Chapter Twenty-six #2
“Nah-nah-nah, you can’t back out. I want that knot and a fucking pony, dragon fucking damnit.
” Nikolai cried from laughing so hard he didn’t even feel the knot pop into place.
Then Jessie was breathing heavy in his ear, hips rutting sharp, shallow thrusts.
He was so full. It made the world spin and feel perfect at the same time.
Warmth bloomed in his stomach and chest, one for the wonderous stretch of a fat knot buried deep in him…
the other for the sound of Jessie chuckling in his ear.
“I love you, you dickhead.”
“Mmm, but I’m your dickhead.”
Jessie sighed dreamily in his ear, nipping it once more. “Yes. You are.”
Nikolai snuggled down into their bed, despite the sticky duvet or the huge knot still buried in him.
He was warm and engulfed in Jessie’s arms. It was the perfect spot to fall asleep.
He disappeared from the land of the living again, but this time, when he descended into his dreams, he fell completely.
Nikolai awoke to a pair of soft lips to his sweaty forehead. He blinked groggily, peeling his crusty eyes open and realized he was baking under the intense sunlight coming through the window. Nikolai rubbed his face to crack open his facilities faster. “What time is it?”
“About 1pm,” Katarina teased. The sweet smell of her perfume and fresh laundry filled his nose as Nikolai sat up swiftly. He glanced around the bed, finding himself alone in it. The comforter had been switched out as well, but he was still naked.
“What? Why?” Nikolai grumbled as he stared up at Katarina with bleary eyes.
“Well, you know, as much as I believe time is an illusion, it does…pass,” she teased with a wink as she strutted from the side of the bed to the curtains.
“Jessie wanted to make sure you got some shut eye in. We both went into the shop so I could finish up the numbers. He’s still there, but I wanted to make stuff for lunch and check in on you. ”
Nikolai yawned hard, shifting through his stiff bones to sit on the edge of the bed.
Fuck, I slept hard. He raked his fingers through his hair and knew first thing he needed was a shower.
Then his stomach growled and he admitted food was second.
But then! Then after that…we’ve got so much work to do.
He wanted to be free after work for when they had to go knock down doors after Pierre.
“You know, you told me that this whole heat thing would be intense,” Katarina chuckled as she dropped down onto the bed next to him. Nikolai caught the split-second wince on her face and his lips instantly spread into a shit-eating grin. Katarina glared at him in response.
“He get you this morning?” Nikolai stretched again, cracking his back in one fluid motion.
“Bent me over the desk and everything. While, succubus magic does wonders, apparently minotaur knots are more powerful.” She shifted, glancing at him. “By the sticky cum stain on the duvet he threw in the wash this morning, I’m assuming he got you last night?”
“Welcome to breeding season, baby girl.” Nikolai wiggled his brows suggestively.
Both of them snickered, the air in the room warm from the sun beating down on the townhouse.
Nikolai studied Katarina from the side as she let her head hang back, eyes closed, and took a deep breath in.
The words came out in a scratchy croak as he spoke, “You know, if you need to tag me in, you can.”
She snorted. “It’s not that. A girl could use a good pounding, and I’ve never been better fed, not even during my truly wild college days.”
Katarina opened her eyes to toss him a flirty wink. Nikolai ran a hand up her back, rubbing it sweetly. She shivered in response, a heavy sigh falling out of her mouth.
“It’s my in-laws. Ex in-laws. They want to see Isabella today.
They texted last night, but I haven’t responded.
And I don’t want to. I’d rather take her over to the Bonesaws, where Lailee lets her help with dinner and Titan lets her sit on his shoulders while they watched television.
Even when she spilled the grape juice or got popcorn crumbs in his hair, they were just so lovely to her.
Those are the grandparents I want for her.
Those are the in-laws I wished I had, because that’s who she deserves.
” Katarina shook her head with defeat as she threw her arms out.
“And there is a part of me that knows I can fight it. They don’t have any right to her.
I can say no. But they’ll throw a fit, and there’s still a part of Isabella that still loves her father.
Loves her grandparents, even though they hate the part of her that is me. And…I just…”
Nikolai nodded, shuffling across the mattress to tug Katarina into the side of his chest. She dropped her head onto his shoulder.
I can’t give you advice, Kat, and I’m so sorry.
He didn’t say it, knowing it wouldn’t help.
Kissing the top of her head instead, he let her throw her arms around him and squeeze him tight.
“Thank you,” she breathed into his neck as she melted into his side.
“I told you, you can come to me for a shoulder…or…since someone’s panties are on, if you need those two taken care of?” He smirked as she scoffed, shaking her head. “Offers on the table.”
“My in-laws aren’t worth the energy it would take you to deck them.” Katarina sat up again, pulling away from his shoulder but not his embrace. “I think it’s cause Gill gets out soon. They’re going to try for custody or something. And I just need to figure out how to win that.”
Nikolai opened his mouth, shut it, then opened it again before he could think better of the words coming out of his mouth. “You could talk to Blightwood.”
“What?” she blurted out, pulling back.
Nikolai grimaced. “Yeah, look, I don’t like it either but…
You’re part of the family now. Jessie can put you on the books as official payroll and accounting department.
So, you’re employed. You live here with us, that’s super easy to change on your paperwork too.
So, you’ve got a roof. Tell all this to social services then ask Blightwood to back you up since he got you the divorce papers rushed for domestic abuse.
I don’t like you talking to the Enforcers, but…
Isabella’s safety is the only thing that matters. ”
Katarina’s face fell, her eyes wide with worry. “Really?”
“Yeah, and I mean, if that doesn’t work, I’ll snap Gill’s neck in the ni—OW!” Nik yowled as Katarina slapped him hard on the arm.
“Don’t you dare! You’ll get in trouble and you’re not allowed to leave me! You hear me! Don’t you dare get yourself arrested just because my asshole ex knows how to work the system.”
Nikolai beamed evilly, climbing to his feet. “He’s not the only one. Time you put that big brain to work, Kat.”
She scowled at him, but he could see his words got to her. Katarina stood up with him and nodded to the shower. “Go on and scrub up, you’re super stinky.”
“You like it,” he teased, putting a hand to her face and playfully pushing her away.
Katarina swatted at him but left him to get in the shower.
He could hear her banging away in the kitchen before he turned on the faucet.
I don’t want you to have to do this…but you’ve got a point, trouble.
If he just straight up killed Gill, Aravis would figure it out.
She would need to get the system to work for her for the time being.
They could address Gill at a later date, once the Council wasn’t breathing down their necks.
Or maybe Jessie might actually give Frankie a call. Who knows. So long as they kept their hands clean of Gill’s blood, it would probably be fine. Besides, they had Pierre fucking Simmone to hunt down, a mastermind to unmask, and a car bomb prototype to find. Priorities.