Love Came Back (a Pyro-Princess Design and Style novel Book 1) (27 page)

49

My Last Stand

..::Konner::..

Stepping off the elevator, I went as fast as I could to Nate. I opened her mailbox and out slid a vanilla envelope. I opened it, not caring about finger prints.

I’m ready. Meet me at her shop. I’ll have another surprise.

“You gotta know it’s a trap. He’ll shoot you before we step out of your car.”

I hated to admit he was right but if the S-O-B wanted to meet with me instead of Siddaleigh? Than I would take it into my own hands, to make sure she was safe.

“I have Kevlar. It’s time to end this.”

I strode out to the parking lot with Nate close on my heels.

“KO, you know I’m coming with you, you hot-headed, stubborn ass. You better have another vest, bro.”

I gave him an affirmative and proceeded into the driver’s side. There was an accident on our way so it took a little over an hour before we finally pulled into PPDS. No sign of Thompson.

Something wasn’t right.

We did a sweep of the property and we still didn’t see anything. We climbed out and walked the perimeter with our loaded weapons.

“Clear.”

“Clear.” Came Nathan’s reply.

We met about fifteen feet from the entrance door and I couldn’t figure out why he would send us on a wild goose chase.

“Konner? Look.”

He pointed to the front door. There was a white paper taped onto it. I ran and ripped off the note.

Too late. Hope you said your goodbyes. MT

“My, God. No! He’s got her. AGAIN! FUCK!”

We ran back to the Camaro and I sped the highway and called Hindrons.

“Yeah!” He sounded asleep. Well, fuck that shit.

“He’s got her. At the apartment. The mother fucker got to her!”

“I had people watching her. Where are you?”

“He sent us on a wild goose chase. ETA twenty.”

My voice was scared and panicky. Nathan was just as tense and worry stricken. It hadn’t even been a week since he took her the last time.

“Fuck. Mines fifteen. Meet me in the hallway of her door. I’ll wait for you before going in unless absolutely necessary.”

We ended up coming to a truce, Hindrons and I. He would do the same if the positions were reversed.

“Heard, watch your six.”

“Right.”

I rang off and looked at Nathan with tears I know I couldn’t contain.

“What if?”

“No. Konner, she’s strong. You remember what she did to him the last time. If he’s there and we both know he is, she’s not giving up without a fight.”

“She’s pregnant, Nate. She’ll do what she has to, to protect what we created.”

“God, man. That’s, whoa. Congrats for one and two…hurry the fuck up, Konner. Drive it like you fucking stole it.”

“Yeah, I know she’s strong. I just hope she leaves enough for me.”

“Second that, bro.”

♥

..::Siddaleigh::..

I knew one of us wouldn’t get out of this apartment without being in a body bag. I watched enough Criminal Minds. I took enough self-defense classes and Konner showed me how to disarm someone. I was counting on that to get that gun away from him.

“Come here, Siddaleigh. It’s time you apologize.”

He looked like nothing of himself from before. The accident severely damaged his face and he had a slight limp as he drew closer to me. I knew I shouldn’t but I pretended to listen and got closer.

He backhanded me and gripped my wrist.

“Look what you did! You fucked up my face! My body! You will not like what I do to you in return.”

“No, I don’t suppose I will. But, Mikhail?” I said as meekly as I could and he seemed to soften just a bit.

“Yes?”

“You’ll have to do it, without a gun you worthless piece of shit!” I grabbed his gun and took ahold of where the disconnect lever was and twisted it and threw the top part of the gun to the other side of the room.

I gripped his shoulders and kneed his stomach as hard as I could. Slammed my foot into his instep. Upper-cutted into his nose. He coughed and he must have been weaker than I thought because he wasn’t making any move to get up.

I backed away to run and grab the gun Konner set out for me when I was tackled from behind. I protected my stomach by shoving us onto our sides on the floor. He yanked my hair back to stand back up and I elbowed his gut.

He let go and something inside me let go.

Then all I could remember doing was pounding, punching into his face. He cried out and it was a sweet sound to my ears. Mikhail would know every ounce of pain he bestowed upon me and any woman he had ever abused. Until there was nothing left of him and the yesterdays of pain and anguish he gave me. Until all the hurt and pillow soaked memories were blown away. Never again.

My fingers had already went numb, but I didn’t stop. Face, chest, stomach. I already s.i.n.g-ed his ass to get him to let me go. That gave me enough time to turn and get him with a swift right hook to his sternum. I kneed him once more, this time in the face. He fell to his knees and then onto his back. He looked almost done for.
Almost
. The animal that he released was not done. Not by a long shot.

I straddled him, grabbed the butt of his gun from his hand and started smashing it into his fingers wildly. I heard his bones crack and his screams filled the room. I was almost spent but I wanted him to know that he wouldn’t win. I grabbed him by his collar. I lifted his practically dead-weight body up with a strength I couldn’t have had if the adrenaline wasn’t pumping hard and fast through my veins.

I waited until his swollen-shut eyes cracked open. His arms were at his sides, lax and unmoving. I lifted his face close to mine and I saw the rage and hate deep in his eyes.

“Never again, will you
ever
hurt me. You are just a heartless…thing. I feel sorry for you. You’re not a man, just a scared little monster. Never will you abuse another woman in your pathetic existence. I might be worth nothing in your eyes but there is one thing you can never take away from me.” I leaned close enough so I could whisper into his ear.

“I endured you. I survived you, not just once, and not only twice. This is the third time. Failing for me is not an option,” I leaned back to look into his cold raging irises. “So help me God, the next time you even think about coming near me, or getting close to me I will put a bullet right through the middle of your eyes. I will be the last thing you ever fucking see in this world.”

I shoved and released the death grip hold I had to let him fall to the floor in a heap.

“I don’t think I should’ve heard that.”

I screamed and kicked Mikhail in the process.

I was about to apologize but then remembered who it was. I looked at Detective Hindrons and somehow I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Sorry, Mac.”

Konner stepped around Mac, and looked at me with such pride and a fierce, passionate love. I almost didn’t see the tears he was shedding. I stumbled across Mikhail and fell into the safest place I could ever be. In Konner’s tight embrace. My black eye, the few swipes he got me with, fell away in the depths of Konner’s eyes.

Chuckling, Mac went to check Mikhail’s pulse.

“It’s steady. Breathing seems a little worse for wear. But Sidda-” Konner interrupted him.

“Maybe you should let me finish him off.”

“Ha, no.” He was about to say more, but his phone started buzzing. He walked off to answer.

Konner held me with one strong arm across my back and cradled my bruised face with the other.

“
Banphrionsa
, You didn’t let me have any fun. My brave girl. My
banlaoch
. I am so proud of you.”

Tears sprang to my eyes and as I reached up to kiss him, Mac walked back towards us.

“Save it, love birds. We just got more background on this joker. He skipped parole, of course and missed a few P.O. meetings. He ended up being the unsub in a few date rape cases. The other survivors could match his description and after he visits the
hospital
,” I heard the emphasis on hospital,
asshat
, “he’ll be placed back in prison. Although I don’t know what’s going to happen with you. It was self-defense, so it shouldn’t be anything damaging. You really gave it to him girl. No sweat, Sidda. You did a hellavu job, girl.”

A few other cops were nodding in agreement. The paramedics came and took Mikhail away. After a few minutes of confirming I didn’t need to go to a hospital, and a few pictures for evidence, Mac and his team left and tried putting the door up so it would mostly conceal everything in the apartment.

“Stay here. Don’t move.” Konner jogged down the hallways towards our bathroom.

Hearing the water running and shut off, Konner made his way back to me with a large wet cloth and a body towel, so I could undress. There where blood stains on my shirt. I took the towel and he wiped the rest from my face, cleaning away the blood. He stripped me of my clothes, and wrapped the towel around me. He looked deep into my eyes.

“Now, where were we love?”

Konner took my neck gently into the curve of his hands and I reached at the same time to meet his waiting lips. He proceeded gently, but I wasn’t having it. I needed him. I needed him to take back what Mikhail represented in my life. He let go suddenly when I tried to go deeper.

“Babe, surely not after everything that happened?” I nodded. “You sure? Maybe you should rest.”

Searching deep into his eyes, I felt a burning inside me that wanted, no, needed him to extinguish. I shook my head no and told him I needed him, I cupped his cheek and told him, “Take all the ugliness away, Konner. I want what he’s done to me erased. Only you can wipe that slate clean. All your goodness. All your beautiful strength. I still see his face when I close my eyes. Fix that, Konner. Make love to me. I need you. So ardently.”

So he did. And for the first time in my life, it felt like I was breathing. Like I was moving for the very first time.
Feeling
for the first time in my life. I felt free. Konner’s love came back to me. I found myself, after all these years. I was lost when he found me again. Broken and in repair. He came and loved me like nothing or no one ever could. I felt like I was born again. Suddenly, like I was made new.

Finally
.

I saw all the darkness fade, and in its place a light so bright that I knew it wasn’t a dream.

Epilogue

As promised, he came to the doctor’s appointment with me. I had to go take a pee test first. I asked to keep the twin bit between me and the doctor for now. I wanted that to be a big surprise when he left on the first. Yeah. I was a sneaky devil like that. He still found ways to tease me. Taunt me. Torture the hot lust that raged between us.

When he heard baby a’s heartbeat, he cried. Like a big ass baby. I got ultrasounds, of both, but told him that was just how the camera is sometimes with the little black specs. They still only looked like beans. Our little ants.

For Christmas, our whole family got together. So all the O’Brian’s and all the Carrington’s got together under his family’s roof. We announced our wedding, which everyone thought was too soon. Then we told them we were also expecting. They agreed we should have it done, before he shipped out. You see, Konner didn’t tell his parents either. His mother gave him a wallop for that one. In which I couldn’t help but point at him and laugh.

My mother pinched my arm.

Konner just looked at me, smirked and said, “Karma, baby. All Karma.”

“I’m gonna Karma your damn face.”

♥

Then we got married. It was at his home. The big wide open space that I loved. I knew what it felt like to be truly blessed in a lot of ways. We said our ‘I do’s and we danced all evening. Made love all night. Best New Year’s ever.

♥

And as I watched my love walk through the gates towards the airplane to take him to base, I finally knew deep down in my heart that he would come back to me this time. Our love was timeless. It would always come back.

“HEY KONNER!” I yelled as he was almost walking into the door to go into the plane.

He turned back, raised his eye brows with a ‘what’s up?’ gesture.

I yelled at the top of my lungs.

“WE’RE HAVING TWINS!”

He eyes bulged, his mouth opened wide, and his head fell into his chest and started shaking. That’s when I got nervous.

Then he brought his head back down and I noticed he was laughing. So I did too.

He crooked his finger at me, and I ran to him.