Heart of Ice (20 page)

Christina puttered around the rest of the
day in the cottage. He was a coward anyway giving up so easily she
thought. He didn’t deserve her, but she had promised Sarah that she
was going to work things out. She retired early for the night. She
was too worried about the stupid man to do anything else.

Three days had past and Christina still
hadn’t seen the stupid man. Grr! Why did she have to fall in love
with someone like him? He was supposed to come back! Idiotic man.
Now he wanted to start listening to her. Typical. She wore a nice
lavender cotton maternity dress that was soft against her skin and
flowed around her. She decided to look for him.

Before long, Christina had exerted herself
looking around looking for the stupid man. She rushed down the
hillside when she saw the haggard looking body on the ground. He
was covered in dirt, his clothes were wrinkled and he looked every
bit of a pauper.

“You stupid man!” she shouted slapping him.
He better not be dead. She was going to resuscitate him and kill
him herself.

Matt wanted to show Christina that he could
be just as stubborn as she was. He would wait her for her. He spend
the last few days observing her in the cottage, she stilled moved
with angry movements. He would give her a few days to cool off.
After all, he didn’t want to go in there with her all angry. She
scared him. He still couldn’t believe it. Twins. It was his last
thought before he drifted a sleep. There wasn’t anything else to do
since he refused to leave her side.

A woman shouts pulled him from his nap. He
groaned. He realized there was a very upset pregnant woman crushing
him and shaking him to death.

“You’re going to kill me,” he moaned. His
poor stomach was in knots. Taking her scraps of food left him quite
ravenous. It had been a while since he spent this much time
outside.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?
How long have you been out here? You stupid man. I’m going to
strangle you. Next time go stay in a hotel.” She ranted.

“I didn’t want anyone to know I was here.
You really are going to kill me if you keep that up,” he groaned.
Christina got up and looked away from him. She wouldn’t admit that
she was worried about him, but he already knew she was worried
because she was down here looking for him. Eh! She hated men.

“Christina, I have to say this, I thought
you were using me. I thought you were only interested in money. I
didn’t know,”

“Shh,” she said placing her figure on his
lips.

“You don’t need to say any more Matt. Let’s
just promise to be honest with each other. No more secrets.”

“No more secrets,” he said sealing his lips
against her.

***

Charles sat at home reading the files. After
giving him a cup of coffee Martha left him alone. She knew better
to bother him when he got that look in his eyes. Charles body shook
as he read her file.

After killing her father and attacker
Christina Moorehead remained trapped under a dead body for
forty-eight hours. Law enforcement was contacted a few days after
the neighbors heard commotion from the home—the neighbors suspected
foul play for a while. They knew the Mooreheads had a daughter but
never saw her. When police arrived to the scene the young teen was
covered in feces along with the corpse. Police found two bodies at
the scene. One male deceased corpse was located in the home office,
the second male deceased corpse was located atop of the female
teen, and a woman who’d been severely beaten that she was
unrecognizable was also at the home. Paramedics realized both girl
and woman were alive. Emergency treatment was immediately
provided.

It was at the hospital the girl recounted
her story of abuse. She told authorities that her father had sold
her to the man for sexual gratification. A child psychiatrist was
called into the room. After an evaluation, the child psychiatrist
stated that the teen was mentally stabled. Law enforcement
disagreed with the psychiatrist’s analysis and asked for a second
opinion. The psychiatrist explained the girl was being used for her
intellect. Pulling out an old article, they verified that she was a
child genius and prodigy.

Law enforcement linked the murdered man to a
crime ring. He was on the FBI’s most wanted list. It was decided
that the child would go into a witness protection program. The
money found at the residency was confiscated. Criminal charges were
filed against the child’s mother—felony abuse charges. She faced up
fifteen years in prison.

Charles cried for Christina, how could such
innocence existed in her eyes when she experienced firsthand the
cruelty of the world. He was stunned and had a new found respect
for her. She persevered and survived. He was going to ensure that
no one stole that light from her.

***

Christina lay in the bed while Matt’s hands
rested on her belly. She had finally told him everything there was
to know about her past. She wanted everything to be out in the
open. She was scared when she told him that she had killed her
father and the man that tried to rape her. He laughed and kiss her
and told her they were monsters and they deserved what they got. It
was then that she heard about his past concerning Natalia and more
about his childhood.

“There’s more?” she asked him.

Matt was very concerned about telling
Christina about his past life especially after he ran away from
home. He wanted to protect Charles and Collum’s identity. The ring
burned in his pocket. If he was going to propose, he wanted her to
know everything.

“You see Christina, I was a mercenary.”

Christina thought she was going crazy.
Surely the man was joking.

“It’s not a joke.”

Immediately she started to hyperventilate.
She calmed down after Matt began rubbing soothing circles on her
hands.

“How’d you do that?”

“It’s a technique.”

“How many people did you kill?”

“Honestly I lost count.”

“None of the hits were illegal. You’d be
surprised how much the government use our services. Especially when
they need things to remain quiet.”

“Should I be afraid?”

“Never. Christina, words can’t express how
much I love you. I was so terrified of losing you that it made me
sick. Then it happened, I can’t sleep, eat without you. You’re my
air.” Christina cried. It was the most romantic thing that Matt had
ever told her. It was a big deal; he’d never shown so much emotion
altogether.

“I want to build a family with you. I want
to get to know the kids and maybe even have more. All I ever wanted
was to be loved unconditionally and you’re it.”

“I love you Matt Dallas. You stubborn,
egotistical, domineering, but your also kind, gentle, and
compassionate.” She cried. These hormones were driving her crazy.
Matt began to shake as he looked into the stunning grey eyes.

“Christina Moore, will you marry me?” he
asked getting down on one knee never breaking eye contact with her.
He bared his soul to her. It was now or never.

Chapter 25

The stranger strode through the building. It
was a little odd that security was a little lax around the place.
Oh yeah, that’s right. He was part of the security detailed. He was
waiting for the perfect moment to catch his little bird; he
couldn’t wait to see how she’d grown. After all, she cost him
millions. The FBI, Interpol, CIA…ran a microscope so far up his ass
that he was still paying for it. It was time to teach his little
bird that she was nothing but a pet. Freedom was nothing but an
illusion. Then he remembered he wasn’t good with pets, somehow,
they always ended up dead.

***

Christina sat there stunned. She felt fat,
sweaty, and her equilibrium was off all due to the pregnancy. This
was pure insanity. When he opened up the small black velvet box her
heart stumbled in her chest. Was he crazy? The diamond was
gorgeous. It was a six-karat princess cut at it center Tacori
styled diamond ring. The diamonds on the band were interwoven. The
brilliance of the rings blinded her. Different colors of light
played in its brilliance as the light hit it. The clarity of the
ring was so beautiful she felt like she could see into the very
heart of the diamond. She had to buck up. She was going to lay down
some ground rules with Matt; if he couldn’t abide by them then she
wouldn’t marry him.

Matt watched Christina. She had been silent
for a little too long. Was she going to say no? His body shook and
his mind flinched away at the possible rejection. If she said no,
he would have to keep trying until she said yes. He was going to
take care of her whether she wanted him to or not. He watched wide
eyed as she took his hand into hers.

“Look, I believe you are the guy for me, but
there are some ground rules that need to be laid down.”

Matt gulped, nodded his head and waited for
her to continue.

“I want you to get some therapy,” she
said.

“But Christina,” he whined.

“No, this is not up for discussion.” She
said scowling at him.

“Fine, I want to apologize for the way I’ve
been treating you. You’re not an object, and I won’t use sex as a
punishment. No means no,” he said looking into her grey eyes. He
was ashamed that he went that far with her. It was the sole reason
why he worked so hard to be perfect. Matt wasn’t accustomed to
apologizing, but he would do it again if it meant her
happiness.

“But what if I’m feeling kinky and naughty?”
she asked looking at him from under her lashes.

“Then I’ll have to punish you,” he
whispered, kissing her on the neck. Christina giggled.

“No distracting me! If you are ever in doubt
just ask me.”

“I will. Promise.” Matt watched as he saw
the steel in Christina’s eyes.

“If you ever threaten me again, I will take
your children and leave. I will never forgive you or return to you.
So don’t fuck up. Kay,” she said as she let fury fill her eyes.
Matt swallowed nervously and then relaxed when Christina took the
ring and slid it on her finger.

“Pretty!”

Matt watched as Christina left him in the
cottage to stand on the deck. He smiled as she stuck her hand in
the air to watch the different colors play off the diamond. He
would get the help, especially if it met keeping her at his side.
This was major. He wanted to get a large home with a backyard. This
was pure insanity! He was going to be a father!

Christina sighed as she felt Matt’s arms
encircled her. They stood together on the sea cliff looking out
into the scene. This was it. The engagement ring sat on her finger
and it glittered in the light. No more timid little girl. She had
to grow up. She felt freed from her past; talking it out with Sarah
and Matt really helped. She no longer felt chained down. She had
two little babies to protect. It felt good to say, she had family
and friends around her. People who knew the true her and didn’t
judge. She had Sarah, Charles, Martha, Matt and strangely enough
Collum. It was going to be okay.

***

Christina was on her back. Matt sat by her
side as the doctor did her checkup. She was twenty-four weeks and
getting bigger every day. Things had been great in her relationship
with Matt since laying out the ground rules. Lately, he’d been
getting more excited about the babies; not that he wasn’t excited
about them from the very beginning, but he was just going
overboard. Her eyebrow twitched in frustration. There were bags of
baby stuff everywhere, and top it off; instead of going to the
doctor’s office like normal people he had the doctor bring all her
equipment to the penthouse. The man was crazy!

“Well, Christina dear the babies are doing
well. Their lungs are still developing at this stage. They need to
mature to be prepared for breathing.”

“I’m glad everything is going well,”
Christina smiled down at her belly.

“Doctor is there anything we should be
worried about?” Matt asked with concern. Christina swore he was
turning into a worrywart. If she so much as sneezed he was right
there. He was going to drive her crazy with all his overbearing
tendencies.

“Not really, but a word of caution. Twins
are rarely carried to thirty-seven weeks. I want you to be cautious
and to relax. What I want is for you to carry the babies to
thirty-two weeks. They have a better chance of survival and fewer
complications.” The doctor smiled looking at the young woman in the
bed. Even she had heard about Matt cold hard exterior, but that
wasn’t the case here. Apparently, this girl brought the light back
into his eyes.

“Matt I want you ease up on the young mother
here. Don’t be too overbearing, that can cause additional stress.
Okay.”

Matt shook the doctor’s hand and escorted
her to the door. Once the doctor left he returned to Christina.
He’d had this ideal in his mind for a while, but he didn’t know how
she would feel about it.

“Babe”

“Hmm?” Christina turned to look at him. He’d
been meeting with the psychiatrist twice a week and it was working
wonders. His smile always reached his eyes and it made her feel
good inside that she was able to bring some light into his
world.