32. Declan #3
There are disappointed looks, but Nora nods and says, “That makes more sense. Since you just…” She shakes her head when she realizes what she’s saying. “Never mind.”
“Maybe it’s bayou voodoo,” my grandfather says.
“Excuse me?” Astrid asks.
“Maybe there’s something on the bayou that helps them know before you even do.”
“What are you talking about?” she asks, clearly flummoxed.
“The podcast was saying that the website said—I haven’t looked at it this morning since you all were coming in—that people in town were saying that this past week you were eating a lot of shrimp, particularly flavors that you’ve never eaten before, and ordering a lot of milkshakes in the span of just a few days. ”
“That was a competition I was judging and—” She cuts herself off and looks at me. She shakes her head. “It’s not worth it, is it? I mean those things are true.”
Cian is the only one who gasps this time. I roll my eyes at him. He just grins.
I look at Linnea. “Are you sure we can’t revisit the idea of at least blocking some websites? Or maybe getting the podcast taken off the air?”
“You are not blocking him from anything.”
This comes from my grandmother. She sets her teacup down and gives me a disapproving look. “He has thirty active aliases online and simply must sign in and do his work every day.”
I look from her to him and back. “Your work?”
“I troll people,” my grandfather says with a grin.
“You…” I look over at Torin, then Linnea.
They both shrug.
“You troll people?”
“He actually baits them,” Linnea says. “He gets into debates with them about real topics, with real information, and his goal is to get them to admit things they’re trying to hide to use as proof against them.”
I look at him with alarm. “Why?”
“They’re either asshole politicians, they’re people who work for asshole politicians, or they’re assholes who work for asshole corporations.
They’re doing bad things to good people and need to be taken down,” he says.
“I know a lot of behind-the-scenes dirt on a lot of people. I’ve been on the fringe of politics and big business for over sixty years.
We’re a small country that most people don’t pay much attention to, which means I’ve been to many dinners, conferences, and meetings where I sit quietly.
And take notes. As King I couldn’t use a lot of the information, but now…
” He looks at Torin and smiles. “Now I’m just a guy who knows a lot of stuff and who has a lot of time on my hands.
” His grin grows. “And I’ve got really good security. ”
I look at Linnea and Torin. They don’t seem concerned.
“He’s actually doing good stuff,” Torin says. “He’s blocked some big land acquisitions, gotten some people fired, a couple of others have resigned.”
“He got three people arrested!” Linnea exclaims. “And because of something he posted, a huge protest broke out in France.”
I look at him again. I read about that protest. “That was because of you?”
“A couple of friends and I,” he says with a shrug. “So, anyway, about your future child.”
A child. I want that. Astrid does too. But we need to talk that out. Just the two of us. And I want to focus on my wife for a while first. There is so much time we need to make up for first. “That’s just very—” I start.
But Astrid takes my hand and squeezes. “We’ll let you know before the website or the podcast knows,” she tells him. “I promise.”
He beams at her. “Wonderful.”
I blow out a breath. That’s all he wanted. Okay, good. I’m so glad Astrid understands my family. She can navigate this craziness for me. And just like Rebel, it will be unexpected…and wonderful.
“You sure you want to be back in the midst of all of this?” Torin asks, clapping me on the shoulder as everyone starts talking at once.
I look around the room, then down at my wife, and back at Torin.
My throat tightens, and I have to clear it before I say honestly, “More than anything.”
“Well, welcome home, brother.”
“God, Declan, you feel so good,” Astrid moans in my ear hours later as I slide into her.
We’re in the bedroom where I slept that first Christmas after we were married.
But unlike that night when my wife snuck out of the room and went to sleep two floors up and three rooms over, tonight she is not only in my bed, but she is under me, her sweet body moving with me as I slowly make love to her.
“You’re doing so well taking me,” I praise her. “Look at you, spread wide, all wet and hot for your husband.”
That makes her pussy clench around my cock, and we both moan.
I made her come with my tongue, hot and quick as always, but then she insisted she wanted me to take her like this, me on top, her legs wrapped around me. She said she was ready. She was right. As always.
“I love this bedroom. Why did I ever leave? This bed is amazing,” she tells me, her voice breathless as I slide in, drag my cock out, then slide in fully again.
“The bed is amazing?” I ask, tipping my hips so I rub over her clit as I fuck in and out of her.
“That must be what feels so good,” she says, gasping and arching closer.
I nip at her neck. “Now that you’re getting fucked well, you’re getting sassy.”
She squeezes her thighs around my hips. “I am,” she agrees. “I feel like Superwoman. I can do anything.”
I slide deep and lift my head. “You can,” I agree. “And if all you need me for is constant orgasms, I’m your humble servant.”
She laughs. “Well, the day you pull off humble is the day it gets very cold in hell,” she says.
This time I nip her breast.
She squeals, then says, “And I need you for so much more than orgasms.”
“Good,” I tell her. “I mean, I’m very good at those.” I move my hips to show her. “But I have a few other uses.”
“Indeed,” she agrees, her voice catching as I hit a very good spot. “I mean, if I never have to clean out the ducks’ pool again—”
I roll us, going to my back and bringing her on top of me, my hands on her hips, thrusting up into her.
“Oh, God, yes, Declan.” She moans. She takes a deep breath. “What were we talking about?”
“How much you love me.”
Her eyes lock on mine and she smiles. “We were,” she agrees. “I love you very much.”
“I love you too.”
Then she swivels her hips, taking over, and I suddenly can’t concentrate on anything else.
But I think I do pledge to clean the duck pen every day for the next fifty years.
And it’s a very small price to pay for having everything I’ve ever wanted.
Thank you so much for reading My Hockey Husband Problem! I hope you loved Declan and Astrid’s story!