.”
I wrestled my hand free. “You first.”
His eyes widened as I brought the knife down, slamming it into his back. He reached up and gripped my throat in a tight grasp, cutting off my air supply. I hacked and slashed at him some more, doing everything in my power to kill him before he could kill me. As his grip loosened, and the madness in his eyes began to fade, I wriggled out from under him. He lay on the carpeted hall, face down in a puddle of blood.
Tears streaked my cheeks as I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed my phone off the counter. My hands shook as I called 9-1-1. After I relayed my message, I ignored her “please stay on the line” and hung up so I could call Zarek. I knew he was in the middle of a shift, but I needed him and hoped someone could cover for him.
“Zarek.” My voice rasped from having my throat squeezed.
“Kaycee, what’s wrong?”
“He broke in. He was hiding in our bedroom.”
“Are you okay?”
I sobbed and tried to answer, but I collapsed on the kitchen floor. The phone fell from my hand as I tried to get myself under control. I could hear Zarek, the panic in his voice, and I slowly picked up the phone.
“The police are coming,” I croaked.
“Kaycee, I’m on my way. Do you hear me, baby? I’m coming.”
I hung up the phone and crawled my way to the front door, undoing the locks and opening it a crack. The night air filled my nose, and for the first time, I realized the apartment smelled like death. The coppery scent of Price’s blood filled the air, and I gagged. The police found me on my hands and knees, just outside the apartment throwing up in the bushes. I was in the middle of telling them what happened when Zarek came rushing to my side.
It took hours to give the police everything they needed and for the body to be taken away. I cried in Zarek’s arms, my entire body shaking. He asked an officer to stay with me while he gathered some things in the apartment. He came back a few minutes later with a duffle bag in his hand. I didn’t know where we were going and I didn’t care, as long as it wasn’t here. He locked up the apartment and helped me into his truck. I had thought maybe he would drive to his mom’s, now that the threat was over, but he went to the closest motel.
Zarek got us a room and led me by the hand to the door with the numbers 115 on it. Once we were inside and he’d pulled the chain across the door, he started the shower and helped me undress. My hands were still shaking too badly to be able to take care of myself, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’d nearly entered the shower fully clothed before Zarek had stopped me. Undressed, I stepped over the side of the tub and under the hot spray. Zarek quickly stripped out of his clothes and got in with me, taking his time washing the blood from my skin where it had soaked through my clothes. I didn’t care if I never saw those clothes again. I hoped he threw them out or burned them.
“You’re okay, Kaycee,” he murmured as he gathered me close. I cried against his chest as the water beat down on us. When all the hot water was gone, he turned it off and helped me dry off and get into a clean pair of pajamas.
I sat on the bed and stared blindly at the TV while he brushed the tangles from my hair, and then he tucked me into bed, pulling me into his arms. The shock of what had happened, of what I’d done, was slowly wearing off. I’d killed someone. Price might have been crazy, but I’d taken his life, and that would haunt me for the rest of mine.
“I’m sorry,” Zarek said.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I didn’t keep you safe. I did everything I could think of, but he still got to you. I should have taken a leave of absence at work until he was caught.”
“No. Zarek, you can’t blame yourself for what happened.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor about your throat?”
I winced, knowing I sounded horrible. “I’m sure. I’ll probably have finger marks around my throat by morning. I’m just bruised.”
“What do you need from me? I’ll do whatever you want, whatever you need. I want you to feel safe again.”
“Just knowing he’s gone is enough to make me feel safe. Having you here with me is a bonus. You aren’t going to get in trouble for missing work?”
“No, and neither are you. We’re both off until Monday. Captain’s orders.”
I nodded and snuggled closer to him.
“I almost lost you.” His arms tightened around me. “I don’t know what I would have done if you’d…”
If I’d died. He couldn’t even say it, but I’d thought it a million times since I first realized Price was in the apartment. I’d faced death tonight, and I’d come out the winner, in more ways than one. Not only was I still breathing, but I had this incredible man at my side. He’d not said that he loved me, but it was there in his actions. But facing off against Price had proven to me that life was short, and I didn’t want to waste a single minute of it.
“Zarek, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Are you hurt?” he asked, a hint of panic in his voice.
“I’m fine. I promise.”
“Then what is it?”
It was now or never. This could go one of two ways. Either he felt the same, and would say it back to me, or he’d run as fast as he could in the opposite direction. I was hoping for the first reaction.
“I love you,” I said softly. “I know it’s too soon to say that, but I realized today that I don’t want to waste another moment in life regretting that I didn’t have the courage to say or do something sooner. So, this is me, taking a leap.”
Zarek shifted and looked into my eyes. There was tenderness in his gaze as he skimmed my cheek with his fingers. His lips brushed against mine in the sweetest of kisses, and then he gathered me close.
“I love you too, Kaycee. It may be crazy to feel so much so fast, but I’m head over heels in love with you.”
“What happens now?” I asked.
“First thing I’m doing is having the apartment cleaned. And if you have too many bad memories there, then we’ll move.” He bit his lip, and his eyes narrowed a little. “Since we’re being crazy, want to go completely round the bend?”
I giggled a little. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, we’re off work until Monday. That’s four days to do whatever we want. What do you say we take a vacation? Fly to Vegas maybe?”
My heart picked up speed. Was he asking me to go to Vegas for any particular reason? Or did he just randomly pick that location? I found myself eagerly nodding, anxious to get away. After a flurry of kisses and some more giggling on my part, Zarek grabbed his cell phone and began making the arrangements. It took some finagling on his part to get the police department’s permission for me to leave the state, but somehow he managed it. Our flight was going to leave in three hours, and we didn’t even have enough clothes packed for the trip.
We changed out of our pajamas and Zarek repacked the duffle bag. He grabbed my hand, and we ran for the truck, stopping only long enough to return the room key and check out. He drove like a demon to the airport, and we barely made it on time. I’d never been on a plane before, but it was too dark to see much out the small window. I could practically feel the energy humming in
him, and his leg bounced up and down.
Vegas was everything I’d expected it to be. The bright lights, large crowds, and the constant noise of the strip. Zarek got us checked into the hotel, put our bag away, and immediately whisked me into a boutique to purchase a few outfits. He refused to let me see the prices and I worried that we were depleting his savings, but he didn’t seem to mind. By the time we were finished shopping for both of us, I was exhausted and ready to sleep for a while. He lifted me into his arms and carried me up to our hotel room.
My first night in Vegas and I was asleep before we’d even gotten to the hotel room. So disappointing.
Chapter Seven
Zarek spoiled me the next morning with pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, and gravy-smothered biscuits. There was more food than I could ever eat, but we managed to put a huge dent in the offerings. He talked me into gambling a little, but I refused to spend more than fifty on the slots. It seemed like a waste of money. I’d sat at the same machine for an hour, winning just enough to keep me playing. I was down to the last three dollars when I pulled the handle.
The machine went off with lights and whistles as I stared with my jaw dropped. I blinked several times, sure I wasn’t reading the screen right. I’d won? And not just something small, but I’d won the jackpot?
“Miss, if you’ll come with me, I’ll help you with your winnings,” a casino worker said.
I pulled the card from the slot and followed her to a counter at the back. They swiped my card and congratulated me on my winnings. Even though I’d won the jackpot, my bet had been so small that I’d only won a few thousand, but it was more than I had in my account right now, so I was over the moon about it. I filled out their paperwork, and they presented me with a check. I stared at it, not quite certain it was real.
I tucked the check into my pocket and went in search of Zarek. It took fifteen minutes before I spotted him at a poker table, and if the chips in front of him were any indication, he was having a lucky streak. I waited patiently, not wanting to disturb him until the game was over. He spotted me waiting in the crowd gathered nearby and told the dealer he was cashing out. I had no idea how much those chips were worth, but it looked impressive.
By the time Zarek had his money, I was ready to get out of the casino for a while and explore. We caught a show and then walked the strip. My head was in the clouds as we strolled down the brightly lit sidewalk, and then Zarek suddenly came to a halt. I couldn’t figure out why he’d stopped until I noticed the direction of his gaze.
“The Wedding Chapel?” I asked.
“You love me. I love you. Nothing about our relationship has been normal.”
“You’re seriously asking me to marry you?”
“I'm serious. We already live together.” He must have read the indecision on my face. “If you want to wait, we’ll wait. In a few months or a year, I’ll get a proper engagement ring, get down on bended knee … whatever you want.”
Did I want that? I looked at the chapel again. I’d never really pictured my wedding before, but if I had, it wouldn’t have been a chapel in Vegas. I could sense Zarek’s disappointment, and he was right, nothing about our relationship had been normal. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, so why not take the plunge and make it official? I squeezed his hand and nodded.
“Let’s do it.”
The smile that blossomed across his face made me certain I’d come to the right decision.
“We need a license,” he said. “Let’s go see if the clerk’s office is still open.”
“I think it’s nearly four. But this is Vegas, maybe they’re open twenty-four hours a day.”
He stopped and asked directions to the clerk’s office, and we raced over there. The hours posted said they were there until midnight, and thankfully, we had our identification with us. After filling out the paperwork and showing our IDs, we waited while the license was processed. After we had it in hand, Zarek dragged me back to The Wedding Chapel. We’d passed several along the way, but for some reason, he seemed to like this one.
Inside, we picked our package, which included a tux for him and a dress for me. They showed us to an area where we could change. The dress was beautiful, and I felt like a princess wearing it. When I came out of the room, an attendant was waiting with a bouquet in her hands. Butterflies rioted in my stomach as we approached the chapel, where I was told Zarek was already waiting. I stepped inside, and my breath froze in my lungs.
Wow.
Every thought in my head flew away the moment I laid eyes on him. I’d pictured him in a tux before, but my imagination hadn’t done him justice. He looked mouthwateringly good, and suddenly, I couldn’t wait to be Mrs. O’Donnell. More accurately, I couldn’t wait to get him back to the hotel room and celebrate our marriage.
I barely heard anything the officiant said, but I managed to respond to all the prompts. Mostly, I did a lot of staring at Zarek, who was staring right back at me. We exchanged rings, another part of the package, and then we kissed. I heard a camera clicking and was thankful they had someone on staff to take pictures. As much as I wanted to hurry back to our hotel room, we needed to change out of the borrowed clothes first. When I reached the front of the chapel, Zarek was waiting and had a copy of the pictures both printed and on a disc.
“Mrs. O’Donnell, are you ready for our honeymoon?”
There was a twinkle in his eyes, and I launched myself into his arms, kissing him soundly. Zarek laced our fingers together and he led me back to our hotel and up to our room. The door had barely closed before he tossed the pictures and disc on a nearby table and hauled me into his arms. The passion of his kiss took my breath away, and we didn’t even make it to the bedroom before he’d stripped us bare.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he asked.
“A time or two,” I answered with a smile.
“No matter how many times I make love to you, it always amazes me that you’re part of my life, that you chose me out of all the guys out there. And now you’re my wife…” His eyes misted a little. “I will cherish you always.”
I tugged on him until his body covered mine. Our lips met and held as my hands explored his muscles. I could feel his hard shaft flexing against my thigh, and I knew he was just as turned on as I was. Parting my legs, I urged him closer. He joined our bodies together, and I closed my eyes in bliss. We moved together in harmony. I could feel my body tightening, straining. Every touch, every stroke, felt beyond amazing, and soon, I was coming apart in his arms. As aftershocks left my body humming, Zarek found his release.
He kissed my shoulder, my neck, and finally my lips.
“I love you, Mrs. O’Donnell,” he whispered against my mouth.
“I love you, too.”
“Give me a moment to rest, and we’ll celebrate again.”
I smiled. “Just don’t forget to feed me somewhere along the way. We’ll need our energy if you intend to celebrate all night long.”
“And tomorrow, too.”
I giggled and curled into him. I couldn’t have imagined my life getting any more perfect than this.
Somehow, it did…
After three days of bliss in our hotel suite, we had to return to reality. I wasn’t looking forward to going back to the apartment, even if it had been cleaned. It seemed that Zarek had one more surprise in store for me. Instead of going to the apartment, he drove us to his parents’ house. I gave him a questioning glance, but he just smiled mysteriously and got out of the truck. We walked up the steps hand in hand, and before we could even knock on the door, Molly threw it open and hugged me tighter than ever.
“I told you that you would be part of the family soon.” She smiled broadly. “I knew my boy wouldn’t wait for long to get a ring on your finger.”
A man with salt and pepper hair stepped up behind Molly and placed a hand on her shoulder. His smile was just as warm and engaging and there was humor in his eyes. I assumed he was Mr. O’Donnell, the elusive father I had
yet to meet.
“Stan, this is Zarek’s new bride, Kaycee.” She elbowed him in the stomach. “Welcome her to the family.”
Stan held out his hand, as if to shake, and at the last minute, he hauled me in for a tight hug. “Welcome to the family, Kaycee. I hope you’ll keep our boy in line.”
“I’ll try.”
“Did you tell her yet?” Molly asked.
I looked from Zarek to his parents and back again. “Tell me what?”
“I have a surprise for you. Or rather, my parents have a surprise for you. They knew you wouldn’t want to return to the apartment, so…”
“We’re moving in with your parents?” I asked, not quite sure how I felt about it.
“Um, not exactly.” Zarek rubbed the back of his neck.
“Then I’m confused. Why are we here for my surprise, and what does it have to do with the apartment? All of our things are still there. Aren’t they?”
Zarek shook his head.
“Dammit, Zarek. Tell me what’s going on.”
“There’s a guest cottage at the back of the property here. It’s not huge, but it’s about the size of the apartment. Mom and Dad offered it to me when I told them we’d gotten married. They have a spare key to the apartment, and I gave them the alarm code, so they cleaned everything out while we were gone and moved it into the cottage.”
“Wait, so … we pay them rent now?” I asked, still not quite grasping everything.
“It’s our gift to you,” Molly said. “The cottage is part of this property and can’t be sold separate from it, but it’s your home for as long as your family will fit in it.”
My eyes went wide. “I’m not ready for a baby.”
I was still mourning the one I’d lost. Just the thought of buying diapers and onesies made me ill. Zarek gripped my hand tighter.
“We won’t have kids until you’re ready,” he promised. “But I think what Mom is saying is that we can stay in the cottage, rent-free, until we decide to have a family of our own and no longer fit in there.”