Nothing will ever change that again. I will do whatever it takes to protect her. To protect the baby.
The baby!
Before I wouldn’t talk out loud about the baby for fear if I did, something would go desperately wrong.
And then I remember what her father said about doing what the doctor said.
I stop the kiss. “What did the doctor say? Is my son okay?” I place my hand over her stomach, which seems triple the size it was the last time I saw her. Has it only been a few weeks?
She smiles. “I just had a little scare. Everything is fine, though. The doctor just said to take it easy for a day or two and not do anything that raises my blood pressure so high again.”
The baby is fine. But that’s a no for sex. I won’t risk the health of the baby for my own selfish reasons. No matter how badly I want Kai right now.
Kai must be able to read my mind, though. “We have a lot to talk about, but not here. Is your car nearby?”
I nod. And then scoop her up in my arms. She smiles brightly like I just took the weight of the world off her shoulders as I carry her out of the small cottage.
“How did you find me?” she asks.
“Felix, he showed me a picture of you. I realized immediately that you went to Alaska. To the last place you thought anyone would think you would go to your father,” I say.
She nods. “I thought the best place to go would be the last place Felix would look. I guess I was wrong.”
I kiss her lips, to stop her from worrying about Felix.
“Felix is in jail. At least for now. I paid off enough people to put him in a max security prison. He’ll be there for a while. Eventually, he’ll find a way out, but I’ll be notified when that happens. I think Beckett was telling the truth when he said he was the only one who knew where you were. As long as Felix can’t contact him, then you’re safe,” I say.
She touches my cheek and then kisses me gently again. Damn tears dance in my eyes again. “I missed you so much, stingray.”
“I know. And I’m sorry for letting you think I was dead. I just—”
“Shh,” I kiss her soft lips again. “I know. You did the right thing. It wasn’t safe.” It’s still not safe. But for today, we are safe.
I carry her to my car hidden in the woods near the house. I still don’t like that we are leaving Beckett behind even though he’s tied up. And I don’t trust her father any more t
han I trust Beckett. But Kai does. Something has changed between the two of them. So for now, I’ll accept her judgment.
I set her down in the passenger side of the truck I rented. Seeming appropriate to handle the rough Alaskan terrain. And then I jump in next to her.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
She grins. “My house.”
“Your house? You have a house?” I ask. I assumed she was living with her father. I didn’t realize how settled her life had become here.
She nods. “My father saved all of his money for me. He bought this house; the rest is in a savings account for me. It was always meant to keep me safe. Beckett…I just saw it the other day.”
She gives me directions, and I drive the couple miles through the woods to her house.
When I pull into the driveway, I wasn’t expecting what I see.
“Your father bought you a mansion,” I say.
She bites her lip and tucks her hair bashfully. “I guess he wanted to make up for all the crap he’s put me through.”
I stare at her. “This doesn’t even begin to make up for what he did to you.”
She nods. “It doesn’t. But I genuinely think he is trying his best. I’ll explain later. There is a lot to talk about. But right now, I want to forget about all the dangers and problems we will eventually have to solve. I want to forget about Felix and my father and Beckett and the Black empire. I just want tonight to be about us.”