Chapter 31
JACK
Ihear my door creak open, and when I look up from my laptop and see her standing in the door frame wearing one of my shirts, my cock instantly gets hard again.
“You can’t be serious?” I shake my head, placing my laptop down on the bedside table. “I already gave you five orgasms tonight; you’re getting greedy.” I can tell what she’s come to my room for by the look on her face; that combination of hope and frustration looks beautiful on her.
“Actually, I didn’t come here for that.” She steps closer, rounding the bed and standing beside me. “The baby’s been pretty active, I thought you might like to feel.” She takes my hand and places it on her swollen belly.
“I don’t feel anything,” I tell her after waiting a minute or two.
“You have to be patient; maybe it’s because I’ve moved.” We both stare at my hand, waiting for something to happen.
“Here, lie down.” I shift over, holding open the covers so she can get in beside me.
She smiles awkwardly as she lays her head on my pillow, and I move down the bed so I can be closer to all the action.
“Maybe he went back to sleep.” She shrugs, her cheeks flushing red, like she’s embarrassed. I shot my load over her tits less than an hour ago. I don’t know what about this is making her so shy.
“You’ve been calling him a he a lot today,” I point out, trying not to look smug.
“A woman's intuition can change, you know.” Her eyes glare at me, and when I feel a ripple come from under my palm, we both look at each other and laugh.
“And that was my boy telling you that this time, your intuition is right.” I place a soft kiss where the kick came from and grin proudly.
“You know, I’m never going to get bored with feeling this,” I warn her, still unable to believe that the tiny life, growing and thriving inside her, belongs to me.
“I figured.” I can tell she’s proud of herself for what she’s achieved. Not only does Gracie like being pregnant, she likes my reaction to it.
“He’s really moving in there; how are you going to get any sleep?” I ask when I feel another kick.
“I’ll just have to get used to it. I guess that’s what everyone else does.” She shrugs. “Though I’m not looking forward to how it’s going to feel when he’s fully grown and ready to come out.”
“You’ll be used to it by then, and he’ll have less space.” I kiss her tummy again, imagining how incredible she’s going to look when she’s ready to pop.
I get so distracted by the whole thing that I almost miss the yawn she makes behind her hand. It’s past midnight, and she should be sleeping.
“You need to sleep.” I stand up to help her out of bed; I’ve noticed over the past few days that she’s starting to struggle a little, not that she’d ever admit it.
“Actually…” She raises her eyes to me nervously, taking my hand and placing it back where it was. “I was thinking about maybe sleeping in here tonight.”
“With me?” I check I’ve heard her correctly. Ever since the night we got married, it’s been a firm boundary for her. Slowly, she nods her head, looking up at me through her lashes, with the same needy look she has when she’s craving my cock.
“That way you can feel him move whenever you want,” she adds, being all cute and coy about the fact that this is what she needs from me, too.
I can’t let it give me hope; I’ve read enough on pregnancy to know that it can mess with a woman's emotions. Right now, all her maternal instincts are telling her she needs my comfort and support, and I am fully prepared to embrace that.
“I’d really like that.” I reach over her so I can turn off the lamp, while she turns on her side and backs her ass up against me.
“It’s more comfortable for me to lie like this these days,” she explains, looking slightly ashamed as she glances back over her shoulder at me.
“Is this okay?” I slide my arm around her waist and pull her a little closer, then, resting my hand on her tummy, I snuggle my face into her hair and breathe her in.
“It’s perfect.” She sighs contentedly, and I swear, it’s the most wholesome thing I’ve ever felt in my life.
“I’d have come and slept in here sooner if I thought this was how you were going to wake me up every morning.” She rolls on her back to allow me better access while I stir her awake with my finger, stroking her clit.
“Morning.” I kiss her, sliding that finger deep into her pussy and enjoying the sound of pleasure she makes
“What time is it?” she asks.
“Eight thirty,” I answer as I kiss my way down her neck, over her round tits, and suck her nipple into my mouth, just how she likes it.
“Jack.” She soaks my fingers, gripping the back of my head and holding me tight against her, ensuring I don’t stop.
I hear a vibration coming from the bedside table, but I ignore it; whoever it is can wait until I’ve finished making my wife come.
“Oh, my god,” she squeals, making me panic that I’ve somehow hurt her.
“It’s Polly! Polly’s calling me!” She looks as shocked as she is excited, staring at the phone now in her hand.
“She hasn’t spoken to me since… I…I have to get this.” She drags herself away from me, getting out of bed and placing the phone to her ear.
“Polly! You have no idea how good it is to… What?” All the excitement drains from her face, and suddenly she looks petrified.
“No, he can’t be…his hearing’s not for months.” She starts pacing the floor, her hand stroking her bump as her fear escalates.
“Well, do we know where he is now? Surely, Selena can hack the court files and find out his parole conditions?” She starts breathing faster, her skin turning pale, and I quickly stand up, so I can be beside her in case she passes out.
“Sit down,” I order, trying to move her back towards the bed, but she shakes her head and pushes me away.
“They can’t have just released him, not after all the evidence I gave!”
Tears brim in her eyes as her head shakes helplessly.
“What do we do now?” She hangs up the phone and stares forward, like she’s in a trance. I give her a chance to take in everything she’s just heard, steering her to sit so she’s off her feet.
“They let him go,” she whispers weakly. “Despite everything I told them, they released him. He’s out there.” Her voice trembles as she explains.
“Gracie, you're safe here; your friends are safe at the apartment. Jonah can’t hurt you.” I try to get her to hear me, but she’s checked out completely; nothing I say is going to get through to her.
“Gracie, listen to me, none of this is good for you. I promise you. I won’t let him hurt you, I won’t let him hurt any of you.
” I quickly rush to get my phone and dial my head of security.
“Steve, I need more men at the Mayfair building,” I explain as soon as he answers. “Round the clock; two on the front door, two on the apartment door, and one inside with the girls, at all times.” I bark out his orders and hang up without waiting for a response.
“He’s going to come for me.” Gracie looks at me, her eyes sunken and weary, and all that pretty, pregnant glow drained from her skin
“There's nothing you can do, Jack. He’ll find me, and he’ll kill me. You should never have asked me to do this.” Her hands clutch her stomach protectively, and I grab her face firmly in my hands, forcing her to look me in the eyes.
“Gracie, you have to listen to me. No one is going to hurt you, our baby, or your friends. No one. Do you hear?”
“Our wedding was all over the news; he’ll know where to find me.” She shakes her head like she doesn’t have faith in anything I’m saying.
“Gracie, I can protect you. You have to stop panicking.”
“How, Jack? How can you protect us?” she asks tearfully.
I don’t tell her how, for fear that if I did, she might try and stop me. Instead, I pull her in tight and hold her the way she needs to be held.
“What do you mean you have business to attend to? Now isn’t the time to be leaving me.
” She looks so disappointed in me as I explain that I’m leaving home for a night.
It’s been five hours since she found out her ex was released from prison, and that's how long it’s taken my guy to get me an address, and knowing where he is doesn’t surprise me.
Jonah relies on people’s fear; he likes to play games.
I can’t sleep beside her tonight, knowing that the man who wants her dead is still breathing.
“I have eight security guys here; you're perfectly safe,” I assure her, kissing her forehead before picking up my holdall and heading for the door.
“Why can’t I come with you?” She rushes to block me from leaving. “Jack, I really need you here right now.”
“You're safer here. The security was upgraded weeks ago; the place is a fortress. I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t have to.”
Seeing her so scared is killing me. She’s nothing like the feisty, confident woman I found trying to steal from me. I kiss her again and rush down the stairs. The sooner I do what needs to be done, the sooner I can get back here and start making this up to her.
“Jack!” She screams my name as I head for the door, and when I get outside to my car, she races in front of me again.
“Please, Jack.” She looks so desperate and fearful. “I need you…We need you.” She takes my hand and places it on her stomach.
“I’m sorry, Gracie. I have to go.” I move past her and get in my car, screeching off the gravel and feeling like the biggest asshole in the world.