As the car speeds us home, Kane twists me and drags me onto his lap, my knees on either side of his hips and my arse on his thighs. Between us there’s a lump of his erection, but apparently Kane is in no hurry to sate his physical desires. Or mine. I’m hot and needy between my legs.
Cupping my jaw, he looks into my eyes as though searching them. He seems as serious as the day two weeks ago when wewent shopping for rings. As sombre as when he slid the platinum band with diamonds and a large amethyst the same colour as his eyes onto my finger, and said hoarsely, “You’re really mine, now.”
And in return I could only squeak assent because my heart had expanded to fill every part of my chest and was spilling out from my throat and pressuring my clit from above.
“Happy birthday, Lily. Are you happy?”
“Yes.” It’s not even a question. The word bubbles up as naturally as the sigh of contentment and closing my eyes as he slides his fingers into my hair and slowly caresses my scalp.
“Do you trust me?” he says simply.
“Yes.” People would say I’ve lost my mind, falling for my stalker. But I do trust him. Entirely.
“Good. Then it’s time for you to do something for me.”
I open my eyes and he smiles at me, evidently amused by what must be my confused expression.
“What?” I ask.
“I need you to stop wondering what happened to your cousin and aunt, or decide that you’re ready to know, and ask.”
My body stiffens as my thoughts collapse and rebuild like one of those building explosions on a loop. He knows what happened to my cousin and aunt. He knows what I search for on my new phone. The one I thought he didn’t know about or track. “You’re still stalking me.”
“Angel.” There’s a twist of amused disapproval in his tone. “Have you met me? Of course I’m still stalking you. I’ll be stalking you for the rest of our lives.” He rubs my thigh. “How else will I know to surprise you with fun like that book-buying trip? And how else will I know I’ve bred you successfully, since you haven’t told me yet that your period is late?”
I make a wordless sound of disbelief. “It’sone daylate.”
He smirks. “I know.”
“I didn’t want to say anything because it’s far too early to be certain. Pregnancies aren’t sure things until three months, right?” And I didn’t dare hope. I definitely didn’t want to say anything to Kane and have him disappointed if my period arrived as usual.
“You never have to hide from me,” he states. “I’ll give youeverything, if you allow.”
“Including a baby if this one…?”
He chuckles. “That’s not a hardship. All the babies you want, I want too. Breeding you is my favourite thing after seeing you smile and hearing your laugh.”
Kane pulls me closer, until I’m snuggled into his chest. He’s warm and solid and more loving and understanding than anyone I’ve ever known. I’ve never felt so safe and cared for.
“I love you.” I tighten my fingers possessively on his jacket. “I love you so much. You’re my best friend.”
“Good. And I’ll be your husband too.” I feel the rumble of his voice as much as I hear it. He squishes me closer to him. “So will you stop keeping things from me?”
However tight he’s holding, he’d never hurt me. I knew this, I did. But somehow there was a little stone inside that was still afraid.
It’s gone. Filleted out by my fiancé. It’s like it was a cancerous lump that my family put into me, and with surgical precision he’s removed it, stitching the wound closed, and healing it until you’d never notice it had been there at all. Instead, all that’s growing inside me is the product of our love. Our baby.
“I won’t search for my cousin and aunt anymore,” I promise softly. “And I don’t need to know what happened to them.” I have a feeling Kane killed them all, but I don’t have any desire to know anymore. It’s enough to be certain that Kane loves me so much, anyone who upset me will never touch me again.
“Thank you, angel.” He brings one hand up to my neck and strokes my hair. “Now let’s get you, your books, and our bean-sized baby home, so I can show you with my body how much I love you. Over and over again.”
EPILOGUE
KANE
9 years later
I pause with my hands over the keyboard as she snuffles in her sleep.
