“You were, what, sixteen?”
Christ, I’m a sick man.
“Yeah. My love for you then was nothing compared to the obsession it is now. If you hadn’t challenged me a few days ago, taken control, I’m not sure I’d have had the courage to follow through on my seduction.”
“You would have, baby. You were made for me.”
Leaning forward, I lay kisses along her lips, jaw, and neck, loving every single sigh and moan to pass her lips as I touch her.
“Come on, let’s get showered and go talk to your parents.”
With a groan, she allows me to pull her from bed and into the shower, where we make love again, and once more as we’re supposed to be getting dressed. This woman is going to be the death of my dick and I can’t fucking wait.
Celeste
Taking a deep breath for courage, I knock on the door of my lifelong home and pray I’m going to be able to get through this unscathed.
“Celeste?” My father opens the door. “Why in the world are you knocking?”
He scowls when he sees Martin beside me with a hand on my back.
“Because I wasn’t sure I would be welcome.”
His eyes widen, and I feel momentarily guilty for my doubts.
“You will always be welcome in your home,” he says, opening the door to prove it.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to do this, but I figure going as normal as possible might be for the best.
“Mom, Dad, this is Detective Martin Lynch. My boyfriend.” Marty smiles at me. Mom sips her mimosa and Dad looks at us all before making a move.
“It’s nice to meet you, Martin.”
I wasn’t sure he would catch on. I needed for him to let me do this my way. As they shake hands, a sigh of relief billows out and my chest unleashes the tightness around my lungs. I can breathe again.
It might be unconventional and a little weird at first, but as Dad gets to know Martin better, things ease up and soon we’re all laughing. Even Mom, who is two sheets to the wind already.
Around dinner time, Dad drops the bomb, though.
“Listen, Martin, we love Celeste; she’s an amazing girl.”
Martin gazes at me with nothing but love in his eyes.
“I agree.”
“I’m glad you do. Because if this is what she wants, we have some ground rules while she’s still in school.”
He has a look in his stare that worries me.
“She does not move in with you until after graduation and, before that happens, I want to see where it’s going to be. Working in homicide, I know that you may be gone in the evenings, or even overnight, so I want to make sure she’s living somewhere safe.”
“Deal.” Martin agrees easily enough.
“Curfew on school nights is eleven.”
Martin nods again.
“Come fall she still goes to college. She was accepted into some great schools and deserves to have a future outside of the two of you as a couple.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good. I’m glad. I want my daughter happy, Martin.”
For a minute, as I watch the man who has appeared so cold almost all of my life, I see a man filled with worry.
Over me.
Standing, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his shoulders, whispering in his ear, “I love you, Dad. Thank you for accepting Martin.”
“I love you too, sweetheart. I’m sorry you ever felt like we didn’t. You’re the light in our lives and I only ever wanted what’s best for you.”
Kissing my forehead, he steps back and hands me over to Marty.
“Keep her happy, keep her safe, and we’ll be happy to have you as part of our family, Marty.”
“I will, and thank you. Celeste is my everything and there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for her.”
Epilogue One
Celeste
“Ladies and gentlemen, join me in congratulating Wilson High’s class of 2019!”
Tossing my cap in the air, amidst deafening cheers, I waste no time in rushing to Martin’s side in the stands with Mom, Dad, the Inwood’s, and their kids.
“Baby,” Martin murmurs in my ear as he lifts me in the air. The past two months have been brutal. It seems all the crazy people have come out of the woodworks and started a killing spree, because I’ve seen Martin once, maybe twice a week since we spent the day with my parents.
“I did it!” I squeal as he puts me back on my feet.
“So proud of you, sweetheart.” Mom and Dad come over to hug me.
“Never had a doubt.” Grace says as she hugs me tight. “Have you told him yet?” I shake my head no. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t feeling well, and Grace made me take a pregnancy test that turned out to be positive. I wanted to keep it secret until after graduation. I didn’t want my parents to worry, and I knew if Martin knew, he’d be insistent that I move in with him immediately.
Last week, after over a month of searching, he and Dad found an apartment close to Columbia and in a good neighborhood. I was worried at first. I didn’t think I could be a mom and still go to school.
Saving Grace came to my rescue, though, and for the past three weeks we’ve been planning my courses and appointments. We’ve looked into childcare at the university and Grace even offered to watch the baby while I was in classes. I told her I’d wait to decide on that until Martin knew.
“Martin, Dad, Mom. I have some news…”
I bite my lip and squeeze Grace’s hand for support as they look at me. The longer I take, the more worried their gazes become.
“I’m pregnant.” My eyes close tightly as I wait on the explosion likely to follow.
“Congratulations, honey!” Mom says, and I open my eyes to see hers are filled with tears. “Now where’s the vodka?”
I laugh because, as much as I love the woman, vodka is her first love.
Dad glares at a shocked Martin.
“Say something, boy!”
He smacks the back of Martin’s head and that seems to pull him out of his surprised state.
“Pregnant?” Martin mutters. I’m not sure how to take his reaction. He talks about a baby all the time. I suppose I thought he’d be excited.
“I didn’t plan for it to happen,” I whisper when he still remains silent. Tears hover on my eyes and my Dad gets angry.
Standing in front of Martin, he grips his shoulders and shakes him a little—okay, a lot—and hard.
“Listen up, Detective, if you don’t give this girl that smile I know you’re holding back and kiss her like you want to annoy me, I’m going to shoot you with your own gun.”
Dad’s threat works.
“I’m sure something in there was illegal, but I just don’t give a fuck,” Martin growls as he pushes Dad away and strides the three feet towards me and picks me up in his arms.
“It’s about fucking time to make you Celeste Lynch, don’t you think?”
His words are harsh, but the happiness, masked by a sheen of tears in his blue eyes, screams his joy over my surprise.
“I really do,” I whisper back, kissing him before he has the chance to kiss me. For once, I take control and devour his lips. I dip my tongue in his mouth and suck roughly before I bite him.