Chapter 30
Family Vacation – Kerry
Two Months Later
W e needed to get away.
The interviews, Cory’s arrest, the tabloids, the paparazzi hounding me about the recordings—it was all too much.
Every time I stepped outside, there was another camera in my face, another headline, and another person asking me if I was okay .
And by the fourth interview, I was done.
It was like the whole damn world had a front row seat to my pain, and I never even handed out tickets.
Sure, I opened the door by leaking the recordings, but Vic, the girls, and I deserve to close it now.
We deserve our peace back.
So, we left.
No warnings.
No explanations.
We just packed our bags and ran straight to the happiest place on Earth.
Disney World.
Now, we’re standing in front of Cinderella’s Castle, with the sun shining bright and the scent of sugary churros filling the air.
“Alright, Grimes Family! Let’s get going!” I clap my hands together, holding up the digital itineraries like I’m about to brief everyone on a team mission.
“We have a carefully curated schedule. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 10 a.m. sharp, then Astro Orbiter thirty minutes later, and oh, don’t forget! We have lunch at Be Our Guest at noon.”
Syd, already halfway through her Dole Whip, groans.
“Dad, I don’t think you should’ve let Kerry plan the vacation. She has way too much energy. ”
Vic chuckles, draping an arm over my shoulder.
“Tell me about it. I’m just glad she doesn’t have color-coded spreadsheets.”
“Who says I don’t?” I tease, flashing a mischievous grin.
Ari, the only one truly on my side, claps her hands together.
“I wanna get on every ride I possibly can!”
“That’s my girl!” I beam.
Vic shakes his head.
“You’re a bad influence.”
“And yet you can’t keep your hands off me.” I quip, tossing him a wink.
He leans down, biting his lip.
“That’s because you’re impossible to resist.”
I feel the heat creep up my neck, but before I can respond, Ari grabs my hand and pulls me toward our first ride.
We hit everything, starting with Space Mountain , and even though Vic tries to act all cool and unbothered, I definitely hear him yelling behind me.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is next.
Ari is officially hooked on rollercoasters.
Syd is hesitant at first, but by the time we hit Seven Dwarfs Mine Train , she’s squealing and raising her hands like a mini thrill-seeker.
“That wasn’t so bad after all.” She admits as we step off.
I raise my eyebrow.
“Not so bad? We got photo evidence of you and your dad screaming at the top of your lungs.”
By mid-afternoon, we enjoy a relaxing sit-down meal at the Beast’s castle.
Disney truly is the happiest place on Earth because Vic is wearing the biggest smile.
“So, what’s it gonna take for me to convince you to let me carry you through this park like a Disney princess?”
I take a slow, deliberate bite of my bread.
“Try it, and I’ll wear you out! You’ll be limping into Epcot tomorrow.”
The man actually has the nerve to look turned on.
“Oh, really? Elaborate.” He smirks.
Ari groans but playfully adds, “Please, for the love of all things holy, stop flirting.”
The highlight of our day, however, is our princesses meeting their favorite Princess, Tiana.
It’s like a dream come true, and I swear I even notice Mr.
Grumpy himself shed a little tear.
He’ll deny it forever, but I know what I saw.
By the time night falls, we’re exhausted, but there’s no way we’re leaving before the fireworks.
We find the perfect spot near the castle for the girls to sit and rest, and as the sky lights up in bursts of color, Ari and Syd let out synchronized “Awws.”
Then, I feel Vic’s arm tighten around my waist and his lips brushing against my ear.
“This is beautiful, Kerry,” he murmurs.
“You’re beautiful.”
I lean into him, my body melting into his warmth.
“I love you, Vic.” I whisper.
He kisses my temple.
“I know, baby. And I’ll always love you.”
The next morning, the reinforcements arrive.
Our families flood in—my parents, Vicky, Hudson, Serena, Izzy, Kiera, and all their kids.
Suddenly, our cozy vacation becomes a full-blown takeover.
Epcot turns into a battle between food and competition.
We eat our way through the World Showcase, but the real showdown happens on the Test Track , where Vic and Hudson spend way too much time designing their cars.
Vicky swears she’s going to go on the fastest rides in the park, but somehow ends up riding the Frozen back-to-back, announcing it’s the perfect “pace for royalty.”
Syd’s favorite day is when we visit Animal Kingdom.
She swears the animals are somehow related to Tum Tum!
If she had it her way, she would’ve taken home a tiger.
“Oh, c’mon! We need another cat. He’s gotta be his uncle or somethin’.” She says during a temper tantrum.
“They don’t. That tiger’s gonna put a restraining order out on you.” She and Vic argue.
“He loves me! Look, he’s staring right at me.”
Vic chuckles.
“Because he’s hungry, Syd.”
When frick and frack finally stop arguing the rest of the Kilimanjaro Safari is peaceful until we hit Expedition Everest , and suddenly, we’re screaming again.
Then, Vic ends up completely drenched on Kali River Rapids , glaring at me like I personally orchestrated the betrayal.
“You planned this.” He accuses, flicking water off his fingers.
“I don’t control physics, my love.” I say sweetly, biting into a pineapple skewer.
On the last day, we tackle Hollywood Studios, and it’s absolute chaos.
Tower of Terror has Kiera shrieking while Izzy laughs so hard she can’t breathe.
Vic and Hudson, of c ourse, take Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular way too seriously, reenacting scenes like they were born to be cast.
My mom is on a mission to take a photo with every Disney character in existence—Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and even the green army men from Toy Story.
She drags my dad along for all of them.
And my poor dad!
He’s gonna go broke from buying Syd and Ari every stuffed animal, bubble wand, and light-up souvenir they point at.
“You have no concept of price tags, do you?” Mom teases as he forks over cash for yet another Mickey Ear balloon.
“They’re my grandbabies,” he shrugs.
“I can’t tell them no.”
Syd makes us sit through the Frozen sing-along twice , belting every word like she’s the sixth member of the cast.
By the end of the week, everyone is exhausted.
We’ve had to have taken at least a hundred thousand steps.
So, while the kids and grandparents enjoy a rest day, we sneak in a little grown-up escape.
Me, Serena, Izzy, Kiera, and our men book a couples’ tour at Lakeridge Winery.
Eighteen tastings in, we’re beyond tipsy, giggly, and full of stories.
“Did we just buy six bottles of wine we can’t pronounce?” Serena asks, wobbling a little in her heels.
“No,” Vic says, looking entirely too proud of himself.
“I bought ten.”
Izzy’s husband raises his glass.
“To no kids, poor decision-making, and even better wine.”
“I’m adding this entire selection to our wine and whiskey evening talks.” I say, swirling my glass.
“If it keeps making you this handsy,” Vic mutters under his breath, sliding a warm hand over my lower back, “then absolutely.”
I playfully smack his chest.
“Says the man who’s been smiling and all over me all week. We need to go to Disney more often.”
He grins.
“Say less. Purchasing our first home together is officially on my to-do list.”
I blush, and we sneak off for a little while, wander past the vines, and kiss like we’re somewhere no one knows us.
That is, until Izzy eventually finds us and threatens to hose us down .
By the end of our tour, we’re sun-kissed, overstimulated, and still rich but a little brok e— the recipe for a successful day date.
We head back to our villa full of laughter and flushed cheeks.
Everyone peels off for some much-needed downtime while the kids relax by the pool with my parents, which means one thing.
Tonight, it’s just us—me and Vic.
I step out of the bathroom, smoothing my hands over the shimmering pink fabric of my dress, and the second Vic lays eyes on me, everything slows.
His gaze sweeps over me with heat simmering behind his dark eyes.
He looks like he wants to say something, but when his lips part, nothing comes out.
Instead, he swallows and tightens his grip around his glass as he exhales through his nose.
I glance at him, taking in the way he’s dresse d— black fitted slacks and a crisp, open-collared dress shirt with the exact accent shade of soft pink as my dress.
No tie, no unnecessary layers, just him looking unfairly good as if he stepped straight out of my damn fantasy.
We hadn’t planned it, but somehow, we still fit so perfectly together.
A slow smile tugs at my lips.
“You know me so well, Victor Grimes.”
Vic finally moves, stepping forward and tilting my chin up with his finger.
“Well, knowing you is a privilege, but loving you? That’s my greatest honor.”
He kisses me softly, and we head to dinner.
The moment we arrive at the restaurant, the owner nearly trips over himself.
As soon as he saw the Chef Grimes, he dang near caught the holy ghost!
Within the hour, plates start arriving at our table—delicacies from every section of the menu, each dish carefully crafted like it’s their life’s mission to impress him.
“For you, Chef Grimes.” The owner says with a reverent nod as yet another beautifully plated dish is set before us.
Vic chuckles, shaking his head.
“You all are spoiling us.”
“This is an honor , ” the chef insists, practically vibrating with excitement.
“I’ve followed your work for years. Please, tell me what you think.”
I watch in amusement as Vic takes a bite, closing his eyes like he’s dissecting every layer of flavor.
When he finally nods in approval, the entire kitchen staff looks like they might faint .
Between courses, a few patrons come over, asking for pictures, and Vic obliges, but he never lets the attention pull him away from me.
His arm stays draped over the back of my chair, and his focus always shifts back to me, his hand finding mine under the table.
But the best part?
The way his fingers graze mine.
The way his voice dips lower when he teases me.
The way I feel his eyes on me like a touch.
When the fandom chaos dies down, we can finally just be us.
“So…” he says, swirling the last sip of wine in his glass.
“You ready to get back to the real world?”
I sigh dramatically.
“Absolutely not!” Then I giggle, shaking my head.
“Yes. Though I needed this week away, I’m ready to go home with you and the girls. I just hate that y’all have to deal with all my baggage. We’re three months away from your restaurant’s grand opening. Yet, we’re focusing on me and my drama. I’m sorry, Vic.”
He reaches across the table, his fingers tangling with mine.
“No sorry needed. That’s what I’m here for. That’s what we’re here for. We’re your family, Kerry. I’ll always love and support you, especially against anyone who tries to hurt you.” His thumb brushes slow, grounding circles over my wrist.
I smile softly, but there’s a little weight behind it.
“You know, in three months, it’s also the end of my one-year contract.”
Vic smirks, his eyes never leaving mine.
“And one year since we started dating.”
I raise an eyebrow, laughing.
“Correction, fake dating.”
“Same thing,” he says with a cool shrug.
“It was always real for me.”
I laugh a bit too loud.
“Oh really? Even when you were rejecting me? Hurting my feelings?”
He laughs.
“You’re never gonna let me live that down, huh?” Then, he smirks.
“Speaking of hurt… I’m hurt that it’s been days since I’ve had you all to myself.”
My face warms.
“You can’t wait one more day?”
He leans in, his voice a husky whisper.
“Fuck, no. I need you…sooner…as in tonight . The kids are staying in Mom’s villa.”
I gasp.
“Vic! This is a family vacation.”
He grins, his voice dropping even lower.
“And I’m trying to expand our family. ”
His words feel like a promise that hasn’t quite registered before he slowly slides his hand back under the table.
He doesn’t rush.
It just rests there at first, just warm his warm skin against mine until his thumb grazing slow, lazy strokes as if we’re not sitting in a crowded restaurant.
As if I’m not trying to remember how to breathe.
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to keep my expression composed, but my thighs clench involuntarily, already betraying me.
Vic leans in slightly, his mouth brushing the shell of my ear.
“What’s wrong, Kerry?” He whispers
I swallow, hard.
“Nothing.”
He smiles like he knows I’m lying.
His fingers begin to move, working their way up my thigh, inch by inch.
I shift in my seat, but there’s nowhere to go.
He has me exactly where he wants me.
His fingers skim the edge of my panties.
My breath hitches again.
“Nothing?” He repeats, dipping his head slightly like he’s studying my reaction.
His touch lingers there, just long enough to drive me insane, then slips beneath my dress.
My body tenses.
The moment his fingers find me, slick and desperate, I forget everything else.
“Oh…”
Vic groans low in his throat.
“This doesn’t feel like nothing, Damn, Kerry. You’re soaking wet.”
He strokes me slowly, just one finger at first, dragging up through the center of me, grazing my clit with a teasing lightness that makes my knees threaten to give out, even sitting down.
I grip the edge of the table, the stem of my wine glass trembling in my hand.
“You—” I try, but the words slip away when he circles my clit with the perfect amount of pressure, coaxing my body toward something I can’t stop.
“ Need me, don’t you?” He smiles as devilishly as he can.
“I’ll give you what you need. But in return...”
His middle finger slides inside me, slow and deep.
I gasp, clenching around him, biting my lip to keep from making a sound.
“You gotta help this poor, hurting man feel better tonight. ”
His thumb resumes its lazy circles over my clit, his finger curling just enough to hit that spot , and everything inside me coils tight.
“Vic—”
“Shh,” he whispers.
“You’re doing so good. No one needs to hear but us. No one needs to know I’m playing with my dessert.”
I’m trembling now, thighs clenched, breath ragged.
My orgasm builds fast and fierce, held back only by sheer willpower and his maddening, deliberate pace.
And then he leans in close, his mouth brushing my ear as he presses just a bit harder, circles just a little faster.
“You gonna come for me right here?”
I nod.
“Umm, hmm.”
“Come on, Kerry. Give it to me.”
I can’t stop it.
I grip the table harder, my eyes flutter closed, and I go quiet, completely still, except for the way my body arches just slightly into his hand.
It crashes over me like a tidal wave, quiet but all-consuming, a silent ecstasy that leaves me breathless.
I exhale shakily, blinking the world back into focus.
“Oh, Vic.”
He’s still for a moment, just watching me, and his fingers slowly retreat.
Then, with the most deliciously wicked grin, he raises his glistening fingers to his mouth and sucks them clean.
And with the most shameless smirk, he raises his hand and says, “Check, please.”
~~~
Back at the villa, the moment the door shuts behind us, Vic grabs my hand and leads me straight to the wall.
There’s no hesitation, no asking—just him, full of need, full of love, and full of wanting me.
His mouth claims mine, rough and deep.
His tongue slides past my lips, and his hands move everywhere at once—up my back, down my sides, gripping my ass like he missed the feel of it in his palms.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to get you alone. It’s been the longest five days of my life. And that damn dress…”
I gasp as he turns me to face the wall, his chest flush against my back, his hands already dragging my dress up to my hips .
Vic drops to his knees behind me, spreading me gently.
Then I feel it—his mouth, warm and open against the curve of my ass.
“Vic—”
“Shh,” he mutters.
“I missed the way you taste.”
He licks me from behind, slow at first, teasing me with light flicks of his tongue until I whimper.
He grips my hips tighter and pulls me back into his mouth, devouring me like it’s his last meal.
“God, you’re so wet already,” he groans.
“I love the way your body responds to me.”
He pulls me back into his mouth, burying his face between my legs, his tongue working in slow, hungry circles, dragging moans out of me that echo through the room.
My hands press to the wall for balance, but my legs tremble.
“Vic… oh my god! I’m gonn a— ”
The sensation knocks the air from my lungs.
He grunts against me, tongue sliding deeper until I break, my body convulsing as the orgasm overtakes me.
I cry out, half-whimper, half-beg as he groans in satisfaction, licking me through every wave.
When I sag against the wall, he rises behind me, presses a kiss to my shoulder, and whispers, “I love you. Every part of you. Every inch. Every sound.”
“I love you, too,” I breathe, still shaking.
Then, I feel the thick weight of him pressing between my legs.
He wraps one hand around my waist and the other around my hip.
He slides in slowly, and I stretch around him, full in a way that has me moaning his name.
“Fuck, baby…” His voice is wrecked.
“You’re so tight. So warm. I swear to God…”
He starts to move, slow at first, then faster—his hips pounding into me, his body slapping against mine with each thrust.
Our echo is obscene.
Filthy.
Perfect.
“I love the sound of my dick slapping this round ass,” he growls, gripping me harder.
“The way you take me… how tight you squeeze around me… Jesus, Kerry. I’ve needed this. I couldn’t go another day without it. Without you.”
Every thrust hits deep and sharp, my cheek pressing to the wall as I cry out .
His pace quickly builds.
Each thrust is strong and steady, rocking into me until the wall rattles, and the only sounds in the room are our breaths and bodies slapping together.
My nails dig into the surface for balance, and my body sings for him—burns for him.
“Vic, oh god! Don’t stop,” I whimper, my voice breaking.
“You feel so good inside me. So fucking’ deep.”
He leans forward, mouth brushing my ear, breath ragged.
“I want you to remember this every time you put that dress on. Every time someone looks at you, I want you to remember you’re mine.”
I gasp as he thrusts harder.
“Vic, I can’t—” My voice breaking into a moan.
“It hurts too good. I swear, I can’t take it—”
I try to shift, to crawl forward, anything to escape the overwhelming pleasure building inside me like a fire about to explode.
But he knows me.
Knows every tell, every flinch, every time I try to run from what I want the most.
His hand slides up, strong and slow, wrapping gently around my throat.
It’s isn’t tight, not rough, just enough to ground me and make me as wet as ever.
“Don’t run from me, baby. You can take it,” he growls against my ear, his hips never breaking rhythm.
“You knew what this night was gonna be when you slipped on that damn dress. Me inside you, all night long.”
He drives in deeper, harder, pounding my name into the base of my spine like he’s writing it into my bones.
My legs shake.
My thoughts scatter.
And all I can do is hold on.
“I love it when you tremble for me,” He presses a kiss to my neck as he drives into me.
“Let go, Kerry. Come again for me.”
And I do.
My second orgasm crashes over me like a tidal wave.
I shatter, clenching around him as my knees nearly give out.
I can’t speak.
I can barely stand.
He pulls me tighter, thrusting deeper, hitting that perfect angle again and again until I’m gasping, causing me to endless unravel in his hands.
I clench around him, and he groans until he stutters inside me, filling me up with everything he has to give.
But he doesn’t stop .
Vic slows , then pulls out only long enough to spin me around and lift me up.
I wrap my legs around his waist and cling my arms around his shoulders for him to carry me straight to the bed.
He gently lays me down and brushes the hair from my face.
He peels off his shirt and tosses it aside.
I reach up, running my hands over his tattoos and tugging him back down to me.
Then, he lines up again and pushes into me with a groan, his mouth on mine.
This time is slower…
deeper.
Each stroke drags against every nerve ending, and the fierce, reverent look in his eyes melts me.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispers.
“No matter how many times I have you… I still want more.”
I wrap my legs around his back, gripping his shoulders and pulling him closer.
“Then take more,” I pant, nearly breathless.
“Take all of me.”
He does.
When my body begins to give in to my final release, he lifts my thigh, anchoring it around his waist, and begins to grind into me with deeper, tighter strokes.
I close my eyes and allow myself to be taken under, but Vic drives into me with a punishing growl.
“Open your eyes. I need you to look at me while I come inside the woman I love.”
I lock eyes with him, whispering his name again and again until he thrusts one last time and crashes into his release.
He pulses inside me, groaning as if he’s finally found peace.
He collapses onto me, breathless, then rolls us to the side and pulls me into his arms.
For a while, there’s only the sound of our breathing.
“Now, this is a family vacation.” He murmurs, his voice muffled against my skin.
I laugh, dazed and wrecked.
“If we keep this up, we’re definitely going to expand the family.”
There’s a long pause.
His breathing slows, and his hand smooths over my belly, resting there.
“I wouldn’t be mad at that,” He admits softly.
“You’ve already made me the luckiest man in the world. ”
I blink, caught off guard by the shift in his voice.
He kisses my shoulder again, slower.
“I have everything I want with you. But blessing me with another child? A piece of you and me? That would be the best bonus ever.”
My throat tightens.
I twist in his arms just enough to see his face, which is so full of love and so open that it guts me.
“I love our life.” I whisper, touching his cheek.
He pulls me tighter, pressing his forehead to mine.
“And I love you.”
This is so much more than a family vacation.
This is a glimpse of forever .