Page 127 of Wicked Arrangement

I’m tempted to tease him and tell him I lost it, but I don’t, this is not a joking matter. “Yep, it’s right here,” I say, getting up and retrieving it from its hiding spot to give to him. “Jackson cracked it, we saw everything that was on there. We planned to use it to try to get the Petrovs’ help in killing Innokentiy and freeing you.”

“I knew you would,” he says confidently. “And you’re still wearing the locket,” he points out.

“I haven’t taken it off.”

“Good,” he says with a smile. “There’s something very precious in there, something I’ll need to take from it, but for now, I think it’s safer with you.”

“I’ll protect it with my life,” I promise.

“Nothing is worth that. You’re the most valuable thing in this world to me. I’d lose everything I have for you. I love you so much, Kimberly.”

“I love you too,” I reply, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

He pulls me close and kisses me deeply. Being with him again feels like coming home. This man is my world. With our enemies gone, for the first time, I can see a future together. One without all this danger and death. Where we can raise our child together. My body fits against his perfectly as he lays me down on the sofa, his body close to mine. I long for him. To be with him again.

But I pause, breaking away from our kiss, “Shouldn’t we wake David? He’ll want to see you,” I whisper.

He shakes his head, “Soon,” he replies before kissing me again.

Return his kisses and allow myself to melt under his touch. All of my worries seem to fade away and at that moment, the only person that matters is right next to me.

We make gentle, tender love and he kisses me tenderly all over my body, marveling at it as though I’m an exquisite painting. He admires my new curves, the gentle slope of my stomach where the result of our love grows inside me. He moves slowly inside me, filling me, completing me. We grind together as one, our bodies and souls combining as we bring each other to the edge. We both reach our climax together, a sweet deep orgasm that ripples through my body. It’s nothing like our previous sex that’s fiery, passionate, and explosive, but it’s still incredible. I feel as though I’ve transcended.

For a long time, we lie entwined on the couch, just enjoying being together. As the gray haze of dawn appears we finally decide to get up. We should sleep, but we can’t leaveYaroslav’s reunion with David any longer, and I want to go to see Jackson as soon as possible to make sure he’s okay.

We shower together, gently washing each other and in the light of day I can see the extent of Yaroslav’s injuries. It makes me realize all over again how close I came to losing him. After toweling off I retrieve some clothes of Jackson’s for him to borrow and I leave him to speak to his brother alone. They need it.

Besides, I have to wake my grandmother and get her ready. We’re going to drop her back at the care home she was staying in before all of this happened on our way to the hospital. She was happy there. At some point, I’ll stop in to see our old neighbor, Abigail. She must be worried sick about us both. It also occurs to me that we need to find out what happened to Noah after he signed Gran out of the care home. But my brother’s whereabouts is a worry for another day. Right now I’m too happy, Yaroslav is back and everyone I love is safe.

***

When we reach the hospital, we’re escorted to Jackson’s room and find him sitting up in bed eating pudding with his left hand and watching television. His chest is bandaged tightly but otherwise, he seems to be unharmed.

“Jackson, you’re okay!” I cry out running into the room to hug him.

He pats me lightly on the back. “Of course I am. Luckily, if they were trying to kill me then the idiot’s aim was off since they hit me in the right side of my chest. Doc says I have a collapsed lung, but it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks to heal. Plus, they have chocolate pudding and cable TV,” he says with a smile.

I’m amazed by how upbeat he’s being and relieved that he’ll make a full recovery.

“Thank you, Jackson. For everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you,” I say, tears prickling at the corner of my eyes as I squeeze his hand gratefully.

“There’s no need to thank me, we’re family, we look out for each other. But, if you insist, can you promise me one thing?” he asks.

“Of course,” I reply eagerly.

“Let me be a part of my niece or nephew’s life,” he says with a soft smile, nodding at my stomach.

“You’d better! They’re going to be so lucky to have two incredible uncles!” I reply with a grin of my own.

We stay with Jackson chatting about everything, the past and the future, until a nurse finally kicks us out. We promise that we’ll visit regularly as we bid him farewell.

“Where do we go now?” I ask.

“Wherever you want,” Yaroslav says, taking my hand. “We can go to my place near here or any of my other houses. I can even buy a new place, one for us to raise our family.”

A warm glow fills me at the thought. “Let’s go to the house nearby for now. Everything else can wait,” I reply before adding, “What will you do with the house in Orlando?”

He shrugs, “It will need some repair work after Innokentiy’s coup, that’s for sure.”

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