Page 66 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

“Drest,” I said as he reached between us, taking hold of his erection and lining up with me.

“Yes?”

“I love you too.”

ChapterTwenty-Two

Drest

Drest tookthe stairs of his apartment building two at a time, anxious to get home so he could see his wife. He’d been a married man for three full months now and still couldn’t stop the smile that spread over his face each and every time he thought about the fact that Rachael was his wife.

They had yet to find a workaround to the Nightshade’s rules, but Drest had gotten news on that front today when his uncle—Stratton’s father—had returned his call. Drest had given Smithton the details of the predicament he was in but in the form of a hypothetical.

Smithton was so busy now that he’d gotten a seat on the council that he didn’t question the call or the scenario. He informed Drest that the old rules on the books about charges and Hunters being romantically linked would most likely be changed within a year, possibly two. Yes, that meant more time before Drest could reveal he was married to anyone and before he and Rachael could stop sneaking around to be together, but it also meant she’d be safe from blowback. There would be no threat of retaliation by the Nightshade higher-ups.

They’d be free to live their lives together.

As it stood, they spent half of the week at his place in the city and the other at the apartment Henry had purchased in the city for Rachael to use while in school. It was closer to the newspaper that she’d gotten a job at, writing for their business section. It wasn’t the crime beat she’d been hoping for, but it gave her a foot in the door. And it let her flex her research skills.

Activity on the Hunter side of things had been picking up in the city, keeping Drest busy. With that, on top of his full-time job as a police detective, he wasn’t getting anywhere near the time he wanted with his new bride. And since Drest had yet to tell anyone in his life that Rachael was his mate and he’d claimed her, it meant that Stratton continued putting pressure on him to go out clubbing or to the bars with him to pick up women.

There were only so many times Drest could make excuses before he’d either need to go along and then stay far from other women or anything that might get him in hot water with Rachael or just break down and tell his cousin the truth. He trusted Stratton fully, but he didn’t want to put his cousin in a difficult position. If everything came to light about Drest being married to Rachael before the rules were changed, and the higher-ups found out Stratton had prior knowledge of the relationship, his head would be on the chopping block too.

Plus, Stratton wouldn’t take the news well. He was a little bit of a purist snob himself. He’d come around eventually and be happy for Drest and Rachael, but right now they had enough going on. They didn’t need to add to it.

Amice knew the truth. Rachael had told her the minute she and Henry had returned from their weeklong trip. Amice had been thrilled for them and had even baked them a wedding cake of all things, giving it to Rachael while Henry was away with work.

Henry had no idea Rachael and Drest were a couple, let alone married, and they planned to leave it like that until they couldn’t. His relationship with his sister was in a really good spot. Drest wanted to leave it that way for her sake for now. She was due some happiness in her life.

He got to his floor and rushed down the hallway. He had his key out and his door unlocked in seconds, wanting to see Rachael. Drest expected her to be in the kitchen. She loved cooking dinner for the two of them on the nights she stayed over.

She wasn’t there.

She was sitting on the sofa with boxes of Chinese food on the coffee table. There was an envelope on the table next to it all. She had on a light pink sweater that fit her snugly, drawing his attention to her breasts.

She had great breasts.

The gray slacks she had on accentuated her long legs.

She had great legs.

His work slacks felt tight in the groin suddenly. He pulled the chain with his badge off and hung it on the hook by the door. “Hey, hon. How was work today?”

She had her hands folded on her lap and a somber look on her face. “Can you sit down? We need to have a talk.”

Drest’s stomach dropped. “Henry found out about us, didn’t he?”

“No,” she said softly, her eyes growing moist. “Please. Sit down.”

He shut the front door and took his holster and weapon off his hip, placing it on the side table near the door. He’d put it in his gun safe in a second. She clearly needed to speak to him.

He went right for her and bent, kissing her lips chastely.

“Drest, please,” she said, motioning to his recliner.

He did as she asked and sat, worry eating at him. “What’s wrong?”

She closed her eyes a moment before reaching for the envelope and handing it to him.

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