45. Dempsey
45
Dempsey
S he’s here in my arms. I fucking found her, and I’m never letting her go.
“Get an ambulance in here,” one of the cops yells from the kitchen. Katy stiffens in my arms.
“Ambulance? Is he alive? You said he was dead.”
“Shh, relax, Pepper. They have to have the paramedics out here to pronounce the body. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“I want to see.”
“You want to see…the body. Why?”
“I need to know. I need to know it’s over.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“She needs it, Viktor.” Spencer gives me a look that leaves no room for argument. It’s Katy’s choice. I’ll deal with whatever the fallout is for her. If she needs it, I’ll take her.
I walk us into the kitchen with Katy tucked under my arm. There’s already a sheet on the floor over Shane’s body.
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”
Lincoln stands next to the body, realizing what we’re doing. I nod at him, and he puts on a pair of gloves then slowly lifts the sheet. Katy’s hand tightens on my shirt as Shane’s face is uncovered. Lincoln stops the reveal once Shane’s shoulders are exposed, and I’m glad he does.
Katy gasps and buries her face into my chest.
“Okay. I’m done.”
I walk her away from the kitchen, glad she didn’t look around the room. Blood covers several surfaces, as Shane must have been trying to find something to help stop the bleeding.
We make it to the front door that someone leaned against the inside wall from where I knocked it down. Nothing matters to me right now other than the woman in my arms. I almost lost her for a second time, and I swear on my life it will never happen again.
There’s chaos around us as police cars litter the road and front yard. Red and blue lights flash amongst the fading sunlight, and navy blue uniforms wander in every direction.
“Marry me, Pepper.”
“Viktor?” She looks up at me through her dark lashes, brown eyes full of confusion. “Are you sure my bullet missed you?”
I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I release her and drop to one knee, taking her hands in mine.
“I wish it had because I’ll bleed any day for the rest of my life for you. I almost lost you today. Fuck, I did lose you. You were taken from me, and I almost lost my mind.” For the first time, she notices the bandages on my hand and squints at them as she rubs her thumbs over the tape. “I pretended a tree was Shane’s face.”
“Did it help?”
“You helped. You killed that motherfucker. You , Pepper.” I drop my head to our joined hands. “Marry me. I never want to be without you again. I want to make Owen a big brother. I want to have all the babies with you. Let me take care of you. Both of you. Let me love you the way you deserve to be loved. I want to love you so hard you get sick of me and then love you even harder. Please, Katy Coble. Marry me.”
She’s quiet. I don’t know what I’ll do if she rejects me. She consumes me. Every last fucking inch of me belongs to her. She has to say yes.
“But, Viktor.”
Fuck please don’t say no.
“If I say yes”—say fucking yes—“who will be my bodyguard? You can’t also be my husband. That would be a conflict of interest.” A chuckle escapes her, and I lift my head and look into her chocolaty eyes.
Fuck, she’s saying yes.
“Say yes. I’ll be your forever bodyguard if you say yes, Pepper. Be mine. I want to adopt Owen and be his, too.”
Katy’s eyes well up with tears, and I stand, pulling her into my chest.
“Say yes.” I kiss her temple. “Say yes.” Her forehead. “Say.” Nose. “Yes.” Cheek. “I love you.” My mouth hovers over hers, waiting to hear those three little letters leave her lips.
Her eyes flutter closed, and the quietest “yes” breathes across my lips as she crashes her mouth to mine.
I lift her into my arms and kiss her with every bit of passion, love, and loyalty I have.
“You said yes. You’ll marry me?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be mine? Forever?”
“Forever.”
I need to know. “And Owen?”
“Forever, Viking. Ours forever.”
“Fuck. I need to take you home right now and make love to you, but you need to talk to the police. You’re mine as soon as we leave here.”
“Forever yours after we pick up Owen.”
“Forever mine after shower sex, then we pick up Owen.” I look down at her clothes splattered with blood, and she follows my gaze.
“Deal.” She seals her words with a kiss.
“Are you going to make me wait?”
“For shower sex? We can do that as soon as we get home.”
I laugh into her neck and inhale her sweet scent. “Not for the sex. To make you Katy and Owen Dempsey. I’d drag you to the courthouse right now if you’ll let me. I know I’m being demanding, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” I move a hand to her belly. “I want more little Owens and little Katys. As many as you’ll give me. I want to take care of all of them. Of you.”
She playfully slaps my chest. “I knew you had a lactation kink, but are you adding breeding kink to that as well?”
“Fuck yes. Courthouse then baby making.” I possessively growl into her neck at the visual of both of those things.
She giggles, and it’s music to my fucking soul. “Can we start with the shower first and a promise that I won’t make you wait too long for the rest? Because I think I like the idea of dark hair, blue-eyed baby Vikings running around, but I also need to remove this birth control first.” She lifts her arm and pokes at the small rod.
I echo her answer from earlier. “Deal.” I’ll take it out myself if I have to.
? ? ? ? ?
There are two police cars in front of Spencer’s house when we pull up. Katy gave her statement at the scene, and they told her she would have to go to the station tomorrow to make a formal statement.
Justin bursts out the front door and almost tackles Katy. He lifts her off the ground in a bear hug that has her huffing.
“You scared the shit out of us. Couldn’t you have a normal teenage tantrum and smoke cigarettes or experiment with drugs? You had to be all dramatic and get kidnapped. You overachiever.” He puts her back on her feet but doesn’t let go. Justin mouths “thank you” to me, and I smile back.
“This teenager is going to be a married woman,” Katy proudly exclaims.
I momentarily panic realizing I didn’t ask anyone’s blessing for Katy’s hand in marriage. I’ve spoken to each of them about my intentions on several occasions, but never marriage. Are they going to approve? If any of them tell her no, she’ll listen to them, and I wouldn’t blame her.
“Married huh? To this Viking over here? You think he’s worthy of you?”
I wait on the edge of my seat for whatever answer she’s about to give him.
“Well, I shot at him before he asked me, and he still got down on one knee, so I think he might be worthy?”
Shock washes across his face. “You what? Oh hell, I need this story, but you look like you need a shower. Let’s get you inside.” Justin gives me a smile of approval, and all the stress leaves my body.
As we walk into the house with Justin’s arm slung over Katy’s shoulder, she stops in her tracks, and I nearly bump into her.
“Pepper?”
“You bitch. I hope you rot in a jail cell and regret every decision you’ve ever made.” A slap rings through the air, and Justin pulls Katy into his chest. Past them, I see Babs in handcuffs, being escorted out by two police officers with a bright pink handprint on her cheek.
My girl got her closure. I couldn’t be more proud.
Katy scowls at her mother as she leaves the house, and a small smile tugs at the corner of her lips.
“You alright?”
“Never better.” She smiles up at Justin, who kisses her forehead and releases her.
“I’m going to take Katy to the pool house to get cleaned up, and then we’ll go get Owen.”
“How about you take your time? I’ll have Owen brought here, so you won’t have to worry.”
“Thank you, Justin.” Katy gives him a final hug.
“I love you, Katy. Never forget that.”
“You’d never let me, Justin.”
“That’s the truth.”
Katy and I walk through the house and out the back door. For once, I’m not looking around for danger. It’s dead. She killed it. She killed him .
“I fucking love you, Pepper. I’m so goddamn proud of you.”
“Say it again.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.”
We stop midway to the pool house, the grassy area lit only by the stars. Brushing her hair behind her ear, I pull her close to my chest.
“I’m so fucking proud of you and everything you’ve endured today, this week, these last few years. Everything you went through to become the incredible, loving, compassionate person that you are. I’ll spend every fucking day of the rest of my life making sure you know how proud of you I am. But…”
“But?”
“But if I don’t get inside you in the next two minutes, I’m going to give everyone with eyes near us a show.” I give her a little shove, and she giggles. I smack her ass to encourage her to move, but instead, I see the lust take her over.
“Make me.”
Growling, I dip down and throw her over my shoulder, smacking her ass again. Her giggling continues through the house and straight into the bathroom, where I put her on the floor and immediately take off her shirt.
“I don’t want a quickie in the shower. I want to worship you in the bed. We’re going to make this strictly about cleaning up.” Katy bites her lip as I turn on the shower, and I get the feeling she’s up to no good.
“Do you understand?”
Her head shakes back and forth as a mischievous smile paints her face. With both hands on my chest, she pushes me into the shower. It’s already heated to the perfect temperature thanks to the water tank Spencer installed when she lived here.
Katy’s smile continues as we shampoo and condition each other’s hair. I love feeling her fingers massaging my head, and I don’t hold back my moans as she scrapes her nails over my scalp.
My eyes are still closed as her hands move down my neck and over my chest. I don’t realize she’s sinking to her knees until she grabs the base of my cock and sucks the head into her mouth. I look down at this sinful woman, and that damn smile is somehow still on her face despite her lips being stretched around me.
“You’re a goddamn fucking dream come true.”
She hums, and I push her hair back to see her entire face. She teases and taunts me with her tongue. There’s no urgency or end game in her movements. She’s doing this purely for pleasure, and I love every second of it.
“Please,” I plead. I need to be inside her. I need to feel our bodies connect. “Please, Pepper.”
She pops me from her mouth and grabs the loofah. I pick up the soap and squeeze a generous amount onto the sponge. Katy lathers me up, and I do the same, finishing our shower between kisses.
I turn the water off and grab us two towels from the rack. We laugh and stumble through, drying each other off. When we’re done, she takes my hand and walks me into the bedroom.
“Sit up against the headboard.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Miss Katy.”
My lip twitches. “Yes, Miss Katy.” I sit on the bed as she tells me to. My cock stands at attention for her next command.
Katy crawls onto the bed and up my legs. She pauses and leans down, licking my cock from base to tip, swirling her tongue around my head a few times.
“Hey Viking?” I hmm, because words aren’t a thing in my head right now. “I’m about to sit on your cock, without a condom, and you aren’t allowed to freak out after, alright?”
I give her a knowing smirk, realizing we’re about to relive our first time. She wants to take her power back again.
“Never again.”
Just like that first night, she moves up my body and positions herself over me. Her hand wraps around to line us up, and she slowly sinks down. My body lights up as her heat engulfs my cock. I feel every inch as her body consumes me and my head falls to the headboard.
“I love you.”
“You love my body,” she says through a giggle.
“I love you and your body.” Opening my eyes, I cup both of her breasts in my hands and lean forward to take a nipple in my mouth. Her milk supply has been reducing since her nursing sessions with Owen have slowed, but soon, her belly will swell with my sons and daughters, and there will be an endless supply.
Katy and I get lost in each other’s bodies. It feels familiar yet utterly new as neither of us hold back our emotions. The I love you’s flow freely, and everything feels deeper, stronger.
“Marry me, Katy.”
“I’ve already said yes.”
“I want to hear it again because I’m not sure I believe it.”
She leans forward and cups my cheeks. “Yes, I will marry your big, stubborn, Viking ass. But…”
“But?”
She wiggles her left hand in front of me. “But ask me again when you have a ring to make it officially official.”
“Deal.”