by Danah Logan
I've never been more grateful for the people in this room than I am at this moment, yet the conflicting signals my brain sends me throw my mind into a tailspin. Relief and happiness are in a synchronous dance with guilt and sorrow. Gray is dead. He's gone and no longer a threat to my family and friends. I want to high-five Rhys. Then, the guilt for having such a euphoric emotion chokes me. He was King's father. King dealing with another loss splits my insides open, and I want to shield her from every negative emotion ever again.
"Gray found out that Ellis had planned to do to King what he'd been doing to all his other girls, for which Gray killed him. E's bodyguard ran, but Gray tracked him down here in Stonebriar. Sidhrov was following you." Jaxon regards King carefully before continuing. "When Gray found him here, he killed him as well. Ellis had his hands in many business ventures, one of which took his death personally and retaliated—using Gray's weapon against him."
Makes sense.
"But Gray didn't kill Vic," King exclaims, moving closer to the edge of the couch. I can sense her need to jump up, and I tighten my hold around her shoulders, slowly tracing circles on her arm.
"He did now." Marcus juts his jaw and emphasizes his opinion on the matter with a blank stare directed at King.
I'm with Marcus on that. I'm sure she wants to understand what really transpired, but as long as it keeps her out of prison, I don't give two shits who killed whom.
"Gray believed one of the others was behind Vic's murder," King mumbles as she meets my eyes for the first time since the bomb was dropped on her. "Which is why he came here last year."
I lower my forehead to hers and let the world around us disappear. It's the two of us, and we lean on each other. She holds my gaze, squeezing my hand in her lap. I place a gentle kiss on her lips, and when I pull away, the corner of her mouth tugs upward.
"Gray left the knife to you when he faked his death," Jaxon states point-blank, and our bubble of solitude bursts.
King's head jerks around. "How did you know that?"
"I think besides Francis Turner himself, not many people—alive—know more about him—or Gray." He drops the folder on the table and shoves his hands in his pockets. "My team interviewed his Ranger buddies, and they provided us with old pictures—one of which had him displayed with this knife."
King traces the blade with her fingertip. "It was a gift when he graduated boot camp. I don't know from who."
Marcus widens his stance farther. "Who knew about the blade? "
Why does it always seem like every answer comes with more questions?
"I always had it with me. You could say everyone knew about it, but not where I got it from." King furrows her brow.
"You have someone on your side, that's for sure. We just have no idea who," Marcus confirms her suspicion.
And Jaxon adds, "Yet."
"It's like we're always followed by the dark," D murmurs next to me, too low for anyone else to hear. I eye her sideways, wondering if there is something my best friend is keeping from me.
"What am I doing now? This is all too…I don't know. Convenient." King splays her free hand. I'm not letting go of the other.
"Officially, you gave the knife back to your father when you last saw him before Ellis disappeared," her attorney advises. "Don't let anyone see you with it. George will remain in New Mexico until Gray's body can be brought back to LA. Camden is meeting him there tomorrow. Gray was still considered a fugitive in Lilly's case. Camden will make sure that no one questions that he was the one who killed Ellis."
"You have an FBI agent in your pocket?" Mags explodes, her shrill tone making everyone jerk around.
Before one of the guys can respond, Lilly explains calmly, "Not in the way you're thinking."
"We're not blaming an innocent person for a random crime. Gray was a dangerous criminal. Scum." Rhys flicks his gaze to my girlfriend. "Sorry, King."
The only acknowledgment she gives him is a slight tilt of her head.
Rhys trains his eyes back on Mags. "King doesn't deserve to be punished for this. She rescued a girl from a heinous crime. Victor Sidhrov stood by as this girl was—" He breaks off, throwing a glance in my mom's direction. "Gray got rid of the body. Someone got rid of both. If it was revenge or to help King, we'll find out. But for now, this is over."
Over?
"Do you really think so?" I challenge my best friend.
Rhys looks at Marcus, then Jaxon. It's Marcus who answers my question. "Yes. No one will come after King for what happened."
It's over.
Hours later, the house is empty, and King and I are lying in my bed. My head rests on her chest and my hand on her belly. Nugget is in high form and kicking up a storm in there, which brings the biggest grin to my face. I poke King's belly, and a limb pushes out.
"Would you stop that?" King tries to sound annoyed, but the laughter in her tone contradicts her words.
"Why? She likes to play with me." I push my finger into King's side again.
"Ow, Sheats. I'm serious. Quit it." She shoves me off her, and I bark out a laugh.
Earlier, when my parents were the only ones left, King had excused herself.
"Are you okay?" I held her by the wrist, halting her retreat.
She twisted out of my grip, lacing our fingers together. She was tired. I wasn't sure if it was from the lack of rest the last two nights or the emotional roller coaster. Probably both.
"Yes." She smiled softly. "I just need to…process. And take a long-overdue shower." She wrinkled her nose.
"Do you want me to come?" I was turning into Rhys, not wanting to leave my girl's side.
"I won't be long." Her eyes pleaded with me to let her go.
That would be a no. She had always dealt with life on her own, and I guess it was a hard habit to kick.
"Call if you need anything." The strain in my voice was audible to my own ears—most definitely to my parents'. But on that note, embarrassment had exited a long time ago with, "My girlfriend is pregnant and currently in jail."
Surprising me, she leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on my mouth. "I'll always call for you," she whispered against my lips.
Before she left the room, though, she stopped and hugged my mom. After she disentangled herself from my mother, who was reluctant to let go, eyes glossed over, King padded down the hall.
I watched her until she disappeared through the door. Focusing back on the room, I found my parents both gaping at me with expressions I did not expect from them under the current circumstances. They had remained mute the entire time the others were here. Now, I was looking at them and was not sure if I was facing my parents or some body snatchers.
"Why are you smiling at me like that?" I frowned at Mom.
"I'm proud of you, Wes."
Definitely body snatchers.
"For what, exactly?" I inquired slowly. It couldn't have been for accidentally impregnating the daughter of a fugitive. My mom was open minded, but that would be pushing it even for her. Slanting my hand, I waited for their skulls to split open and reveal an extraterrestrial entity.
She relocated to the spot on the couch King had vacated. "You fucked up, son."
There was my mom.
Then, she placed a hand on my leg. "But you're dealing with it. You lost a lot three years ago and still found your way."
I snorted. "By drinking and developing a temper?"
"We all did that during our time in college. Your dad was the campus bully."
My head jerked in the direction of my father, who glowered at his wife. "Really? You had to bring that up, Laura?"
Mom waved him off. "Oh, come on, Charles." She looked back at me. "It's part of becoming your own person. I was worried about you; I won't lie. I hated for you to be lonely. You might not have wanted to admit it, but you and Rhys had been inseparable for most of your life. You missed him."
"I'm not sure I like where this is going," I grumbled.
Dad chuckled, but remained mute.
&nb
sp; "King changed that. You were different when you called last fall. Then, you met with Rhys over Christmas break. I didn't want to push you. I could sense that something was still off, but you were more yourself than the previous years."
"Have you always been this insightful?"
"I'm your mother," Mom deadpanned.
"You can't tell me that you were happy finding out about King." I peered toward the hallway. With my luck, she'd show up right then.
"Was I happy to find out from your aunt? Who had read it in some gossip magazine, of all places? No. No parent would. But then I called Denielle and Heather."
"YOU DID WHAT?" My voice went several octaves higher—a pitch I didn't realize I was still capable of. Den was in deep shit.
"You didn't give me a chance to ask questions. Heather called Lilly to send the jet. She met us at the airport and told us about King while we waited. She had spoken to her during the wedding last week. Heather had nothing but kind words for the girl."
A whoosh of air left my lungs.
"Did I picture being a grandmother at forty-seven? You can guess that answer."
"But?" I didn't dare inhale fresh oxygen.
She pursed her lips. "But nothing. I still think I'm too young to be a grandmother. But I will make the best out of it. I'll be the coolest grandma this baby girl can have."
"Cool?" I spluttered. Jesus Christ.
She swatted my arm. "You know what I mean. You made your bed; you will sleep in it. Though, from what I've observed, the two of you have found each other for a reason. King is good for you, and you for her. And this baby will bring out the best in both of you."
Warmth seeped through my chest the longer she spoke.
"It won't be easy. Especially with you still in school," Dad stated sternly.
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but he held up a hand.
"With that being said, I have no doubt in my mind that everything will work out in the long run. Your girl is a fighter, and so are you."
Between both of them, I had to swallow over the lump forming in my throat. This day turned out nothing like I had expected when I woke up alone this morning.
I prop myself up on my elbow and peer down at her. Drink her in. "You are so beautiful."
"You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Sheats." The corner of her mouth turns up.
"We haven't had a chance to talk about—"
"There is nothing to talk about," she interrupts and pushes a strand of hair from my forehead.
I study the crease between her brows.
"I'm okay." She softens her features. "Nothing has changed from when I agreed with you that Gray needs to be in jail." She draws in a long breath and peers at the ceiling. "I lost my father a long time ago." She turns back to me. "I mourned him."
"How do you feel about his…" God, why can't I form the words?
"Murder?" She pulls her brows up.
I press my lips together, unable to even confirm the word.
Her thumb strokes over my cheekbone, and the motion sends a tingling sensation down my spine. "No one deserves to get their life cut short, no matter the evil they harbor inside. Gray should've faced a trial and gone to prison for his actions. That fact will always make me sad. But I cannot mourn a man I didn't know."
This woman.
I stare into her ice-blue eyes, my heart fluttering in my chest.
"When Rhys showed up in class, I thought I had lost you. Again."
Her smile vanishes. "I know. Me, too."
"I never thought I could feel this way about someone. Two someones," I correct myself, nudging my baby girl inside her mom.
"You're stuck with us." She nips at my bottom lip.
"Is that a promise, MOAB Girl?" I smirk.
Instead of answering me, she moves her hand to the back of my neck and pulls me down to her. Her mouth presses against mine once, twice.
"Promise, Tight End."
EPILOGUE
Four years later
"Daddy, again!" Haddie squeals, strapped in her life vest, as she bobs up and down in the waves of the Pacific Ocean. We arrived in LA two days ago and are leaving tomorrow with everyone for Lilly's family vineyard to celebrate their daughter's first birthday.
Arms wrap around my neck from behind, and lips leave a scorching trail on the skin underneath my ear. "Yes, Daddy. Again," King whispers, her warm breath causing goose bumps to erupt on my neck and back, making my cock instantly stand at attention. She is not talking about me playing with our daughter in the water. I turn my head so I can properly kiss my wife.
"I like when you call me that," I murmur against her mouth.
Her eyelids are hooded, and she swipes her tongue across my bottom lip. "Maybe we should take D up on her babysitting offer."
I lean in. "Maybe we shou—"A wave of saltwater hits me in the face, and King splutters, having gotten a mouthful as well.
"Get a room!" Den exclaims, faux exasperated, from behind us. She scoops Haddie up and twirls her around.
"Faster, faster," my little girl screams with joy, and heat radiates through my chest. So much has changed in the last four years.
I didn't get to fulfill my dream of becoming a professional athlete. I got something better. I played on the team my entire time at MPU, but in the end, I majored in finance and partnered with Kiwi. Together, we started Stonebriar's Urban Chair, a custom furniture company.
After his first few contracts with the Mountain Club, more and more requests came in. Rich people talked, and soon, he couldn't keep up. His old business partner left, and one night during dinner, I blurted out, "Why don't I take over the operating side, and you focus on designing and building?"
Kiwi and King stopped eating mid-chew and stared at me like I had sprouted a third eye.
"What?" I shrugged. I was graduating that year, Kiwi needed help, and football had become a hobby long before then. I looked at King. "We've talked about it. We both want to stay here. You can finally get your degree once Haddie starts preschool, and everyone wins."
They both eyed each other, and for a second, I questioned if I had spoken English—not that I spoke any other language.
As if on cue, the biggest smile formed on King's face. "Yes!" Her head whipped around to Kiwi. "Say yes!"
"Dude, better say yes. She wasn't this enthusiastic when I asked her to marry me," I mumbled, taking another bite of my dinner to hide my smirk. The proposal was not what I had planned, but thinking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Excuse me? I was in the process of pushing a human being out of my vagina, asshole," she shoved my shoulder, laughing.
"Ewww, Roe-Roe. TMI." Kiwi wrinkled his nose.
She flipped him the bird and kept glowering at me.
"What are you thinking about? That would mean I'd finally get to see you more than just five minutes a day," Zeke piped up from the fourth chair at our table.
Kiwi held Zeke's eyes for several breaths before his gaze swiveled to King, then to me. He held out his hand in my direction. "Let's do it."
And we did.
King is about to start her second year at MPU, and her passion has not changed. She is her professors' star student—her having attended their lectures for nearly five years now. Haddie is almost four and the sassiest little girl I've ever met. She puts her mother's smart mouth to shame.
When I arrived in Montana, I was lonely, angry at the world, and had no real future. Nearly six years later, I own fifty percent of one of the most lucrative custom furniture businesses in the state, and I have a gorgeous wife and a daughter who wants to be exactly like her mom—knife-wielding and all.
King still carries a blade with her wherever we go. Though, the Du Hoc has been retired to the safe in our house. Separating her from her safety blanket during our flight to California was a challenge. Haddie picked up her mom's passion for sharp objects, but when it came to teaching her skills—as King phrased it—I put my foot down.
I stand in the water, watching King and Den swing
Haddie between them toward the beach. Every time they pretend to drop her in the water, she shrieks in delight. She'll be dead tired later.
And to think that I almost didn't get to experience this.
"She's out cold." King straddles my lap. I'm sitting on our king-size bed in one of Rhys and Lilly's spare bedrooms, running numbers for a new project. She takes my laptop, moves it out of the way, and scoots closer until she rubs up against my cock. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she pushes me farther into the pillows and leans close. Our lips almost touch, but instead of making contact, she trails the tip of her tongue along my jaw to my ear.
She swivels her hips to create more friction. A tingling sensation shoots through my spine, followed by a flush of heat to my lower half. I'm already painfully hard. "I want you inside of me," she moans as she repeats the motion.
Jesus fuck.
I wrap my arms around her and, with one swift move, flip us over. Hovering above her, I touch my nose to hers. "Is that so, Princess?"
Her eyes gleam with desire. She interlaces her hands behind my neck and pulls me close enough to capture my mouth with hers. She nips on my lower lip, followed by soothing the sting with her tongue. I groan as the metallic taste registers in my brain. She learned a long time ago how much this turns me on.
It's my turn. Sitting on my haunches, I hook my fingers in her sleep shorts and slide them down her legs. "Tsk tsk, Princess. Commando again? That was mighty presumptuous of you." I attempt to keep a serious expression, but my mouth waters as I stare at her bare pussy.
She feigns innocence, tipping her index finger to her lips. "I was hoping you would make good on your promise from the shower."
The shower. I close my eyes and inhale slowly in an attempt to calm my jutting pulse. This morning, King slipped into the shower with me after Lilly took the kids downstairs for breakfast. With my eyes closed and soap all over my head, I was not prepared for what my wife had planned. One hand around my dick, the other stroking my balls, and before I could wash the suds off, her lips closed around me. Her tongue swiveled my tip as she moved up and down my length. I let my head fall back, the water spraying directly in my face. I wouldn't have cared if a marching band would've paraded through our bathroom at that point. I fisted my fingers in the wet strands of her hair, motioning for her to take me deeper.