Love Came Back (a Pyro-Princess Design and Style novel Book 1) (26 page)

47

With my Life

..::Konner::..

“Thank God, Nate. I might have to kill that sorry-

Nathan interrupted me, “Stop, KO. Your girl got out and is sitting tight. By tonight, she’ll be in your arms nice, tight and right.”

I kept my lead foot to the ground and when we sped around a few sharper curves, we saw the wrecked SUV.

“My God, that truck is totaled.”

We skidded to a stop and climbed out. There wasn’t any sight of anyone, but there was enough blood to make me nauseous.

“Jesus. Nate that could be her blood. We gotta find her.”

There was blood everywhere. The police pulled right behind us with Hindrons in the lead. Checking the car and figuring Thompson turned tail or followed her in the woods.

“Hindrons, you know he could have went in after her.”

“Yeah, give her a call and let’s track it ‘til we get to her.”

Pulling my phone back out, I dialed her number for FaceTime.

“Hello.”

“Sidda-love, are you okay?”

“I’m starting to feel sleepy.”

“Fuck, babe, don’t sleep, we’re going into the woods. I’m coming babe. Do you hear anything?”

“No. Konner?”

I looked straight into her glassy hazel eyes and knew she was about to drop.

“Yeah, baby?”

“When you get me, if I’m out, please take me to Texas Women’s Hospital and ask for Doctor Larsen. Please. Promise me?”

“Yes, I promise. Try to stay awake. I’m coming.”

We traced her phone into an hour into the woods. We didn’t hear or see any sign of Thompson but a small foot size. Sidda.
I’m close, my love. I’m coming
.

After what seemed like forever but ended up being about ten more minutes, I noticed wrestling limbs above me.

“Konner?”

Looking up, the sight before me was both my salvation and my biggest failure. Knowing the fact that I didn’t protect her. I couldn’t contain the tears that strayed down my eyes.

“Yes,
banphrionsa
, you’re safe now. Fall into me, love. Let me take you home.”

She smiled sweetly at me and did what I told her to do. She let herself free-fall down. I knew she was at the end of her rope and all the adrenaline that got her to this point, was depleted.

I caught her in my arms. My precious bundle.

“Please, Konner, Doctor Larsen.”

“I promised.”

“Thank you.”

With that, she passed out. We rushed as fast as we could back to the car.

“She told me to take her to Texas Women’s Hospital, that’s in Houston.”

“Yes, we know the doctor she saw there. I’ll call it in and make sure the doctor is there or gets there by the time we reach the destination.” Hindrons made haste as did Nathan and I.

I tossed Nate the keys, “Like a fucking ghost. Fly us, Nate.”

“Heard.”

I sat in the back with Siddaleigh wrapped in my arms.

I did nothing but pray. And touch whatever part of Sidda I could sooth as she twitched and jerked.

“Konner?”

“Yeah, Nate?”

“This isn’t over. He got away. He must be recuperating somewhere until he’s ready. The he’ll come to us. He tried to get to her once. He’ll know now we’ll be watching over her like a hawk. He’ll mess up now that he’s desperate.”

“I know that, Nathan. What happens if we get shipped out before that happens? She won’t live in a bubble. That’s what scares the life right outta me. What if I’m not there to protect her? How could she ever forgive me for letting him hurt her yet again? I failed her. What kind of man does that make me?”

Nathen sat and drove quietly for a few minutes before responding.

“That makes you a flawed man, brother. But one that will give his last breath for her. One that will never give up. No matter what’s at stake. The one that will wait for her as long as you have to, to ensure her happiness comes before yours.”

I knew then that it wasn’t just the girl in my arms that we were talking about.

“Nathan. My sister loves you. Just give her some time. Thank you, for making it about you.”

Nathan chuckled. “Buddy, that was for the both of us. You might think you failed her, but you didn’t. Thompson made a choice. Siddaleigh got herself out of it. With the kind of bravery I’ve never seen before. When she wakes, I’ll hail to the all-knowing, kick-ass goddess that rests within your arms.”

I nodded in silence and just nuzzled into Siddaleigh’s blood stained hair.

I spoke to her in Gaelic. I told her how I sorry I was for failing her. How I would make it up to her for the rest of my life. I told her how strong she was. She was such a warrior with her never failing faith. I told her I’d go to church every Sunday, if it so pleased her. How I would make all her dreams come true. Whatever they were, if she had more than the store. I would take care of her and our children. However many we could have. As long as she stayed with me. Whatever I could give her, is hers. I told her to hold on. We’d be at the hospital soon and seeing her to rights. Most of all, I asked her to love me. To never stop loving me. I would never give her reason to ever stop. Then I whispered her my promise. The promise my family had always used to make our fiercest passions known.

“With my life. Siddaleigh. With my life.”

♥

..::Siddaleigh::..

I heard beeping in the background. God, I feel like road kill.

“You practically were, Miss Carrington.”

My eyes flashed open. I guess I said that out loud.

“Yes, you did,” Doctor Larsen chuckled.

That, too
.

“Hi.”

God, how scratchy my voice sounded. I felt used and abused. Oh, that’s right. I was. Literally.

“Looks like we’re here yet again. Although this time I’m glad to see the choice in male companionship has improved immensely.

I smirked. “Oh, yeah.”

“Do you know you’re-?

“Yes, yet again. I haven’t told him, yet. I wanted to wait until Christmas. A gift, you know?”

Doctor Larsen came and sat at the edge of my bed.

“That’s fine. You’re only about six weeks. Everything seems to be fine with them.”

Double take. What?

“Whoa, wait a minute. Them? As in plural?”

“Yes,” she laughed and when she saw my face pale she sobered quite quickly. “Your doctor hasn’t told you yet?”

“No, I was supposed to go today or yesterday I guess. God, how long have I been out?”

“Less than a day. Give me your OB/GYN and I’ll give her a call with a detailed report. Even with all the jarring that happened, you and the babies seem to be in good shape. I checked your cervix and there’s no bleeding. We also did a transvaginal ultrasound and stomach ultrasound. They look to be in fine form. Not really more than little ants.”

My. God. Twins. I was having twins. No way. Not the first time. Or any time! Oh, holy schnikes. This was craptastic!

“It’s okay, Siddaleigh. The gentleman you’ve seem to have improved with, has been nothing but by your side this whole time except when we did the exams and just now when I told him to go refuel. He looked positively haggard.”

“Thank you. I knew coming to you was a smart idea. I want him to know, I just want it to be a good and happy surprise.”

She stood back up and walked to the door.

“Someone will check on you shortly. Give yourself time. I know twins seem impossible, but sometimes God gives you double blessings for all the shortfalls that come your way. You’re blessed, Siddaleigh.”

She walked out with that and I still couldn’t get passed it.

TWINS! FREAKING SUPER DUPER SPERM DEPOSITOR! He double teamed me! Little sperm who want to have way too much fun.

Twins? Awespactacular craptastic. Somebody wake me up!

48

Recuperating

..::Siddaleigh::..

All week since the accident, Konner had been peppering me with compassion and pampering me until it was getting on my last nerve. I still had yet to tell him. Christmas was only a week and a half away. I was excited for it. Although just a little after that, I would become Mrs. Konner O’Brian. I was candescently happy. Even with the threat of Mikhail wasn’t tampering with my good mood.

I was still very sore, I saw my OB/GYN the day after I was released and she did every kind of test possible to make sure everything and everyone was healthy. Their heartbeats made mine stop. Beautiful. The most beautiful sounds on this earth. She told me to come back next week to recheck. I was happy too. I wanted our little ones to be healthy. She also said she would do an ultrasound next week. Sweet. Although I snuck online to check how big they would be right now and they wouldn’t be any bigger than a bean. Or ants as Doctor Larsen said.

I was walking into the living room when I smelled the most delicious pancakedy smell.

“Konner? What is that delicious smell?”

Konner peeked through the kitchen nook and crooked his neck in way of telling me to come to him. I gladly did.

“Well, my love, I’ll have you know…it’s just pancakes with Reese’s inside.”

My mouth was watering.

“For dinner?”

“Late lunch. You slept on and off until now, which is about half past four.”

He laid our plates of pancakes and toast down. I could practically feel my mouth drooling and panting like a dog.

“Dig in, babe.”

So I did. Most ardently.

♥

..::Konner::..

Sidda and I were having a late lunch, when I got a phone call from Nate.

“Konner, what’s y’alls room number?”

I could tell Nathan was edgy by the sound of his voice. There was something wrong. I told Sidda to sit tight as I stood and made my way to the balcony windows.

“It’s 5-Pent. You know we’re on the top floor. What’s up?”

“A guy slid something in her mailbox as I walked past. He disappeared outside before I could get to him. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, either. If you get my drift, KO.”

“On my way. I’m gonna secure Sidda first. She’s my main-.”

“Yeah, man. Got it.”

I walked with purpose and a firm, quick stride back to Siddaleigh. She must have sensed my intensity because she stood with a panic-stricken expression and I did what I could to calm her.

“Konner, what’s going on?” She was waving her arms frantically and when I reached her, I took her into my embrace.

“Babe, calm down, love. That was only Nathan. He said someone slipped an envelope into your mail slot and he wasn’t wearing a uniform.”

I rubbed her back reassuringly until she visibly relaxed.

She sighed before she spoke. “Okay Konner. I trust you with my life. What do you need me to do?”

My woman, such a blood thirsty warrior. No nonsense. No fuss. Just plain good ole fashioned fierceness. I walked with her hand tucked into mine into our bedroom and through it to the closet.

I grabbed my sea bag (my go-bag) and withdrew my Sig Sauer, my SOG knife and strapped it to one ankle and my compact semi-auto Smith and Wesson .45 ACP Special to my other.

I turned to Sidda and her face went pale and she looked ready to puke.

“It’s okay, Siddaleigh Mare. I promised you’d be safe. I’m just getting prepared. What did I tell you from the beginning? I always want to be prepared. No one can sneak up on you if you’re prepared. I know you can shoot, can you handle something with a little more bite?”

She looked ready to keel over. I grabbed my Bodyguard 380. It was small and compact. A bit sharp when you shoot it but the .38 would do her just fine.

“Babe? Siddaleigh? What’s wrong?”

She put one hand to her stomach, the other to my chest.

“I’m pregnant, Konner.”

What?

♥

..::Siddaleigh::..

Konner’s face went ashen. Then they turned to steel.

“How long?”

“I’ve known since our birthdays. I was going to wait and tell you at Christmas. As a shipping off present. And to make sure I could carry to full term, I needed to be so far along to make sure there was nothing wrong with me or my body. I couldn’t get your hopes up and then live with myself if I couldn’t keep them alive.”

The hardness left his eyes as quickly as it came.

“Baby.” His hands cupped my face and he wiped the tear that fell. “Thank you for wanting to give this to me as a gift. It’s the most beautiful gift I could ever receive. But you really should have told me before he got to you in the first place. And of course you will have babies. I want at least four or five, babe. All the love we’ve been making? Is it safe for the baby?”

I laughed and cried at the same time. Happily, I nodded.

“Yeah, I asked the doctor and she said it’s more than fine. I go tomorrow actually for my eight week checkup. Come with me?”

I gripped his waist and looked deep into his beautiful, dark green, lusty eyes.

“Damn straight I am. Nothing will keep me away. I know when I leave I won’t be able to go to them, but I’d love to hear their heart beat and maybe an ultrasound?”

“Yeah, they are gonna do both.”

We both jumped when we heard his phone go off.

“I’m coming now.”

Konner shoved his iPhone 5 in his pocket and kissed me. He kissed me as he always was wont to do. Hard and deep. Stealing my very soul.

“Here, take this. You already have one but this is better for your grip. Just in case. But I will be back before you have to use that. Be careful. Stay hidden. I’ll knock four times, then pause for three beats, then twice more. Try and finish eating. Maybe it won’t be anything at all. Just keep yourself here and safe.

He kissed me once more and walked away. When I heard him unlock the door, I ran to him and called out his name.

“WAIT!” I stopped once I got there and wrapped my arms around his body as tight as I could. “I love you. You be safe, too.”

“Always. I love you,
banphrionsa
.”

With that, he was out the door and I was locking it up behind him. With the door, deadbolt and chain locked tight, I walked back to my half eaten plate and his. Calming my scattered nerves, I went to finish what I could. After a few bites, I was still feeling needled, so I took our dishes to the kitchen. When I emptied them, rinsed them and placed them in the dishwasher, I made my way back through our home.

I knew the only thing that could help soothe me would be a bath, but I settled for a hot shower instead. I kneaded my scalp, just as Konner did when he washed it for me. I thought about how well he took my pregnancy. Rather well. I prayed everything was alright. After lathering my body with my body wash, I finished, stepped out and ran a towel over my body. I wrapped the towel and made my way to my bedroom. I was putting on a comfy pair of purple gym shorts that were well worn and a NAVY SEALs shirt Nathan bought for me after my so-called kick ass operation. He told me I was as fierce as any Special Forces man and he would stand with me any day of the week. I hoped he and Brianne got their happily ever after. I knew theirs was a love that needed to blossom.

I was making my way back to the living room when I heard a knock on the door.
‘I’ll knock four times, pause for three, then twice more.
’ I only heard it knock twice. That meant it wasn’t Konner.

Three more knocks. Nope
.
Definitely not Konner.

That’s when I realized I didn’t have the gun Konner gave me. It was still on the kitchen table where I left it.

Holy crap. I was running as quietly as I could for it, when the door splintered clean through the hinges. Mikhail stopped, shook the debris from his person and pointed a pistol at me.

“Nuh, uh, uh. I wouldn’t go any further, if I were you.”