33. Dempsey
33
Dempsey
S he’s fine. She’ll be fine. I’m less than a football field away.
I hate leaving Katy alone in the pool house, and when I pass by Patrick, I ask him to keep an eye on the house. I get my usual grunted response.
Katy is locked and alarmed in. We are close enough to the house that even if something happens, we are right here.
I knock on the back door and walk in. Tucker and Lincoln are waiting for me at the kitchen table.
“Tucker. Lincoln.”
Tucker nods and gestures to a seat. As I sit, I notice pictures on the table. I don’t even have to look to know what they are.
“When are we going to be done with this fucker?” I roll my shoulders, trying to loosen the instant tension.
“These are different. Look.” Tucker spreads them out further. Unlike older pictures, which were random locations and different people from our households, every picture is of Katy and Owen. Every. Picture. He followed her to work, to the park, and to the mall when we bought him new shoes. Patrick and I are both in multiple of the shots because Katy is never alone.
I spread them out further and can map every place Katy and Owen have been for at least the last two weeks.
“How the fuck is he following us so closely. If he’s watching her, how have we not seen his vehicle.” My frustration is boiling.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?”
I currently notice that Lincoln is being suspiciously quiet during all of this.
“Lincoln. What’s wrong?” He looks up at me as if I broke him from a trance.
“Sorry, Dempsey. I’m trying to see what links all of these photos together. We’ve checked your car multiple times for trackers. Does Katy have a new purse? Maybe we should check the diaper bag. Did it get left in the open anywhere?”
“Now that Owen is mostly potty trained, she doesn’t carry a diaper bag. She has a small backpack that she wears when we’re out. If she needs to take it off, I carry it.”
Tucker huffs, as lost in this situation as the rest of us.
“Anything from Montgomery?” Tucker’s private investigator has been working on this case for a while and, like us, is hitting dead ends.
“He thinks Shane isn’t working alone. We discovered he was a computer nerd in high school, so getting into the basic cameras that Eddie installed would have been easy enough. To our knowledge, he hasn’t been able to get into Chips set up.”
“Dempsey,” Lincoln starts. “I know I don’t need to tell you this, but Katy and Owen are our world, and I have a feeling you feel the same.”
“Without a doubt.”
“I have two questions. As her bodyguard, how do we keep them protected?”
“Ideally, locked in a bubble until this asshole is found, and he can’t hurt or scare either of them anymore.” Wouldn’t that be wonderful? “Practically, I don’t know how we can do more than we’re already doing without alerting the neighbors. Patrick already gets suspicious glances. Katy’s preschool has been accommodating of us both being there, but any more muscle around, and there would be no point in leaving the house.”
“My thoughts exactly. Now, my second question. As her lover, how can we keep them safe?”
My head shoots up from the pictures. I’ve spoken to them about my relationship with Katy, and I know she’s spoken to them as well, but hearing Lincoln acknowledge there’s something going on between us catches me off guard.
“Do you love her, Dempsey?” I’m getting whiplash as my head snaps toward Tucker’s question.
“Do I get to keep my balls if I tell you yes?”
“As long as you continue to treat her the same way you have been for the last two years.”
“Two—”
“Don’t play me for a fool. I know your eyes have been only for Katy, and I respect that you waited until she was ready—most days. I’d be a shit father if I didn’t worry about my daughter with any man. I know you’ll do right by her. But what can we do now?”
“I should probably start by getting back to the pool house. Patrick is keeping an eye out, but she’s alone, and I hate it.”
Tucker stands, and Lincoln follows. I take it as my permission to leave and stand to shake hands.
“We’re going to get this fucker so Katy and Owen can have peace. I promise you both. I’ve taken a bullet for her once, and I’d do it a hundred times over if that’s what it takes.”
“I know you will.” Tucker tightens his hand and leans in to slap my back. “Just don’t ever try to call me Dad.”
A laugh bursts from my chest without permission. The hilarity of the situation is Tucker is almost old enough to be my dad.
“Never, Sir.”
As I step out the back door, I see all the lights are off in the pool house. I nod at Patrick, who acknowledges me and turns his attention back to the main house.
Tucker approves of me being with Katy. I told them I loved her. It wasn’t a lie, but shouldn’t I have told her first? Our relationship has shifted, and I think she feels it, too.
Quietly, I unlock the door and reset the system. I hope Katy’s sleeping. She looked tired. When I step into the living room, Katy stands frozen, staring at me.
“Pepper. I thought you were going to bed?”
Katy’s face falls, and she sways, almost falling into the couch. I’m across the room in four steps and take her in my arms.
“Katy, what’s wrong?” Her body feels like jello in my arms.
“Need to sit.”
“What’s wrong? Talk to me? What happened?” I sweep her up as I scan every inch of her body that I can see. Why did I leave her alone? Something happened while I wasn’t here.
“Sit. Please sit.”
Sit? I can’t sit. Where’s the danger? What the fuck happened?
I can feel her body swaying despite being in my arms, so I do as she asks and sit us on the couch. I don’t like being vulnerable, but I don’t see any sign of danger.
“Dizzy.”
Okay, she’s dizzy. What caused her to be dizzy? I know I’m carrying on a conversation with her, but my body is on autopilot. My eyes assess the situation, my mouth moves to ask and answer questions, but my mind feels like a hamster running on a wheel.
“I masturbated myself into a vertigo spell.”
“Pepper?” She’s giggling. No, she’s laughing. How is any of this funny? Fuck my heart is full steam ahead like a runaway train.
Vertigo.
A dizzy spell.
No danger.
No. Fucking. Danger.
“…read once that an orgasm can help make them go away…the internet said a banana could help.”
I glance into the kitchen and see the fruit bowl. Bananas. Standing, I bring us to the counter and motion for her to take one. When she securely has a banana in her hand, I bring us into the bedroom. I take off my shoes and sit against the headboard, adjusting Katy in my lap.
She’s here and she’s okay.
“Eat.”
“Viktor?”
“I need a moment. Eat, Pepper.” I need more than a fucking moment. Flashes of her panicked face as I bled out in front of her swept through my mind when I saw her stumble. I thought Shane had gotten to her. I haven’t even told her how I feel yet, and I thought I had already missed the opportunity. This isn’t the moment to confess my feelings, but soon. Really fucking soon.
“So you’re okay? How are you feeling now?” Katy puts the banana peel down and turns to look into my eyes.
“I’m completely fine. It was a weird fluke. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I’m man enough to admit you fucking scared me, Pepper. I left you here alone, and when I saw you stumble, I just…” I just thought I failed you again, and I can’t do that. I’ll never fail you again. Please know that, without me having to say the words out loud. That day in the car is my biggest regret, and I’ll spend my entire life and yours making up for every ounce of pain you felt, every second you were scared, and every drop of blood that I spilled. I’ll never forget that day. That was the day I fell in love with you.
“I promise I’m alright. I’m all good.” She straddles my lap and places my hands on her hips. She’s here. Flesh and bone under my hands.
She had cramps from her period.
I move my hands to the front of her body. “Do you still have cramps? Do you need more help?” I need to feel more of her. Leaning forward, I brush my lips against her jaw. She tilts her head to allow me better access.
“I-I’m good right now. I think I have PTSD for the moment.”
“Okay. Next time you need an orgasm, you come to me. Got it?”
Her eyes widen in shock. “But I’m on my period?”
“Pepper, I was man enough to admit I was scared, and I’m man enough to tell you I don’t give a fuck about your period.”
“But—”
“I. Don’t. Give. A. Fuck. And if I thought you could handle it, I’d show you right now, but you need to rest.”
I kiss her forehead and stand to strip down to my boxers. I can’t help but notice her lingering eyes on my bulge, but not tonight.
“Put your tongue back in your mouth and move over. It’s time to sleep.”
I crawl in behind her and wrap her into me. I place my hand above her pubic bone and hear her hum from the warmth. I’ll protect this woman from anything, even if it’s her own body.
“Viktor…Viktor, wake up…Oh my god, please wake up…Open your eyes.”
I open my eyes just in time to get an elbow to my gut. Katy is flailing around, and every nerve in my body lights up with adrenaline. A quick search around the room shows we’re still alone, and the yelling and flailing is a dream. She’s dreaming about me and not in a good way.
I trail a gentle hand along her arm and quietly say her name. She never comes out of her nightmares the same way. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a gentle touch. Other times, I’ve had to yell and shake her.
“Pepper, wake up.”
I quickly lean back as she jolts up in bed. “V-Viktor.” Her head whips around the room as she becomes aware of her surroundings. “Oh, thank fuck. Viktor, you’re okay.”
Katy climbs into my lap and begins assaulting me with aggressive kisses. It takes me a moment to respond to her quick movement. When I do, I hungrily take her all in. Her body is sweaty, and I can feel her heart racing.
She leans back, and I kiss her neck and shoulders as she pants, still catching her breath from her dream.
“Need…you.”
Her arms cross and she reaches for the hem of her tank top, pulling it off.
“Katy, I think—”
“Night time. My time. I need you.”
“Okay. Okay, I got you, Pepper. I grab her breasts as she rocks on my rapidly hardening cock. I bring her to my mouth and suck on her perfect nipples. The sweetness of her milk mixed with the salt from her sweat almost turns me feral.
“Let’s go. Shower.” I wrap my arms around her thighs and stand with her. We stroll into the bathroom, stumbling through kisses and touches. I turn the shower on, and with a whine from Katy that makes me chuckle, I place her feet on the floor.
She stares as I crouch in front of her, and she pulls my hair tie out to run her fingers through my now messy hair. My thumbs dip into her sleep shorts, and I pull them down her legs along with her plain black underwear. I should have known she had her period. It’s the only time she wears these.
“Oh shit. Viktor, no. My period.” It seems she’s just come up from her sleep and lust fog to realize what we’re doing.
“I don’t think so, Pepper. You told me you needed me, and that’s what you’re getting. All of me, no matter what.”
I slide my hand from her ankle, up her calf to her knee. I lift her leg and set it on the edge of the toilet seat. She wobbles to catch her balance and grabs my shoulders.
“W-what are you doing?”
Sliding my hand up her inner thigh, I capture her eyes. I want her to see I have no hesitation with my actions. “Removing your tampon.”
Her face immediately turns red. She’s embarrassed, and I won’t allow her to be.
“Pepper, you always have a safeword, but I promise I’d never do anything I’m not comfortable with.