Chapter 42
CHAPTER 42
M ac
It’s our last day at the cabin. It’s been a glorious two weeks and while I’m sorry to see it end, I need to get back to work and Levi to his studies.
It doesn’t feel like an ending, though, it feels like a beginning. Levi was right on our first morning here—we have the rest of our lives. We still have a lot to sort out, but I’m excited to be sharing it with Levi. We’ve agreed that he’ll move in with me, in Oxford, but we might relocate in the future once Levi has finished his qualifications.
We take a last long walk through the forest and after dinner we decide to have a final relaxing evening out on the deck to watch the sun go down.
After fetching a couple of beers we climb into the hot tub. I could get used to this and might have to install one at home. Levi settles between my legs and rests his back against my chest, and I snake an arm around his waist, holding him in place as my other hand strokes down his ribs and reaches for his cock. He stretches against me as I wrap my hand round his hardness and nuzzle into his neck.
My phone rings and I groan against his skin.
“For fuck’s sake, not now,” I mutter and ignore the ringing. Eventually it stops and I return to sliding my hand up and down Levi’s cock, loving the way his pushing back against mine, which is lying hard against his arse, is providing just the right amount of friction.
My phone rings again.
“Jeez, can a guy not catch a break?” I sigh and ignore it again, picking up the pace.
“Silence it,” Levi says, his voice strained. “Because if it goes off again within the next few minutes I’m going to be seriously pissed.”
I release his waist and find his hand under the water, placing it over his cock so I can remove mine.
“You keep going, kitten.” I reach over the side of the tub and find a towel to dry my hands before picking up my phone.
“If it’s Nolan again, tell him exactly what you’re doing,” he says and shifts back, pressing his arse even harder against my cock. I groan at the added pressure. Nolan has phoned a couple of times this weekend. It seems that his weekend to get away from the Valentine’s celebrations didn’t go according to plan and he’s met someone. I’m not sure I’m the best at advice, but he deserves to be happy so I told him to go for it.
“If it’s Nolan, it’s going on silent and I’m tossing it out of reach.”
I pick up the phone and see the missed calls.
“They’re from Wren.” I frown at the screen. “What can she want?”
It starts ringing again and Levi moves out from between my legs. He settles across the tub from me.
“I’m not doing that while you’re talking to her.” He almost pouts but he has a point. “And if she keeps ringing, it must be important.”
This is true, so I answer the call.
“Hello Wren,” I answer calmly
“Mac, where were you?” she starts. And then follows it quickly with, “No, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. It was the sentencing today and I thought you might want to know the outcome.”
I mouth “Winstanton was sentenced today” to Levi and he nods that he understands.
She tells me and then after catching up with a few more things and promising to see me later in the week she rings off. This time I do put my phone on silent and set it out of reach.
“How long?” Levi’s voice is dull, and I get it. This little paradise we’ve been living in for two weeks has allowed us to forget about the real world, about people like Winstanton, and we have to return to that world tomorrow.
“Thirty-eight years and five months.”
“Wow, will he serve all that in prison?.”
“Probably. He can apply for parole after about twenty-five years but I doubt it will be granted.”
Levi releases a sigh and comes back over and sits beside me. I put my arm around him.
“That’s over, then.”
“It is. You can put it behind you.”
“You kept your promise, Mac. That you’d put him away. No one has ever kept a promise to me before.”
My heart breaks that he’s been let down by so many people, many of whom should have been the ones protecting him.
He brightens suddenly.
“You’re my knight in shining armour.”
“I am not. You didn’t need rescuing. You were doing a fine job by yourself.”
“Maybe I was tired of having to do it all myself.”
I squeeze him tight, hating that he had to be alone.
“You don’t have to face it alone any more. I’m here.”
“Yes, my knight, my saviour.”
“I’m not.”
“Don’t ruin my fantasy, Mackinley. Let me have my moment.”
“I’m too grumpy to be a knight in shining armour.”
“Well, you can be my grumpy knight.” He turns and kisses me, and I’m reminded of how much I love this beautiful man and how lucky I am.
His words have evoked a dark memory and I have a need to ask him an important question.
“Levi?”
“Hmm.” He leans back slightly and tilts his head.
“I’m no knight but I do have a dangerous job, one that I don’t want to stop doing, but it does come with risks. As I want a future with you I need to know you understand that.”
I stop, hoping I’ve said enough. I don’t want to say it out loud. I wait, holding my breath. If he can’t handle it, I need to know now. It’ll break my heart, but better now than later. I look away, but he gently brings my head back and cups my face with his hands.
“Mac, you wouldn’t be who you are if you weren’t a cop. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I’ve got justice. But there are many more who still need it. They need you . I wouldn’t deny them that chance because I could lose you. I will take every day with you as special.”
He kisses me and I pull him into my arms.
“I’m the lucky one,” I whisper against his neck.
“You will be,” he says cheekily, and turns, settling back between my legs where he was before my phone rang. My cock perks back up as he pushes his arse against me. Yes, very lucky indeed.