Page 90 of Kentucky Nights
“Yes, ma’am, Ms. Whitley.”
“That’s Mrs. Jones to you. Or did you forget we’re mated?”
His smile fades while happiness shines in his eyes. “I could never forget the bond that saved my life.”
I kiss the middle of his chest, relieved that a few aspects of this new path for me are coming together. Louisville is dead, so I no longer have to worry about my life, Kentucky’s, or our child’s. He’s happy to build a family with me. Tonight’s nightmare is over, for the most part.
There’s still one heartache we will have to live with.
Romeo.
Three days later
I stare at Romeo’s statue in his stall. I hate the fear frozen on his face. His head his reared back, his eyes are wide, and his fangs are lengthened. Instead of being in the front like mine, his fangs are more towards the sides of his mouth. His lips are peeled back, preparing for an attack, but he never stood a chance against Louisville.
Speaking of, his ashes are currently floating down the river. I decided that even though he was my son, he had no business on my property. I had a few days of grief to work through my emotions, and the more I came down to normal, I realized keeping him around was like a slap in the face to Dru after what he put her through.
Rubbing my hands down my face, I let out a sigh burdened with guilt for not being able to save him right away. Yesterday, I bought every horse, pig, cow, mule, and donkey that was at the slaughterhouse. I’ve saved them, and they will be brought to the ranch today.
All I can do is hope one of those horses is Romeo’s Beloved. I need my best friend back. A man isn’t a cowboy without the horse he trusts most.
“Don’t worry, Romeo. I’ll search every end of this earth for your mate, and if I have to look in other dimensions, then I will. I’ll go to every nook and cranny in the universe.” I pat his neck, and it’s still warm as if he is alive under the sheet of stone. “I promise.”
Locking his stall door, I walk back to the house with my head confounded with the hopelessness of not finding Romeo’s mate. What are the chances that I can?
The sound of the rocking chair squeaking has me lifting my head to see my Beloved sitting down in one of them. She sips her coffee, then smiles at me with a big wave.
The heaviness in my chest lightens when her happiness soaks into me. All that happiness from seeing me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.
“Hey, Beloved,” she calls me, and right away, it brings a smile to my face.
I love that she calls me by that term of endearment.
Climbing the steps two at a time to be at her side, I bend down and place a quick kiss on her cheek. “Mornin’, Darlin’. How are my girls doing?”
She giggles while shaking her head. “Kentucky, it’s too soon to know if they are a girl or a boy.”
“I think our baby is a little cowgirl. Imagine. We can get little pink boots to match yours. Oh, god. She’ll be so damn cute in alittle hat.” Ever since I’ve found out Dru is pregnant, I’ve been daydreaming.
Imagining teaching our kid to ride a horse, to lasso, to barrel race, to do anything and everything on the ranch. Then my dreams turned into me being a girl dad. Protecting her, showing her how she deserves to be treated, and never settling for less than what she deserves.
And to teach her how to deal with the night when it enters her mind. No one should be alone in learning about this hard fucking world.
“Plus, I want her to have your eyes, your hair, your everything. Why wouldn’t I want to bring another you into this world? Do you know how much better it would be?”
“You keep talking like that, we’ll have to go back for round two today, Mr. Jones,” she taunts, hiding her luscious lips behind the rim of her coffee mug.
I growl, thinking about how I woke her up this morning with my cock in her mouth. I’d love to toss her on the bed and have my way. I am sad about one thing when it comes to her pregnancy.
She won’t have her period.
At least I got a little bit of a taste. I don’t know when I’ll get to experience that again. It all depends on how much time Dru wants in between having kids. Whatever she wants. I’m on board. Her wants, her needs, they all come first.
I find that my wants? My needs?
They take the shape of the woman sitting in the rocking chair. As long as I have her, I have everything I need.
“I got you a present. Stay right there. Don’t move.”
