SECRET BABY AT THE ALTAR

by Claire St. Rose

  “I was so scared,” she sobbed.

  “It’s over,” he said, his hand going to the back of her head and holding it to him.

  She cried for a moment, thanking the universe for delivering Hammer back to her then wiggled so he would put her down. As her feet touched the ground, she looked at his face and his bloodshot eyes, his left beginning to cloud with blood. He was cold to the touch and covered in scratches and cuts, some still weeping blood, but he had never looked more handsome.

  She pulled him into a kiss, a kiss that exploded with passion.

  “I was afraid I’d lost you,” Lily whispered when their lips parted.

  “No. I’ll never leave you.”

  “What happened?”

  Hammer explained everything to her, including how he had tried to take Robert down and had failed.

  “Is he…?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?”

  “At the stream.”

  “Show me. Where’s his gun?”

  Hammer took Lily’s hand and led her to where Robert’s gun was still laying in the snow.

  “The cops are going to show up before long to find out what’s going on with their missing officer. We’ve got to figure out what we’re going to tell them,” Lily said.

  “The truth.”

  “No! You were shooting an unarmed man attempting to flee. You killed him! They will arrest you for murder.”

  “He was trying to kill you.”

  “That’s not how the law is going to see it. Let me think.” She looked at the cabin for a long moment. “Okay. I’ve got it.”

  Lily turned and hurried toward the cabin, Hammer following close behind. She entered, and before he could shut the door behind them, she picked up her service weapon and turned.

  “What’s that for?”

  “Where’s Robert?”

  “I told you, he’s still at the creek. What’s that for?” he repeated.

  “Show me.”

  “Not until you tell me what you’re doing,” Hammer said, holding his ground.

  “I’m putting an end to this, once and for all.”

  “No. I can’t let you do this… whatever the hell it is you’re thinking about doing. I’m willing to go to prison if that’s what it takes.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not willing to let you,” she said, her eyes hard. “Are you going to show me where he is or am I going to have to find him myself?”

  Hammer stared at her for a moment. “Come on.”

  She hadn’t done anything yet, and showing her the body couldn’t hurt. Could it? He didn’t know what Lily had planned, but he wasn’t going to let her sacrifice herself for him.

  Three minutes later they reached the stream where Robert was still laying face down in the water. Lily waded into the stream.

  “Jesus, this water is cold! Roll him over.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m giving you some cover. Now roll him over, dammit, before the cops get here!”

  As Hammer waded in, Lily waded out. “Step back,” she ordered, bringing her weapon up. She shot Robert’s dead body nine times in quick succession, emptying her weapon into his chest.

  “Roll him back over, as he was,” she said as she picked up the expended brass and dropped them into her pocket.

  “What the hell, Lily?”

  “Here’s the story,” she explained as they struggled back up the hill. “You tell it straight, just like it happened, except you didn’t shoot McBride in the back until he was chasing me, got it? The first shot you fired was when he turned to face you and pointed his rifle at you. You went out there to watch for him so he couldn’t get away when I called the cops. You were going to text me when you were in position, but you broke your phone in the fall. I came out after you and shot him the first time. You thought he was dead and called out to me. I came out, Robert jumped up and turned his gun on me, and you shot him again. Then he came at me, trying to use me as a hostage. I shot him, but he doesn’t stop because of his armor. I can’t make it back to the cabin, so I run, he chases me. You chase after him to save me. I get away, and he attacks you at the stream. Now it’s self-defense.”

  Hammer stopped. Lily continued on a few more steps before she stopped and looked back. “What?”

  “You’re taking a hell of a risk. You could go to jail, or at the very least, lose your job.”

  She came back to him and smiled. “It’s the only way to prevent you from going to prison. It’s a risk I have to take.” She touched him on the cheek. “Remember what you said in the cabin? That this was the only way?” She held his gaze then kissed him softly. “This is the only way.”

  “Will the cops believe it?” he asked, his stomach knotting up in dread.

  She smiled as she pulled her hand back from his face. “I’ll make them believe it.” She kissed him again, and then took his hand. “Come on. We can’t have much time left.”

  When they reached the clearing, she walked well away from the cabin, almost to the edge of the trees, pulled the expended shells out of her pocket, tossed them into the air, then dropped her weapon into the dirt.

  “What are you going to do?” Hammer asked.

  She smiled. “Call for help.”

  As Hammer watched, she walked to the still idling Jackson County Sheriff cruiser and opened the door. It was deliciously warm inside, but she didn’t have time to linger. She licked her lips then picked up the mic.

  “This is Amberton Patrol Officer Lily Donovan reporting an officer down! Officer down!” she said, then gave the cabin’s address.

  She spent a couple of minutes talking to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department as they rolled units, then switched the car off and shut the door. Taking a deep breath, she went in to help Hammer clean up the guns before they were once again locked away.

  ###

  Five troopers, emergency medical, and the coroner’s office arrived. After Hammer was treated, the police separated Lily and Hammer and questioned them. They told the story as it happened, but with the addition of Lily shooting Robert and running and the order in which Hammer had shot Robert.

  After more than an hour of questioning, Jackson County had enough. With all the news of the shootings coming out of Amberton, Lily had woven a story and set the scene well enough that the police had accepted her version of events with little question.

  As Hammer showed three of the officers around, pointing out where he’d stood, where he’d seen Robert, where Robert had fallen, Lily felt sorry for him. Even though he had shrugged into his coat, he was still shivering from his wet clothes, and his skin had a faint bluish tint.

  Finally, a few minutes later, they were alone, and as Hammer showered to warm up and wash off the blood and dirt, she’d sat on the bed and cried a little. It was all over. No more killing, no more hiding, no more fear of death arriving on a hiss and a snap.

  She heard the water shut off and she dried her tears, wiped her eyes, and then rose. This wasn’t the time for tears, it was a time to celebrate.

  She walked into the tiny bathroom just as Hammer stepped out of the shower. Seeing him in his naked glory with his scrapes and bruises, and knowing what he’d done to protect her and how much he loved her, made her passions swell.

  He pulled her into his arms. “I love you,” he said, watching her face. Seeing her smile bloom into existence thrilled him.

  “I love you too,” she replied, beaming. He’d been cold in his wet clothes, but now he was deliciously warm. He pulled her in tighter and lowered his mouth to hers, the kiss thawing her in ways that the warm and humid bathroom couldn’t.

  The kiss dissolved and she laid her head against his shoulder. “I was so afraid.”

  “So was I,” he replied, his cheek resting against her head.

  “Were you?”

  “Yes. Afraid I would fail you, afraid he would…” His voice trailed off, the thought too terrible to put into words.

  She pulled out of the embrace and looked
up into his eyes. They looked dreadful—both bloodshot and one clouded with blood—but she could still see the softness and concern there.

  “But you didn’t.”

  He gave her a half smile. “No.”

  She kissed him again; her lips soft yet firm. “I think my gallant knight deserves a reward.”

  His smile spread. “Oh? And what would that be?”

  Lily’s eyes crinkled as she grinned and stepped out of his embrace. “I want you to take my favor,” she said, her voice light and playful. She unbuttoned her shirt and slipped it off, holding it out with two fingers until he took it. “Now,” she added, her voice becoming more seductive as she stepped back in close to him. “I want you to take me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Hammer carried Lily into the bedroom and tossed her gently onto the bed. He’d never wanted a woman more than he wanted her at that moment. She scrambled back to the center of the bed on the first bounce as he followed her, lowering himself over her and kissing her with everything he had in him, wanting, needing, to show her how much she meant to him. She wrapped him up, holding his lips to her, her kiss setting a fire within him as she drew him down and modeled herself to him.

  As his weight settled on her, he continued to kiss her, but he didn’t linger for long. He pulled back and undressed her, taking his time. He removed her bra and then began to slowly work her pants off, kissing and sucking along her stomach as the skin was revealed. She began to breathe harder, almost panting as his lips approached her V, but he bypassed her pussy, continuing down the inside of her thigh.

  Hammer smiled to himself as Lily moaned and twisted, trying to steer his lips to her womanhood, but he wasn’t going to be rushed, not tonight. Tonight was her night. He’d fought for her, and won, and found that she had fallen for him as he’d fallen for her. He wanted to please her, to show her that he was worthy of her love, that she was his everything and that he would defend her to his last breath.

  He continued down her leg, pausing to remove her shoes, his lips busy on the back of one knee, then the other, before he continued down, finishing by sucking on her big toe as her pants were finally removed. She moaned again, her eyes closing and her hair splayed across the bed as she placed her little finger against her lips.

  He was torturing her with pleasure. Nobody had ever sucked on her toe before, and she found the sensation incredible erotic. Combined with the soft scrape of his nails on the back of her leg, she felt hot, scorched, like she was laying under a desert sun. She’d wanted him to take her to bed and fuck the shit out of her, but this was better, so much better. He left her feet behind and slowly kissed up her leg. Again, she tried to steer him to her pussy, desperately wanting to feel his kiss in her most intimate place, but he resisted. He kissed his way to her lips, and she took them hungrily. After he had taken his fill from them again, he slid beside her and rolled her up onto her side and nestled in behind her. She tried to roll over and face him, but he placed a hand firmly on her hip and another on her shoulder, gently rolling her back to her original position. As he moved about and tucked a pillow under her head, she was frustrated by her position. She didn’t want to cuddle, she wanted to fuck.

  Removing the hand from her hip, but still holding her by the shoulder, Hammer dragged his fingernails down her back. He was in control of her pleasure, and he was going to give her a full measure of it. Lily moaned and rolled over onto her stomach as his hand began to move down her thigh, his other hand leaving her shoulder and stroking her back. Lily moaned again as a slight quiver passed through her. She gasped and reached behind her, searching for his cock, but he blocked her hand, wanting to draw his pleasure from giving it.

  He continued his slow, gentle caress, her skin soft and smooth under his touch. She gasped again as she began to twitch as his hands touched and stroked. He stopped caressing her back and slid his right hand slowly under her head. He pulled himself in closer and tucked his knees behind hers, pressing his hard cock against the cheeks of her ass as he kissed her neck. She pushed back against him, exquisite pleasure radiating out from his manhood while the fingers of his hand gently caressed her breasts, teasing her nipples as hard and erect as his cock. He smiled as she huffed in anticipation, his left hand passing tantalizingly close to her womanhood but not touching her. She placed a hand on his wrist, trying to steer it to where she wanted it, but then sighed as his fingers traveled across her stomach before once again passing by her pussy and traveling along her inner thigh.

  “I love you,” Hammer whispered into her shoulder, cupping a breast and pulling her into his chest to hold her for a moment.

  “I love you too,” Lily said, sighing as her hands came up to the arm surrounding her, holding her to him, and making her feel safe.

  After a moment, his hands began to move again, and every nerve ending in Lily’s body began to tingle. Hammer’s gentle caressing was sending energy crackling along each place he touched, and his hands seemed to be everywhere. Even though she knew he was incredibly strong, he was also exceptionally gentle tonight, his touch gossamer light. By the way he was touching her now, she expected it would be a night of bliss like none she had ever experienced. Emitting a hard groan as another wave of pleasure washed over her, she gave herself over to him, allowing him to do with her as he wished.

  Sensing that she had placed her pleasure in his hands, Hammer slowly rolled her onto her back and moved between her legs before tasting her lips. She leaped up to his kiss, her lips opening as an invitation, her arms slithering around his neck to pull him to her as she moaned softly. He kissed her, slow and deep, but he didn’t rise to her desperate need before gently pulling back away.

  She groaned in despair as he pulled away. She wanted him so badly, her need was like a living thing, clawing at her and demanding release. He moved to her neck, and each place his lips touched a tiny explosion of pleasure flared. As he dragged his tongue through the valley of her breasts and down her stomach, Lily felt herself begin to pant in anticipation of the pleasures to come.

  Hammer slowly opened her as he kissed her softly, teasing her clit with his tongue, swirling it around as his hands roamed her body. She stiffened, her skin feeling hot as pleasure coursed through her, and her orgasm began to build. She wanted to cry her pleasure to the world and pull his face into her with all her strength. She wanted to face fuck him until she was exhausted then have Hammer plunge his cock into her and fuck her until he was exhausted, but she held her need, letting him please her, her breaths becoming harder and deeper as her climax drew near. Finally, with a quiet mewling sound, she fell into her orgasm.

  Hammer kissed the inside of Lily’s thighs, caressing the skin with his tongue and lips. He was so turned on by Lily’s display that he was slowly pumping his hips against the bed. She gripped the linens as her shoulders lifted from the bed and her chin tucked into her chest, her face flushed as she was ravaged by her climax. With an explosive gasp, she fell back, panting, before a shiver passed through her. As her breathing began to slow, Hammer began to kiss her again, causing her to shiver more and issue an intense moan that makes him flash with heat.

  “No, Hammer, no,” she said, eyes closed, shaking her head side to side while pushing at his head. “I can’t take that anymore.”

  “You can.”

  “No. Please, no. I want you. Please.”

  He thought about ignoring her and going back to her womanhood to try to drive her into another crushing orgasm, but he wanted her so bad his cock was throbbing. He smiled as he began to kiss up her body, wanting to taste her lips and willing to do anything she asked of him.

  “Oh, yes,” Lily whispered as Hammer slowly entered her.

  He began to gently thrust, watching her face, listening to her soft moans and gasps and taking her lips in soft, slow kisses. As her breathing became heavier, with her sounds of pleasure louder and more frequent, he began to increase the force and speed of his thrusts, matching his pace to her rising passions. He could feel the stirring
s of an orgasm, but the slow pace of their lovemaking allowed him to easily clamp down on it and hold it at bay.

  Lily could feel her orgasm approaching, swirling around her like the rising tide. She let it come, reveling in the pleasure Hammer was giving her. He had always been a devastating lover, giving her pleasure she had previously only dreamed of, but tonight he was a force of nature. He seemed able to read her mind, increasing the power of his thrusts just when she wanted it, bringing her climax closer and closer until the pleasure swallowed her.

  He began to pound into her with hard, fast thrusts, causing her orgasm to crash over her, stealing her breath as she strained against the pleasure. She waited for the release, the spreading warmth as her orgasm released her, but there was no release or spreading warmth, only the muscle twisting tension of an orgasm unspent. The pleasure continued to build, rising to a frightening, towering height.