Page 43 of Katie 3

“In my chambers!” the judge finally yells. “Remove the jury!”

Chapter twenty

Katie

I shudder again and again as the vile things that Dan said echo in my head. What he wanted to do to me, what he had planned. I have a feeling that wasn’t all of it. Brad’s face had been lethal, then soft when he’d looked at me while being led away. He hadn’t known this was going to happen, but he’d known about the tape.

That’s why he’d cornered Dan. That’s what Daddy, Carter, and Brad had really been keeping from me. To protect me because I didn’t need to know. And they were right. I feel sick. I hurry to the bathroom and empty my stomach. I don’t know how long I’m in there slowly piecing myself back together before I walk out and into Carter. He looks over my face and kisses my forehead.

“I’m so sorry, doll. That wasn’t supposed to… I’m so sorry,” he breathes.

“Are we done for today?” I ask.

“Dan’s team dropped the case. Dad is getting Brad free and we’ll figure out exactly what happened, but I have a feeling Dad played the recording,” he whispers in my ear.

“Please get me out of here,” I beg. “I don’t want anyone looking at me.”

He doesn’t question it. He leads me out, shielding me from reporters and never letting go of my hand. He keeps me tight against his back so I can hide my face until we’re in the car. He sits in the back with me and hugs me.

“I never wanted you to hear that. You never needed to know what he had planned. You never needed… Fuck, I’m so sorry, doll. I keep trying to protect you and do what’s right, but I keep fucking failing,” he hisses.

I gently touch his face and realize how exhausted he looks. I kiss him softly. It’s the first time I’ve kissed him since I learned about Brandy. Carter’s lips pause, then claim mine in something tender and gentle, something pleading and warm.

“I love you, Katie,” he breathes against me. “So hate me. Tell me how much I hurt you by not sharing everything, don’t let me touch you, it doesn’t matter. I’ll keep loving you, our baby, and how fucking strong you are.”

“I love you too,” I breathe, pulling his arms around me and kissing him slowly. They had this tape for so long. Probably since Brad took action. When would they have had time to think about the past?

I don’t know how long Carter and I make out for, how long he holds me in his arms, but when the car beeps, I pull away. The door behind me opens and there’s Brad. He stares down at me, lifts my chin, and studies my eyes.

“You’re fucking amazing, little slut. So quick on your feet, so smart, so fucking strong and beautiful and I missed you so fucking much,” he gets out in a rush. “How are you? How’s the baby? How are you?”

I silence his questions and kiss him as I pull him closer. “You got in fights?”

“I threw one punch the whole time I was in there. That’s it. That’s all,” he says, kissing me again. “I thought of you staring at me while they walked me to the car every time I thought of hitting someone.”

“Reunion while we drive,” Henry says, obviously tired.

The drive home is filled with kissing and apologies, assurances. Brad keeps rubbing my belly, asking about the baby. Carter keeps stroking through my hair and telling me how well I did. Henry joins in, asking if we’re all okay, telling Brad he’ll get a shower and I’ll play nurse, icing his bruises.

And that’s what we do when we get home. Kissing, hugging, savoring every moment. Carter sits with me as we wait for Brad to get out of the shower. He spent some time with Henry, but Henry’s exhausted.

“He offered a settlement and they took it. He should have offered a counter suit, but since no crime was committed, just conspiracy, it wouldn’t have been perfect and we only had a bit of evidence without exposing you to more,” Carter explains.

“I still don’t want to go to school. I’m sure it’s going to be everywhere. I…” I play with Carter’s fingers. “I just want to be happy.”

“And that’s what you deserve, doll,” he assures, kissing my knuckles.

“At least a hundred times over at this point,” Brad says.

Every bruise is worse than I pictured, but I’m going to kiss them all, fix them all, and take care of my men the same way they take care of me. Occasionally using dark methods, occasionally breaking the rules, but always making sure we’re together and we’re okay. That’s all that really matters. That’s all that I care about.

Carter

I run my hand along her stomach, feeling the faintest beginnings of roundness. It’s been a month since Brad got out of jail and everything seems to have evened out. We’re all happy, we’re all okay, but it’s been too long since I’ve had Katie at all, let alone to myself. We had a quickie two and a half weeks ago, but I know she’s been anxious about being shared after everything with Brandy.

“Carter,” she whimpers. She watches my hand, then my face, searching for something. Maybe reassurance, maybe forgiveness. Maybe she just wants to be wanted.

“I’m going to give you everything you need, doll. Always,” I swear as I kiss the trail of skin from her belly to her breast, then down again, until my mouth is at the band of her panties and I’m on my knees in front of her.

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