Chapter 42 Vanna
FORTY-TWO
VANNA
I can’t sleep.
For the seventh time, I check the clock on my phone. It’s four in the morning now and Stone has been gone for hours.
I tighten my arms around my knees, pulling them closer to my chest. The idea that he’s gotten himself into trouble over me can’t seem to evade my mind. Even counting the stars on my ceiling again isn’t clearing the dread.
Wiping the tears still trailing from my eyes, I take another deep breath. These last few hours have been a cycle of racing thoughts. Being alone has allowed me to really think about what happened tonight.
It brought me to hold a razor blade to my wrist at least three times with the hope of killing myself, but as that familiar sting set in, I let it go.
It brought me to fill a glass twice with liquor, desperate to black it all out, but both times have ended down the drain.
All these destructive impulses sit within me, begging to be released, but I hold strong. I won’t let Hunter win in the end. No, he won’t take me with him.
Instead, I think of Stone and how proud he’ll be to know that I kept it together for him... for us.
Just as I bring myself to pace my room again, I hear the front door opening. Rushing out, I race down the stairs and find Stone staring back at me with a crooked smile.
“Hey, Darkness.”
I laugh and sob at the same time, sprinting toward him. I fling myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and rain kisses down his face.
He chuckles, trying to meet every single one with his lips, but I’m too quick. Finally, he spins us around and slams my back into the door.
“It’s just you and me.” I promise him.
“Fuck, I like the sound of that.” He lowers the waistband of the black sweats he’s changed into and tugs my thong aside. “But you know what sounds better?”
“Hmm?” I hum as he prods my entrance.
“You.” He thrusts his hips. “Me.” Fucking deep into my pussy. “And our baby.”
He stretches me so perfectly, hitting that sweet spot over and over again until I’m dripping with ecstasy. I lean back against the door, using my weight to keep me up while he picks up his rhythm. I can’t help but stare in awe as my lower belly bulges each time his cock reaches deep.
“Fuck.” He swallows, his eyes following my gaze.
With a swift movement, he hikes me up and carries me over to the kitchen island, laying me back against it. Still stuffed inside of me, he begins to buck his hips again, studying the way I take every inch of him.
Lifting the hem of my shirt, he presses his palm against my abdomen, feeling himself with each thrust. The pressure of his hand heightens the frenzy, stirring up a panic in my core. My skin heats with every collision and my cries do nothing to lessen the impending spiral.
“I’m- I’m-” My breath evades me, making it harder to speak. “Coming!”
And just like that, I’m gushing against his pelvis and down the side of the counter. His pace is violent now, forcing my back to arch and my eyes roll until they shut, unable to take another second of this tortuous bliss.
It’s agony.
The sound of Stone’s grunt follows my own as he spills himself inside of me, but he doesn’t pull out. No, he stays there, tucked into my pussy as he caresses my body with his lips.
Gently, he cradles me into his chest, carrying me to his room. Even as he rests me onto the bed, we stay connected.
“Stay like this forever with me?”
I giggle, but the sincerity in his blue eyes cuts it short. Brushing a strand of loose bangs out of his face, I nod.
“Forever.” I swallow. “We’ll never move. We will sleep like this, shower like this, eat like this. Though it might be a little awkward seeing your parents. And I’m not sure how I’ll ever push a baby out when you’re stuffed inside me.”
A wild, untamed smile stretches his face.
“I didn’t mean it so literally, but if you’re down, I’m down.”
For the first time in a long time, my heart feels feather light and that perpetual urge to disappear has faded away.
Stone is the light I didn’t know I needed.
We fall asleep tangled in each other's arms and when we wake several hours later, the day is already half gone.
Pulling myself from his bed, I slip into his bathroom. In the mirror, I find myself staring back at a beaten and battered version of me. Only, this time, as I stare at the bruises coloring my skin and the gash along my cheek, I remind myself that I fought back.
I wasn’t weak or silent like all the times before. No, I fought back and in the end I won.
As I swipe my fingertips gently over my wound, I smile to myself. I don’t even bother hiding it when Stone comes in and wraps his arms around me. Though, he frowns when he finds the state of my face.
“Jesus, Van.” He spins me in his arms and lifts me onto the counter, but when he sees the triumphant smile, he can’t help but return his own. “You look insane.”
“Me? Did you remember what you did to him last night?”
“Yeah, and he deserved so much worse, but he won’t ever bother you again.”
“Thank you.”
Dropping his head, he chokes out a curt laugh. “You shouldn’t be thanking me. I wasn’t there to keep this from happening.” He kisses my cheek.
“It’s fine. I’m just bummed you didn’t get to see me punch him.”
His brows quirk, “You? Hit him?”
I nod.
Stone pulls me into his chest and whispers against my neck, “Good girl. I’m so proud of you.”
Then he hauls me into the shower with him.
I don’t bother to mention the blood that colors the water as it swirls down the drain or the bruises on his knuckles.
A part of me knows what happened last night after he dragged Hunter out of here, but I think we’re both happy pretending Hunter never even existed in the first place.
“Can I ask you something, Stone?”
“Of course.” He murmurs as he wraps me in a towel.
“Can we wait until after we’re married to have a baby? I think I just need a little bit more time.”
“Sure. I’ll just move the wedding up to next weekend.” He smirks.
“I’m serious. I have some things to work on before I become a mom.”
He considers my request, then sighs. “Vanna, we’ll wait as long as you need to. If I have you, that’s all that really matters to me.”
A slow smile stretches across my face.
“Besides, I’d like to see how you handle Jace’s and Daphne’s baby before we pull the trigger.”
“That’s still like two months from now!”
“Yeah? You told me however long I need.” I remind him and he groans.