Katherine squeezed her eyes shut a moment, trying desperately to clear her vision, but the room was beginning to spin and she knew that it had to be now or never. As the men twisted and rolled, Katherine took aim, praying that she wouldn’t miss. “Please…” she croaked before taking the shot.
The retort of the gun echoed throughout the house and Katherine let the gun drop from her hands, which were now shaking wildly. She was vaguely aware of Cole pushing Alex’s body away from him and come charging towards her, his face set in nothing less than pure terror. She felt him pull her into his arms as the sounds of sirens filled the night air. She had done it, she thought proudly. She had ended the bastard. She had finally stood up and ended her nightmare.
“Holy Christ,” she heard Cole growl as he ripped off his shirt and pressed it to her chest. She could feel his entire body shaking violently. “Just what in the hell were you thinking?” She could hear the tremor in his voice and see that look of fear in those incredible eyes of his, and gave him a shaky smile.
“It’s over,” she whispered, her lips turning blue as they shook from the strain of speaking. “It’s finally over. Thank you, Cole… thank you for showing me what love is. I love you so much.”
“Please, Katherine,” Cole husked out in complete desperation now, and she felt her eyelids starting to drift shut with a will of their own. She wanted nothing more than to look into the face of the man that she loved–but she was just so tired. “You have to hold on for me now, Baby. Damn it, Katherine! You have to hold on.”
She heard shouts as tires squealed and doors slammed; she heard Cole screaming orders, calling for help… and then she heard nothing at all.
Chapter 12
Cole sat silently in the quiet room with his head in his hands as he fought to get some type of control over his raging emotions. He couldn’t do this, he thought raggedly. He just couldn’t. It was too much.
Ben came quietly through the door and walked over to him, laying a hand on his shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. He shoved a cup of coffee towards him, but Cole shook his head.
“The Captain should be here shortly,” he said quietly, sitting down beside his partner, and not having the slightest idea as to what to say to his friend. What did you say to comfort someone whose pain was so raw…so damn deep? How did you find the words? “We found out that the bastard had made a copy of Katherine’s house keys,” he said softly. “That was how he was getting in and out without leaving any trace.” Ben sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Any news,” he asked finally, and once again Cole shook his head miserably. Ben knew that he was merely hanging on by a thread.
“Detective McKenzie?”
Cole sprang from his chair as if he had been set on fire and rushed over to the man standing in the doorway dressed in a rumpled set of scrubs. His heart began pounding wildly around in his chest, threatening to cut off his supply of air. He had never been so blasted scared in his entire life.
“Yes?” Cole closed his eyes, silently saying a prayer. He wasn’t an overly religious man; it was hard in his line of work with what he dealt with on a daily basis, but damned if he didn’t need every prayer that he could get at the moment.
“She’s in recovery, Detective. She’s going to be fine,” the doctor said with a slight smile, and Cole felt the air rush out of his body in a giant whoosh. “She lost a lot a blood but she’s stable. Thankfully it didn’t hit her artery,” he went on with a shake of his head. “Had it been just a millimeter over…well, let’s just say that she is one lucky lady. Dr. Li did an amazing job stitching her up, so there should be very little scaring…if any. You can see her in about an hour or so, once we get her off of the ventilator and into a room.” With that he patted Cole quickly on the arm and left the waiting room.
Cole felt Ben walk up beside him and pat him firmly on the back. “Your girls a fighter,” he said softly, a smile curving his lips, and Cole nodded. She damned well was.
Cole took a deep breath and realized that the next hour of his life was going to be pure, unadulterated torture.
***
Katherine opened her eyes slowly, trying to ward off the blinding white glare of the fluorescent lights above her head. Her throat was raw, feeling as if she had swallowed sandpaper, and her entire body ached. Trying to focus, she glanced around and realized that she was in the hospital. She wasn’t dead.
“Baby…” Cole breathed, and she could hear the utter relief in his voice. It was strong and powerful, and it sent a shiver of longing up her spine, causing gooseflesh to rise up on her arms.
Katherine turned her head to find Cole sitting beside her bed, dark circles marring the wonderful blue depths of his eyes, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile…but everything hurt so badly.
“Alex?” she rasped softly, needing to know that this all was really, truly over.
“Who?” Cole questioned in confusion, worry in his eyes as his gaze traveled her face.
“Jeff…Jeff was Alex Pierce,” she choked out, and Cole’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t spoken to anyone about what had happened that night yet. He had been too consumed with his fear for Katherine. Ben had gone back to the station after the doctor had said that she would be fine, and Mike had only stopped by to check on her progress and to offer Cole his support. He didn’t care about anything else. He only cared about her. Suddenly it dawned on him. That boy that she had dated back in high school! Holy fuck!
Cole tenderly grasped her hand in his, being so very careful not to hurt her. “He’s gone, Sweetheart.” That had been the one thing that Cole had questioned. He wanted to be sure that the bastard was dead. Ironically, she had hit him in the femoral artery and the son of a bitch had bled out in a matter of seconds.
Katherine had hit her mark with deadly precision and Cole couldn’t help but to be extremely grateful that she was indeed a natural with a firearm. The only thing about it all that twisted at his insides was the fact that in her ending that sadistic bastard, she was going to have to live with the realization that she had taken a life…no matter how justified. He knew all too well how that could eat away at a person. But he also knew how someone’s love could heal that guilt as nothing else ever could. And he swore with his entire being that he would love her enough to heal her the way that she had healed him. He thanked God for giving him the opportunity to do just that.
“It’s really over?” she asked, unable to believe that it could possibly be real. After all this time, could her nightmare really, finally be over?
Cole brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm gently, his eyes shining brightly as a smile lifted his mouth. “Yeah, Baby. It is.” He took a ragged breath and she swore that she saw fear flitter across his features. “God, Katherine, what in the hell were you thinking?” he finally blurted out in a rush, his features burning with his torment.
Katherine closed her eyes and sighed. How could she make him understand? There had been no other choice. She would have done anything to keep him safe. And, it just needed to stop…all of it.
“Cole…”
Cole shook his head violently. “No, Katherine. You could have died, and whether or not you thought that you were protecting me, I wouldn’t have been living without you. Can’t you see that? Jesus, losing you would have been an existence that would have been hell on earth.” The depth of his emotion caused the burning sting of tears to hit her. She loved this man so very much. “I can’t even begin to imagine my life without you.” He leaned forward and carefully pressed his mouth to hers, being as gentle as humanly possible. Her cheek and jaw were bruised a deep purple from where that bastard had hit her, and she had bandages on her neck and chest. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her in any way. He just needed to feel her lips against his. “I love you, Katherine, and I never want you out of my sight,” he chuckled against her lips, “fucking ever!”
Katherine giggled softly through the tears running down her cheeks. This was what had been so worth the fight. And she knew that with this man
beside her, she had found a happiness that was so very precious. She had found her life.
Epilogue
Katherine sat at the vanity, her lips turned up in a tiny, contented smile as she watched Cole walk from the bathroom, only the towel wrapped around his lean waist covering up that body that she knew by touch. He caught her eyes in the reflection of the glass and gave her a wicked grin.
“Who was on the phone?” he asked, walking over to her and laying his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and gently kissed her neck.
“Mmm, what?” she asked dreamily as she lifted her arm to wrap it around his neck, her fingers toying with his damp hair.
It had been just over six months since that night, and in that time, Cole had made her happier than she had ever thought possible. She had sold her house and settled in at Cole’s easily, as if they had always lived together. It was perfect and comfortable… and she loved him more with each day that passed.
Cole had gone back to work and Katherine, after much thought, had re-opened her store. She would not let the ghosts of her past hinder her future any longer. Being with Cole had shown her a strength that she hadn’t even realized that she had. He made her strong, confident, and completely content. Life was good.
Stewart had been released from prison and Cole had made some calls and gotten him set up with a job and a place to live and Katherine could not have loved him more for it. Stewart finally had a chance to live a good life, and it was all because of this amazing man.
Cole chuckled against her neck, his mouth, so very warm and tempting, still ignited that ever present flame within her, and she had no doubt at all that it always would.
“I asked who was on the phone.”
“Oh!” Katherine said, a small, content smile lighting up her face. “It was the doctor’s office.” She had gone in for her final check-up and was happy to say that she had gotten a glowing report. Her scar was barely visible now and there had been no permanent nerve damage. Not to mention, the little surprise that she had received.
“Is everything all right?” Cole asked; worry instantly marring his perfect features. She had told him that the doctor had said that everything was fine when he had asked after her appointment, and now… Damn it! He knew that he should have gone with her! But she had been so damn stubborn and had insisted that she didn’t need him there.
Katherine burst out laughing, her eyes sparkling. “Everything is wonderful…” She caught his gaze once again in the glass and broke out into a full-fledged smile, her green depths locking with and holding his blue ones, “Daddy.”
Cole’s head jerked up as his mouth dropped open, doubting that he could have heard her correctly. “What did you say?” He breathed out slowly, his body as still as if it were made of stone and he held his breath.
“I said everything is wonderful…Daddy.”
“Katherine…do you mean…” he shook his head, hoping and praying that he wasn’t hearing her wrong.
“Cole, I’m pregnant.”
Cole was quiet for a long moment. Finally, he turned and walked silently over to the dresser, opening the top drawer and taking a deep, shaky breath.
“Cole?” Katherine questioned, suddenly worried that his silence meant that he wasn’t happy with the news. They had never really discussed the possibility of children, and with everything that had happened and all of the medications that she had been on; her birth control had been completely forgotten in the shuffle.
Cole came walking back and dropped down to his knee beside her, holding up a small black box. Katherine’s hand shot up and covered her mouth as the tears started to flow in earnest now.
“Katherine Chastain, you are the absolute love of my life. I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love another person and I cannot imagine my life without you in it. You are my very breath, my heart…my soul. And over the past few months, I have been going slowly but surely completely insane, anxiously waiting to ask you this again. I wanted the time to be right. I wanted to make sure that you were ready…that you wouldn’t turn me down again,” he said with a small chuckle. “So, will you please finally agree marry me, Sweetheart?”
He opened the box and a beautiful square diamond twinkled back at her, causing her breath to catch in her throat.
“Cole…” she gasped, her hands beginning to tremble as she stared down in wonder.
“Katherine, I understand that when I asked you before you were afraid of everything that was going on. But, now…damn it, Baby, I can’t wait any longer. I need you. I want us to be a family. Honey, I love you with my entire being and I swear that I will spend the rest of my miserable life making you and our children as happy as humanly possible. I just…”
Katherine placed her finger over his lips, effectively silencing him. She watched him a moment, her eyes shimmering with her tears. “Cole…yes! Oh, yes! I’ll marry you. There is absolutely nothing that I want more,” she laughed, her voice husky as she sniffled.
Cole slipped the ring on her finger with a loud whoop and pulled her into his arms, his mouth seeking out hers in desperation. He groaned deep in his chest when he felt her arms slide around his neck as she pulled him closer and her tongue slid against his in silent promise.
“Christ, I love you,” he murmured against her mouth.
Katherine smiled. This was life. This was love. There would be no more looking over her shoulder. No more being afraid to live. This man had entered her pitiful little bubble and had showed her what it was like to feel. He had turned her world upside down, but in a way that had been her salvation. He was unexpected, and perfect…and all hers.
“I love you, Cole,” she whispered back. “And, Little Bean is going to be the most loved baby on the planet.”
“Little Bean?” he laughed in response, his eyes gleaming in nothing less than pure wonder and utter happiness.
“Well, at least until we find out what we’re having…yeah.” She laughed back and realized with a grin that she had never laughed more in her entire life than she had in these past few months spent with this man. He made her feel safe, secure. She laughed, she loved…she lived. This was life. And it was spectacular.
The End
Darlene Kuncytes is also the author of The Supernatural Desire Series. If you love romance with a touch of paranormal, please make sure to check them out on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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Follow her on twitter @VampireEmbrace
There are so many people I want to thank for supporting me on this wonderful, crazy, amazing journey. My brother Den, who I miss each and every day. I miss your smile and your “Awe…Sis’s” I miss your laugh and even your lectures. To have such an amazing man in my life has marked my life in a way that is incomprehensible. I am a better person because of you. I miss you, Brother.
To the most amazing people in my life–my family: Deb, Sue, Nick, Chris, Erin, Audrey, Sam, and Ben! You all have encouraged me and loved me through all of this so much and I could never thank you enough for that. We are family, and that is the most cherished thing that you can have.
To Sue, Angie, and Bobby–you guys are an amazing gift that I am grateful for every day. You all are family, and I love you guys so much!
To my editor–Lisa Angel Miller, What can I say! You are beyond amazing! You are always ready for my insanity and your exuberance and love is infectious! You are still my number one stalker and I love you for it! I am so lucky to have you as a friend and editor!
To Stacy Bradley for my spectacular cover. You nailed it my beautiful Fey!! Thank you!
To my assistant, Crystal Clifton, who is alw
ays there for me whenever I need you and goes above and beyond for me and blows me away on a daily basis–all the while keeping me sane and laughing in the process! I am so blessed to have you in my life and to call you my friend! I would be lost without our daily talks and chuckles!!!
To Kelli Smith, my partner in crime! Thank you for doing all that you do for me!!! And for making me laugh at all of your crazy antics! I snort more when I talk to you than I ever have! You encourage me and support me, and never let me give up. You are my very own little ball of sunshine! You rock it sista! And I love your guts!
To my Fabulous Fey, who are the most amazing group of sisters to me! My Queen Fey, Janna Ward…you amaze me daily! To Tess Quarles, who is there whenever I need you! To Crystal Clifton for always being ready to step up and be there for me. To, Belinda Gallant, Agnese Kohn, Charisse Hall, Sheila Isbell, Penny Brosze, Rene Mahood, Stacy Bradley, Jacklynn Sizemore, Lilian Jade, Kelli Smith, Karlin Green, Jennifer Prouse, Karen Horton, Mary Woldering and Erin Kuncytes!!!!! Your selflessness and love is awe-inspiring. You girls are my support system, my strength, and I could never thank you all enough!!!! I would be so lost without you all! You girls keep me laughing and smiling when I feel as if I am at my wits end, and you ALWAYS make me feel special, and most importantly…loved! I adore you!!!!
To Virginia McKevitt and Julia Lake Mills, oh you girls are amazing! There are no words to express how lucky I am to have you in my life!
To the amazing Willow Cross! Honey, you are amazing!! And, I adore you! Your wonderful spirit and kind heart blows me away!
To my fans…wow! Where do I even begin? Because of your love and support, I am living a dream that I thought was unreachable. I am doing what I love more than anything, and I could never thank you enough! It is absolutely because of your love of my storytelling that I can live out my dreams and I will always be so grateful to you all for that. From my heart…thank you. Without you, I would not be doing what I so love.