Page 35 of The Nightmare King

“But, Dr. Stein—”

“Won’t get anywhere near you. I won’t let him.”

Zero woofed from the end of the bed, where he was watching us with intelligent eyes. It seemed as if he agreed with his owner.

“Jack, I don’t want to leave. But I don’t want to put anyone else in danger. If I leave, he won’t be able to find me. It’s for the best.” I sniffled, the tears filling my eyes, making my nose sting.

“You. Aren’t. Leaving. Me.” Jack growled. Then, I was tossed over his shoulder and carried into the bathroom, where the shower was still waiting.

ChapterTwenty-Five

SALLY

It seemed as if both of our eyes zeroed in on the test at the same time, freezing us in our motions of washing away the shampoo and soap from our bodies. We hadn't spoken since he'd set me down on the tiled floor. We had just settled into a quiet rhythm of showering the night away. There had been a far-off expression on Jack's face whenever I chanced a glance at him, and I knew he was deep in thought about my situation. If I had to take a guess, I would say that he was planning how to keep me safe while also keeping me close. Honestly, if I could trust anyone in this world to do so, it would be him.

But now we seemed to both remember that there was something we had been in the middle of right before the phone call that seemed to blow my world up all over again. I tore my eyes away from the test, barely visible through the foggy, wet glass door, and up at Jack. He looked down at me. And I could see it there in his gaze, what I wanted from him more than anything. Hope. He wanted this, too.

"Jack?"

"Come on. We'll look at it together." I nodded and blinked rapidly, suddenly overcome by emotions. So many swamped me at once I wasn't sure how to deal with them other than to push them back down. If I didn't, I was afraid I would simply burst into uncontrollable tears.

He turned off the shower and grabbed a large fluffy towel, folding it around my body after patting me dry. His touch was always so gentle and caring, the complete opposite of what he showed to the outside world. How could I not have fallen so hard and so quickly for him? What woman wouldn't want someone like him to treat her like his queen while ready to slay her enemies for her without blinking an eye?

After a cursory swipe of the towel over his damp chest, he wrapped it around his waist, tucking the ends in, and took my hand. Together, we took the short steps to the counter and, as if in silent agreement, kept our eyes on each other until we were standing right in front of the test. He squeezed my trembling fingers. "Ready?"

I swallowed, then gave him a small, weak smile and nodded. "Okay."

As one, we turned our heads slowly and looked down. I stared, unsure at first what I should be looking for. I leaned closer, my dark red wet hair falling over my shoulder and landing with a splat on the counter next to the plastic stick.

"Is there supposed to be one and a half lines?" I squinted at the second line that was faint on one end and darker on the other. Did that mean it was positive or negative? Wasn't it supposed to be solid?

All of a sudden, my legs were swept up from underneath me, and I was being carried into the bedroom. Jack lay me on the bed and settled on top of me after yanking both of us free of our towels, leaving nothing between us. I was breathing heavily from the abruptness of the movements and blinked up at him, my mouth open, ready to ask him what was going on, my mind having been jolted from all thoughts of the test, when he swooped down and took my lips with a searing kiss that stole my breath and curled my toes.

I moaned in delight as he consumed my mouth with his lips, tongue, and teeth. When he pulled away, nipping at my bottom lip, I let out a whimper, trying to chase his mouth, but he had already disappeared, lowering down my body and leaving small licks and nips along the way until he stopped at my lower abdomen. Then my whole body stilled. I stopped breathing and just stared as he spread his big, calloused hands over my soft skin. The black from the tattoo ink stood out starkly against the paleness of my flesh. He spread his fingers as he cupped my belly, his thumbs below my navel, brushing against my pelvic bone.

"Jack?" I let out a hoarse whisper.

He tried to speak, moving his lips, but all he did was choke on his words. Then he lowered his forehead, resting it against his hands. His shoulders began to shake. Seeing him like that, overcome with emotion, brought tears to my eyes, and I wrapped my hands around his shoulders, holding him tight, not saying a word. He needed time; I could see that. I stared up at the ceiling, blinking back my tears.

After several minutes of nothing but silence surrounding us in the bedroom, Jack finally brought his head up. At his movement, I looked down at him, seeing the red-rimmed eyes and the fierce promises held in their black depths.

"I will protect you with my dying breath," he vowed. "For the rest of my life, I will make sure you are safe. I will give you all the love I am capable of giving." He looked down at where his hands were still cupping my belly. "Both of you."

I let out a sob, my turn to be unable to say words. He was giving me more than I ever thought I would have. More than I had hoped for. I had just wanted love. He was giving me him. I tugged on his shoulders, pulling him back up to me, needing to kiss him, to show him how much I loved him. He let me, only after he placed a soft kiss below my navel.

Once he was face to face with me again, he thumbed away a tear, giving me another hot kiss. Then he flipped us, so I was on top of him.

"Ride me." His hands went to my breasts, thumbing my nipples and then pinching them harshly.

"Yes," I breathed out. With a shaky hand reaching between us, I gripped his swollen cock while steadying myself with my other hand on his broad chest. I ran the tip of him over my clit, bucking at the delicious feeling while the vibrations of his chest rumbled through the palm of my hand. I slid his cock just a bit further until it rested at my opening, then once it was in place, I lowered myself onto his thick shaft.

I felt every inch as he penetrated me, stretching me to the point where pleasure and pain became indistinguishable. As we became fully connected, I looked down into his half-lidded eyes, marveling at the emotion that shimmered there. This man said he didn't know what love was, but the way he was looking at me, the way he swore to protect me and our baby, he knew more than he realized.

"I love you, Jack."

The fingers holding tight to my hips flexed, digging in, and then he gripped firmly, lifting me back up, sliding me along the long length of him, holding all my weight in his strong arms. When he dropped me back down, he punched his hips up, impaling me so deeply I felt it in my very soul. I cried out, throwing my head back in a scream.

Over and over, it continued. Even though I was the one on top, he was the one in control. His hands directed every movement. His grunts and growls filled the room, mixing with my whimpers and cries. There was something new to our lovemaking, an added element that hadn't been there before. It had always been incredible, but all I could think through my lust-fogged mind was that we were now connected on a deeper level that went beyond a simple pairing of a woman and a man. He had let me in. More than that, he let himself believe that it was real.

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