by Rye Hart
“He's my son, Meredith,” I said. my voice growing firmer. “And Declan is his father. If we called the police right now, we could accuse you of kidnapping. Do you really want to make a spectacle like that in front of our children? In front of your neighbors?”
The look on sweet Meredith's face changed. Her eyes grew wide and she looked terrified. She glanced back over her shoulder, and I saw a little girl walking down the hallway toward us, a big, bright smile on her face. She had everything a little girl could want – a nice home and a mother who loved her. The girl obviously wanted for nothing and was given the world on a silver platter. She still had her innocent view of the world where everything was perfect. Maybe seeing her mom hauled away in cuffs would shatter that innocence. I didn't want it to go down that way, but if it meant getting out of there alive and unscathed, I'd do it.
Meredith must have seen that resolve in my eyes too, because she turned and said, “Fine. He's sleeping upstairs but let me go get him.”
She went to shut the door, but Declan held it open again. Meredith didn't argue. We stepped inside the home. I looked at all of the family photos that lined the wall inside, once again, feeling that pang of jealous shoot through me.
I looked at the photos and saw Meredith, with her fiery red hair, surrounded by three red-headed children and Killian at her side. With his good looks and polished smile, he looked like the perfect father. It was hard to believe he was the head of a violent crime family. Oh, if only his wife knew about what her husband really did, it would shatter their perfect world into a million little pieces.
As much as I might have wanted to ruin Killian's life, the little girl in front of me continued to smile, making it impossible for me to actually go through with it. This girl shouldn't have to endure that. Her life shouldn't be blown apart and she shouldn't be made to suffer for the sins of her father.
“You're Jack's mom?” she asked, giving me a grin that showed she was missing two of her front teeth.
“I am,” I continued to lie.
“He's such a cute little baby,” she said. “Please tell me he'll be back to visit us?”
A lump formed in my throat and a nervous tremor passed through my belly knowing that wouldn't be possible. Once we left that house, they likely wouldn't ever see their cousin again.
“He will,” I said. “Of course he will.”
Declan walked slowly up the steps, his head cocked listening. I knew he could hear something and the dark look that crossed his face told me that whatever it was, it wasn't good.
“What is it?” I asked.
He shook his head, silencing me with a look. He continued up the stairs, moving softly and quietly and before he reached the top, he bounded the last few steps in a run. I followed behind, unsure of what was happening until we made it to the top.
Meredith was standing there with the phone pressed to her ear, and when she saw us coming through the doorway, a look of panic crossed her face and she dropped it. We were standing in the nursery, with Jack sleeping in a crib nearby.
“You called Killian, didn't you?” Declan said.
“I did,” she said. “He asked me to. I had to, Declan.”
I walked toward the crib, looking down at the sleeping baby, but Meredith stepped in between me and the child.
“I know you're not Crystal,” she said, her voice was calm and somehow sounded different – less innocent. “I've met Crystal before, remember, Declan?”
No one said anything for a long moment. We all just stood there staring at each other, but the dark tension in the room was ramping up. It felt like the air as the clouds rolled in, just before a violent storm broke. The air around us was charged with electricity. Declan grabbed hold of Meredith's arms, pulling her away from the crib. The woman started to scream for help, but he put his hand over her mouth and held her tight against his body.
“Grab the baby,” he said to me.
I stepped up to the crib and stared down at the child. His eyes were open now, looking up at me, as he started to whimper.
“It's alright,” I said softly, picking him up in my arms.
I cradled him against me, and turned to look at Declan, not sure what to do next.
“Do you really want your kids growing up without both their parents?” he said, leaning down to whisper the words into Meredith's ears. “Because if you continue playing Killian's games, that's precisely what's going to happen. He's not the man you think he is.”
Meredith spat in Declan's face. “Maybe I'm not the woman you think I am either,” she said.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes full of fury and rage. Her face was twisted up in such a look of anger and defiance, she didn't look human for a moment.
“Your kids deserve better than this,” Declan snarled.
I was already out the door and down the steps. With Killian alerted and on the way, I knew we had to get out of there, and fast. Declan was right behind me, his heavy footsteps pounding down the stairs, and Meredith was chasing after him.
The little girl from we'd met before stood in the living room, now with two little boys. All three of them watched us with frightened eyes, their mouths turned down into frowns. They all looked to be on the verge of crying, and my heart ached for them.
Declan was right. Her kids deserved better than that life. Better than a father who did the things Killian did. One day, they too might be a pawn in some crime lord's game. I wanted to scoop them up, to bring them with us. I wanted to protect them from all the pain their parents would cause them. I knew it was only a matter of when, not if, they would suffer for their father's misdeeds.
Declan nudged me out the door and we took off running toward the car. Meredith didn't follow us outside, probably more concerned with appearances than letting us get away. Can't let the neighbors know you're the wife of a crime lord who's kidnapped someone's baby, right? That would just be so tacky and unseemly in such a staid old neighborhood.
Jack was crying as we made our escape, his wails growing louder even though I tried to comfort him. I hopped in the passenger side with the baby in my lap. Declan jumped in and started the car, taking off before I could buckle him into the seat. The tires of the Camry squealed on the pavement as the little car roared down the street.
“Fuck,” he said, slamming his fists on the steering wheel. “I'd hoped we'd have a few hours before he realized we were missing. We needed that head start and now – ”
“Calm down,” I said. “We got the baby. We'll get out of town.”
Declan nodded, glancing down at Jack in my lap. His eyes softened, and he took a deep breath. He smiled at the child and Jack seemed to calm down. Something that looked sort of like a smile stretched the baby's lips as he looked up at his father.
“I have no idea what I'm doing, Kara,” he said. “No clue. Just a few days ago, I didn't even know I had a kid. Now, not only do I have a kid to care for, I'm running from my damn family too.”
“It's okay. We'll figure it out, Declan.”
I reached out and touched his arm. It felt natural to do so, to help calm him down. He looked down at my hand, then up at me, and there was something in his eyes.
Appreciation.
“Thank you,” he said.
“No, thank you,” I said. “It would have been easier to just let Killian have me, but you didn't let that happen. You saved me. I owe you my life, Declan. I really do.”
“I couldn't be part of something like that,” he said. “And I couldn't let anything bad happen to you. You're as stuck in the middle of this shit as I am.
“Because you're a good man,” I said. “And you'll make a good father too, I know you will.”
“I hope so,” he mumbled.
His eyes never stopped moving, checking all of the mirrors over and over again as he drove. He stared at every car as we passed, his face lined with tension. I had no idea where we were headed, but we were leaving the city, and that was good enough for the moment. As soon as we were far enough away from K
illian's house, I turned to him.
“Stop,” I said. “Let's put Jack in his car seat, just in case.”
Declan agreed, and we pulled over at a gas station. I buckled the little guy into the car seat, making sure his straps were secure, while Declan kept watch. Once Jack was all strapped in, I turned back around in my seat and gave him a nod.
“Alright,” I said. “Let's go.”
Declan had a lopsided little grin on his face. It was one of the first amused looks I'd ever seen cross his face and it made me chuckle.
“What's so funny?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said.
“No, seriously,” I said as he pulled out of the gas station parking lot and got back onto the highway.
“It's just, well, I was thinking that we actually make one hell of a team,” he said.
Leaning back in the seat, I found myself smiling from ear-to-ear, his words not just true, but also making me feel a warmth spread through my chest and belly.
“Yeah, we do, don't we?”
~ooo000ooo~
It was late by the time we pulled up to the hotel. A middle-of-nowhere, hole-in-the-wall place somewhere in Missouri. The place was several hours past St. Louis, where we'd stopped for a quick lunch. I had dozed off in the car while Declan kept driving, and only awoke when the engine stopped.
“We should be good here for the night,” he said. “I don't think even the goddamn FBI could find us out in the middle of his pit.”
I checked on the baby and smiled when I saw that he was fast asleep. I couldn't help but feel a small surge of joy looking down at that sweet little face with the tuft of bright red hair on top of his head. Reaching back, I stroked his cheek, marveling at how soft his skin was. I'd always known that I wanted kids of my own one day. Babies had always been one of my biggest weaknesses and I couldn't see one without hearing that ticking of my biological clock. Jack was already growing on me and when I looked at him, I felt my heart swell. It was hard not to love something so small and innocent. Declan got us checked into the hotel and we grabbed some things from the car before making our way to the room. The rooms were on the interior of the small building, rather than sitting on the parking lot, which made me feel a little safer. In Killian happened to find our car out front, there was no guarantee he'd figure out which room we were in. Not without making a scene, at least. I was confident enough to think that making a scene and drawing unwanted attention to himself was the last thing he wanted, which worked in our favor.
I carried Jack in his car seat, letting him continue to sleep. Being in the car as long as we had been, I was sure the poor little guy was wiped out. I knew I was. We walked down to the elevator and went to the second floor, carefully watching the area around us as if we expected Killian to jump out of every potted plant or step around every corner we passed. We were bordering on the paranoid. As far as I could see though, we were alone. Since it was already late, and most travelers were already tucked in for the night, I had a feeling that Killian or his men would have stuck out like sore thumbs.
We got to the room, and as soon as we were inside, Declan closed the doors and threw all of the locks on it, shutting us in good and tight. With the dead bolt in place, I let out a sigh of relief and turned on the light. Setting Jack's carrier down on the table, I collapsed on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, relishing the feeling of laying down as opposed to being stuck in the seat of that car.
As I lay there staring up at the ceiling though, that's when my mind flashed on something I'd seen, but didn't quite register at first when we'd walked in. Hitting me like a bolt of lightning, I realized there was only one bed in the room. It wasn't a double room like Declan had requested.
I sat up and looked around the room to confirm what was in my head and saw Declan standing next to Jack's carrier, looking around, an odd expression on his face. He clearly had the same realized I'd had.
“I'll take the floor,” he said and shrugged. “I'm too tired to argue with them right now.”
He sat down beside me on the bed and kicked off his shoes, sighing and groaning as he stretched his legs out in front of him. I did the same. He got up and set up the small bassinet we had purchased earlier next to the table in front of the bed. With it folded down and locked in place, he gently lifted Jack out of the carrier and laid him in the bed..
Declan stood over the child, a look of absolute rapture on his face. He didn't want to admit it and always downplayed his ability, but he liked the idea of being a father. He was gruff and a little rough around the edges, but I knew he had it in him to be a good dad. I could see that he had a huge heart and was already developing a deep love for this child who'd been unexpectedly dropped into his life.
“You know, we've already had sex, what's it matter if we share a bed?” I asked.
Declan turned to me and smiled. “Well, if you don't mind...”
He stepped over to me, taking my face in his hands, and kissed me. It took me by surprise, but it felt nice, so I didn't push him away. Instead, I pulled him into me, then pulled him down on top of me, as we both giggled like little kids. I wasn't sure what got into us, but we just allowed ourselves to get caught up in the moment. Maybe it was all the stress, or maybe, it was the fact that we worked so well together this afternoon and succeeded it rescuing his kid, but as soon as he kissed me, we couldn't seem to pull our hands off each other.
I wrapped my legs around him, and I kissed him long and hard, the heat and passion growing between us. His erection pressed against my body. We'd already had sex once, even before he'd lived up to his promise of keeping me safe. Now, that we were safe, away from his brothers and that whole situation, I wanted him even more than before. Seeing him go to such great lengths to rescue his son and to protect me at the same time – how could I not have some feelings for the guy? He proved to me that he was not just a man of his word, but a man with a good heart. Maybe even a man who cared a little bit about me.
We stripped each other down in record time, throwing our clothes all over the room carelessly, giggling and touching each other like horny teenagers doing it for the first time. Jack slept peacefully in the small bassinet. –Declan kissed his way down my neck, then slid his tongue along my collarbone and finally down to my breasts. He set my body on fire when he started to suck on my nipple, his sapphire eyes staring up at me, as if to watch for a reaction. I ran my hands through his hair, as I arched upward, whimpering with need as he rolled my stiff nipple around his tongue.
Declan moved lower, kissing all the way down my tummy, gentle, sweet kisses, his beard tickling my skin as he went. He moved lower still, kissing and nibbling my inner thighs until I gasped, my legs quivering at his touch.
He stared up at me, and I looked down at him and watched, the fire inside of me burning bright as he dove between my legs. His tongue flicked against my clit, sending spasms of pleasure coursing through my body. I gasped out loud as his hands moved along my sides, sliding upward until they came to my breasts. His fingers found my nipples, and he played with them while going to town with his tongue down below.
“Oh God that feels so good,” I sighed.
I leaned back against the bedding, my eyes fluttering with pleasure as Declan worked his tongue all over my clit. He circled it, teased it, and judging by the sparkle in his eye and the muffled sounds he was making, he seemed to enjoy every second of eating me out. He was slow and deliberate in his movements, savoring my pussy, taking his time to lick every inch of it before thrusting his tongue between my lips, filling me up with it.
I arched my body upward, groaning as he fucked me with his tongue.
“Fuck me, Declan,” I cried out. “Please, I need you inside of me.”
Declan didn't take my commands to heart though. Instead he continued fucking me with his tongue, staring up at me as he licked and sucked my hot, wet opening, filling me up with his tongue. His fingers continued playing with my nipples, pinching them a little too hard. I gasped, but the pain actually intensi
fied the pleasure, and that's what pushed me over the edge.
My hands found the back of his head, and I pushed him down into me as the pressure inside of me built to a crescendo. I suddenly needed him deeper, closer, and my legs latched onto his shoulders at the same time. I raked my nails along his scalp as he continued working his magic with that golden tongue of his.
“Yes, come for me, Kara,” he whispered against my pussy, still working his tongue over me. “Come on my face.”
My nails dug into his scalp even deeper, so much so I feared I might draw blood, but I couldn't control it. I came hard, scratching and clawing at him as I tried to muffle my sounds, afraid I'd wake the baby. My body shook and trembled as my orgasm rocked me, sucking the air right out of my lungs. I gasped and sputtered until eventually, it subsided – though, my need for him only grew stronger. I needed him inside of me. I couldn't wait any longer.
I pulled on his hair, yanking him up on top of me, but Declan had other plans. He moved up my body, but instead of staying on top of me, he grabbed onto my hips and flipped us over so that I was on top of him.
I sat straddling his hips, showing off my body as I let my eyes roam up and down his taut, corded physique as well. His hands moved to my sides, and he traced his fingertips along my hips and tummy, sending small shivers rippling through me.
“God, you're so fucking beautiful,” he said.
I grabbed hold of his cock firmly. I locked my eyes onto his as I guided it toward my dripping wet opening. His lips were still wet and glistening, dripping with my juices, and seeing it only intensified my need for him. I rubbed my body against his length, stroking him with my inner thighs as I fell forward, kissing his lips, reveling in the taste of myself upon them.
His hands were now on my back, kneading me and guiding me up and down. Feeling him rub himself against me sent a shiver throughout my body.
Declan nibbled my ear lobe and groaned, “I need to be inside you, Kara.”
