"She's...mine..."
"She was never yours. You just terrorized her into thinking she had no choice." I pressed the knife to his throat. "But that's over now. You're over."
"You...can't..."
"I can and no one will ever find your body." I leaned closer. "Any last words?"
He tried to spit at me, but instead he gurgled his own blood. I slit his throat, helping him to mind his manners. Then I watched the life drain from his eyes. I felt nothing but satisfaction.
When it was over, I stood and called the cleaners. "I need a complete scrub. Warehouse on Carson. No traces. No evidence. Nothing."
"How many rooms?"
"Five."
"We'll handle it."
I left the warehouse and drove home, my hands steady on the wheel despite the blood on them. Marcus was dead. Katrina was safe. Our baby was safe. Everything else could burn. By the time I got home, it was nearly 3 AM. I got cleaned up and then went to Katrina’s apartment. Katrina was sitting on the couch with Shanice, both of them holding cups of tea. Zara was asleep in the bedroom.
"Is it done?" Katrina asked quietly.
"It's done." I held out my hand. "He'll never hurt you again."
She took my hand and let me pull her close. "Thank you."
"You don't thank me for protecting what's mine." I kissed her hair. "You're safe now. All of you. That's all that matters."
Shanice cleared her throat. "I should probably go. Let you two talk."
"Stay," Katrina said. "Please. I don’t want you going back to that apartment alone."
I pulled her onto my lap. “She’s right, Shanice. You’re family now too. Until I can make sure that your apartment is safe, I need you to stay here.”
Marcus was dead. That didn’t mean that the threat was gone. I had to make sure so that everybody could get on with their lives and start to actually live.
“You can stay in my room.” Katrina told her.
“And you’ll come upstairs with me to our room.” I told Katrina.
“Our…”
“Yes, ours.” I kissed her and helped her to stand.
Katrina helped Shanice get settled, and then we walked upstairs together. I helped her shower, washing her body for her. Then, I helped her into a silk nightgown and pulled her into my arms so she could sleep. I exhaled, glad this shit was over and that Katrina was exactly where she needed to be. In my arms and completely mine.
Olek
Iwoke her up the way I planned to wake her every morning for the rest of our lives—with my dick buried deep inside her.
"Olek," she gasped, her body arching beneath me.
"Good morning," I murmured against her neck, moving slowly. "How are you feeling?"
"Full." Her nails dug into my shoulders. "God, so full."
"Good." I thrust deeper. "Get used to it."
We moved together in the early morning light, slow and sweet. None of the desperate urgency from before. Just us, connected, claiming each other. When she came, it was soft and shuddering, her body clenching around me perfectly. I followed seconds later, groaning her name as I finished inside her.
