by Tina Bass
“That’s just how these badasses discuss their cases, any cases, so no worries, McGorgeous,” Draco added.
“Honey, why don’t you join Minga in the den?” Lee asked softly.
“Why? I know what you’re discussing and as loud as you three were, I’m pretty sure Minga knows as well,” she stated plainly.
“Baby, this is a police investigation. You’re actually not supposed to be in here at all,” Kade told her.
“But you are?” she asked him.
“Krista, I’m a cop.” Stating the obvious, like she didn’t know.
“Not for much longer and in a few more days, you won’t be a cop at all. Not to mention, right now you are a cop not on this case. However, all of this is about me, so if you’re staying, then so am I.” She said all of this calmly, turned to the other two men and finished what she was going to say. “Does anyone have a problem with that?” No one seemed to have a problem with her staying, but the ‘discussion’ was a little quieter and they used so many police terms and codes that she had no idea what they were saying half the time. About an hour and a half later, she’d finally had enough. “I need to go,” she stated flatly. They all turned toward her as she spoke again. “I have things I need to do. I have a house that needs cleaning, and I have work I need to do, none of which is getting done sitting here listening to you three talk in your secret code. And I know you’re doing it on purpose. So carry on and I’ll find a way home.” She informed them. They all just stared at her for a beat.
“Baby, you’re not going anywhere by yourself,” Kade spoke up first.
“And, you can’t go back into your house yet,” Lee said.
“I have to go back to my house,” Krista said.
“No, you don’t.” Kade returned quickly in response. “You can stay with me,” he added.
“For how long?” she asked.
“For as long as it takes. Or longer.” He got close enough to her to wrap his arms around her. “Baby, please. Until this shit is cleared up, just stay at the ranch,” he quietly whispered to her.
“Okay, I guess, but I still need to go back to my house first.” Krista repeated.
“No, you don’t,” Kade said again.
“Irish, I said I would stay with you until I was allowed back into my house, but I need things from there first.” She stressed this because there were things she needed to get. She had only packed a few things for the weekend and if Kade wanted her to stay with him until the police were finished investigating the break-in, she needed a lot more than what she’d packed for just a few days. Although she really didn’t see what more there was to investigate. They knew who it was and she’d heard them talking about DNA they’d collected at the ‘scene’ and was waiting on a positive match to confirm. Kade turned to speak to the other two men.
“We’re going to take a break. I’m taking Krista out, so call me if anything changes or something happens.” Kade turned and walked out the door with her until they reached his truck. Opening the door, he sat her on the seat sideways so she would be facing him. Parting her legs and stepping in between them, he leaned in and kissed her lightly before he spoke again. “Baby, tell me what you need from your house?” he asked her softly.
“I need my car and—” She started, but he interrupted.
“No, you don’t, and I don’t want you out by yourself,” he told her.
“Irish—” She started, but he interrupted her again.
“Krista, please, until all this is over, baby, please promise me you won’t go anywhere by yourself,” he begged her with concern lacing his tone. She took a deep and calming breath and reminded herself that he was trying to look out for her. She felt like he had this ‘need’ to keep her safe and she really didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. She was lying to herself because she did feel safe whenever Kade was around. She felt safer than she’d felt in years but at times he was a little overprotective of her. Okay, he was maybe more than a little overprotective, but he loved her. She knew this and she loved him so for this, and at least for now, she could give him that.
“I promise I won’t go anywhere by myself,” she agreed to his guidelines and saw the relief obvious on his face. “For now,” she added and watched his jaw grow tight. “I won’t go anywhere by myself until he’s caught and locked back up. Irish, I can’t promise you I’ll never go anywhere by myself, but I can promise you that for right now.” She leaned into him and kissed him lightly. “Okay?” she asked. He looked at her and then reached out and cupped her face in his hand, his thumb rubbing her cheek.
“What else do you need, baby?”
“I need my laptop,” she whispered back.
“I got that, baby, along with a few other things I thought you might need,” he told her as he jerked his head once to the back of the truck seats. She turned to look behind his seat and sure enough, there was her laptop and a few small bags that looked like they contained cords, and papers and such, all lying on the small back seat of his truck, but there were no clothes. She turned back to him and smiled.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him tenderly and before she could say another word, his mouth covered hers and he kissed her, hard. When she was able to speak again, she had one more thing to ask for. “I need extra clothes,” she said a little breathless. He smiled at her then.
“I know, baby, that’s what we’re gonna’ do now.” He rubbed his hands back and forth across her thighs. “Though, gotta say, you in no clothes…” His eyes roamed from her lap, up her chest and to her face, and when they finally met hers, he finished his thought. “Yeah, thata’ work too.” She watched his eyes fill with desire and that sexy grin spread across his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his hair. She leaned into him and then touched her lips to his.
“If I’m not going to be wearing any clothes, then neither should you,” she whispered breathily against his lips and then kissed him gently until he took over the kiss and deepened it. Then he pulled back with a groan.
“Fuck,” he breathed raggedly as he scooted her over onto the seat and jumped in beside her, reaching for his seatbelt. “Buckle up, baby, change of plans,” he said as he started the truck, threw it in gear, and took off out of the driveway. He drove as fast as he legally could until he reached his ranch. Without saying a word, he jumped out, picked her up and ran/carried her inside and to the bedroom. He tossed her on the bed, with him landing on top of her and his arms kept his weight off her. He shifted down to kiss her lips lightly and then he pushed his self back up, like he was doing push-ups over the top of her. “Remember what I told you I was gonna’ do when I got you home?” he asked her.
“Yesss,” she breathed out because she did remember every word he said when she was sitting in his truck at her house after she’d discovered the break-in. And, she was already wet for him.
“Gonna’ do that now,” he whispered against her lips as he lowered his body back down to hers and kissed her lips lightly again.
“Yesss,” she sighed and felt her body shiver. Then he did just that and when he slid inside her, his eyes locked on hers.
“I love you,” he whispered to her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“I love this song.” He heard Krista mutter as she turned up the radio. “Dance with me, Irish, please?” she asked him softly.
They had spent the rest of yesterday and all of last night in bed, getting up only to eat. Kade fixed their food himself every time and brought it back to the bed for her. It may have only been reheated leftovers from the lunch Rosa had made for his men, but it worked and she was happy and naked all fuckin’ day. That morning she had her next appointment with Dr. Davison so they had to get up early. He was tempted to call the doctor and reschedule, but he knew she needed to keep these appointments, so reluctantly he took her to the doctor and then out t
o eat. Afterward, he took her to the mall and spent way too many fuckin’ hours shopping for clothes, but she said she needed clothes and he was making damn sure she was not ever going to put on a stitch of clothing that sick asshole might have touched in her bedroom. So, the mall it was.
He had to admit he liked that one store selling nothing but those sexy as hell underwear and bras. Yeah, he liked that store, just imagining Krista in some of that sexy shit. Or better than that, he could imagine him ripping it off of her. The other stores weren’t so bad either, as each time she would go try something on, she would sashay out and turn or pose or just make some cute as hell face, if it was something she didn’t like, and he realized she was making it fun. He liked it all. She was beautiful no matter what she had on, or didn’t have on, in his opinion. By the time they made it out of the mall, it had started raining. A summer shower that was hot and muggy and all he wanted to do was get all that shit in the truck before they were both soaking wet. They ran to the truck, him beeping the locks on the way, so she could jump in. While he put the bags in the back seat, she grabbed the keys, started the truck, and of course the first thing she did was cut on the radio. Now, he was standing in the rain with her sitting in the driver’s seat and she turned to him and asked him to dance with her, in the parking lot, in the damn rain!
He turned to her to ask if she was messing with him and saw those gorgeous blue eyes sparkling and with that huge beautiful smile on her face, he knew she was serious. That soft ‘please’ of hers would make him agree to almost anything. Yeah, he stepped to her and pulled her from the seat and standing in the rain, in a crowded parking lot, on a hot and muggy as shit summer day, he danced with her. Then the music actually penetrated and he heard the song. John Michael Montgomery’s I Love the Way You Love Me.
He held her tighter, laid his cheek on the top of her head, and danced with his Krista held tight to his chest in the hot and muggy rain and he loved every fuckin’ second of it. When the song ended, he placed his arm around her back and dipped her slowly, moving his body over hers to block the rain and leaned down and kissed her tenderly. When he brought her back up, and they were both standing, he took a step back and just looked at her smiling face. He lost his heart all over again. She smiled up at him bigger and brighter than he’d ever seen. It was the most beautiful sight, and he’d given that to her just by dancing with her in the parking lot in the pouring rain. He stroked her face, his thumb lightly brushing her cheek. He felt her head tilt into his hand and he knew in that moment that he’d give his life to keep her safe. Forever.
“My beautiful Krista,” he whispered in awe as he brought his face closer and his mouth to hers. When their lips met, he whispered to her softly, “I love you so fuckin’ much,” he sighed and then kissed her long and hard.
Krista couldn’t breathe, couldn’t stand, feeling that kiss down to her toes. She did a full body shiver from the emotions in that kiss. She wanted to cry, she wanted to shout, and she wanted him to know how much she loved him and that she knew in her heart he loved her. Her Irish, standing in front of her, looking down at her, he was hers, her Irish, but he spoke up before she could tell him everything that was in her head and her heart.
“Get in the truck, baby, before you catch a cold,” he said to her as he placed her back in the truck himself. Then he got in, turned and buckled her in. When she only looked at him, he felt the need to explain. “Gotta keep my baby safe.” He kissed her forehead and then turned to put on his own seatbelt. She was soaking wet. Her clothes were clinging to her, and her socks were squishing in her shoes. She should feel uncomfortable. She should be miserable. But, what she felt was cherished. And what she was, was loved, and she felt it down to her bones. And, in love. So Krista sat beside him, close beside her Irish, smiling big all the way back to the ranch.
Kade took her inside, up the stairs, and into the master bath. And they had, in his words, ‘a fuckin’ fantastic shower,’ together. Afterward, he turned up the AC and lit a fire in the fireplace. She knew he did this for her because she’d made a comment about how she just knew the fireplace would be beautiful in the winter with a fire going. He sat her down on the sofa, leaned over and kissed her lightly before he straightened.
“I’ll be right back. Stay put.” He turned and walked out of the room. A few minutes later, he returned with a picnic basket and a stack of DVDs. “I asked Rosa for a favor while you were with the doc this morning,” he said with that sexy grin on his face, and then winked at her. Kade sat on the sofa and turned to her. “Baby, tomorrow is your next round, it’s goin’ to be bad.” He was shaking his head when she opened her mouth to say it wouldn’t be that bad, even though she knew it would. She also knew he was there and had heard when Dr. Miller said that each one would be more intense. “I know it will be, so for the rest of today, just you, me, a shit load of movies, and food.” He leaned in and kissed her lightly. “So, what do you want to watch first?” She smiled and looked through the movies.
Chapter Thirty-Six
“It hurts,” she cried out as he stood there and did…nothing. No, not exactly nothing. He cursed every curse word he’d ever heard as well as some he made up there on the spot. Krista. His Krista! His beautiful, strong, amazing Krista cried out in pain and he stood by and couldn’t do a fuckin’ thing to comfort her or to take that pain away from her. He couldn’t do one damn thing. He paced some more and cursed some more but in the end, there was not a single thing he could do. For the past hour, she had gone from dizziness, to nausea, to pain. The last twenty minutes she’d tried to be brave, she tried to be strong and she tried not to let him see. He knew what she was trying to do, for him.
“Fuck,” he hissed again. He dropped down, kneeling beside the bed. “Baby, let me call Dr. Miller for you,” he begged. He knew this round would be worse than last week, he’d heard that damn doctor remind her that each would be worse or more ‘intense’ than the one before. That’s why he’d already decided last week when he was driving her home and had to stop on the side of the road, that this time, he would at least have her in a bed before any of the side effects started. He reserved a motel room as close to the hospital as he could find. He got her there, changed her into the most comfortable clothes she had, before the dizziness had even started. Then it hit and it was like a fuckin’ tsunami.
The dizziness had gotten so bad he’d literally watched her eyes roll back in her head. Then the nausea hit her and she’d started throwing up. That was scary. She threw up so much and her little body was wracked with shakes so bad he’d wanted to call an ambulance. Now, the pain was ripping through her body so terribly, she was writhing around on the bed, crying out in pain, and what did he do? Not one fuckin’ thing! He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to find that damn doctor and beat the shit out of him and keep beatin’ him until Krista felt no more pain. Until he had his sweet, laughing, funny as hell, Krista back.
“No.” Krista croaked.
“Fuck.” She heard him murmur as he dropped his forehead on the mattress beside her. Krista reached out and ran her fingers through his hair.
“Irish?” Her voice was scratchy as she called his name. She watched him raise his head and she saw a tear slide down his cheek. “It’s okay,” she said hoarsely as she realized her throat was raw and scratchy. “Water,” she mouthed as she raised a hand to cup her throat and watched him practically stumble over his own feet trying to get up and rush across the room to get the bottle of water out of the small refrigerator. She smiled as he held it out for her. Pushing herself up, she took the bottle and drank slow sips, wincing at first as the too cold water ran down her raw throat. “I’m sorry.” She apologized to him, looking down at the bottle in her hand and then taking another small sip.
“Sorry for what?” Kade asked confused. She turned her head and looked up at him standing beside the bed staring intently down at her. His face held an expression she couldn’t read. Pissed, mixed wi
th concern, and mixed with…something she didn’t quite understand. She scooted over and patted the spot on the bed where she’d just moved from.
“Sit, please,” she told him, quietly. He quickly sat down but he didn’t try to touch her, didn’t sit close to her, but he did keep his eyes locked on hers. She took another sip of water, then took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m sorry you had to be here. I’m sorry you had to go through that,” she whispered to him and then dropped her eyes from his.
Was she fuckin’ serious? Kade sat stunned, staring at her. “Fuck me,” he mumbled under his breath. “Krista,” he called softly as he reached his hand out to cup her face, but then stopped and dropped his hand back to his side. He couldn’t touch her. He wanted to, fuck, but he wanted to grab her up and hold her so tight to him she would never feel an ounce of pain, ever again. But, he knew that just the slightest touch could cause her more pain if she was still hurting. He watched her, as she saw his hand as he dropped it back to the bed and saw…rejection? Was that rejection he saw in her eyes? Could she possibly think he didn’t want to touch her, didn’t want to hold her? “Baby, please look at me,” he begged softly and waited until her eyes finally met his. “Can I touch you? Are you still hurting?”
“Yes, you can. It doesn’t hurt. I think I’m okay now,” she told him and before she finished speaking, he’d already reached out and was tugging her onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him as tight as he could without hurting her, kissing the top of her head.
“Don’t apologize to me. Don’t you ever fuckin’ apologize to me. That’s bullshit, Krista. Fuckin’ bullshit.” He punctuated what he was saying with kisses. He moved her just a little so he could look down at her face and into those beautiful blue eyes. “Look at me, baby.” He urged. When her eyes met his he spoke again. “I love you, baby.” He started talking, but stopped as he watched her eyes go unfocused and then roll back right before her body went completely limp in his arms. “Krista!” he called her name. “Krista!” He repeated louder and then gave her a gentle shake. “Krista!!” He practically screamed in her face as he shook her again, this time not so gently. When he still got no response, he jumped up, laid her on the bed and jerked his phone out of his pocket while he was leaning over her, checking for breath and heartbeat. Rubbing her hair back from her face, he murmured to her, “I love you, baby. You’re going to be okay.” He kept murmuring to her as he dialed 911.