Chapter Nintey-two She'd never had motion sickness before, but she was nauseated for almost the entire flight to Chicago. It hadn't helped that Max's ears were hurting and she had to feed him to keep him from crying. Although she had the window seat, with Anton and a blanket to block the view of others, she still felt exposed. And rather claustrophobic, too. When they finally landed at O'Hare, she was so ready to put her feet on solid ground that she could almost taste it. Her very first night in the Windy City certainly lived up to it's name. She was freezing as they hurried the short distance from the building to the limo. Now, huddled in the warm interior next to Anton, she snuggled closer so she could wrap her arms around his waist. With Max settled against his shoulder, he looked down at her with concern. "Are you feeling any better?" She nodded. "My stomach does. I'm just cold now. I may have to buy a new coat. This one certainly isn't cutting it. And I'm worried about Max. Do you think he's warm enough?" Anton laid his hand on his son's chest, under the blanket. "He feels okay, but we should get you both warmer coats before too long. California definitely spoils you weather wise, and I didn't even think about that while we were packing." He put his arm around Bryn as the limo started forward. "Are you ready for this, Bryn? The council is going to be very curious about Max." "I don't think I would ever be ready for this." She nodded towards Max. "You should probably put him in the carrier now that we're moving." As he turned to do just that, she watched with a strange mix of fondness and dread. "I love to show him off as much as you do, but not to the council. I don't know which I'm more worried about--them taking a liking to him, or them hating him. I mean, I know Lilith likes him, which creeps me out more than a little bit. But what if the others proclaim that he's a threat?" "The fact that Lilith likes him will hold some sway with the others, as worrisome as it is. They may be as protective of him, which might be a good thing if Natasha..." He didn't finish the thought. He didn't want to think of that harpy anywhere near their son. "But if they claim he's a threat and we're unable to convince them otherwise, there's only one thing to do." "What?" "We go into hiding. I'm not letting them hurt our son." She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring out the window at the buildings they drove by. [It's not too late to go home.] [Anton would never agree to it,] a second voice in her head sounded. She should've worried that she was talking to herself, but it didn't seem to matter. As much as she'd like to believe that they could just run away together, as a family, she knew there was a chance that the vampires wouldn't let them leave. She wasn't sure what she wanted more--the safety of her home, or the guaranteed protection that only Lilith's favor could give them. Chewing on her fingernail, she didn't say a word. Anton squeezed his arm around her tighter. He didn't think it would come to going underground, and it wasn't the life he wanted for Bryn or his son, but if it came down to it, he was prepared to do so. They spent the rest of the ride to the hotel in silence. The council meeting, and Max's introduction, wouldn't be until the next night since most of the vampires would be traveling. He was hoping that they'd avoid the others until he got a better feeling of the Council's mood towards Max. As they checked in and received the keys for the seventh floor, Anton glanced around the lobby, trying to see if anyone else had arrived yet. Bryn crouched down in front of Max's carrier and unbuckled him. He let out a few short cries as she picked him up, annoyed at being pulled from his warm cocoon. As much as she would've liked to let him sleep, she felt better holding him. Carefully standing up, she dropped her purse into the carrier and then picked up the carrier with her free hand. She looked up to see Lilith's assistant hurrying towards them, clipboard in hand and wearing a fashionable suit, like a junior manager trying to impress the boss. He stepped across the lobby, his shoes clicking double time on the light marble floor. "Mr. Rudenko. Welcome. I'll be glad to escort you up to your room. The empress would like you to join her in the penthouse for dinner at 3:00." He checked his gold watch. "That leaves you about forty-minutes to unpack and freshen up, plus a five minute window to wait for the elevators. Shall we head upstairs?" Anton mentally sighed. This was just the situation he had hoped to avoid. "Would there be any way to decline, Seth? The flight in was not smooth, and I wouldn't wish to disturb the Empress if Max became fussy and overtired." "I'm sorry, Mr. Rudenko, but I have been instructed not to take 'no' for an answer." "Lead on then, Seth." Anton said with an apologetic glance at Bryn. For her part, she kept her face expressionless. Lilith's assistant hadn't said one word to her or even acknowledged that she was there, not that she'd expected him to. Although she wanted to dig her heels in and refuse going to the dinner, she knew it wouldn't matter. And if she became defiant and fought the 'empress', chances were the outcome wouldn't be in her favor. The ride up to their floor was silent, except for Max's occasional coo or whimper. As soon as they were in the room and the door closed with Seth on the opposite side, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess I should change my clothes. I just hope Max doesn't decide he's hungry after we leave." "So do I, my dear. Or that he needs his diaper changed." Anton lifted up one of the suitcases onto the dresser and opened it. "I'm sorry, Bryn. I had been hoping to avoid seeing anyone until the meeting so that we'd have some time to rest." He pulled out one of the suits he had brought, and hoped that it wasn't too wrinkled. "What would you like to wear, Bryn?" "Probably the burgundy velvet skirt and my satin blouse. There's a travel-size bottle in there somewhere, for smoothing wrinkles out of your suit." She sat down on the bed, settling Max on her lap. "I'm tired, but I'm also hungry, so I guess it's a good thing she invited us for dinner. As long as it stays casual." She paused, peering into the suitcase. "Did I remember to bring the shoes that match my skirt?" Anton rummaged around in the suitcase and pulled out the burgundy shoes. "Here they are," he said, handing them over. Finding also the bottle of wrinkle releaser, he sprayed the shirt and slacks, pulling them straight. Giving them a few minutes to set, he turned back to Bryn and sat down. "Here, let me hold him while you get dressed, my dear." Handing Max over, she began stripping out of her clothes. Although she was dreading what was to come, she was anxious to get it over with. After only a few days and nights in Chicago, they would be on their way to Baltimore--if everything went according to plan. She really hoped it would. She couldn't wait to see her brother. With everything that had happened in both of their lives lately, they'd even stopped e-mailing each other. "This might not be the best time to mention this, but there's a store here in the city that sells hand-lettered calligraphy invitations. If you don't mind, I'd like to order some birth announcements to send to extended family and your employees. Not as a ploy to get gifts, but just because I'd like to have something official printed." "That sounds good, my dear." He watched as she slipped on the blouse and tucked it into the hem of her skirt. He wished they had some more time to themselves, but with Seth waiting outside their door, they didn't have time to play. Handing Max back to Bryn, he stripped off his shirt and jeans and put on the suit. "Do we need to put anything in the diaper bag for Max, Bryn?" "Yes, I'll get it in a minute." She watched him intently, glancing at the clock on the wall. Before he could put his slacks on, she settled Max down on the bed, using the pillows as soft walls to comfort him. Then she walked over to where Anton stood, not quite paying attention to her as he brushed some lint from his pants, and pushed him down until he was sitting on the bed. Without a word, she straddled his lap and kissed him. Pulling his cock out of his boxers. "I think we both need this, right now. Something to relax us afterwards." He was stiffening in her hand. He put his hands on her shoulders, sliding them down to cup her breasts. Anton considered for a moment about saying no, but lost that track of thought the moment Bryn kissed him insistently. "We don't have much time," he said, starting to hike her skirt up. She wriggled against his hands, hoping to help as he tugged on the tight skirt. Meanwhile she pressed her forehead against his, looking down as she stroked his cock. She wasn't at all surprised by how quickly she'd gotten turned on--several times they'd had quickies on the kitchen counter, before he left for work. It was amazing how aroused she could get from his dress shirts and slacks. The tie was almost her undoing. "Some day I want you to bind my hands behind my back with your ties...mmm, and make me scream." Anton glanced down at his tie, a dark blue one with silver stripes running diagonally from right to left. "What is it about my ties, my dear? You almost seem to have a fetish for them." He rocked his hips shallowly, letting go of her skirt to start unbuttoning her blouse. She let out a soft whimper and grasped the knot in his tie. "Because it's so easy to do this," she said, tugging him closer and kissing him. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, eagerly exploring before he began sucking on it. She pulled away when the kiss ended, panting and subtly trembling. "And you're just so incredibly sexy when you're all dressed up and professional." Bryn couldn't help the way her hands shook as she touched him. Along with being nervous about the upcoming few hours, she was also completely uncoiled, capricious, by his expensive suit and tie. "So authoritative and powerful...mmm...if I were your employee, you could get me to do anything. You could order me around like a servant." She paused. "Boss." "Boss, huh?" He kissed her again and slid his hand underneath her now open blouse, palming her nipple and squeezing lightly. "If I do order you around like an employee or a servant, am I going to be hit with a sexual harassment suit?" He bent down slightly and started to nibble on her neck. She bit her lip, eyes slipping closed as his teeth rasped over her skin. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she shifted her hips, teasing the underside of his cock with the light brush of her pubic hair. "Nooo-o-o," she said, shuddering. "I'll even let you spank me if I get out of line. Or hold me down and fuck me into submission." She kissed his the corner of his mouth, tentatively, almost as if seeking permission. "I'll beg you...on my hands and knees." "Mmmm...but then I wouldn't be able to do this then." He crushed her against his torso, kissing her deeply as his hand slid down to cup her ass. "And if I told you to drop to your knees and suck me," he whispered against her mouth, nipping her chin. "Would you do that without hesitation?" She moaned softly, backing off of his lap and sinking to her knees on the expensive carpet. Scooting closer between his thighs, she tucked her hair behind her ears and then reached up to gently caress his balls through his silk boxers. Despite his squirming, she leaned forward and kissed his cock, lapping gently at the head, before sucking him deep in her mouth. Quivering at the taste of him, she used firm suction as she moved her head up and down the length of his cock. She was suddenly reminded of the night she met him, of how nervously she'd explored his body, and the clarity of the memory made her meet his eyes with a loving gaze. Anton looked down at her, panting lightly in time to her bobbing head. She was so beautiful, and he felt very lucky that she was his, even if it was fated to be. The feel of her tongue on his cock was heavenly. Unable to keep from touching her, he gently reached down and threaded his fingers through her hair. And he wanted to touch her more. "Come up here, Bryn. Ride me." She released him from her mouth with a suction pop, panting and watching his cock twitch. She reached for him, not quite sure she could stand at that moment. The moment he grasped under her arms, she pushed up with her feet and quickly crawled on to his lap. Hurrying into position, she coaxed him on to his back and used her hand to guide his cock inside her. "Mmmm! Oh God... So good." He let out a pained sounding grunt, but the expression on his face was pure bliss. One of hands went to her waist, guiding her pace as she started to move on him. The other hand cupped her breast, relishing its weight. "So beautiful, Bryn. God, you're so beautiful!" Her chest swelled at his words, a huge grin lighting up her face. Leaning forward over him, she kissed his mouth hungrily, keeping her movements slow and even, her fingernails scratching at his shirt. She knew time was running short, but she wasn't about to hurry herself. Lilith could always be told they had to tend to Max. Only they would know the truth. Only they would know how desperately she clung to him, pressing herself against his hands, using her muscles to squeeze his cock inside her. How she trembled at the emotion in his voice, telling her so clearly just how much he loved her. His hand traveled over her hip and ended up between her legs. He pressed up with his fingers, stroking her clit with each of her downwards. He knew that Seth was just on the other side of the door, probably waiting impatiently for them to emerge, but he didn't care. All that he cared about was watching Bryn's face as she came. She whimpered, speeding up her hips. "You do realize," she said, teasing his nipples through his shirt, "that I'm going to have your scent on me all night?" He grinned as he arched beneath her, his eyes dilating widely. "And you'll have mine on you." She moved a little faster, her eyebrows knitting together as the pressure of his finger grew stronger. "Mmm...and no one will think twice about touching, because they'll know you're all mine." "As if I'd let them get within three feet of you." He added a circular motion to his fingers, moaning as he watched her shudder. The hand on her breast squeezed and released gently, thumb lightly brushing her nipple. The tingling in his groin grew the faster she moved faster on him. She couldn't seem to stop moaning, her face feeling flushed as she got closer to orgasm. She began pulling harder on his cock, dragging him along with her, tingling all over, as she came. A hard shudder rocked through her and she gasped, her sex rippling around his cock. Star bursts exploded behind her eyelids and her hands tightened on his biceps. Bryn continued to ride him hard, urging his climax and relishing the moment when his hips lifted her off the bed. Anton exploded in her, grabbing her hips and holding him tight against her groin as she clenched around his cock. He let out a strangled groan as he sat down on the bed, pressing his forehead into where her shoulder met her neck. "Love you, Bryn," he whispered softly. "Love you so much." She smiled, hugging him tightly. Whenever she was in his arms, she felt the world could stop spinning around them and she wouldn't even notice. "I love you, too, Anton. So very much." She looked at Max, over his shoulder, and saw that the baby was busily sucking on his fist. "And I love the son you've given me." She sat back a bit, lifting his chin so she could kiss his mouth. Lingering against his lips. He squeezed her tightly, keeping his mouth pressed against hers. Anton let out a contented sigh as he opened his eyes. "I want to stay like this for the rest of the day, Bryn. You, me, and Max together like this. But I'm afraid that we'll be wanted soon." As if to confirm his statement, there was a soft knock on the door. "Fifteen minutes, Mr. Rudenko," came Seth's voice through the door. Bryn rubbed his chest through his shirt, smiling softly at him. "I have an idea. Just give me five minutes. In the meantime, get naked and prepare to raid the minibar." He opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but she pressed her finger to her lips in a signal to be quiet. Sliding off his lap, she smoothed her skirt down as much as she could (it was now wrinkled, due to being bunched around her waist), buttoned up her blouse enough to look decent, and walked towards the door. She opened the door, looking for Seth, and jumped when she realized he was leaning against the wall right next to the door. He couldn't have heard them, given that the bedroom was at the opposite end of the suite, but he still gave her the creeps. Stepping outside the door, she let it close while holding the handle so she wouldn't be locked out. Seth frowned, noticing her slightly disheveled appearance and the fact that she was alone. "Is Mr. Rudenko still dressing?" "No, I'm sorry, he's not. I'd like to request that give our regrets to Lilith. Our son isn't feeling well, after the flight. In fact he has a very messy...well, he has diarrhea. A very bad case of it. His diapers are leaking, and my husband is beside himself with worry. I know that I could stay here and take care of Maxim myself, but I really don't think Anton would be able to accomplish anything in this state. We're both very sorry. I'm sure that a woman as wise as Lilith would understand." The assistant stared at her, his nose wrinkled. "I'll give her the message...and I'll call a pharmacy to see if anything can be sent to your room to relieve the problem." Bryn placed her hand over her chest, her eyes wide with gratitude. "Oh, thank you so much. I'm so very grateful to you." He nodded, hurriedly walking away, as if she were the one leaking diarrhea. She waited until he rounded the corner and then smiled to herself, opening the door and stepping back in the hotel room. "The problem's been taken care of, my love." "Really, my dear. How?" "I told Seth that Max wasn't feeling well, and you couldn't keep your mind on your work while Max was sick." Anton raised his eyebrows. "And Seth bought it? Well, done, my dear." He slowly applauded while he walked towards her, still wearing his unbuttoned shirt. She smiled, feigning a curtsy. "Anything for you, sugar. Although, if Lilith asks you about exploding diapers the next time we see her, you have to tell her that it was an awful experience you'd never want to go through again. Maybe add in something about how traumatized you still are." Anton broke out into a loud guffaw. "I'll brush up on my acting abilities, my dear. And I had no idea that you were so devious." He gently stroked one finger up and down her arm. "Now, I do believe you had a request earlier that had to do with my tie and making you scream, my dear. Now that we have time to ourselves, what do you say we put Max in the crib, and I fulfill that request." She moaned, squirming where she stood, and grabbed his wrist, bringing his finger up to her face. "That sounds absolutely wonderful to me, sugar." Sucking his finger into her mouth, she pulled firmly on it as she watched his face. After a moment, she had to laugh at his renewed arousal. She let go of his hand, reaching up to kiss his mouth instead. "What are you going to do to me? Spank me? Tickle me? Make me lick and suck you all over?" He grinned, his hands stroking over her shoulders. "Maybe, my dear. And maybe I'll just make you wait to find out." He began to unbutton her blouse, letting the back of his fingers brush over her breasts. "Of course," he mused, "I'd listen to special requests." Pulling the blouse down her arms, he let it drop to the floor before slowly undoing the knot holding his tie in place, deliberately teasing her. Bryn bit her lip and whimpered again. Deciding to make herself useful, but definitely still watching him, she walked over and picked up Max, holding the baby close. She kissed her son's forehead, smiling at his sleepy eyes, and gently rubbed his back as she carried him to the portable crib Anton had set up. "I'll see you in about an hour, when you decide to serenade us for your dinner, sweet pea." Settling him in the crib, she tucked his blanket over him. Then she turned to face Anton, a smile on her face. He was still toying with his tie. "You need some help with that, sugar? I'll be glad to lend a hand...or two." He gave her a devilish grin. "No, my dear, that won't be necessary." With a swift movement, he pulled the loose tie off his neck, cracking it like a whip. His cock twitched at the small jump she made at the sound. "I want you to stand in the middle of the room, hands behind your back." She let out a shuddering breath, holding his gaze. Even though she'd asked him to do this, she was incredibly nervous. Trembling. She hoped he didn't mistake the sudden moisture in her eyes for fear or regret. That wasn't the case at all. No, it was acceptance she felt, overwhelming gratitude to him, for being the only one she'd ever give this much of herself to. The only one she trusted this much. She licked her lips, backing up a few steps, then slowly turned her back to him and pressed her wrists together behind her. Anton walked up behind her, making sure she could hear his footfalls. He gently bent down to whisper in her ear. "If this gets too intense, Bryn, say my middle name, and I'll untie you immediately." As he kissed and at the tip of her ear, Anton slowly looped his tie over her wrists, tightly enough to hold them immobile, but loose enough so he wouldn't cut off her circulation. He ran his tongue around the outside rim of her ear and down before stopping to suck on the spot where her neck and shoulder met. Eyes fluttering closed, she tilted her head away from him, giving him better access to her skin. He was so warm and reassuring, his touch so gentle, that she couldn't help but melt against him. His cock pressed against her lower back and she could feel the hair on his thighs against her fingers. She reached out as far as she could behind her, delicately scraping at his inner thighs with her fingernails. He stepped back from her reach. "Uh uh uh, my dear." He walked around so she could look at him. Reaching out, he stroked the back of his fingers down her cheek. "You only get to touch me when I allow it. Me, on the other hand..." he said as his fingers slid down her neck and along the outer curve of her breast. He stepped near enough just to kiss her, nipping on her upper lip as his palm gently cupped her breast. She shivered delicately, leaning into his kiss only to have his free hand push her back into place. Whimpering softly, she decided that if she couldn't touch him at least she could kiss him. As he moved closer to press his lips to hers once more, she opened her mouth and nipped at his lips...yet before she could suck his bottom lip into her mouth, he pulled away again. "Mmm! Anton, please?" He shook his head. "Don't make me gag you, too," he said, teasingly. "At least let me kiss you? You taste so good." "Only if you behave." He stepped forward again, cupping her head in his hand to hold her in place. His tongue gently parted her lips and he explored her mouth, letting her suck lightly on him. But when he pulled back, she leaned forward, following his mouth. "Bryn," he said warningly. "Mmmph..." She squirmed, pressing one foot on top of the other, then rubbed her thighs together, unable to stand still for a second. The sight of his erect cock had her mouth watering. "Can I at least take my shoes off?" He looked down at her burgundy suede strappy heels, so tall her calves looked like rocks, and shook his head. "No, I think those are the one thing you'll have to keep on." "What are you going to do to me?" Anton started to nip her neck again, "I'll let you know when I decide, my dear. But let me assure you, it will be long, slow, and very sensual." He squeezed her breast again, but pulled back when Bryn rubbed her stomach against his cock. "Wait here," he said firmly. Walking back to the suitcase, he rummaged in it and pulled out another tie. He turned around, and jumped slightly when he found that Bryn had somehow quietly followed him. He gave her a wicked grin. "Don't say I didn't warn you to behave," Anton said, lifting the tie to cover her eyes. She felt the air shifting around her as he moved behind her back to secure the tie. Suddenly she realized he could do anything now. He could open the curtains and press her naked body against the glass, exposing her for all to see. Similarly, he could open the door to their hotel room, allowing anyone who passed to hear her frantic moans of pleasure. If he wanted, he could make her walk naked in the hallway. But she trusted him not to. She trusted him to do nothing less than bring her to the height of passion and then catch her as she fell. Naked and powerless, blind to the world, she stood obediently still and awaited his next move. "Now that's more like it, my dear," he said, giving her a smile that he knew she couldn't see. He reached out and placed a hand on her hip, grinning when she jumped slightly. He sat down on the bed, pulling her until she was standing between his spread legs. "This is part of what I had in mind," he said, leaning forward to take one of her nipples between his lips. He nipped and tugged at her, relishing the little whimpers she was giving. She tugged against her restraint, wanting desperately to thread her fingers through his hair, clutching handfuls, in need of something to hang on to. She could feel her milk let down and the simultaneously moan Anton released as he tasted her. He sucked harder on her nipple, causing a sharp spike of pleasure to shoot straight to her sex. "Oh God, Anton! I want you so much." "Soon, Bryn. Soon." Anton leaned over to lap at the dribble of milk spilling from her other nipple. And then he slowly started to lap his way down towards her sex. He shook his head when she spread her legs wider in anticipation. He was glad that she was blindfolded and couldn't see the playful glint in his eyes. Standing up suddenly, he grabbed her bound arms and tugged, making her fall forward onto the mattress. With another smooth move, he slipped between her legs, cock poised at the entrance of her sex. But he didn't lunge forward. He stood there, breathing heavily, barely touching her, hand firmly holding her arms so she couldn't squirm backwards or forwards. Teasing himself as much as her. She let out a choked moan and shoved her knees hard against the mattress, trying to shove her ass backward and impale herself on his cock. She screeched in frustration as he pushed her back down just as forcefully. "Uhhh! That's not fair!" When her ploy wouldn't work, she tilted her hips forward instead, lifting her ass up so he could clearly see her sex, rocking her pelvis continuously. "Mmm...you know you want to. Can't you see how wet I'm getting?" She lifted her hips a bit more, purposefully opening and closing the mouth of her sex. "I can squeeze you really hard." "I might have to get out another tie and gag you if you're not quiet, Bryn," he warned. She didn't know how close he was to losing control and fucking her. He rested his hand lightly on the small of her back, and then stroke down to squeeze one round ass cheek. "Or I could put something else in your mouth to keep you quiet." He leaned over her back to whisper in her ear. "This is where you get to say what you want, my dear. So where do you want me? In your mouth? In your sex? Up your ass?" "Ahh...mm yes, yes, and yes." She could feel the length of his cock sliding over the cleft of her ass as he leaned over her, and couldn't help squirming below him. She tried to subtly open her hands and grasp his balls, but he used his weight to keep her from moving. His breath was hot and moist against her ear, and couldn't help but turn her head towards his mouth. "All of it, I want you so much, I don't care where or how, just do something, now, please, I'm going crazy!" He chuckled in her ear, pulling away from her mouth. "Soon, my dear. Soon." Pulling back from and standing up, he nudged her legs wider apart. He knelt down and looked at her sex. Close enough for her to feel his breath on her, but not touching. And when he did reach out, it was to rub a tiny circle at the base of her spine. Watching her grow wetter all the while. Not quite able to catch her breath, she swiveled her hips, trying to rub herself against the mattress, and having very little effect. When he touched her, to draw the circle on her back, she jumped as if she'd been electrocuted. She was all too reminded of how much she loved looking at him, watching his face as they made love, reading his thoughts through his eyes. Now that she was blind she had to rely more on her sense of touch, and her hearing. Although, he seemed to like being quiet as possible. Liked to startle and shock her. Strangely enough, she liked it, too. "Touch me, Anton. Rub my clit, please?" "Soon, my dear." He knew she was probably tired of hearing that, but he wasn't ready to touch her there yet. Standing up he walked over to the minibar and pulled something out of the half size refrigerator. Walking back, he looked at her, splayed on her belly. He was ready to take her again, but he wanted to tease her a bit more first. "Move your hands as high up along your back as you can, my dear." Once they were up higher, he stroked the ice cube he was carrying from the middle of her spine to just above the cleft of her ass. Bryn squealed, nearly loud enough to wake the baby...who let out a few small cries before drifting back to dreamland. Panting, Bryn lifted her ass into the air. She could feel a gush of moisture between her legs and wanted so much for him to lean in and lap at her with his tongue. "Oh Gawd, Anton! Please! My clit is aching for you." She whimpered again, rocking her hips. "It hurts..." "Shhh..." he whispered. Anton dipped his fingers into the pool of melt water on her back, spreading it over her skin. Once his fingers were cool, he trailed them down her spine and over the cleft of her ass, stopping on her perineum and lightly stroking up and down, licking his lips as he watched her squirm. His cock was throbbing as badly as her clit, but he wasn't ready to soothe the ache for them, yet. She let out a soft sob, pulling against the tie that bound her. Despite her best intentions, she was starting to get fed up...and a bit nervous. She hadn't felt so powerless in a very long time. As much as she trusted Anton, there was a lingering feeling that this had happened before--that she had once been almost paralyzed, unable to move even her eyelashes, useless to stop whatever they did to her. Maybe it was a dream or something she'd experienced in another lifetime. But she had a very bad feeling that it was something that happened to her in those hours she'd lost during her abduction. Whimpering, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She hated the slightly choked sound of her voice as she said, "Anton...please..." "Shhhh..." he whispered soothingly. He heard the change in tone in her voice, something he had been expecting to hear. It wasn't a reflection of her trust for him at all. They were both emotionally hyped before the council meeting, and this was adding to it. Giving into her pleas, he pushed his cock inside of her. He leaned down against her back, kissing her jaw. She hadn't said their safe word and was doing so well, but he didn't want to push her limits. "Do you want me to take off the blindfold, Bryn?" She shook her head and swallowed. "No, I'm sorry...I didn't..." She opened up her hands, splaying them against his belly, comforted by the sound of his breathing. "I didn't mean for you to stop. I just want you to talk to me, or hold me. Just let me know you're still here." Her breathing was slowly returning to normal, instead of the panicked breaths she'd only been able to manage a few minutes ago. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think I don't trust you, because I do, more than anything, and I love you so much. But...it was easy to start thinking that you were gone and someone else was here..." She was relieved when his tie soaked up the sudden rush of tears. "I'm sorry, Anton. I'm so sorry." "It's okay, Bryn." He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and her neck. "It can be very frightening, giving so much control over to someone else, no matter how much you trust them." He kissed her neck again, flexing his hips once. "The first time I was tied up, with Annaliese, there's no other way to put it. I freaked out, even though I trusted her with my life. It's perfectly normal to be scared the first time." he said, lightly stroking her shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Bryn." His words, softly spoken close to her ear, were like a magic spell, flooding relief throughout her body. She had felt a momentary spark of jealousy when he talked about being tied up by Annaliese, but quickly reminded herself that it was *her* he was talking about. She just couldn't remember it. The light thrust he gave inside of her made her quiver and respond with a gentle squeeze. Licking her lips, she subtly shifted against his body. "Make love to me, Anton." "Yes, my dear." He started to nip her neck, running his tongue around the scar on her neck, slowly moving his hips. He lifted her hips so he could cup between her legs while thrusting. She felt tight and hot and wet, and her fingers lightly scratched over his stomach. He moved slowly, trying to recapture some of the earlier intensity. Bryn bit her lip, moaning deep in her throat. She felt a bit embarrassed, now that she realized how silly she'd been acting. Hopefully her cheeks weren't as pink as they felt...or at least, maybe, Anton would mistake it for being flushed with desire. Not that she wasn't. His touch had a mystery about it--able to calm her until she was drowsy with relaxation; able to comfort her when she was scared; willing and able to arouse her until she couldn't control herself. She distinctly remembered waking one night, so close to orgasm that she could taste it, all because his hand was laying, immobile in sleep, at the top of her inner thigh. The memory made her tighten around his cock, her hips rocking in counter-rhythm to his thrusts. Anton let out a low rumble, speeding up his thrusts. "Mmmmm..." He carefully worked his fingers between the lips of her sex to caress her clit. He let out a surprised cry when she bucked beneath him. "Easy, my dear," he said, kissing her ear. "Is this what you've been wanting?" She nodded frantically, her knees bent and feet in the air. Her legs spread wider, ass lifting, giving his fingers as much room to move as possible. It would be so much easier to get the stimulation she needed if she could back herself into his thrusts, but she had to settle for what she could get. "Ohhh...your cock feels so good. So damned big fucking my cunt. You get me so wet. Sometimes...in the evening...when we have a quickie before work...I'll lie there and feel your cum dribbling out of me. And--mmm!--I'll gather it on my fingers and massage it into my breasts, my stomach, my thighs..." Anton let out a long groan at her words. His pace picked up so he was shoving her up the bed with each move. His fingers rubbed over her clit more firmly in rapid circles. 'Ah, God, Bryn, you're so tight. I feel like I'm splitting you wide open..." The tingling was building in his groin, starting to radiate through his body. "Ohhh...uh uh uh oh God yes!" She screamed, her calves and thighs flexing, clenching, as she shuddered into climax. Her body bowed beneath him, lifting him. Tightening almost impossibly around his cock and wringing his orgasm out of his body. He let out a loud yell as he came, and then sank against her. But he wasn't done with her yet. He undid the tie around her hands, ignoring her noise of protest as he pulled his cock out of her. He rolled her over onto her back and lifted the tie off her eyes, because he wanted her to see this. Sliding his fingers to catch some of his cum dribbling out of her, he spread the smear onto her belly. He gently kneaded her skin, massaging his cum into her stomach. Bending her knees and bracing her heels on the bed, she whimpered softly as she watched his large hand smooth over her stomach. Her sex was still quivering, and she jumped as his hand slipped between her legs once more. He gently rubbed her clit, making her moan and squirm, lifting herself against his hand, before he gathered more of his semen and went to work on her thighs. Bryn panted, so happy to be able to see his face. Reaching for him, where he stood between her legs, she grabbed his softening cock and lightly stroked it, tugging gently. "Come up here. I want to taste you." He shivered, still sensitive from his orgasm. Moving to lay next to her on his side, he gently ran his finger over her lips before kissing her once lightly. She waited for him to release her gentle grip on his cock before straddling her shoulders, keeping his weight on his knees. Breathing heavily, his eyes were closed, waiting for her first touch. Lifting up on her elbows, Bryn opened her mouth and slid her tongue over the head of his cock. Without her grip on him, it easily slid to the side, but she'd stimulated him enough to make him jump. Deciding on a more direct approach, she opened her mouth widely around the head and sucked it inside, swirling her tongue around him, her eyes slipping closed as his hand cupped the back of her head. "Mmmm..." He let out another moan as she gently sucked on him. He tilted forward some and rested an arm against the wall to support his weight. He let his head drop against his chest, breathing heavily as she continued to lap at him. Anton squeezed her head lightly, whispering. "Bryn." Grasping the back of his thighs for support, she lifted up a bit more, pulling him further into her mouth, sucking hungrily. He tasted wonderful, the flavor of his semen so familiar and almost comforting. She always knew she was safe with Anton, that she could be herself and give him as much of herself as possible. Her earlier lapse...well, she didn't want to think about it. Lifting her hand a little further, she gently squeezed his ass, her fingers teasing the cleft, before dipping down to stroke his perineum. A shudder ran through him as he trembled in her hands It was amazing how fast she had turned the tables on him. A few minutes ago she had been quivering in pleasure from an orgasm, and now she was making him squirm as she teased his ass. "God, Bryn, you are amazing." He'd been steadily hardening in her mouth ever since she started sucking on him. Now, as she pulled back to look at him, he was almost completely erect again. Stroking her hand up and down his saliva-wet shaft, she looked up to meet his gaze. "I want to be able to touch you and kiss you...to wrap my legs around you. I need you, Anton. So much." He looked down at her, panting as he stared at her swollen lips. He backed away from her, moving down to lay along her body. His arms went around her back, crushing her against him. Pulling one of her legs over his hip, he nudged his cock back inside of her before taking her mouth in a fierce kiss. Bryn responded eagerly, pulling herself as tight against him as possible, wrapping her arms around his neck. It felt so incredibly good to touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin, the smoothness of his back, the solid muscles of his shoulders. His tongue was hot and agile, teasing hers, and she melted against his mouth. Tugging him along with her, she rolled on to her back, breaking away from his kiss as he settled on top of her, and moaning at the sensation of being pressed into the mattress. It felt so good to be covered by him, sheltered, and able feel his cock pressed so deeply in her sex. "Oh Anton...this feels so good." She squeezed him repeatedly, adjusting once again to being so fully stretched by him. "I love you so much. I feel so safe when I'm with you. You know exactly how to love me, and I'm grateful for you. So grateful to you." He lifted up so he could look at her. "You don't have a clue, do you, Bryn?" He gently stroked a lock of her hair back out of her eyes. "It's your love that makes me whole, Bryn. That heals me." He pressed his lips to her forehead swallowing. "I am so grateful that you love me, Bryn." His hips twitched, driving his cock as far into her as he could get. She gasped, her back arching. "Mmm." She started to rock her hips below him, gently working her sex up and down against the head of his cock. It felt good to her, and she could tell by his face that it felt fantastic to him. Lifting her legs, she grabbed below her knees, and brought her thighs as close to her chest as she could, shifting him inside her. Then, panting, she started tilting her hips again. She smiled brightly at him. "Feels so good." He couldn't help but smile back at her. She was gripping him tightly again, and he was honestly surprised that he was able to perform for her. But he pushed that thought aside as he shifted slightly so he could palm her nipple, his fingers curving over the swell of her breast. "You feel wonderful," he moaned. She licked her lips, watching his hand. With the angle he was at, she could see their groins tightly pressed together, her sex moving against him like a well lubed piston. "Not to sound...conceited...but we look beautiful...together. I think we need to...tape our lovemaking more often." She swallowed, in between panting. "And then maybe we can tape us...watching one of our tapes...and making love all over again." "That...is a...wonderful...idea." He reached down and began stroking her clit again, biting his lower lip at how tight she gripped him. "Maybe also...tape you...in the shower...with that...detachable showerhead?" She let out a startled giggle, even as she shuddered at the touch of his fingers. Grinning at him, she said, "Anytime you want. I'll even let you...tape me while I fuck myself...with my fingers. Mmm. And maybe you can use...your fingers on me, too." She cried out, moving her hips more aggressively. Just the thought of filming herself like that made her squirm. "I'd let you get the camera really...close if you want to." "I'd like that." His thrusts took on a new urgency. "And do you... want to... film me... stroking myself? Have camera...at groin level...as you...blow me?" He added a side to side motion, trying to bring her off, because he wasn't sure how much longer he could last. "Or just a... close up... as I cum?" "Oh! God, yes, all of it!" Her voice became whinier, the closer to orgasm she got. "Mmm, sugar...I want to watch myself...make you cum over and over...again." She pressed her hand down harder on top of his, adding more intense stroking to her ultra-sensitive clit. It only took a few more thrusts before she squealed, clutching his cock as she spasmed around him. "Ah ah Anton!" "Sabryn!" he hissed as she clenched around him. He came again, sweet release flooding through him as he collapsed against his wife. Eyes shut and surrounded by her scent, he could easily fall asleep on her, perfectly content. Until he heard Max's little whimpers, the precursors of a full blown cry. With a sigh, he got off of Bryn. "Sounds like he's ready to be fed, right on schedule." Still panting, sweating, Bryn groaned. She rolled on to her side, wrapping her arms around Anton and squeezing. "He can wait a minute or two. I just want to be held for a little while. I feel...I don't know what I feel, I guess, but I don't like it." She shook her head. "I think I'm just nervous, about tonight." "I am too, Bryn." He tightened his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I am too, Bryn. But remember this. No matter what the Council says, I am not leaving you, and I will not let them hurt Max. I will protect both of you with my life, if it comes down to that." She clutched his shoulders from behind, crushing herself against him. "That's what I'm worried about. I know you'll protect Max. I've never doubted that. But there're seven of them and only one of you. What--what would I ever do without you? You're my life, Anton. I wouldn't..." She swallowed heavily. "I couldn't even go home if they wanted Max that much. And I wouldn't want to. I wouldn't know where to turn. We've never even discussed that kind of thing." He gently stroked her cheek, fingers lingering against her temple. "No, we haven't. It's the possibility I didn't want to contemplate, Bryn." And the fact that if he were dead, there would be very little she could do to keep Max from the Council. "Nathaniel and Mack would be able to help you, but I don't think it will come to that. But it is something we should plan for." "No, Nathaniel and Mack would be the first people the Council would look to if I were missing." She sat up as Max's volume increased, slipping off the bed to make her way to the crib. Picking up their beautiful baby, she kissed him and held him close to her body as she swayed on her feet. "I'm sorry, Max. It's okay. Come on, sweet pea, let's get you fed." He continued to cry as she walked back to the bed, but as she settled against the pillows Anton had propped up for her, and cradled Max onto his back, his crying stopped abruptly as he eagerly latched on to her nipple. Bryn stroked his soft, dark hair and let her eyes slip closed. "We have to do this, Anton. We have to talk about this and make plans, because I don't want to chance something happening and having nowhere to go." Anton nodded. With a heavy sigh, he sat up and walked over to where his slacks had been carelessly tossed aside and pulled out his wallet. Flipping it open, he pulled out a small piece of paper with a phone number on it. "This is a phone number of a lawyer I keep on retainer. He tends to do a lot of business in gray zones. Identify yourself as the wife of D. Tepes, and tell him about the scar on my chest and the mole on my hip. He will be able to give you access to accounts and properties I have under various pseudonyms that the Council doesn't know about. It will give you a hiding place to run to." He gently stroked her hair. "I'm sorry I haven't told you about this before, Bryn. It's a fall back for the worst case scenario. I should have told you about it much sooner." She looked at the long string of numbers, noting that it wasn't an American area code. The idea of him having money and properties that had been hidden from her should've bothered her, but it didn't. She was glad he'd planned ahead. Leaning against him, she took a deep breath and slow released it. "D. Tepes? Should I introduce myself as Mina or Elisabeta?" He gave her a small smile, glad that she understood. "Actually, I was thinking Lucy." He pressed his lips to her temple. "Hopefully it's something you'll never have to use. It's not the kind of life I want for you or Max." Her gaze somber, she murmured, "You see me as a Lucy?" Although he smiled, it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I was kidding. Use whatever name you'd like." She let out a soft sigh, snuggling closer to him. "This will never be an issue, okay? I won't let you get away from me that easily. Even if I have to stake every member of the Council myself. I'm not losing you. I'm not losing Max..." She paused, a small smile curving her lips. "Or the baby growing inside me." "Baby in side of you?" His eyes widened. "You're pregnant? Already?" A huge smile spread across his face. He let out a whoop of pure joy, clutching Bryn tight against his chest. He would have picked her up and swung her around the room if she hadn't been nursing Max. Instead he tilted her head back and kissed her soundly. "How long have you known?" She blinked past the tears suddenly streaming down her face. [Oh my God, I've waited so long for that reaction...] "Oh Anton, that the most beautiful smile I've ever seen in my life." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Bryn, how far along are you? I thought you wouldn't be able to get pregnant while you were nursing." He kissed her again. "I don't believe it, my dear. It seems almost too soon." "No, sugar, wait." She reached for his hand, clutching it tightly. "I--I don't know for sure. I wasn't able to get an appointment with Dr. Anne yet, but it's a very strong feeling I have. I mean, I don't get sick on planes. And I'm getting moodier...I just don't want you to get your hopes up yet." She paused, glancing at the clock. "Maybe somehow we could get a pregnancy test and try it. Those things aren't a hundred-percent accurate, but they're close. I just wanted you to know that it's a possibility. Hopefully a strong one." "I hope so too, Bryn." He kissed her again. "We'll get you one of those tests right away. And we can call in a little while and make an appointment with Dr. Anne for as soon as we return." He pressed his forehead against hers, looking down at Max and then back at her. "And if you aren't, if this is a false alarm, we'll keep trying." She nodded, sniffling. "I'm so...grateful that you're happy about this. I know you were about Max, too, and it was because of Alexandra that you couldn't express that right away, but--" She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. "I'm just so happy." She let out a small sob. "I love you so much. I love you more than you could ever possibly imagine." "I love you too, Bryn. More than you'll ever know." He kissed her lips, lingering close, a hand resting on the one of hers holding Max. "We'll not tell the Council about this. Not until we're absolutely sure. And I won't let them take Max away and I sure as hell won't let them separate us. Not now, not ever." She nodded again, wiping her face dry. Max stopped feeding and looked up at them, his head slightly tilted, as if wondering what all the fuss was about. Bryn let out a soft laugh, lifting him up so she could kiss his nose. "I love you, my sweet pea." Other than waving his arms, which he always did, Max had no comment. Smiling, Bryn settled him on her shoulder and began lightly patting his back. Meeting Anton's gaze over their son's head, she murmured, "I hope this is okay with Max. I feel a little guilty for not giving him more time alone with us." "I'm sure he'll be happy to have a little brother. Or sister." He gently stroked Max's cheek with his fingers. "And I'm sure we'll spoil Max just as much with a sibling as we would without." He leaned back against the headboard, pulling Bryn with him. "If the test comes back positive, do you want to tell your family when we see them?" "Uh...I'm not sure. I mean, I know they'll be happy, but I can just imagine the look on their faces when they realize that it's only been two months since Max was born. I guess we're probably going to get that reaction from everyone, though." She was quiet for a moment, then said, "You know what? Screw them. I'm going to tell everyone. I don't care what they say. I love you, and I love your babies. And I'm so proud that I'm the one who can share this with you. If I'm feeling bold, I may just shout it from the rooftops." "And I will be on the roof with you, holding the megaphone for you to shout through. When I'm not using it myself." He pressed his lips to her hair. "And let them think what they want. All that matters is that this child was conceived in love. Just like his or her brother." He wore a small grin on his face, and Anton didn't think anything would wipe it away. Not even facing the Council tomorrow night. As Max let out a small burp, Bryn rubbed his back and leaned closer to Anton. "Will you sing my song for me, sugar?" He nodded, sitting up a little straighter. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, m'dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." He kissed the bridge of her nose. She smiled at him, then urged him to lay down. Once he was lying on his back, she settled Max on his stomach, rubbing his back, and snuggled up at Anton's side, her head on his shoulder. "We should get some sleep, so we can get that test before it's time for your meeting." Grabbing the covers, she tucked them over all of them and wrapped her arms tightly around Anton. Softly meeting his lips. "Good night, my love." He kissed her forehead and her lips. "Good night, my dear. My wife." He rested one hand on Max's back, one hand wrapped around Bryn's side. Despite his uncertainty about the Council meeting, he couldn't remember feeling this content in a long time. Nate turned down the radio and reached for Lindy's hand, aware that they were only a few blocks away from the warehouse. This would be her first official day back to work, and he wasn't quite sure if she was nervous--but he certainly was. He'd have to have a long talk with the building's security guards before he left. As things were, he wasn't at all confident in Lindy's safety. He even toyed with the idea of following her around all day like a shadow. But he had a feeling she'd deck after less than an hour. Glancing over at his wife, he once again felt a strong stirring of arousal. She was all dressed up, make-up in place, hair lightly curled and wearing heels. He'd be damned if he let something happen to her. "How ya feeling, baby?" "Okay, I think." She tapped her fingers nervously against her thigh. Her stomach had been in knots earlier. Mostly because she had been worried that she'd freak out in front of her husband when they drove past the spot where she had been abducted. But that would be okay, she reminded herself. Nate wouldn't hold it against her if she did. And she had maintained her composure, other than taking Nate's hand and squeezing it as they passed. "Do you want to come in for a few minutes when we get there?" "Yes, I do. I'm going to talk to the guards and I'd like to check out the place myself. I'm not leaving you until I'm sure you're safe." Slowing down, he turned on to the road to the warehouse. "I really would've rather Anton had been here on your first day back, but I guess that's not a possibility. You did pack your lunch, right? I don't want you going out anywhere." She held up the paper bag that had been sitting by her purse. "Yes, Dad. I also remembered my milk money." She giggled a little at the frown he gave her. "Nate, I don't think that Marrok will try anything when so many people are around. Anyone who's a stranger at the warehouse sticks out like a sore thumb." She began tapping her fingers again. "Although I can't say that I'm ready to go back." "Say the word, Lind, and I'll turn the car around." He stared at her, the car almost swerving off the road without his attention. "Nate! Watch the road!" Lindy reached for the wheel, reminding him to stay on the blacktop. She sighed, shaking her head. "I--I'll be fine. I'm just nervous. It's been a long time since I've been here. I was hoping for more time to get used to the idea of going back to work." "Do you want me to stay with you today? I don't think your parent's would mind watch Liam. Or, if you'd rather, I can pick up Liam after you've gotten settled and bring him here. I'll do whatever I can to make you feel safe, Lind." He squeezed her hand even tighter, lifting it to kiss the back. "I want you to remember that this is only for a few days. Until you decide whether or not you to stay. Because you don't have to have a job, baby. We don't need the money. And I don't want you working here if you're uncomfortable." "I know, Nate. But part of me really misses it. I love my job, and part of me is really angry at Marrok for making me afraid." She looked out the window, watching an airplane fly in overhead. "I know when you fall off a horse, you're supposed to get right back on it. Well, I have a tendency to run away instead. But not this time. I'm not going to let him control my life." She looked over at Nate, unable to keep the pleading out of her voice. "But would you stay with me, for a few hours at least?" "Of course. I was planning on doing that whether or not you wanted me to." He gave her a small grin. Releasing her hand for the moment, he pulled into a parking spot near the loading dock and turned off the engine. "Stay here. I'll open your door." Pulling the keys from the ignition, he opened the door and pressed the lock button. Lindy was about to make a comment about that, but he closed the door too quickly. She pulled the sun visor down, checking her make-up again and discreetly watching Nate walk around the back of the car. Pushing the visor back out of the way, she swallowed heavily and picked up her bags. Taking a few deep breaths, she listened as Nate unlocked her door with his keys. He reached out his hand for her to take, not about to take no for an answer. "The parking lot's clear, and I can see one of the guards from here. Hang on to my hand and lock the door as you get out." She nodded, feeling a bit silly. This was where she worked after all. But she had to remind herself that Bryn's SUV's brakes had been cut. Suddenly not feeling silly, she took his hand and locked the door as she stepped out of the car. The walk across the parking lot was uneventful. She greeted Steve, who was on duty for the evening. "Welcome back, Lindy. Good to see you after so long." "Thanks, Steve," she said. "I don't think you've met my husband, Nathaniel." "Actually, yes we have. We spoke earlier on the phone," Nate said as he shook Steve's hand. He ignored the amused glance Lindy sent in his direction. "It's nice to put a face to the voice. Do you have time for the inspection now?" "Sure. I'll go tell Pat to keep an eye on the lot." As the guard walked back to his station, Lindy arched an eyebrow at Nate. "Inspection?" "I told you I want to check out the place, make sure everything is covered." "Am I supposed to come with you?" "No. You're going to stay here with the other--with Pat. It should only take a few minutes. Then we can go upstairs." "Are you sure you don't want to check the roof?" she asked, playfully. "You never know, someone could fly up there and break his way in to the fire escape." He gave her a dark stare. "On second thought, may I *will* check out the roof. Thanks for the reminder." She raised her eyebrows at him. "Okay," she said. He was taking this so serious, and she started to wonder if she should as well. Maybe she should be more cautious. "Do you really think that Marrok will try something here?" "If he's stupid enough. But I'm not anticipating anything. Just being prepared." Looking over her shoulder, he noticed Steve returning with two flashlights. Running his fingers over Lindy's hair, Nate pulled her closer and softly kissed her. "We'll be back in a few minutes." He dug in his pocket until he pulled out a handful of change. "Why don't you take this and go get something at the vending machine? I'll have a Coke." She nodded, accepting the change and squeezing two of his fingers with hers. "See you in a few." "Okay." He watched her walk away with a mix of fondness and unease. She still looked a little green, but hopefully she would calm down soon. He reminded himself that he was probably part of the cause, but he was determined to make sure the building was secure. Accepting a flashlight from Steve, he followed the guard outside. He was shown that loading dock doors were closed and locked securely by an automated system at exactly 11:01 every night. Until then, one of the guards was always stationed nearby, while the other manned the security cameras and did rounds in the parking lot. After 11:00, when even most of the late-working employees went home, all of the doors were locked and the building was only accessible by using an encoded passcard and checking in with the guards. Steve showed Nate that all of the doors, even the fire escapes, were secured tight from the inside and would almost be impossible to break down. The metal doors resisted the strikes of an ax, and crowbars could not find purchase in the door jam. When asked what happened during a fire, Steve said that an alarm would immediately sound at the local fire station and inside the building itself. Thirty seconds were allowed for expensive antiques to be covered, or for the alarm to be deactivated. After that, instead of standard sprinklers in the ceiling of each room, the building was equipped to release a fire-retardant spray. It was gaseous, inflammable, and would not damage the majority of stock. "What about the employees? It can't be good breathing this stuff in." "The employees are instructed to vacate the building as soon as they're able. We have fire drills quarterly, to make sure everyone knows where the exits are." Nate wasn't so sure he liked that. There was always a chance that a fire could be set exactly for that reason--to lure someone outside where they were vulnerable. Still, there wasn't a lot that could be done about it. Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, "How soon do the police or fire department show up in an emergency?" "Averages about eight minutes for the fire trucks to get here, and ten to twelve for the cops." He didn't like that, either. A lot could happen in twelve minutes. "How long have you been working in the security business, Steve?" "Four years now, here. Three for my previous employer--they went out of business." "Ever had to use your gun?" Steve frowned. "No. I've never even pulled it." Nate mentally swore. [God help Lindy if she gets in trouble.] "I guess we better get back inside. I'm keeping you from doing your job." He held out his hand to shake. "Thanks for the tour." Lindy, meanwhile, had gotten both Nate and her a Coke. She walked back to the station and leaned against it. "So, Pat, what's been going on here?" "Nothing much, Lindy. Other than the boss getting called out of town and you taking time off, it's been rather uneventful here." He took a sip of coffee from the Styrofoam cup on his desk. "So you took some time off to be with your son?" "Yeah," Lindy said, remembering the cover story they had prearranged. "He was having some trouble adjusting, so we thought it best if I stayed with him for a while." She looked up when at Nate and Steve returning from their tour. "How'd it go?" "All systems go," Nate said, even though he still didn't sound exactly thrilled by the situation. Accepting his coke from Lindy, he popped the top and took a long drink. Not bothering to hide his belch when he was done. He quickly introduced himself to Pat, who didn't look quite as amused by him as Steve did, then glanced at the clock. "You ready to go upstairs, Lind?" Lindy gave him an indulgent smile. "Yeah, let's go." Arm in arm, they headed off to the elevator. She couldn't quite get over how quiet it was late at night. She had always been on late morning to early evening, a visible presence when Anton couldn't be around. So she couldn't help but look at the various work areas, amazed at how silent the warehouse could be, other than the occasional employee working late. When they got in the elevator, she leaned back against the wall. "I think I'll only be here a couple hours. Long enough to look at the paperwork, and maybe work on one or two pieces." He nodded, staring at her covertly as he drank his coke. She looked wonderful, like a young Veronica Lake, with her hair elegantly styled and tucked behind her ear. She had a light blush around her cheeks, and was standing perfectly straight. He knew she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and walked over to stand at her side. Even as the elevator doors opened, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, leaning in to press his lips against her neck, unaware of whether they were being watched or not. He really didn't care. The elevator doors could've closed and sent them back to the first floor. Big damned deal. Mouth close to her ear, he softly murmured, "You are so pretty it hurts to look at you." She turned her head to brush her lips against his. "Only because of you," she said. Normally she wouldn't have dressed up for work, unless she had known that she'd be in a meeting or greeting a client. She squeezed her arms around his waist. "I'm only able to do this because of you, Nate." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Come on, let's go to my office." Arms still around each other's waist, they walked across the second floor, stopping to pick up the mail from her overflowing inbox next to her door. Lindy frowned at the stack there. "So much for getting out of here early." "If there's anything I can help with, I will," he said, removing his coat. He felt a bit unnerved, standing there in the middle of the empty floor. Since most of the employees still working were down on the first floor, the second floor was quiet and dark. All of the offices were in shadows. The cubicles in the middle were lit with only the half-glow every third overhead light. Once again, he was unhappy with the setup of this place. If--he would admit that it was a big if--someone happened to get past the guards on the first floor, they would have the entire second floor as free range. Plenty of space to hide, hunt, and stalk his wife, to chase her and attack her, without the guards being able to do a damned thing about it. Yes there were security cameras and the guards had the advantage of a nearby stairwell should they need to run upstairs...but it would be several minutes before they got here. Looking back to Lindy, Nate said, "Does Pat come up here when he's doing his rounds, or does he just check the downstairs?" "Yeah, he's up here about once an hour." Lindy pulled out her keys and opened her office door. She sniffed the air, frowning at the stale smell. "Come on in," she said, gesturing him in first. She put the paperwork down on the desk and looked at the other things on it. "Huh. I thought Anton would have picked this up to assay himself," she said, lifting up a sword in its sheath. Nate flopped down on the couch perpendicular to her desk and stared at the door. [How does she know that Pat is trustworthy? What if he's some kind of freaky rapist? Who's saying he isn't secretly working for Marrok? Didn't Anton say he thought one of his employees was working for Natasha?"] Frowning, his brow wrinkled, he said, "Did anything ever happen with that George guy? Does he still work here?" "Um, I think he's still around, unless he's on a leave of absence I don't know about." She turned the sheath over in her hands, examining the quality of it. She looked up at him. "Is there something wrong, Nate? You've been acting a little weird ever since we got here. Not that I don't mind the overprotectiveness." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I don't like this. I think this building could use more guards, better lighting, and--and it's too far away from home! At least when we lived in the townhouse I could get here quickly in case of an emergency. At least then I knew that you had a bunch of people around you to make sure you were safe, instead of you being here alone with two guards. How well were their backgrounds really checked? How do we know they aren't *both* working for Marrok? They could easily overpower you and shove you into the trunk of a car. And once again I wouldn't know you were missing until it was way too late to do anything about it." He crossed his arms over his chest, sulking. "I'm beginning to think it wouldn't be a bad idea just to hire you your own personal bodyguard. Someone who can be here and watch over you. Who will be approved by me and paid big bucks to do nothing more than park his ass outside this door with Sig in his lap. Maybe then I wouldn't be worrying about you all damned night." "No, Nate. Then you'd be running background checks on him all the time, wondering if Natasha or Marrok is bribing him. Come here." She put the sword down on the table, and her arms around his waist when he was close enough. "Come on, tell me what's really wrong." "I just did!" he said, obstinately. "I don't like you working here by yourself. This is Anton's business, not yours, and if he's so worried about, he should just stay home. Instead of making you come here when you're clearly not ready, having lax security, and making you work in a building that's a big fiery death trap! Did you know it takes the cops twelve minutes to get here? Twelve! We could all be dead from an atomic bomb in twelve minutes! People get their limbs blown off in land mines in less than twelve minutes. The whole damned Pacific Ocean could have one big tsunami and turn this building into toothpicks in twelve minutes--so there's no telling what could happen to you, all alone, with two dumbass guards who don't even know how to use their handguns!" She just stood there, stunned, looking at him. Mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water's. "Nate, I'm not even sure how to respond to that. I mean...half those things it wouldn't matter if I were at home or here." She tilted her head, considering him closely. "That's not it, though, is it?" He stared at her, dumbfounded, before raising his hands and then dropping them abruptly. "Who the hell am I talking to? Was I just talking to myself here? Yes, Lindy. Yes, that is it. Our home is Fort Knox compared to this place. I trust Montel more than I trust Andy Taylor and Deputy Fife down there." She also let out an exasperated sigh. "Then you don't trust me, either. Do you really think I would be so *stupid* as to put myself into danger again? Part of the reason I wanted to come back to work is that I feel safe here." She shook her head. "So what do you want to do, Nate? Lock me away in a vault somewhere that the outside world can't get to me?" "Yes! Hallelujah, she finally gets it!" He settled his hand against the desk, leaning towards her. "This isn't about you being stupid, Lindy. You don't have that superior sense of smell anymore--you can't always tell when people are lying right to your face. And you happen to be a little blind where the employees here are concerned. You and Anton, or that 'George what's-his-face' wouldn't still be working here. Don't give me that dirty look, either because..." He trailed off, his gaze lowering to the metal his finger was skimming over. He stared in confusion, before picking up the black metal scabbard. Only it wasn't black metal--it was heavily tarnished silver, and he recognized it. "Where did this come from?" "Huh?" She wanted to argue about what he had just said about her being blind, but she could see he wasn't paying attention. She grabbed the tag attached by a string to the scabbard to check its index number, and then consulted a piece of paper. "It was brought in our last shipment. Believed to be 16th century at the earliest, but we're not sure. History unknown. I'm supposed to figure out how to take off the layer of tarnish without disturbing any patina." She put down the paper. "Why do you ask?" He tried to pull the sword free from its sheath, but it didn't come free without a bit of work. The slight scraping sound of metal on metal made Lindy reach for the weapon. "Nate, what are you doing?" "Year of our Lord, 1592," he murmured, closely examining the blade. "Commissioned in Heidelberg, Germany." He slid his finger over the blade, wincing slightly as it sliced right through his fingertip. "And somehow still sharp." Nate hefted the weight in his hand, still surprised by the craftsmanship, the delicate balance between the grip and the blade. Although heavy, he was pretty sure the sword would balance perfectly if held by only one finger. Smiling, he decided to do just that, showing off for his slightly-disapproving wife. The sword rocked from side to side before eventually settling almost straight. He watched her arch an eyebrow before he tossed the sword a few inches up from his hand, caught it, and with barely a rotation of his wrist, sliced a figure-eight through the air in the opposite direction from where she stood...watching with dismay as Lindy's potted ficus was sliced in half and drifted in tattered shreds to the floor. "Nate!" "Oops." He gave her a meek shrug. "Sorry. I'll buy you a new one." "Don't bother. I've been wanting a smaller plant for a while now." Lindy sighed, but inwardly she was glad he was distracted for the moment. But she had a feeling that they would be fighting about her staying here before long. "So there's writing on the blade? That gives us a date and a location to see if we can confirm. Does it say anything about who commissioned it?" He glanced at her, amusement curling his lip. "The only writing on the blade is the smith's mark. It does have carved filigree, however. A bit worn, but I'd say that's to be expected. And if you're wondering who commissioned it, you're looking at him." She looked up at him, and then back at the sword. "Really? Wow...Anton and I always joked about something he owned showing up again, but it's never happened." She picked up the scabbard, examining it closely. "Was there a particular reason you had it made?" He thought for a moment, before saying, "I thought the smith's assistant was very comely. He was teaching his daughter how to bend hot metal." He didn't bother to mention that the girl had helped him bend something hot when she wasn't working. Lindy probably didn't need to know that. "Anyway, I used the excuse to stay in town a while longer...hoping Natasha would leave me alone for a while. The ruse didn't work, but the sword did. I stabbed it straight through her chest." His expression darkened. "Pity it wasn't a stake, but I didn't want to chance her turning it around on me." She looked back down at the sword. "You're right. Pity it didn't work." She wrapped her hand over his, which was holding the hilt tightly. "You know, this would look good over the fireplace mantle once it's polished." "That it would," he said, smiling. "Go ahead and pay whatever its decided worth is. Plus whatever it takes to get it cleaned up. I think we could find a nice display case to keep it in...so Liam doesn't decide one day that he needs to play with it." He slid a finger over hers, then leaned closer to softly kiss her neck. "I'm sorry I was being an ass, Lind. I'm just worried about. I want to protect you and I don't know how." He was quiet for a moment, watching her pale blue eyes. "Have you ever used a stun gun before?" "No," she said with a shake of her head. "Alex and Walter did teach me how to use handguns though." She guessed why he was asking. "It'd have to be an awfully big stun to stop a werewolf, Nate. Would you teach me?" "It's as simple as pushing a button in most cases. They're shaped like a long rectangle with two 'fangs' or prongs at the end, and electricity shoots between the prongs when the button is pushed. They make some with charges powerful enough to drop an adult elephant, so I don't think stopping a werewolf will be a problem. There's a safety feature, but you'd have to keep your purse away from Liam at home. Now, this wouldn't kill anyone, but it certainly would give you a chance to escape. That may be all you need." He took a deep breath. "And it certainly would make me feel better." She thought about it for a moment. She stepped forward and took the sword from him and placed it on the table behind her, safely out of the way. She then put her arms around his neck, looking up into his eyes. "Then where do we get me one?" He let out a soft sigh of relief, leaning forward to kiss the bridge of her nose. "Let me make a few phone calls and I'll see what's out there. We may have to have Alex or Walter pick it up for us, if the store is only open during daylight. It may even have to be special ordered." He wrapped his arms tightly around her, settling his chin on top of her head. "Thank you, Lindy. This makes me feel much better. And actually kind of hungry. What do you say we order a couple of pizzas, one for us and one for the guards?" She smiled, although she was sure he couldn't see it. "Sounds good. The guards always appreciate free food. There's a place nearby that's open all night and will do deliveries." She stepped back so she could look up at his eyes. "I'm sorry if I was being stubborn earlier. I know you were only trying to protect me, and I appreciate it." Nate tilted her head back, kissing her softly on the lips. "We were both being stubborn. Let's just forget it." Grabbing her hand, he twirled her around and tugged her behind him as he walked behind her desk. Sitting down in her chair, he pulled her on to his lap and grabbed the phone. "Order whatever kind you want. As long is it isn't something gross like anchovies or...pepperoni." "No pepperoni?" "Oh, I hate that stuff." He smirked at her. "Don't forget to call the boys downstairs and let them know to expect it." "Okay." She leaned forward slightly to grab her address book out of her desk drawer. She smirked a bit as she felt him squirm underneath her. Feeling playful, she leaned back against him and dialed the pizzeria. "Hi, this is Lindy over at Rudenko's Antiques. Is it too late for delivery? Good. I need a large number 6 and a large number 11, and a couple two liters of Coke. Yeah, put it on our account. Half hour? Good. Thanks." She hung up the phone and hit an internal line. "Steve? I've ordered pizza for us. Let me know when it arrives. The Hawaiian one is for me." She hung up and stretched against Nate. "Pizza will be here in half an hour." "Half an hour, huh?" He nibbled at her neck, his hands sliding up from her waist to lightly cover her breasts. "Sounds like just enough time to me. You want to lock the door, or shall we tempt fate?" She turned her head to the side slightly to lightly kiss his lips. "We're the only ones here now, and Steve or Pat will call up when the pizza arrive. So I say we tempt fate. Besides," she said, wiggling in his lap, "I don't want to move." He groaned, lifting his hips to press his crotch more firmly against her ass. His thumbs skimmed over her silk tank top, palms firmly cupping her breasts from below as he rubbed her nipples back and forth. Nate smiled as she moaned, feeling her unconsciously spread her legs wider. As much as he wanted to drag her skirt up around her waist, he wasn't done playing. Licking a long stripe up the side of her neck, he sucked her earlobe in to his mouth, tugging gently on the soft flesh, pinching her nipples in the same rhythm. She moaned softly, melting against him. She couldn't touch much of him, just his sides, which she stroked, raking her nails over his sensitive flesh. Kicking off her heels, she drew her foot along the outside of his leg. "So what are you going to do to me, beloved? Bend me over my desk and make me squeal?" "Mmm, that has possibilities..." He urged her to sit up so he could pull her blazer off. Once it was off her arms, he folded it in half lengthwise and tossed it on the nearby sofa. "But, I was planning on letting you sit on the desk facing me, so you can watch." He pulled her back against him, once again palming her breasts, gently squeezing as he rocked his hips beneath her. "I love watching us fuck. I think we should get a big mirror for our room and watch everything we do." She dug her nails into his hips, fingers scratching against the corduroy of his pants. "Mmmm....that sounds lovely." She ground herself down on him, half twisting so she could look into his eyes. "I'm surprised you haven't taped us yet. Would that be something you want? A home movie to watch when Liam's in bed and I'm here at work?" He moaned, lifting his hips again. "Sounds perfect. Hell, I could watch you painting your toenails and get hard as a rock." Scooting forward on the chair, he grabbed her waist and had her stand up. Then he turned her to face him, lifting her up on the desk. Nate grinned at her, rolling forward in the chair, lifting her feet up on its arms. He was shoulder-high to her now and able to do whatever he wanted...so he teased her, by gently massaging her calves. All the while holding her legs apart and staring up her skirt. She whimpered, squirming lightly as she leaned back to place her weight on her arms. Her skirt didn't allow her to spread her legs very wide, but she parted them as much as she could. Her calves felt slightly crampy in this position, but Nate's touch made it more than bearable. Breathing heavily and trembling, she watched his eyes dilate in surprise. "Yeah," she confirmed. "In my hurry to get out the door, I 'forgot' to put something on." He sat and stared. He couldn't really think about a thing to say, other than: "Lift up so I can take this skirt off of you." His hands were shaking as she pushed herself up an inch so he could unzip her skirt and tug it down her legs. Swallowing heavily, he folded her skirt in half and tossed it on the couch as well. Breathing faster than usual, he gently slid his hands up her inner thighs, spreading her legs wider, just gazing upon her beauty. "I wish you could walk around naked everywhere you go. I don't think anyone would object. They'd all be too busy staring at you like Venus de Milo." She swallowed, giving him a slight smile. "I'm sure the having no arms thing would get boring after a while." Her hands rubbed up and down his chest. She squirmed a bit, feeling herself getting wetter just from his gaze. "Are you sure that you want just anyone to be able to see me naked though?" "They can look all they want, but if I catch anyone touching I'll rip their arms and eyes out and use them to play racquet ball." When she laughed out loud, even he couldn't hide his goofy grin. Pulling her closer, he cupped her face as he kissed her mouth, gently sucking on her lips, his thumbs sliding over her cheekbones. When he pulled back to meet her gaze, he murmured, "You're absolutely exquisite, Alinda. I can barely breathe when I look at you. And I can't imagine ever trying to hide your beauty." She blushed, from both his compliment and the intensity of his gaze. Leaning her head against his forehead, she started working his T-shirt over his head. "Do you know how many times I've caught women staring at you, Nate? How many dark glares I get when you put your arm around me?" She pressed her lips to his, letting her hand drift down his now bare stomach. "You're so handsome, Nate. As much a work of art as what you say I am." He moaned against her mouth, fighting the urge to drag her into his lap. They'd never find a comfortable position in this chair. Instead he pushed her back a bit, urging her to lean back on her arms, as he lifted the hem of her tank top and nipped at her through her bra. He smiled as she spread her legs even wider in response, and he teasingly squeezed her inner thigh. She smiled as she leaned back a bit more, weight resting on her elbows. She never would have thought just over a year ago that her husband would be making love to her on her desk. Lindy leaned her head down to nuzzle the top of his head as he worried her nipple through her bra, yelping at a sharp nip. Nate lapped at her, soothing the ache and making her grip him even tighter. Moving on to her other breast, he began sliding his hand further up her thigh, teasing the crease where her leg met her pelvis, his thumb skimming over her pubic hair. He could feel her hips lifting, shifting, as she tried to move him closer to where she wanted him. Instead, he slid his hand over her hip, tugging her a bit closer, bringing her to the edge of the desk as he stood. Kissing her mouth, he said in husky whisper, "Unzip me." She scooted down so the balls of her feet rested lightly on the floor. Smiling up at him, she undid the button on his jeans before lightly stroking the sizable bulge. Playfully, she grabbed the tab of the zipper as she leaned in to kiss him. Slowly unzipping him click by click, she sucked on his lower lip. Once she was through, her hand stayed at his groin, lightly cupping his erection. "Like that?" Eyes closed, he swallowed heavily and nodded. A light shudder ran through him, and he braced his hands on her shoulders to steady himself. It was amazing to him how she could touch him once, in the simplest of ways, and he felt like fainting. A smile curving his lips, he opened his eyes and met her gaze. "You don't have to stop there, gorgeous. I certainly won't object." She tugged lightly on his lip, her hand shifting to slide into his briefs. He was stone hard in her hand, and almost scorchingly hot. Slowly she began to stroke his cock, moving in a steady rhythm. She smiled at his reaction to her touch. "You like that, Nate?" Panting, he nodded frantically. He might've even liked it a bit too much. Moving his hips along with her hand, he tilted his head back and groaned. "Mmm, that's nice," he said, licking his lips. "I love your hands." Breathing through his mouth, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You keep doing that, you're gonna make me cum." She arched an eyebrow. "You want me to stop?" "Uh uh. Why don't you just pull me inside you?" Grinning, she nodded, leaning back on the desk without relinquishing her grip on his cock. Legs spread wide, she pulled him towards her, licking her lips in anticipation. She shuddered at the first touch of him against her wet sex. Lindy let out a soft moan as he slid inside of her, stretching and completely filling her. Nate grabbed her thighs, pulling her as close as he could, and leaned his forehead against hers. His brow furrowed as he concentrated on holding still. Determined to make this as good as he could for her, he slipped one of his hands between her legs, fingers sliding along side her clit, touching but not adding any pressure. Tilting her head up with his other hand, he kissed her deeply, slowly, making love to her mouth as he would to her body. She moaned softly, pressing small kisses and opening her mouth to accept his tongue. Her arms went around him, one across his shoulders, and one across his waist. her nails dug lightly into his skin. He felt hard and hot in her. "Nate?" she whispered. "A little motion would be nice." "Yeah, it would." He smiled at her. "Oh, do you mean from me?" She pinched his ass, making his hips jerk forward--which caused them both to gasp. Swallowing heavily, he looked down as he pulled out of her almost completely only to lunge back inside her. Lindy moaned, a sound that made him shiver. The slickness on his cock amazed him. She'd gotten so wet, so quickly. "God, Lind...you're so hot." He hissed as she tightened around him, her fingernails biting into his skin. "So damned sexy." She let out another moan, trying to rise to meet his thrust. But she couldn't get any leverage. All she could do was stay balanced on the desk and let him have his way with her. Not that she had any complaints about that. Lifting her head to look at him, she caught her eye on the camera in the corner up near the ceiling. [I'm going to have to break into Anton's office and get a copy of this,] she thought. Pressing his hand to her back, Nate urged Lindy to lay back on the desk and leaned over her to add more force to his thrusts. Her breasts were bouncing, undulating, and he couldn't stop himself from sucking one of her nipples into his mouth. She squealed, arching beneath him, her fingers dragging through his dark hair. He couldn't seem to get deep enough inside her, to suck her hard enough or caress her sweetly enough. He wanted to make her cum, scream, shatter into brilliant glittering pieces. He wanted to make her glow. She stretched out beneath him, vibrating with pleasure. Her hands slid down his well muscled back, caressing every vertebrae as she went. And when her orgasm crashed over her like a wave, she arched beneath him, shuddering as she squeezed him. "Oh God, Nate..." Nate shouted, hips jerking violently against hers as he came. He settled down on top of her, twitching, his face buried against her neck. He already regretted not having moved her to the couch. Still thinking it was a good idea, he whispered, "hang on," and slid his arms under her, carefully lifting as he hurried to the couch. Bent over the way he was, shuffling along with his pants around his ankles, he was lucky he didn't drop her. Lindy giggled loudly and gasped as he tripped, nearly tossing her on to the couch and landing on top of her. He let out an "oof" that made her giggle all over again. "I think I broke something," he muttered, wincing. She made a sympathetic face at him. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?" she said before dissolving into giggles again. She gently stroked his hair. "Nate, will you answer a question?" "Yeah?" he asked. "Was the smith's daughter worth the cost of the sword?" He frowned, then grunted as he swung his bound legs on to the couch and resettled on top of her. Resting his cheek against her shoulder, he stared at her face. "Are you asking me if she was worth what I paid for her?" "No, I mean--" "I know what you mean, and it sounds incredibly cheap. In any case, no she wasn't worth it. But the sword was, so I guess you could say I got my money's worth." He exhaled forcefully, wishing they could just go back to the carefree mood of a few minutes ago. "Why do you want to know?" "Curiosity mostly, I guess." She put her arms around his waist. "I guess it comes down to the fact that there was so much time between Lindara and me, I'd like to think you had some moments of happiness, even if it wasn't with me." "Very rarely," he said, quietly. Somewhat painfully. "I guess I could blame Natasha for that, but I'd be lying. The simple truth was that I didn't want to be happy without you. I didn't think I deserved it. It felt like stealing, cheating. I did everything I could to make myself as miserable as I thought I should be...or maybe as I thought *you* would think I should be. Because I hurt you. And because I couldn't seem to kill myself no matter how hard I tried." She let out a quiet whimper, pressing her lips to his forehead. "I hope you don't still do that now. What happened was as much my fault as yours. I should have been honest about what I was - both werewolf and betrothed. And when I realized I was pregnant, I should have told you as well." She rested her cheek on the top of his head. "And as much as I thought I wanted you to suffer, if I had actually seen you hurting, I would have done anything to stop it." He closed his eyes, swallowing heavily, and burrowed deeper into her embrace...until the phone rang, making them both jump. Pushing up from her, he stood up and pulled her to her feet, gesturing for her to answer the phone, then pulling his pants up. He refastened his corduroys, listening quietly as she talked to the guards. Obviously the pizza had arrived and they'd soon be bringing it upstairs. Handing her skirt to her as she hung up the phone, he said, "I know you love me, Lindy, and you forgive me for what happened...but I don't want you to blame yourself. At all. I think I did enough blaming for the both of us. If anything, I just want to forget about those years between. I was nothing without you, and looking back will never do me any good." She zipped up her skirt, and pulled on her tank top. "You're not quite right, Nate. "We are the sum of our past experiences, and sometimes it's necessary to look back. If only to appreciate the present." She stepped up against him, pressing her lips to his lightly. She stayed that way until there was a knock on her office door. He stepped back from her, sitting down on the couch and quickly pulling his t-shirt back over his head. Once she saw he looked decent, she opened up the door and accepted the pizza. For his part, Nate sat quietly and stared at the sheathed sword at the opposite end of her desk. There were so many things he wanted to forget. The nameless daughter of a blacksmith in Germany was the very least of them. End Chapter Nintey-two <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->