After the Rain (29 page)

“Yes, please!”

Half an hour later, Raina emerges from Kas’ office in her faded jeans and favorite t-shirt. Dexter is congratulating the team for catching the only one that got away in the famous take down of the largest human trafficking ring in modern history as she approaches. Chase is talking on his cell to Sara, affectionately playing with the ring on his left finger. Dexter pulls Kas aside, and Raina’s concerned gaze follows the pair as they carry on a conversation too far away for her to hear. Chase finishes his call, catching the direction of her gaze, and he distracts her by asking how the op went. The team jumps in to give him all the details.

Staring straight ahead, Raina absently fidgets with a rubber band as the events of the night are re-told. Erik steps next to Raina, bumping his shoulder against hers. “Still haven’t learned to read lips yet?” he teases.

“Nope,” she responds, trying to tame her frustration. She glances towards her husband again before turning her attention back to the conversation she can hear, “Can someone please tell me how men who make their living by beating women and children into submission get their kicks by paying for someone to dominate them?”

Chase opens his mouth, the gleam he always gets when some phenomenal psychological explanation pops into his head is shining brightly.

Raina holds up her hand, “On second thought, sorry I asked, I
really
don’t want to know.”

Their laughter is fading when Kas returns to them, holding out his hand. Raina slips her fingers through his, her loving smile reaching her eyes, “We’ll see you guys at Dexter’s retirement party tomorrow evening.”

“I’ve got a sick mix ready to play at the after party,” Erik grins.

Kas sighs and throws his head back. “Don’t make me have Raina wipe the system again,” he jokes.

“I’ve got a backup, and I’m never telling any of you where it’s stored,” Erick laughs, giving Raina a wicked grin.

“I bet Susanna knows. I’ll just ask her,” she taunts, bursting into laughter at the expression on Erik’s face.

“Better find another hiding place,” Kas warns, grinning as he wraps his arm around Raina’s shoulders before they wave to the group and walk away.

Chase follows them out the door, “See you guys at the house.”

The only light burning when they pull into their drive is from the living room. Kas opens the door for Raina, and she hurries inside, “Hey, Sara.” Raina takes a second to rub her protruding belly, “Thanks for baby-sitting.”

Sara flashes an excited grin, “I enjoyed it, besides, it’s great practice.”

“How are you feeling?” Kas asks as Raina slips down the hall.

“Like I’m almost eight months pregnant,” she laughs, her eyes shining brightly.

Chase chuckles as he walks up behind Kas, “It’s been the longest eight months of my life.”

Kas’ eyes fill with pride and love when Raina walks into the room with fifteen-month-old Brogan fast asleep in one arm and eight-month-old Bethany snuggled against her shoulder, soundly asleep in the other. “You’re going to wake them up, darlin’,” he tells her, the smile on his face showing that he doesn’t care one bit if she does.

“I know, but I’ve been gone all evening, and I miss them,” she coo’s, planting soft kisses against each one’s sweet head.

Kas wraps his arm around all of them, kissing Brogan’s and Bethany’s cheeks before kissing his wife.

“That’s our cue to leave,” Chase jokes, helping his very pregnant wife off the couch.

“We’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks again, Sara,” Raina calls after them.

Taking Brogan from her, Kas gently rubs Bethany’s head before carrying his son back to his crib. He watches Brogan peacefully sleeping a few minutes, astounded at how such an amazing little baby can come from the same DNA as someone like Drevor. His thoughts turn to Carrie, she was so scared when they found her. Putrid disgust slams into Kas at how she was barely fifteen when she was rescued her from the handler, but she was already abused and pregnant. Kas had worked it out with immigration to bring her family to the States if she wanted to stay, but she had decided that she wanted to go back to Romania, her home. He and Raina became quite attached to the sweet child before she left.

When they received a call from her a couple of months later, asking if they would consider adopting her unborn baby, they flew to Romania and talked with Carrie and her parents at length, making sure this is the decision they all wanted. There was no question about what Kas and Raina wanted, but they had to be sure Carrie wanted the same. They had offered to provide for the child monetarily if she was worried about being able to support the baby after he was born, but Carrie felt adoption was best. After many tears and a shared sense of assurance of the decision made, they began the adoption process.

Raina found out she was pregnant a couple of months later, doubling their happiness. They struggled with the heartbreaking reason of how Brogan came into existence but, despite the dark sins behind the means, he himself, is absolutely a blessing. When they saw Carrie the day Brogan was born, she looked much healthier and content. They all were at peace with the decision, and he and Raina were beyond proud to become his parents. They keep in touch with Carrie via Skype on a weekly basis and send pictures regularly.

Brushing a blonde lock of hair off of Brogan’s forehead, Kas whispers, “Sleep tight, little buddy.”

Kas hears Raina’s amazing voice softly singing as he walks down the hall. Leaning against the door frame, his heart swells with love watching Raina brush a kiss against Bethany’s cheek, still singing sweetly. Turning down the lights, Kas slips behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck, “Still sound a sleep?”

“Mmm hmm,” she whispers, pressing her back against the warmth of her husband’s strong chest, “she woke up, but I sang her back to sleep.”

“How do you do that? Your voice lulls them right to sleep, but it has a completely opposite effect on me,” Kas winks.

Raina giggles when she witnesses her effect through his jeans.

“I think it’s time to take their mama to bed now,” his voice is full of desire as he finds her sweet spot below her ear.

“We need to talk first,” Raina turns around, her expression serious.

Sighing, Kas leans against the wall, “We’ve already talked about this, Rain.”

“No, you’ve told me what you are going to do, but your words don’t match your expression every time the subject is breached. A man who wants something like that doesn’t react like you do when he gets the offer.”

“I want this, Raina,” Kas tells her, his gaze not quite meeting hers.

“I know what you want for
me
. It’s the same thing you think my father should’ve wanted for me, safety, security, stability,” she leans into him, brushing her lips against the corner of his mouth before whispering in his ear, “but, I already have all of those, thanks to you.” She gives him a sexy wink and laughs at his obvious confusion. “You’ve spent our entire time together trying to make up for mistakes you never made. It’s not your responsibility to give me what my father didn’t. If you take this job, do it because it’s what
you
want, because it’s what is best for all of us. We both know that you don’t want this, and you doing something other than what you were meant to do isn’t what’s best for any of us.”

She can tell he still doesn’t look convinced, “You really want to make me happy?”

The love in his eyes speak the truth, and her heart melts all over again. “Turn down the promotion, that’s what will make me happy, because that’s what will make you happy.”

“You are the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met, darlin’.”

“That’s why you love me so much,” she laughs.

Kas pulls Raina flush to him, covering her mouth with his. “This is why I love you so much,” he tells her, holding his hand over her heart.

“Let me show you just how much I love you,” she whispers, her words seducing, her expression irresistible, and he can’t keep his hands off her.

“You know what I want?”

“Uh huh,” she breathes as his tongue works its way down her neck.

“I want to start working on baby number three.”

Her beautiful giggles push him over the edge, and he lifts her into his arms, kicking open the door to their new bedroom that they had added on when they found out she was pregnant. Kas lays her down on the plush king size bed, his loving eyes blazing with burning desire.

“We’ll have to build another room again,” Raina teases.

“We’ve got connections,” Kas grins, “or we can move into the cabin, there’s enough rooms there.”

“Shut up and kiss me, Pierce.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kas whispers before taking his sweet time loving her.

The reception for Dexter’s retirement party is brimming with well-wishers from too many agencies to count, including the Governor, Vice President, and the President himself. Kas watches as his wife mingles self-assuredly through the crowd, stopping to talk to Jake, Maya, Russo, and Angie. Frank steps beside Kas, with Josie on his arm.

“Where’s Rain? I can’t wait to talk to her,” Josie is practically bubbling over with excitement.

Kas points her in the right direction, shifting his curious gaze to Frank.

“Boss, I’m going to need some time off in about six months,” Frank informs him with a ridiculously happy grin on his face.

It only takes a second for Kas to get his meaning, and he slaps him on the back, “Congratulations, man!”

Frank laughs nervously, “I’m terrified. I know how to handle men with guns, but twins trump any op I’ve ever been on.”

“Twins?” Kas’ eyes widen. His billowing laughter does nothing to ease Frank. “You’ll make a great dad,” he states seriously once his surprise subsides. Kas watches his wife and Maya pull Josie in for an excited hug, “Between Josie having twins, Maya being five months along, Sara ready to deliver any moment, and our two kids, we could start a flippin’ daycare.”

“Just keep your wives away from Mandy,” Austin jokes, joining them, “this whole pregnancy thing seems to be contagious. I need a couple of years, at least, before I take that plunge.”

Kas leans against the door frame as the rest go off to mingle. Watching Raina happily talking and laughing fills him with a poignant calming serenity. Lost in thought as he continues to watch his wife, he turns when he feels a strong hand on his shoulder.

“I heard you were recommended for Director Thatcher’s position, Agent Pierce, but you turned it down.”

Kas gives a firm nod, “Yes, Sir, Mr. President.”

“May I ask why?” President West asks, phrasing his words as a question only out of etiquette.

“With all due respect, Mr. President, I’m just not the best man for the job.”

“That’s not what I’ve been hearing,” President West replies, “you come highly recommended, even receiving several medals, including the medal of Meritorious Achievement.”

Raina steps beside Kas proudly, “My husband’s only being modest.”

“So, how about you tell me the real reason then, Mrs. Pierce?”

Raina slips her arm through Kas’, smiling respectfully at the President, “Because, my husband is very good at doing exactly what he does now. In fact, he kinda kicks ass, and there are too many out there who still need to feel his imprint, Mr. President.”

Kas blushes at Raina’s tenacious compliment as he waits for the reaction from the leader of the United States of America.

President West’s lips curve into an amused smile before he breaks into a hearty laughter, “I’ve heard about you, too.” He briefly glances at the two long, thin scars on her left upper arm, the only physical proof left from her nightmare. “From what I understand, you’ve left a few impressive imprints yourself, Mrs. Pierce.”

Kas wraps his arm around his wife’s waist, pulling her closely to him as his eyes shine brightly with love and admiration, “That she has, Sir, that she certainly has.”