Chapter 30
“This is awesome,” and it really is. We’re flying high at thirty thousand feet back to Carrollton on Ethan Conrad’s private plane.
Stella is looking out the window, with my arms around her as she rests her head on my chest.
This feels awesome indeed.
Flying has never felt so good. It’s like I’ve never seen the sky before. Something inside me is also rising and it isn’t from this engineering marvel that must have cost Ethan a couple of million.
“What? Flying in a private plane?” I joke around with her a little. Stella looks so pretty when she’s like that, relaxed. “Don’t tell me you’re a snob.”
In response, she elbows me in the abdomen, right where I was shot. I make an exaggerated gesture of pain, the truth is that for some time the pain has been minimal. The doctor has officially discharged me and I only have to go back for a routine check-up in a couple of months.
Now I’m here, in the cloud nine, living the life that I never thought was possible for me. I have my wife in my arms and our first child is on the way. A family. To a man like me, straight out of an orphanage, those words sound strange. Not because I had to grow up and manage on my own. No. I was greatly blessed when the Krals adopted me, they changed my life. Not only did they open the door to a world that offered all kinds of wonderful opportunities, but they also loved me. They took the skinny, shy, and stuttering boy and raised him as their own. They never made me feel like I was worthless because I wasn’t their biological son. Much of what I am today I owe to them. Johanna and Anton taught me to believe in myself, to fight, and to never, never, give up.
Now I’m going to have someone who is not only mine because I chose to love him, but also because he comes from me. It will be blood of my blood. And it’s amazing.
I know Stella still thinks it might be from the night when that asshole got into the house they shared, but from the dates the doctor gave us it’s clear he’s mine. Like the caveman that I am, I want to puff my chest out in pride, thinking this baby is the offspring of our first time. Maybe one of them. When we decided to cross the Mississippi, everything changed. Like Newton famously said, every action has a reaction.
“Do you think we should go to the police and report what happened at the house?” Stella asks me, cutting off the thread of my thoughts. “I’m afraid he might want to do something now that we’re going to be on familiar ground for him.”
I kiss her on the forehead to comfort her, wishing I could do more. I have to remind myself that we aren’t alone. “Josh is already taking care of that,” and it’s true. He traveled very early this morning to fix some things prior to our arrival, while Sanders is with us. “You have nothing to worry about.”
She turns to face me. “Because you’re already worrying about both of us, aren’t you?”
A smile pulls my lips up. She knows me well. Very well. “You two are going to be perfectly fine. I’ll take care of that.”
Her blue eyes fixate on mine as she looks at me.
“And who takes care of you?”
Without being able to avoid it, a laugh comes from my throat. “I’m a big boy. I can manage on my own.”
“Yeah, sure,” she replies, her words full of sarcasm. “We saw how that turned out in the past.” Then she lowers her voice an octave. “I’m afraid, Lionel, I don’t want to be alone again, nor do I want whoever that man is to come for me. I don’t want him to touch me ever again.”
A pang of jealousy pierces my chest like a double-edged sword, cutting through my insides.
Jealousy is a powerful emotion. At this moment, I understand the expression to kill for love.
“It isn’t going to happen, a plan is already in motion. We’ll be safe.”
She seems to relax a little, so I take the opportunity to press her against my chest once more. The seats of this plane are quite wide, so I can hug her without having the armrest poking me in my ribs.
“Maybe I should invest in a plane like this,” I say, radically changing the subject. I don’t want her to worry about anything.
Her mouth opens in a perfect circle and her eyes widen as she looks around.
“And why do you want something so extravagant?” Good question.
Decorated in blue and beige tones, leather, wood, and steel accents. Ethan has spared no expense. I’m not a flashy person, but it might be a good investment.
“If you want to stay in Carrollton to be close to your mother once the baby is born, I’ll have to be trotting between Los Angeles and Kentucky all the time. I have a business to attend to and as much as I enjoy spending time with you, there are people who depend on me. I can’t throw it all away.”
In the blue of her eyes I see a shadow of sadness appear. My heart shatters because I know I put it there.
“Sorry,” she mutters, looking down. “It’s just I want to be close to my family. After what happened in your house with your mother I don’t know…”
I don’t want to hear her say those words.
“Our house, Stella. The house belongs to both of us,” I clarify before giving her a soft kiss on those pink lips. When I built it I had no idea I was waiting for her. Getting ready for her arrival.
“How did I ever fall in love with him? I’m such an idiot,” she adds again, looking me in the eye. “And how didn’t I realize you are different people, now everything is so clear. Even if you are identical twins, you have some differences. Your eyes are less dark than his and you have this freckle here next to your mouth…” She traces it with the tip of her finger, then I catch it with my teeth, nibbling on it gently.
The things I would do to her if we were alone. Patience , I tell my cock who wants to be part of the fun. We still wait.
“ Hvězda , you’re not an idiot. You are one of the smartest women I know. What did you expect? We all fell for his game. Even though we are not Xerox copies, it would be easy to get confused. Also, all the stress of the attack and my recovery, your head was all over the place.”
“I’m still mad at you for lying to me,” she says, sticking her bottom lip out in an adorable pout. I really want to bite it. “You don’t know how I felt when I overheard you talking to your mother. I felt beyond silly. Fooled by everyone, living in a pantomime without knowing it. The Truman Show featuring Stella Lambert.”
“Stella Kral,” I remind her, that is her name. “And frankly I hope this time you don’t intend to run away again…”
She closes her eyes for a moment, as if thinking of the correct answer.
“No, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. And with a baby on the way…”
This time I do kiss her. Enough doubts, enough.
“I know you didn’t want this yet, you told me several times,” I tell her, my voice is low but firm. She needs to understand. “But everything happens for a reason, and our baby isn’t a mistake.”
“I never said that!” She defends herself and my heart warms knowing we think the same. Our baby isn’t a mistake, nothing in our relationship is. Maybe it conceived unconventionally, but still.
“What I mean is that he’s here, and it’s for a reason. Now we just have to walk forward, if you decide to give me another chance, that God knows I don’t deserve, but I’ll appreciate it.”
Fool me once it ’ s your fault … I remember those words she said at the beginning.
“You have a lot of work to do, Kral,” she chides, mischievous sparks coming from her eyes.
“Whatever you want, love,” I add. “I hope that talking to your mother and Aunt Felicia won me some points. And speaking of your aunt, she has some explaining to do.”
As it turns out, when I asked Stella how she found June, the nun, she told me that she’s her Aunt Felicia’s best friend. Because they are so close and talk regularly, Stella could communicate with her aunt without Ethan’s men finding any changes or new numbers in the call logs. As I said, Stella is one of the smartest women I know, she played her cards perfectly.
Stella laughs loudly. At me, of course.
“Oh Lionel,” she says, taking a deep breath. “My aunt likes you, but I’m her spoiled niece and as far as she’s concerned, you’re still on probation.”
I mumble a curse. A house full of women. Hormones in overabundance.
It would be good for our baby to be a boy and balance the equation with some testosterone, but something tells me a girl is on the way.
That makes me smile. A girl. What am I going to know about raising a daughter? I trust that some books will help because she will be in our arms in a few months.
Also, I will have to ask Ethan to introduce me to some of his suppliers. I’m going to buy a couple of weapons. The man has two beautiful daughters. I’m confident he knows what I’m talking about. Simple precaution, I don’t want any stupid, hormonal teen hanging around my daughter.
“What made you frown?” Stella asks me, smoothing the lines on my forehead with her fingers. “I promise you that my aunt won’t stab you while you sleep, she just wanted to make sure that what you feel for me is real and not a desire for revenge.”
I take my hands to her still flat belly, to where she’s growing—or he.
“Do you think it’s a girl?” My eyes don’t stray from the place where my hand rests.
“Do you want a boy to turn him into your mini-me?”
A quick smile appears on my lips, I look into her eyes. “What I want is to be able to live in peace, and if she turns out to be half as pretty as her mother is, I think I’m going to be in serious trouble. Do you think June will accept her at her convent?”
Stella laughs again, I love that sound, it’s hoarse and seductive. I know there’s a room in the back of the plane. But it’s better to have free rein once we are in our own space.
I can hardly wait for it.
“Lionel,” Stella whispers, her tone serious, as her gorgeous blue gaze is.
“Yes, love?”
“There are no more secrets between us, are there?”
This is serious business. There are many things I want to do to her. Celebrate that we’re back together after so many days, but I also know that we need to talk, to be serious.
“No,” I reply sincerely. “I have a couple of surprises in store for you, but no more secrets.”
That makes her eyes roll, my smile widens. “I don’t even want to imagine what you did with my hive. Tell me that my queens are alive.”
“Your bees and their queens are perfect. In this last month, I’ve become a master beekeeper.”
I puff up my chest, I’m an arrogant idiot, I know. Sue me.
“What are you up to?” she insists, looking me in the eyes, but not a word will come out of my mouth. A surprise is a surprise.
“We’ll be in Louisville in a little while and then Carrollton, you know that.”
I hear her let out an exasperated snort. This day began full of uncertainty. Our future was about to be resolved. The sun is shinning for us and I’ll do everything in my power to keep it that way.
???
“What are we doing here?” Stella asks as soon as she sees Sanders park the SUV in front of a chain hotel entrance on the outskirts of town. “Why don’t we go home?”
Where should I start?
“Because that house is a clusterfuck in terms of security. There is no fenced yard or a way to secure the windows. And don’t even think I’m going to sleep in the bed you shared with him. And I’m sick of trying to do it on the living room sofa.” It’s too small for a man my size.
Thunders and sparks come out of her blue eyes.
“God, you have become Othello. A madman of jealousy.”
“It’s not jealousy,” I say in my defense. Of course it is. But there is also something more, something bigger than my ego. “That idiot hurt you, used you as part of his diabolical plan. You can’t expect me to want to share the same space.”
The air between us is electric. I can’t wait to have her alone in the room I’ve reserved.
“My God, you’re infuriating,” she grumbles raising her hands, but she moves to get out of the car and before she turns around, I swear I see her smile.
Women, such strange creatures. They were made to be worshiped, not understood.
Josh is sitting on one of the sofas in the reception, he quickly gets up to give me the keys, so we don’t have to waste time at the front desk.
“It looks like an interesting evening awaits you, Simba,” he teases, looking at Stella who is taking quick steps in front of me. “A word to the wise—talk to her before throwing yourself on top of her.”
The man has been married for several years, so I take his advice with a grain of salt. I know from a good source that his wife doesn’t hesitate to put him in his place when he behaves like a bastard. I pat him on the shoulder and head to catch up with my belligerent light-haired beauty. She has taken the lead, but I caught up with her in a couple of strides.
As soon as she realizes that I’m by her side she starts to vehemently press the elevator button. I’m about to joke with her when she turns to see me and my words stay on the tip of my tongue.
Yes, an interesting evening awaits me.
“Are you hungry?” I ask her as soon as we are locked in the steel box.
Stella is quite focused looking at the numbers on the board.
“No thanks,” she replies without looking at me. I almost smile and run a hand down the front of my pants, ordering my other head not to take over.
“Stella, the doctor said…”
I hear her give an exasperated snort.
“Can you stop trying to control everything for a moment?” she growls under her breath. “First, I want to take a good shower. After leaving the hospital we didn’t have time to go back to the convent with Sister June, so…”
That sounds logical.
“Later?” I say more as a question.
“Later,” she agrees.
With my hand on the small of her back, I guide her to our room. We’re at the end of the hallway, so it takes us a few minutes to get there, but she’s accepting of my touch, and I cross my fingers because it’s not the only thing she’s accepting tonight.
Upon entering the room, she opens her eyes wide to see our things are already there, waiting for us.
“I asked your mother to pack some things for you, I thought you would like…”
I think that has caught her off guard, because even though I see her barriers break down, she doesn’t say a word, while she searches her belongings for something to change into and then she heads to the bathroom.
I stay in the same place I am, watching that cute little ass walk down the short hallway.
“Mr. Kral, what are you waiting for?” Her words surprise me. “I need someone to lather my back.”
A smile is drawn on my face and my cock jumps immediately, happy to be included in the celebration. Yes, this is looking to turn into a great night.
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply before pulling the shirt over my head regardless of where it falls.
I walk over to her, still wearing my boxers, and lean against the doorframe of the bathroom as she steps into the steamy shower. She closes her eyes and sighs, clearly enjoying the warm water cascading down her luscious body. I can’t help but stare like the smitten idiot I am; she’s beautiful even when she’s not trying to be. Her breasts rise slightly with each breath, and I find myself growing hard again just thinking about how good they would feel in my hands.
As she soaps up a washcloth, she hums softly to herself, lost in the moment. The scent of lavender and honey fills the small space between us—it’s invigorating and sweet. “Let me,” I say finally, stepping into the shower behind her. My arms wrap around her waist from behind, pulling her gently against my chest. She lets out a content sigh as I begin to wash her back for her, my hands gliding over her soft skin with care.
“Ahhh,” she moans as I work up a lather on her shoulders and neck. “That feels so good.”
I can feel her shiver under my touch, so I start kneading gently at the knots that must be there from all that driving. She groans in appreciation, tilting her head back against my chest as I work them out.
The soap slipping between our bodies makes for an intimate moment; our breathing syncs up and our heartbeats become one sound in this small space filled with warm water and sweet smells. The silence is deafening but comforting at the same time; it feels like an eternity passes by before we speak again.
Finally breaking it, I ask softly, “Are you ready to try something else?” My voice is low and husky in her ear, and she shivers. “I’m ready for anything you want to give me,” she whispers back, her voice shaky with anticipation.
I step out of the shower, taking her with me. Her body is slick and warm from the water, and I towel her off gently while she’s still pressed against me. I can feel her heart racing as I dry her off, careful not to miss any spot. Once she’s dry, I help her into a loose, black t-shirt and a pair of lacy panties that hug her hips snugly. The material is damp but at least it doesn’t cling to her skin too much. We move to the bed where I have set up candles on both sides of us: the room smells heavenly already.
Our bodies close yet not touching. Her eyes are shining with anticipation and trust, and it sends a shiver down my spine. Sitting beside her, I run my fingertips along her arm, feeling the goosebumps rise at my touch. “I’m going to feast on you,” I whisper against her ear, breath tickling her lobe. She gasps softly, leaning into my touch as if begging for more.
Kissing my way down her neck, I can feel her pulse racing beneath my lips as I work my way lower until I reach the valley between her breasts. A soft sigh escapes her lips when my tongue makes contact with her skin, tracing a slow line down to one of her hardened nipples. She tastes sweet in the steamy water mixed with the scent of lavender and honey still lingering on her skin. I suckle gently as one hand moves up to caress her thigh; she moans softly at the sensation.
With every flick of my tongue against her nipple, she arches her back into me more, a clear invitation for me to explore further. So, I do; kissing and licking my way lower while she squirms underneath me. Her breath hitches when I reach between her legs and find how wet she is for me. My fingers brush against her panties through the dampness—needing no further invitation—I slide them down slowly, revealing that smooth pussy glistening from arousal.
She tastes even better than she smells; Stella spreads her legs wider, inviting me in. I can’t wait any longer; my tongue dives into her slick heat as I taste every inch of her. She tastes of honey and lavender, and it makes me want more. I hear her gasp as my tongue traces the outline of her clit, and then she tastes even sweeter when I flick it gently. Her body shudders under my touch, and she begs for more with soft moans escaping her lips.
I move up to kiss her neck again, nipping softly as I continue to lap at her pussy. My fingers find their way inside of her, stretching her walls apart as my thumb brushes against the perfect spot. She cries out softly, and I thrust two fingers inside of her slowly, finding the right rhythm as they curl while my tongue continues to lick and flick. She’s so wet now, it’s almost impossible not to make a mess on the clean sheets below us.
Her scent fills the room - a mix of arousal and submission - and I breathe it all in greedily as she pants beneath me. Her hands find purchase in my hair, holding onto me tightly as if afraid I might leave her at any moment. But I won’t; not tonight. Not ever again if I have anything to say about it.
Just when she’s on the brink of orgasm, I pull away slowly, looking up at her through hooded eyes. Her beautiful face is flushed with desire, lips parted in wanton pleasure. “You taste so good,” I whisper against her skin before standing up and pulling off my boxers to reveal my erection straining against the cotton fabric.
Slowly, so very slowly, I enter her, listening to that beautiful sound of skin on skin as we connect deeply for the first time. Every inch of our bodies meet in a symphony of moans and gasps; mine from desire and hers from the pleasure I’m sure. With each thrust, I feel more of her inner walls squeeze tight around me, urging me deeper still. Her fingers lace through mine as if they have a mind of their own guiding my hand on how to touch her properly. And finally, we find our rhythm. The room is filled with our bodies moving together now—the smacking of skin on skin and the wet sounds of our lovemaking filling every corner of the space between us.
It feels like forever since we were together like this—our breaths syncing up with one another until it becomes too much for either of us to bear. Her nails dig into my shoulders as she comes undone beneath me—her orgasm wracking through every fiber of her being while I bite down on my lip to hold back my own release.
I’m unable to find another word to describe this but magic.