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

by Garza, Stephanie Nicole

  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.”

  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 p
ride 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.