by Aneta Quinn
We sit in my living room, barely watching what’s playing on the TV as we all wait for the doctor to arrive for her first visit. Finally there’s a knock on the door, and I practically jump out of my seat and run to the door to let him in.
He’s an older man with greying hair, with a medical bag held tightly in one hand. He does the quick hello to everyone in the living room, and I point him towards my bedroom. Surprisingly, Kayla’s not in bed, and before I can freak out she steps out of the bathroom as she’s tugging on one of my t-shirts with a sheepish grin.
The doctor shakes his head, “You should be resting, Mrs Monroe.”
Shit I forgot I told them she was married to me, that’s the only reason they let me take her home, otherwise for all they know I could have been a total stranger to her. She gives me a quick raised brow at the doctor’s words, but then smiles as she slips under the covers – flinching lightly as she pulls on her healing wound.
The doctor does his business, and has a quick chat with her about how she’s feeling. He tells her to keep her fluids up and to rest in bed for another few days until she’s stronger. I practically see her roll her eyes at that.
I thank the doctor and take the bottle of fresh pain killers from him as I walk him out the door, then practically run back to the bedroom now that I know she’s awake.
She’s standing by the window, looking out onto the city below. She doesn’t acknowledge my presence, but I know she heard me come in since I practically burst through the door eagerly. I close the door behind me and slowly walk towards her, eyeing her bare legs that are hardly covered by my shirt.
I wrap my arms around her waist as gently as I can, and kiss her shoulder one, twice, and then up her neck.
“How are you doing?” I ask stupidly, because she must be in pain, and completely worn out after everything that’s happened.
“I’m okay…all things considered” she says and sighs.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she asks as she turns in my arms, wincing again as the movement pulls on her side.
“Stop moving so much, Kay” I say and try to walk her over towards the bed, “Get back in bed.”
“No…I’m not a cripple” she says and wraps her arms around herself, lowering her head a little as if ashamed.
I wrap one arm around her waist again, and gently pull her chin up so she’s looking at me, “What’s wrong darlin?”
She hesitates, biting on her lip, before she finally says, “I killed someone the other day…I never would have thought I’d do that. Even when I thought of killing Mikhalov I knew I’d never have gone through with it.”
“You did what you had to do Kay, I would have done the exact same thing” I say, but she’s shaking her head at me gently.
“I get that, I really do Carter. It’s just that…should I feel guilty because of it? I don’t know…maybe even remorseful?” she takes a deep breath as her eyes search mine momentarily, “because I don’t, Carter. Does that make me a bad person?”
“No, not at all” I say quickly, “If you didn’t, he would’ve killed you instead, and I definitely prefer you alive than some hard ass that no doubt hurt thousands of people for Mikhalov.”
She nods once.
“Did you find the papers?” she asks.
I quirk my brow in response confused, before I ask, “What papers?”
“Shit, they’re probably still at Mikhalov’s. We have to go get them before anyone else finds them” she says and tries to get out of my grip.
“You’re not going anywhere, you’re supposed to be in bed resting - doctors’ orders” I grin.
She breaks out of my hold and plants a hand on her hip, ready to object anything I say.
“You so much as think of locking me in here, I swear to god Carter. I’m fine, how many times do I have to say that? I learned to take a hit, so you’re either coming with me, or you can sit around here moping around with the other two.”
I open my mouth to speak, but can’t find the right words to reason with her. In the end I find myself grinning at her strength and determination.
Chapter 25
Kayla
The same set of trees I’d used to climb on to the solid brick wall of Mikhalov’s manor is where we’re now standing.
“Are you insane?” Carter’s voice comes from beneath me in a hushed tone, as I hike myself up onto the second branch.
I let my legs dangle from my sitting position and wait for Carter to catch up to me. I look over the wall onto the other side where the tennis court and swimming pool is, the darkness surrounding the stretch of property.
“How do you plan on getting back over” he asks with a grunt, as he heaves himself onto the branch I’m sitting on.
I grin mischievously, “We’ll drive out.”
The entire property has been taped off with police tape, not that it’s stopping us get in obviously, and there’s a rent-a-cop driving around back and forth through the streets that surround the manor.
I stand warily on the branch and grin down at Carter, “This is where it gets tricky.”
“Now it gets tricky?” he asks as he laughs at me. His eyes stay on me the whole time, as I jump and grab hold of the branch above me, I swing back and forth momentarily, until my legs are right above the wall. I let go and hear his sharp intake of breath behind me as I land perfectly on top of the solid wall.
My side still aches mildly, but because of the medication I’m on it’s kind of a numb feeling at the moment – thank Christ for that. I clutch my side as I breath in and out, waiting for him to execute the same manoeuvre. He lands a little more solidly and roughly than I did, but still keeps his balance next to me.
“Okay, I lied. This is where it gets tricky because it’s a little further down than I remember.”
“Just watch your side, I don’t want you ripping it open Kay” he says as he gives my hand a quick squeeze.
“Watch and learn” I say as I fix my stance. My toes pointed straight, as I extend my arms out and push myself off the wall with my feet. I don’t do a flip this time but manage to land in a low crouch, one leg bent, while the other is extended out straight to my side.
Before I can turn around, Carter jumps off the wall and lands loudly in the bushes behind me. There’s a groan and then he’s climbing out on all fours, twigs stuck in his hair. I can’t help but laugh at him, as he crawls his way over to me and collapses on his back by my feet.
“You okay?” I ask with a smirk.
He nods once, so I squat down beside him and run my fingers through his hair, pulling out the little leaves and twigs.
“Carter…I love you” I finally say, smile on my lips.
He grins wide and tugs me down by the back of my neck, kissing me hard at first, but then leaving just a few soft kisses against my lips.
“I love you too darlin, you infuriating, insane, woman” he laughs and stands up, brushing himself off. We walk hand in hand across the yard, not in the slightest worried, because the dogs are gone and there are no guards anymore. Mikhalov was arrested and there’s no way in hell he’s getting out anytime soon.
The property has been seized for the time being, and is taped off for further investigation. Diamonds still glistening in their glass cases, cars still sitting untouched in his garage, and the papers are no doubt still intact in the vent where I passed out – hopefully.
“My life was kind of tame before I met you, Kay” he says beside me in the darkness, squeezing my hand lightly again.
“Tame? I highly doubt that Carter…You stole cars for a living” I chuckle.
“I used to steal cars, past tense.”
“So we’re not taking a car for a spin on the way home?”
He turns to me with a grin on his face at the sound of disappointment in my voice. We reach the garage, and I motion with my hand for Carter to do his thing.
“Not your first time if I remember correctly, so go ahead, show us what you got.”
He pul
ls something out of his back pocket and slips it into the lock, jiggling the handle a little and pulling the door open within a matter of seconds. We’re only met with silence since there’s no alarms set at the moment.
“Just so you know, I was a little distracted when I did this at the realtors, your crutch was like right in my face” I say as I wiggle my fingers in front of me.
He laughs hard, the booming sound echoing through the garage as we take several steps in. Since we’re in no real hurry, and there’s no danger of being caught, we take a moment to walk around and admire the cars. I run my fingertips against the hood of a bright yellow Lamborghini, and keep making my way down the line of parked cars until I pause, mouth wide open.
“Carter…I’ve found the car we’re taking” I yell to him and see he’s fiddling with a lock on a little cupboard. He finally unlocks it and opens the door, exposing about twenty sets of car keys hanging all lined up in neat rows.
I grin wide and pluck the ZR1 keys from their place, and Carter grins in response, “Good choice.”
“I didn’t even realise this was here last time I was in here.”
We make our way into the house, not bothering with how loud we are, until we’re finally standing under the vent – neither of us saying anything as we look up at it.
“Can you hoist me up?” I ask Carter. For some reason I’m nervous, not sure why since it’s good news I’m about to give him. Maybe I’m worried that they’re not in fact here where I thought they were. I grab onto the open vent and cringe when a sharp pain slices through my side, a groan escaping my lips. So Carter automatically drops me back down and wraps his arms around my waist.
“You okay?”
“Yeah” I try to nod, eyes squeezed shut tightly.
“I’ll go up there and get them” he says as he pulls away and grabs a nearby chair. He places it under the vent and heaves himself up. I wait silently, breath held for some stupid reason.
“Are they there?” I finally ask, and get no response, “Carter?”
There’s a small movement, and he finally slides out of the vent and drops to the ground softly. He leans against the closest wall and slides down to the ground to sit. I walk over cautiously and sit beside him, placing my hand on his bent knee in what is hopefully a comforting gesture.
He’s holding the papers in his firm grip, reading over the document thoroughly.
“You found this here?”
“I killed someone over it too” I admit and his head turns to me quickly, eyes staring into mine, so I keep talking.
“I planned on taking everything away from Abram, and I don’t think it could have worked out better. Everything goes to you, Carter, everything is yours. Everything I’ve been through is worth it to know it’s going to someone like you.”
“I don’t want all this” he says and looks around him, “I’ll give it away. Give it to someone who needs it more than I do.”
“That’s why I was glad it went to you…I knew you’d do something good with it.”
“You seriously killed that guy over these documents, Kay? It wouldn’t have been worth it if you died on me, Kayla. I’d rather you with me, than any of this” he gestures with his hand, papers still gripped firmly between his fingers.
“I got my revenge and I got you, Carter, there couldn’t be anything sweeter than that” I say as I slip my hand into his free one, sliding my fingers between his, “you made me want other things in life, you made me want the whole romance, hearts and flowers type stuff. But only because it was coming from you.”
He grins wide and tugs me hand, so I slide my leg over his and straddle him as his back presses against the wall. He kisses up my neck, softly against my lips a few times before slipping his hand against the back of my neck, and pulling me in for a harder, slightly rougher kiss.
“You’re the only one I’ve found worth doing all the hearts and flowers for” he says as his forehead presses against mine, “now let’s go and steal us a nice car, darlin” he says and smacks my ass.
We hop into the ZR1, my cheeks hurting from grinning so hard. I grip the steering wheel so hard from nerves, excitement, adrenaline, I don’t even know what. I just can’t believe I’m about to drive this beautiful car.
I start the car up and turn to Carter, only to find him watching me with an amused smirk on his face.
“You don’t understand, Carter…this car…it’s just…god she’s beautiful.”
I put it into gear and press the button for the roller door. We sit silently as we watch the door roll up, and then I slowly release the clutch as I accelerate.
I haven’t turned the head lights on yet, as we slowly roll down the driveway towards the iron gates. Once we reach them, Carter quickly hops out of the car, fiddles with the gate panel, and they slowly open wide. I move the car through the gates and onto the stretch of road outside the manor, checking both ways first to make sure the rent-a-cop isn’t on his journey around.
Carter closes the gates and hops back into the car, and I flick the head lights on and accelerate. My laughter filling the tiny space of the car as we speed down the empty street, and I find myself overwhelmed with how amazing this feels.
The car feels powerful and fast as I change gears and pick up speed. We turn out onto another street and head out towards the highway, the back end sliding out slightly but I keep control. I turn to Carter with a grin and ask, “Fast or slow?”
He gives me a smirk, before he answers the exact same way I did when he asked me that, “Fast…always fast babe.”
Epilogue
Kayla
If you were to tell me a little over a year ago, that I would be one of those girls who go weak at the knees for a guy, I would have laughed in your face.
Yet here I am, breathless and completely turned on by a gorgeous Carter, in a dress shirt and pants. With his standard black chucks of course, he’s standing by a beautiful gun metal grey ZR1. The car has a big red bow on it, and he’s standing there with a handful of red roses.
I run down the steps, slipping on the ice momentarily, and finally reaching him with a smirk on my face.
“You’re really taking this whole hearts and flowers thing to heart aren’t you” I lean up and give him a quick kiss. He doesn’t find that sufficient enough because he grabs the back of my neck and pulls me against him, our lips crashing against each other as he slides his tongue into my mouth hungrily.
I automatically moan against his lips at the sudden desire running through me, and I feel him grinning against my lips.
“Gets you every time, Kay” he chuckles.
I pull back, momentarily breathless while he hands me the roses, “these smell amazing Carter, thanks.”
He turns to the car and pulls off the bow, then turns around to me and jiggles a set of car keys on one of his fingers.
“You didn’t steal it did you?” I smirk.
“No” he grins, “Just get in the car babe.”
I do as he asks and slide into the passenger seat, because he’s already said he’s driving. I don’t know what we’re doing but apparently it’s all a surprise. God, he knows how much I hate surprises. It’s officially our anniversary today, and he said he was going to take me out, not that he doesn’t spoil me almost every other night anyway.
I couldn’t be happier with him, everything is just so perfect. Considering how much I was against having a relationship or how much I hated the thought of romance and love, I fell so fast and so hard for Carter.
“Are you nervous?” he asks as he turns to me with a soft smile.
“I don’t know…should I be? You remember I hate surprises, right?”
He chuckles softly and keeps his eyes on the road. I love how he manages to slip his fingers between mine every chance he gets, when he’s not changing gears or steering with both hands. After several minutes I find us pulling into the Monroe tower, the same one that was Mikhalov’s, but in the end we found Carter’s dad had left it all to him.
He aucti
oned off Mikhalov’s part of the business, and gave the proceeds to numerous charities that meant something to either of us. A portion of it went to adoption agencies, to community workers who help the trouble makers, just like him and Jimmy. And he even gave a bit to Liz, only because she was kind of like family, and a share to Jimmy too for all his troubles. He wouldn’t accept it at first, so we started slipping it in with his earnings from the night at the bar.
He also managed to return all the stolen cars to their rightful owners, even though most of them were rich enough to replace them already anyway.
I find myself grinning the whole time when he takes me up the elevator and up onto the roof. We did this on our first official date. We had laid under the stars, where we first officially unloaded all about our pasts to each other.