Bed rest sucked ass.
After I came home from the hospital with strict orders from my doctor not to leave my bed except to shower and use the bathroom, I soon learned that it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. You’d think being waited on hand and foot would’ve been a welcome change, but it was more frustrating than anything. I had to take more time off work and missed the last few weeks of classes, but luckily, my professors were understanding of the situation and let me reschedule my exams for a later time.
Robbie and Lance were like watch dogs, making sure I wasn’t wandering around the apartment when I shouldn’t be. One night, I snuck out into the kitchen to grab a snack, and as soon as I cracked the fridge open, Robbie switched all the lights on in the apartment and set off a foghorn, scaring the piss out of me. Literally. And you bet your ass I made him clean it up, too!
The only real benefit of being on bed rest was that mom came over every day to cook for the three us. Robbie and Lance sure weren’t complaining about that part of the deal and told me I should be on bed rest more often. That earned them both an unamused eye roll and a smack on the back of the head.
When my six-month checkup rolled around, I thought I was in the early stages of cabin fever and was glad I could finally leave the house without everyone breathing down my neck every five seconds. Brett offered to take me to my appointment, but this time, I decided to call the one person who should really be sharing in these moments of our baby’s life. It had been a month since I’d last spoken to him that day in the hospital, and he kept his promise, giving me the time and space I needed to mull things over, but now, as I was holding the phone in my hand and dialing his number, I wasn’t really sure what to say to him. The phone rang and rang, and by the fifth ring I was about to hang up, but then I heard his deep, gravelly voice coming through the phone.
“Madelyn?”
My words got caught in my throat when I heard my name roll off his tongue.
“Are you there?”
“Y-yeah,” I finally managed to croak out. “Um, hi.”
He let out a low sigh. “Hi.” Another pause settled before either of us spoke. “Is everything okay? Is the baby okay?”
“Oh, yeah, everything’s fine. The baby is doing just fine. That’s actually why I was calling you. I have a prenatal checkup today and I was… I was wondering if you’d like to come with me.” I chewed the inside of my cheek nervously, waiting for him to answer.
“Baby, I would love to come with you.” I couldn’t see him right now, but I knew on the other end of the line he was smiling. “What time should I pick you up?”
“My appointment is at noon, but I like to get there a little early, so let’s say eleven thirty?”
“Perfect. I’ll be there. Oh… and Maddie?”
“Yeah, Hunter?”
He released a deep breath into the phone. “Thank you.”
A slight grin teased my lips. “You’re welcome. I’ll see you in a little bit.” I was just about to hang up, but then I remembered one more thing I had to tell him. “Oh wait, Hunter!”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Don’t bring the bike.”
He chuckled softly, and God, did I miss hearing that beautiful sound. “I’ll be sure to bring Lola. Be there in a few.”
“Thanks.”
After I hung up the phone, I took a quick shower and slipped on a pair of yoga pants, which as of late had become a staple part of my wardrobe, and one of my more form-fitting maternity shirts that had “Precious Cargo” stretched across the belly. I threw my hair up in a high ponytail and padded across the kitchen to fill up a glass of water. The ultrasound techs told me it was easier to see the baby when I had a full bladder, so I had to drink almost three full glasses. If I didn’t pee all over the exam table in the doctor’s office, it would be a miracle.
Just as I was finishing the last glass, I heard the front door creak open and figured Robbie had come home on his lunch break. It wasn’t until I saw that oh so familiar tattoo come snaking around my waist and felt lips pressed against my right shoulder that I spit the rest of my water out and yelped, elbowing him in the ribs.
“Easy, it’s just me!” Hunter stepped back with one hand raised in the air and the other nursing his ribs. “I knocked, but no one answered, so I let myself in.”
“Jesus, Hunter, don’t do that!” My hand flew over my chest as I caught my breath.
“Sorry. He pinched my elbow playfully. “Geez, did these scrawny little things get bonier while I was gone? No wonder that felt like it went straight through my ribs.”
I smirked over my shoulder and shoved his chest back, giving me room to push away from the counter. His eyes grew wide at first, but then softened, almost in awe, as he drank me in.
“F*ck, Maddie.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not looking so boney now, am I?”
Hunter moved in closer, my swollen belly and tender breasts brushing against him until he had me backed up against the counter. My chest rose and fell in heavy pants as I watched his hand come up to stroke my cheek, and his stormy gray eyes locked so tight onto mine that I couldn’t blink. Slowly, his hand lowered, and he trailed his fingers over the delicate flesh of my neck and skimmed them across the outside of my breast. My body quivered at the feel of his gentle, yet intimate touch, and as he placed his hand atop my distended abdomen, he smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of my lips. “You are so damn beautiful, Madelyn. Every. Single. Inch of you.”
“Even the extra inches?” I cocked an eyebrow.
He ran his hands along the swell of my hips and grabbed my ass. “Baby, those extra inches just mean there’s more of you to love.” He gave me another quick peck on the lips before pulling away. I wanted so badly to scold him for that little comment, as well as for the stolen kisses, but really, it made me feel good to know that he still found me attractive. Lately, I’d felt as big as a house, and I still had a few months to go. I quickly pivoted around so he couldn’t see the blush staining my cheeks and reached for my purse.
“We should probably get going.” I turned back with my head dipped down, avoiding any chance of him hypnotizing me again with those dreamy eyes.
Hunter tucked his finger beneath my chin, drawing my attention back to him. “Please stop trying to hide from me, Maddie. I told you, I’m not going anywhere.”
I gave him a weak smile, and while I locked up the apartment, he went ahead and pulled his car up in front of the building before coming around the passenger side to hold the door open for me.
“I know I’m pregnant, but I’m capable of opening my own door.”
He traced his tongue over his bottom lip and cocked his head to the side, grinning down at me. “Just humor me.”
God, sometimes I really hated how easily he got to me, and seeing him standing there in a navy blue V-neck tee that hugged his chest perfectly and jeans that hung so low and fit so snug around his firm ass… Ugh, I just wanted to bite it! And I couldn’t even blame it on the pregnancy hormones; that was just the effect Hunter Bryant always had on me.
I blinked rapidly, so he wouldn’t notice I was ogling him when he came back to the driver side of the car, and as he sank into the seat next to me, he turned to me and winked. Oh, he noticed all right. I quickly rambled off directions to my doctor’s office, and we sat in silence as he drove. There was still a slight awkwardness hovering between us that I just couldn’t shake, and I knew I was partially to blame. I wasn’t ready to take the leap and let him all of the way back into my life just yet, but allowing him to come to my appointment today was the first of several baby steps I would need to take to get us there.
By now, I was a pro at these prenatal checkups, and after going through the usual routine of having my weight and blood pressure taken and my stomach measured, the doctor came in and asked how I was feeling. She checked to make sure there wasn’t any more bleeding and gave me the okay to get off bed rest. We then discussed what to expect for the last three months of my pregnancy, and Hunter sat there the entire time, listening intently to every detail. I could see the wheels turning in his head as he made mental notes. I couldn’t help but smile, because it was too damn cute.
Once the appointment was over, Hunter pulled the doctor aside to speak to her privately before we went next door to have the ultrasound done. I had a tiny hunch what he might’ve been asking her, but I let it slide for now, because chances were, my pregnancy brain would cause me to forget the whole conversation between them ever happened in about two-point-five seconds anyhow.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long when we got there. The ultrasound tech took me back to a room right away and prepped me, smearing a big glob of warm gel over my belly. I had to admit I was a little nervous, not for myself, but for Hunter. This would be his first time seeing our little girl, and I wasn’t sure how he was going to handle it.
The first thing I heard was the woosh woosh woosh of her tiny heart, and each and every time I heard that beautiful sound, my eyes would instantly fill with tears; it made her feel that much more real, almost tangible. I looked down to see Hunter’s hand curled around mine, and he gazed up at me, completely awestruck by the sound filling the room.
“Looks like your baby has a good, strong heartbeat. It’s about one hundred and fifty beats per minute, which is right around where it should be.” Shannon, my usual ultrasound tech, smiled down at me, and by the way she was chewing her bottom lip, I knew exactly what was going to come out of her mouth next. “So… do you think y’all are ready to find out if it’s a boy or a girl yet?”
Hunter looked surprised to hear that. “You mean you can tell us right now?”
“I would love to! I’ve been waiting to tell this one over here,” she tilted her head in my direction, “since her last visit, but I think she’s been waiting for someone to share the special moment with.”
I shot Shannon a sharp glare for telling him that, but she just laughed it off.
“Is that really why you waited to find out?”
I shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “It didn’t feel right without you here.”
He leaned over and kissed the tip of my nose. “Well, I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Do you guys have any preference?”
“No, but I’ve had a feeling this whole time that it’s a girl. I’m not really sure why, but in my dreams I always see a little blonde-haired girl with gray eyes.”
“Looks like mommy has good intuition.” Shannon turned the screen so we could get a better look.
“We’re having a girl?” Hunter whispered, tears slowly trickling down his cheeks. Never, in the few short months that I had known him, had I seen him so overcome with emotion, but it was exactly what I needed from him right then; to see that he wanted this just as badly as I did. He cradled my face and brought his lips down to mine, sealing the moment perfectly. His tears splashed against my face, mixing with my own, but he kissed each and every one away with such delicate reverence. “Thank you, baby. Thank you so much for this gift. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”
“I can’t take all of the credit, Hunter.” The corners of my mouth slowly curved against his lips, giving him a cheeky grin. “You did help make her after all.”
He released a soft chuckle that tickled my lips, and we both turned our attention back to our precious angel. I couldn’t wait for the day I’d finally get to hold her in my arms, kiss her sweet rosy cheeks, and tell her just how much she changed my life for the better. Here I thought Hunter was my game changer, but little did I know, he was just the beginning of a whole new world of changes my life was about to make.
Only three more months.
Hunter said he had a surprise waiting for me back at his apartment, and after promising me it wasn’t anything sexual, I apprehensively agreed to go with him. I thought it would feel strange coming back after being gone for so long but, to my surprise, it felt more like a long awaited homecoming. I didn’t realize just how much I missed being here until now.
I was about to sit down on the couch and give my aching feet some much needed rest, but it was clear Hunter’s surprise couldn’t wait another second. With an eager gleam in his eyes, he entwined our fingers, and I felt anxious as he led me down the hallway, slowly walking backwards so that he could keep his eyes on me.
“Hunter, I don’t think this is such a good idea. We probably shouldn’t be alone in your room so soon. I mean, we just started speaking to one another again, and—”
“I’m not taking you to my room.” He cracked the door to the spare bedroom open and spun me around, wrapping his arms across my belly from behind and resting his chin on my shoulder. “I’m taking you to hers.”
Hers? I looked around, taking in the soft, yellow walls radiating back at me like a warm summer day. They were covered in jungle animal decals, perfect for a little boy or a girl, and everything, from the bedding to the curtains and even the clothes already hanging up in the closet, matched the adorable theme of the room to a T.
What… How… When did he do all of this?
Hunter brushed my hair over my shoulder and pressed his lips to the back of my neck. “Do you like it?”
“I… I don’t know what to say.” While Hunter moved further into the room, I was cemented in place between the doorframe, soaking up the view from where I stood. My eyes roamed over every little detail that he had put so much love and consideration into, and it melted my heart picturing him setting this all up on his own.
Suddenly, my feet were moving of their own accord, drawing me straight up to the cherry wood crib that was ready and waiting for our baby girl. There were stuffed animals lined up along the far side of the crib, and I reached in, pulling out a fluffy yellow giraffe, and hugged it snug against my chest. Tears quickly pooled in my eyes as I made my way around the room, and Hunter watched with a nervous yet hopeful grin playing at his lips. I smiled back at him before stepping up to the closet and running my fingers along the row of clothes that were so tiny, they looked like they were made for a doll. Sometimes I forgot just how small babies were, and imagining our own little girl wearing these in a few short months brought on a new wave of feelings that had my heart bursting with excitement and anticipation.
My favorite piece out of the entire room, the one that caught my eye the moment Hunter opened the door, was the matching cherry wood rocking chair. I sat down, still clutching the giraffe to my chest, and slowly began rocking while picturing our baby asleep in my arms. A single tear rolled down my cheek, wishing she were here right now.
Hunter kneeled down in front of me and cautiously pushed my shirt up over my belly. His hands ghosted across the flesh stretched taut over my stomach, tracing the subtle stretch marks that had begun to show over the last week. Personally, I couldn’t stand the sight of them. Every morning I looked in the mirror after getting out of the shower and cringed, discovering a new jagged, red line coursing up the length of stomach. But now, with Hunter tenderly embracing each and every stripe that I had earned thus far in my pregnancy, I knew they were all worth it, because I was getting something so much better in return for these measly scars.
When he pressed his warm lips to my lower abdomen, I immediately felt the baby turn, giving me a good, hard kick that had Hunter’s eyes lighting up. “Well, hello to you too, my little angel.” He smiled, kissing the same spot again.
I smiled, wiping away another tear as it fell. “Hunter, when did you do all of this?” I glanced around the room again and was surprised to find that I recognized several of the items, because they were the very same ones I had picked out at the store the day of the accident. “And how… how did you know…”
Hunter smiled sadly. “We were able to salvage a few things from the accident, but most of it was donated by Babies R Us. Except for this,” he said as he ran his hand along the armrest of the rocking chair. “Someone named Beth donated this.” His eyebrows drew together, same as mine, but soon I remembered the woman who had been so kind to me that day in the store, and I couldn’t help but choke back a sob at the generosity these complete strangers had shown me.
“That was very nice of them.”
“It was.” He looked up at me lovingly and continued stroking my stomach. His touch had such a calming effect on me, but then again, it always had.
“Who chose the jungle theme?”
“That would be me.” He rested his chin on my leg and grinned proudly. “Since I wasn’t sure whether we were having a boy or girl, I thought it was a pretty neutral theme, but if you don’t like it, we can change it.”
“No.” I threaded my fingers through his hair. “I love it. All of it. I think she does, too.” I placed my hand over the one he was still gently caressing my stomach with. “Daddy did good, huh?”
He shook his head, smiling as he pulled my shirt back down. “I still can’t believe it. I’m gonna be a dad.”
“Hey, I’ve been carrying her around for six months, and it still hasn’t completely sunk in that I’m going to be a mom.” I laughed, looking down at myself. “I don’t think it will until she’s finally here.”
Hunter’s smile fell, and seeing the pain still lingering in his eyes tugged at my heart in the worst way imaginable. “I feel terrible that I’ve already missed so much, Maddie. I should’ve been here for you every step of the way. The morning sickness, the doctor appointments, watching you grow week after week… you shouldn’t have had to go through that all on your own.”
I nodded, and the guilt I had been harboring since the day he left came flooding back with a vengeance. “I’m so sorry, Hunter. I should have told you the second I found out.”
“I’m not upset that you didn’t tell me, sweetheart. Please don’t think that.” He carefully pulled me to my feet, closing the gap between us as he cupped my cheeks in his rough, calloused hands. “I’m upset with myself. I never should have taken that internship, and I sure as hell never should have left you. Every day that passed just reminded me how much I love you and need you in my life—”
I pressed my fingers to his lips, silencing him. “I understand why you left. You were doing what was best for you… for your future… and I clearly wasn’t a part of that. I don’t blame you for leaving.” I had to close my eyes, because admitting the truth was what hurt the most. “How could you possibly want to be with someone who has a history of sleeping her way through the Greek alphabet?”
Hunter jerked back, anger quickly replacing the pain in his eyes. “God, please tell me you don’t honestly believe that? That…” He took a deep breath in, exhaling through his nose. “That’s why you think I left? Because of your history? Maddie, if your so called history had any effect whatsoever on my feelings for you, don’t you think I would have jumped ship long before we got this involved?”
“I-I just assumed that it was too much for you to handle. It’s not like the rumors going around campus weren’t true!”
He stepped closer until we were nose to nose, sharing the same breath. “And despite those rumors, I still love you. I don’t care about the details of your past, Maddie. I care about the here and now. I care about our future. The only part of your past I care about is the fact that it shaped you into the woman you are today, and the woman I see standing before me is so beautiful inside and out. I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.”
“Hunter—”
His mouth collided with mine furiously, catching me by surprise and preventing me from further arguing with him. He was determined to get his point across, and the moment his tongue dove between my lips and brushed against my own, I found myself clinging onto him as if my life depended on it. I knew deep down this was where I belonged… where we both belonged. There was no use fighting it.
“It seems like we both made the mistake of jumping to conclusions,” he panted against my swollen, red lips. “Baby, I was ready to get down on one knee and ask you to be my wife before I left, but I didn’t want you to think I was rushing you into something you weren’t ready for.” He brushed his lips across mine, and this kiss was much gentler than the previous one. “But now, I know that I never should have questioned your feelings in the first place. I know you love me just as much as I do you.” He rested his hand on my stomach, brushing his thumb in slow, rhythmic circles, and a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “And every day as we watch our little girl grow, so will our love, because we’ll see it reflecting in her big brown eyes and in her beautiful smile.”
I leaned my head against Hunter’s chest and let a small laugh slip out as my unshed tears came pouring down. “But I always pictured her with your gray eyes.”
His grin spread, and he captured my tears as they made their descent. “Nah, she’s gonna have brown eyes just like her momma. Then I’ll have not one but two brown-eyed girls.”
Hearing him refer to us as his girls sent my heart soaring, and I buried my face in his chest, needing to be as close to him as possible. I never wanted to let him go again. Not ever. He held me tight as he ran his hand over my hair while trailing his fingers soothingly up and down my spine, and I could tell it wouldn’t take much more for me to fall asleep right there in his arms. “I love you, Hunter,” I managed to get out before releasing a long, heavy yawn.
“I love you so much more. Always will.” He kissed the top of my head and walked me out of the nursery. “You should probably get some rest, babe. I think all of today’s excitement wore you out.”
“I think you’re right. I can barely keep my eyes open.” I yawned again. “Do you mind if I lie down in your bed for a bit?”
He turned, arching his eyebrow before he opened the bedroom door. “You mean our bed?”
I smiled and leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss him. “Our bed.”
“Have at it, little momma.” He spanked me playfully before I climbed in his… our bed. God, I missed this bed. “I’ve got a few errands to run while you nap, but I’ll be back before you wake. Do you need anything before I leave?”
“Nope. Just for you to hurry home.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead, brushing his fingers across my belly as he draped the blanket over me. “I won’t be gone long.”
With the click of the door shutting behind him, I closed my eyes and let exhaustion consume me, and for the first time in months, the little blonde-haired girl who appeared in my dreams wasn’t alone.
She had her daddy by her side, right where he belonged.
Something hard was stirring behind me, pressing against the crease of my bottom, and when I tried to roll over to see what it was, an arm came around me, splaying a large hand protectively across my belly. Hunter must’ve slipped in next to me while I was still asleep, but he was a welcome addition to this lonely bed. Had it not been for the utter exhaustion that accompanied this pregnancy, I didn’t know how I would’ve slept these last few months without him.
I placed my hand over his, running the tip of my finger along his ring finger and brought it up to my lips. Hunter snuggled in closer, kissing my shoulder, and now that I knew for sure he was awake, I continued to roll over until I was facing him.
“Hi,” I whispered, just a breath away from his lips.
“Hi, beautiful. Did you get enough sleep?”
“Yeah. I have to say, it was nice having my human heated blanket back.”
“Is that so?” The light trickling in through the window highlighted his crooked grin, and he inched forward until our mouths finally connected, moving synchronously as one. He sucked my bottom lip between his teeth, gently nibbling at the soft flesh, and I whimpered, feeling the heated desire pool between my legs. “Well I’m glad I could be of service.”
“Hunter.” I ran my hands up his bare chest, and he was radiating so much heat, it was no wonder he always kept me extra warm at night. “It’s been a while since we’ve… you know… and—”
“Baby,” his voiced lowered, deep and seductive, and a silly grin spread across his face, “are you trying to say you want to have sex?”
I threw my head back against the pillow. “God, yes! You have no idea what these hormones are doing to me. I’m horny twenty-four-seven, and I can’t take it anymore!”
Hunter chuckled and tucked away the hair that had flown in front of my face. “I’d be more than happy to help you out there, sweetheart.” He leaned forward, brushing his lips against the shell of my ear. “I’ve been dying to make love to you for months, and this raging hard on isn’t going anywhere until I bury myself so deep inside you that I have you coming for days.”
“Oh God,” I moaned. His words alone had my body humming with a rapacious urgency to have him inside me. “I need you so bad.”
He licked a hot, moist trail up my neck and beneath my ear, giving my lobe a gentle tug. “You’re lucky I spoke to the doctor earlier…” His words drifted off.
I leaned up on my elbows and tilted my head, shaking it side to side as I smiled knowingly at him. “I knew that was why you pulled her aside.”
“Aren’t you glad I did?” He slipped his hand into my yoga pants and stroked my sensitive bud through my panties.
“Very much so,” I moaned appreciatively. “I don’t know why men are so nervous about having sex with pregnant women.”
Hunter pulled back completely straight-faced. “Babe, do you really think I want to risk poking our daughter in the eye with my dick?”
Of all the things for him to worry about…
“Ohmigod, that’s what you were worried about?! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?” I giggled. “Your dick won’t be anywhere near her. Aren’t you supposed to know that, doctor?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Hunter kissed my lips and shot me a teasing grin, his eyes dancing with amusement. “But in all seriousness, I wanted to make sure everything was okay with the baby, and that there weren’t any risks of causing more bleeding. She was very adamant that we had nothing to worry about and even gave us her blessing.”
I giggled softly, popping the button free on his jeans and sliding the zipper down. “Well, if the doctor insists…”
Hunter pushed his jeans off the rest of the way and took the liberty of removing my shirt and yoga pants, adding them to the growing pile on the floor. I laid there in my bra and panties, shuddering from the sudden chill that passed over me, and Hunter’s thirsty gaze drank in the transformation my body had made over the last few months. He dipped his head down, pressing his soft, warm lips to my protruding stomach before working his way up my body. My breath hitched when he pulled the cup on my bra down and swirled his tongue around my tender pink nipple, lapping at it eagerly. Teeth gently grazed over the tightly beaded tip, and the stubble on his chin scrapped the underside of my breast, causing a fire to erupt inside me that was begging for him to extinguish it.
He carefully unhooked my bra, sliding the straps down my arms, and all that was left separating us were a few scraps of material. It was clear my panties were soaked through with my arousal, and Hunter smiled as he traced over my sex, knowing he was responsible for making me so wet. He tucked his thumbs into the lace, tearing at the delicate material ravenously, and it quickly disintegrated away from my body.
“Did you just…” My mouth hung open in astonishment. I don’t know what shocked me more, that he ruined a perfectly good pair of panties, or that he did it with such ease.
“You won’t be needing those, babe.” His lips curved up devilishly, and he climbed off the bed, letting his boxer briefs pool at his feet and his erection spring free. My mouth instantly watered. Oh yeah… I definitely missed him too.
He slowly crept up the length of the bed and ran his hands up my trembling thighs before gripping the swell of my hips. “Turn around for me, baby.”
I did as he asked and got on my knees, lifting my ass high up in the air and giving it a little shake. A deep, pleasure-filled groan reverberated through his throat, and his hot breath swept over my backside, causing a shiver to shoot straight up my spine. I could feel the fullness of his lips as he pressed them chastely against each cheek, and he slid his palms over the firm globes of my ass, filling each of his hands. “You are so f*cking beautiful, Madelyn. Seeing you like this, with my child growing inside you… f*ck, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sight in my life.”
My chest tightened. I thought it was impossible to love this man any more than I already did, but there he goes saying things that have me literally melting in his hands. “Oh God, Hunter, I need you. Please.”
“I know, baby.” He leaned forward, his chest flush against my back, and he kissed the spot between my shoulder blades. “I got you.”
I felt the tip of his cock slide between my folds as he coated himself with my arousal, and he thrust forward, filling me with his entire length. He paused, giving me a moment to stretch around him, and then began moving again… slowly, purposefully, lovingly. Whenever Hunter and I made love, it was like a stellar collision, lighting up the heavens as we came together as one, and nothing but the hands of God himself could tear up apart. It was truly beautiful, and I never wanted it to end.
My climax was quickly building as he pumped steadily into me, and I could feel him grow harder each time he slid back in. Sweat dripped from his brow, splashing against my back, and he stealthily slipped his hand between my thighs to stroke my *. A second wave of pleasure shot through me, and I was clenching the bed sheets in my hands as I came hard around him. He bent forward, digging his fingers into my hips as he spilled every last drop of his cum inside me, and he bellowed out my name so loud that I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors came pounding on the door.
Hunter collapsed against my back but managed to hold his weight up so that he wasn’t crushing me or the baby.
“That was…”
“F*ck…”
Yeah, I think we both summed that up perfectly.
I rolled onto my back beneath him, and he carefully pulled me up so that I was seated with my legs wrapped snug around his waist. He cradled my face, stroking his thumbs across my cheeks, and brought our lips together. “I love you so damn much.”
My lips curled against his, and I knew he felt it, too. “I love you so much more.”
“Not possible.” He grinned and kissed me again. “Because now I have two of you to love.”
I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in the hollow of his neck so I could breathe in his delicious, woodsy scent… a scent that would forever make me think of home. It was an incredible feeling, knowing everything I ever wanted, everything I ever dreamed of, was sitting right in front of me; I prayed I’d never lose that feeling.
I lifted my head, smiling back at the man who had quickly become my whole world, and caught a flash of light coming from the corner of the room. It flickered softly at first, steadily becoming brighter as my eyes focused in on the source, but I found it strange that it moved in almost perfect tandem with my breaths. In… Out… In… Out… like the waves of the ocean lazily making their way up the beach and receding back out with the tide. I held my breath for just a beat to see if perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me, but the subtle light streaming in through the window was just enough to illuminate the metallic blade slicing through the shadows.
Hunter drew in a sharp breath, my nails just about piercing through the skin at the base of his neck. “Damn, woman, am I going to have to get you declawed?” he winced, but there was a hint of laughter in his voice.
“Hunter…” I whispered, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. My heart was racing and my breathing became labored.
“Babe, I was only kidding. You know I love when you dig your nails into me. It’s hot as f*ck. Just try to avoid drawing blood next time.”
“Hunter!” I whispered louder.
“What?”
“I think there’s someone in the room.”
Hunter’s eyes darkened, sweeping the room as he slid his boxer briefs on, and his gaze halted on the window next to the bed that had been left open a crack. He calmly reached toward the drawer next to his bed, the one I knew he kept his gun in, but never even had a chance to open it before a large body came lunging at him, knife in hand.
I screamed, pulling the sheet up over my naked body, and watched in horror as Hunter wrestled the intruder to the ground, fists flying back and forth between them. The man was clad in dark clothing, and a ski mask concealed his face, making it nearly impossible to identify him. But then my eyes locked on his, and what I saw made the acid rise in my throat, the burn igniting an image in my mind that I hadn’t remembered since the day of the accident. It was him.
Every muscle in my body instantly froze. Breathe, Maddie. Just breathe.
Those eyes. Those same hateful, venomous eyes that bore into me just seconds before slamming into Robbie’s car and sending me over the embankment were now staring back at me with just as much blood-thirsty malice, and I had this gut-wrenching feeling that he had come back to finish the job.
Feeling slowly seeped back into my body, my knees buckling as the gravity of the situation finally wrenched me back into the present. My fight or flight instincts kicked in, and I whipped open the nightstand drawer, pulled out Hunter’s gun, and flew off the bed with the sheet still wrapped around me. The knife that had fallen out of the intruder’s grasp was lying on the floor just inches away from them, and I quickly kicked it out of reach.
“Stop!” I shouted as I aimed the gun, trying to get a clear shot, but they went tumbling across the floor in a heap of tangled limbs and stifled grunts.
“F*ck! You’re going to kill him!” They continued to beat on each other until there was blood dripping down their faces, splattering against the floor in crimson puddles, and I couldn’t take it anymore. They really were going to kill each other!
“Dammit, Jeremy, I’m not f*cking around!”
Hunter’s head whipped around, shooting me a questioning look, and Jeremy seized the opportunity to get one last punch in. Hunter fell against the floor with a loud thud, creating some distance between them, and I took a chance, drawing in a deep breath before I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger.
Click.
Click.
Bang!
The shot rang through my ears like a cannon, deafening me until I heard Jeremy wailing in pain.
“What the f*ck! You shot me, you stupid bitch!”
I dropped the gun on the bed and slowly stepped away. I shot someone. Holy f*cking shit I actually shot someone! “I told you I wasn’t f*cking around, you piece of shit!”
“God, you didn’t have to shoot me in the ass!”
Hunter quickly got to his feet, wiping the blood from his face as he slipped the gun in the waistband of his boxer briefs. He crouched down beside Jeremy, pulling his ski mask off so he could get a good look at him, and yanked him up by his hair. “You talk to the mother of my child like that again, and I’ll add a bullet to the other cheek to even you out. Now, who the hell are you, and what the f*ck are you doing in my apartment?”
“Hunter…” I reached for his arm to pull him away, but he yanked himself free from my grasp.
Jeremy let out a heinous laugh. “You act like it’s the first time I’ve been here.”
“What?” Hunter diverted his attention to me. “What is he talking about?”
I shook my head because I honestly had no idea. Jeremy had never been here to my knowledge. Although, now that I thought about it, I had seen his SUV outside of Hunter’s apartment before, just like I had outside of mine… and outside of work… and the doctor’s office… and…
Oh. My. God.
“Look, why don’t you cut the bullshit and give me some straight answers?” Hunter pulled the gun from his waistband and pressed it into Jeremy’s backside. “Unless you’d prefer we do this the hard way?”
“J-Jeremy?” My voice wavered and my hand flew over my throat. Suddenly everything was beginning to make sense, and a wave of revulsion came over me.
“You didn’t really think I was going to let him have you all to himself, did you?” Jeremy’s gaze fastened on to mine, and his eyes grew wide, his smile spreading like a Cheshire cat. “Ah, so the dumb blonde is finally putting two and two together.”
“It was you,” I said matter-of-factly and tightened the sheet around me. “H-how long?”
“Maddie, baby, what is going on? How do you two know each other?” Hunter’s voice softened and he took my chin between his finger and thumb, blocking Jeremy from my line of sight.
God, I didn’t want it to come out like this, with Hunter and I half-naked and Jeremy lying there with a bullet in him. “We… used to hook up on occasion.” I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling dirty just admitting that. “It wasn’t anything serious, but it went on for quite some time.”
“Two years,” Jeremy chimed in. “Two f*cking years, and then this p-ssy-whipped motherf*cker comes waltzing in and takes my girl.”
“Your girl?!” Hunter was fuming, ready to go after him again, but I somehow managed to restrain him.
“Jeremy, I was never your girl!” Had he seriously lost his mind?
“That’s what you think, but I staked my claim on you long before any of those pricks came along. You were mine, Maddie. Always mine. But the second he came into the picture, you dropped me like a bad habit. No warning. No goodbye f*ck. Nothing. So I had to take matters into my own hands to take back what was mine.”
“God, you are one sick, twisted f*ck!” Hunter muttered under his breath, just as the sound of sirens slowly drifted through the apartment.
“You never answered my question, Jeremy. How. Long?”
He licked his lips and smiled. “Since the moment I branded you for what you truly are. Nothing but a dirty… f*cking… slut.”
I recoiled as if he had slapped me, and Hunter shoved his gun deep in Jeremy’s wound, causing him to cry out in pain. It couldn’t have been him though. It was Tucker. The damage to my car, the brick through the window, the message left outside of Hunter’s apartment… that was all…
“But Tucker—”
“Was the perfect scapegoat, wasn’t he?” he smirked, still managing to be a cocky a*shole even though I knew he was in a great deal of pain. “He was already under the line of fire, so naturally I knew you would place the blame on him. I was hoping lover boy here would see how much baggage came along with your slutty ass, but instead, he came riding in like some f*cking knight to save the day every damn time. And then seeing you in his bed, him claiming your sweet p-ssy night after night when I should’ve been the one burying myself deep inside you… that was when I decided that if I couldn’t have you, no one could.”
“Y-you saw us together like that? You… oh my God! I can’t believe you! You f*cking pervert!” This time I was the one barreling toward Jeremy, ready to claw his goddamn eyes out, but Hunter wrapped his arms around my waist, placing a hand protectively over my stomach as he tugged me back against his chest.
A few seconds later, we heard several pairs of footsteps come thundering up the stairs, and a heavy fist pounded relentlessly on the door. “Police! Open up!”
From that point on, everything was a blur…
The police interrogated us until we were blue in the face, but I couldn’t remember a single question they had asked, let alone any of the answers I gave. I just stared blankly, nodding in agreement with whatever Hunter had to say. While he kept it together, calm and collected, my mind was reeling, still trying to process the fact that every terrible thing that had happened to me over the last few months was all because of Jeremy; that he had gone so far out of his way to hurt me. To hurt us. For Christ’s sake, he nearly ended my life and the life of my unborn child! And then to go after Hunter the way he had tonight, all because he couldn’t have what was never his? What kind of perverse monster would do that?
I was so far gone in my thoughts that I never noticed Jeremy had been handcuffed and taken out on a stretcher, until my eyes trailed over to the pool of blood that was slowly seeping further into the carpet and saw that he was no longer lying beside it. Muffled voices continued to filter around me as medics cleaned and bandaged the gash on Hunter’s forehead, but my focus remained locked on the cool, red stain that had settled deep within the fibers, mocking me with bold conviction, because I was the one who had put it there. I was the one who pulled the trigger. F*ck me, I still couldn’t believe I actually shot Jeremy!
Out of all of the chaos surrounding me, only one word managed to break through my reverie: cameras. That sleazy motherf*cker planted hidden cameras in our bedroom, aimed directly at our bed. Every private, intimate moment Hunter and I shared… he had seen it all. Just the thought of him watching us worship one another’s bodies as we made love in this very room… Oh God, I wanted to throw up.
Somehow I managed to keep my emotions in check until after the police left, and then I finally broke down in ugly, unrestrained sobs. Hunter held me close, gently stroking my hair and brushing his lips across my cheek as he let me cry. I cried for the months of frustration and living in fear. For being so blind to all of the obvious signs that should have been clear as f*cking day. For believing there was any truth behind the lies Jeremy spewed out. It wasn’t a secret that I had a reputation around campus, one I was far from proud of, but not once did Hunter ever hold my past indiscretions against me. He accepted me for me, skeletons in the closet and all, and that alone made me want to be a better person.
For him.
For our little girl.
But most of all… for myself.
Hunter pressed his lips to my throat, the warmth of his breath rushing over me in calming waves. “Shhh, it’s okay. I got you, baby. Just breathe.” He gently cradled my face, peeling away the tear-stained strands of hair that were plastered against my cheeks, and I caught his soft, gray eyes gazing down at me just as they had the first time he held me in his arms… the night he forever changed my life.
I didn’t know it then, but that night all those months ago, I fell in love with Hunter Bryant.