River's Redemption: Blackwater, Book 5 (14 page)

“And Larry never came to?” Jeanette asked.

“Nope. I told Joey to get the blanket that we’d used to wipe up the blood. While he did that, I tied Larry down. When Joey came back with the blanket, I grabbed it and covered Larry’s face. We both felt a huge sense of relief. Together, we walked into the woods with Larry strapped to the dolly.”

“Where did you take him?”

“As far into the woods as we could and just left him there. It was dumb, I know. Anyone could have come along and found him. But we weren’t exactly criminal masterminds, you know?”

A smile appeared at the corners of her lips, but River noticed it didn’t quite reach her eyes like it usually did. He hated that. “So, we worked side by side the rest of the day and into the night, cleaning up the mess. We rehearsed our story. If anyone asked, we’d say that Larry had taken off. He’d done it before, so it was believable enough.”

“You knew that keeping it simple would be the key to escaping suspicion,” Jeanette mused.

He nodded. “Pretty much. And though I had no idea how we’d manage it, I had it in my head to try to find Reilly. The idea was ludicrous, because I had no idea what foster home he’d been placed with, but the thought of finding him kept me going.”

“Anything would be better than life with Larry, is that it?”

“Hell yes. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, Joey and I could start to actually think of our future.”

“What happened after that?”

“That night, we slept together in the living room on some blankets that we’d spread out on the floor. Neither of us wanted to go back into the bedroom. As far as I was concerned, the door to that room would never be opened again. It was closed forever, just like our life with Larry was closed forever.” He shoved a hand through his hair, then stood and paced the room. “The morning dawned early, and the sun streaming through the windows seemed bright and cheerful. I ached all over, but this time it wasn’t from Larry’s fists. When I looked over at Joey, he was still sound asleep. He looked so peaceful. For the first time since I could remember, really. But when I tried to wake him, Joey didn’t respond right away. I started to get really freaked when I called his name and he still didn’t wake up. I shoved the covers back and saw blood all over Joey’s pajama pants between his legs.”

“Oh God,” Jeanette groaned.

“I was so damn relieved when his eyes popped open. Still, Joey needed a doctor and fast. I went to the phone and called for an ambulance. When they came, so did the questions.”

“But you were both alive,” Jeanette said, her voice hopeful. “You saved Joey’s life, right?”

“Yeah, but once the cops started asking questions, things started to come together.”

“And Larry?”

“A hunter found him the next day. He’d gotten himself half untied. By then, the authorities knew everything. The sexual and physical abuse couldn’t be hidden away anymore. Larry went to jail where he belonged. Joey and I were truly free for the first time.”

“And then Wanda and Chet brought you all together and gave you a home you could be proud of.”

“Yeah.”

“What happened to Joey?”

“We keep in touch. We don’t visit each other. It’s too much of a reminder for the both of us, if that makes any sense. Last I heard, he was living in California. married and with a couple of rug rats.”

“Because of you, Joey has a happy ending,” she said in a soft voice. “That doesn’t always happen in cases like that.”

“No, they don’t, but don’t go thinking I’m some kind of hero. I was a scared kid. We both were. Like I said, if Larry had been dead, if I had killed him, I wouldn’t have been sorry. The world would be better off without that piece of shit.”

Jeanette went to him, placed her palms on his cheeks and murmured, “I agree.”

The statement surprised him. “You do?”

Her gaze hardened. “I have no sympathy for child molesters, River. None whatsoever.”

He wrapped her in his arms and held on tight. “God, Jeanette, I love you so damn much it hurts. You’ve always been the light in my world.” He thought of his mom’s wise words. “I no longer want to live in the past, because you are my present and future. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

“I love you, River,” she whispered. “I’ve always been yours.”

“Tell me you want to spend the rest of your life with me,” he urged. “I don’t deserve you, but I don’t care. Fuck it.”

“As long as I breathe, you will never wake from another nightmare alone. I will always be here to take away the monsters,” she promised. “And River?”

“Yeah, sunshine?”

“I’m pregnant.”

His heart tripped a beat. “Seriously?”

Jeanette’s eyes welled up, but she refused to let the tears spill over. “Yes.” Guilt washed over her. “In the all the craziness of moving in with you plus the other meds I was taking, I messed up and missed a few days of my birth control pills. When I missed my period, I went to the doctor yesterday. He confirmed it.”

“I’m going to be a dad?”

She nodded. “A wonderful, strong, compassionate father.”

He grinned from ear to ear, and Jeanette let out a breath. He was happy. She’d hoped, but she hadn’t been sure he would.

“Jesus, you sure know how to keep a man on his toes.”

“You aren’t running.” She let a smile escape. “I guess that’s a good sign.”

He placed a protective hand over her belly. “Our baby will know only love,” he said, his voice unquestionable and strong.

This time, she let the waterworks flow. “I love you so much. And I want you so. I’ve never wanted a man more than I want you.”

His smile was possessive and proud. “Damn good thing. I wouldn’t like you wanting another man. Ever.”

His talented mouth pressed against hers, and Jeanette forgot about everything else. There was only River and Jeanette. All the worries and fears fell away. She opened her mouth and danced her tongue over his lips. At his rumble of approval, River opened up and took her in. Their tongues mated, and Jeanette clutched River’s biceps, excited and scared. Her body was on fire. She wanted him. Inside her. Around her. Drinking her in, filling her up. He was a craving in her blood, one she could no more deny than she could her next breath.

Jeanette’s fingers trailed over his muscular biceps, and she drew in a breath when he looped his arms around her waist and pulled her in tight. A moan escaped. He was so strong, so virile. She was safe and secure with River. Their baby would be safe and secure too. River would always take care of them. As the thought flitted through her mind, Jeanette went still. She was in love with him. Her body always belonged to him, but now she also knew that her soul was tethered to his as well.

Jeanette felt truly blessed. She wanted to say something to him, to make him understand how deep her feelings ran, but his words had her libido rocketing out of control, and once again her thoughts scattered.

“I want you. You’re mine, sunshine. Will always be mine. Say you’ll never leave me. Not ever.”

“I’m not going anywhere, River. Please, make love to me. I’ve missed you terribly.”

He grinned and slipped his hands beneath her dress and pushed her panties aside. “Unzip me.”

Jeanette quickly obeyed. Her fingers fumbled over the button on his jeans. As she opened his fly and glimpsed his navy blue boxer-briefs, her desire increased tenfold. She licked her lips and gently drew him out. The head of his cock tempted her to taste.

River stroked her hair and murmured, “Later,” he said, as if reading her easily. “We can take our time later, sunshine. For now, I need to feel you all soft and tight around my cock.”

It was the same for her. “Yes.”

“Guide me in,” he instructed. “Show me how much you love me. Take us both there, little sunshine.”

His erotic words had her heart pounding harder and her body quaking with need. “My pussy is dripping for you. It’s been too long.”

He chuckled. “It’s only been a few days.”

“I know. I counted the hours,” she whispered. Then she brought him down on top of her and guided his heavy erection in her, where she so badly needed him to warm her. Her body closed around his hard length, tight and hot. Currents skittered up and down her body, and her temperature spiked.

“Ah damn, I missed you, Jeanette,” River groaned as he clutched a fistful of her hair and lowered over her, feasting on her breasts through her dress.

The heat of his mouth seeped through the thin material, sucking the breath out of her and driving her into another world. When his fingers found their way over her nub, expertly flicking it just the way she liked, Jeanette’s body seized. Her muscles clenched as he drove his cock deeper, fucking her faster, harder. Their bodies slapped together, melding until there was no separating them.

Soon Jeanette was there, spiraling out of control. Her hot pussy bathed his cock in wet satisfaction as he sank his mouth over hers and captured her shouts.

As the desire began to ebb, River clutched her hips and pushed into her once, twice; then he arched his neck and moaned her name as he emptied himself deep.

Jeanette’s breaths came in short pants, her body sweaty, the dress clinging. Her thigh muscles quivered from exertion as River collapsed against her, careful to keep most of his weight on his arms on either side of her body.

“I’m never moving again.”

River chuckled and tightened his arms around her. “Good, because I sort of like you right here.” He held her tight against him, as if unable to release her.

She wiggled, gaining his attention. As his eyes met hers, Jeanette saw raw hunger in their passionate depths. If he hadn’t just spent himself inside her, she would have thought he was ready to go again.

“I think I’m going to be a bit sticky,” Jeanette teased, trying to inject some casualness into the intensity that now surrounded them. It didn’t work.

“I could make love to you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and it still would not be enough.”

She had no words for such a bold statement. He didn’t seem to expect any. He merely slipped out of her and replaced her panties. When his heavy length was once again confined inside his jeans, he slid both his palms up her thighs, then cupped her mound possessively.

“I love you,” he said, his voice steady and strong. “Always and forever.”

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she touched his jaw. “Always and forever, River,” she murmured, knowing it was nothing short of the truth.

Epilogue

“You cannot be serious,” River muttered.

“I’m very serious. I want a midwife and no drugs. I won’t negotiate on this. I want to have this baby as naturally as possible.”

At the moment, Jeanette was sitting across the table at Wanda’s home with the entire bunch chatting and laughing at once. For the past half hour, they’d been enjoying their evening meal of grilled salmon and steamed vegetables.

Two weeks ago, Reilly and Lucy had gotten married in the gorgeous old church the Jenningses belonged to. Jeanette had been her maid of honor, while Shayla, Julie and Sarah, the fiancées and girlfriends of River’s brothers, had gotten to be bridesmaids. It’d been a wonderful summer day for a wedding.

They’d held the reception at the Blackwater Restaurant, and everyone in town had been invited. Not surprisingly, the bride and groom had come up missing an hour into the festivities. It seemed Reilly hadn’t wanted to waste a single moment once he’d slipped the ring on Lucy’s finger. Jeanette, Julie, Shayla and Wanda had worked hours to get everything ready in time for Lucy’s big day. Everything went off without a hitch, so the work had been well worth it.

Jeanette wondered how long she’d have to wait for River to propose. Knowing River, Jeanette would probably have to hit him over the head with a proposal before he managed to get the words out.

Together, she and River had told the family that the doctor had pronounced she was indeed four weeks into her pregnancy. River had puffed up with pride, a grin ear to ear. He’d promptly picked her up and led her out of the restaurant. He’d taken her back to his place and made slow, sweet love to her the rest of the day and into the night. It’d been something right out of one of Jeanette’s dreams.

Even now, as she glanced over at him, his gaze snared hers and a smile lit his face. Jeanette thought his eyes seemed a bit over bright—as if he held back tears of joy. She knew the feeling all too well.

Amazing how life could do a complete one-eighty on you. If someone had walked up to her and told her that in such a short span of time the man of her dreams would be madly in love with her and she’d be pregnant with his child, Jeanette would never have believed them. It made a woman want to cry a veritable river of happy tears. She only wished her mom and dad were there to share in her joy.

She forced her mind back to the conversation going on around her. River was in the middle of explaining to her—as if she were an unruly child—the virtues of modern medicine. But in this she was determined to hold firm.

“A hospital is fine, but I want a midwife, and I want to do this drug free. I mean it, River,” Jeanette said, more firmly this time, driving her point home. “And just to make sure you don’t try to wiggle your way around me by talking to the doctor yourself, I’ve asked Lucy to be in the room with me when it comes time.”