Into the Blackness (Blackness Series Book 4) (24 page)

The strangest part of this whole thing is Cara. She looks like the pictures I’ve seen of Nick’s best friend Shannon Kelly. Even in blurry cell phone pictures the woman is drop dead fucking gorgeous and Cara is right on par with her. Nick looked like he’d been stabbed in the gut when he got a good look at Cara. I hurt for him in that moment. I hurt for him now as I remember the anguish washing out his always strong features.

I have the feeling we’re up against more than we know with this and I hope it doesn’t destroy the people I’ve fallen in love with. I’ll protect what’s mine to the death and I fear that tenacity could end up costing me everything. But more than fear, I feel strength in knowing I have a family to love and a family that loves me. My parents are gone and I’ve hidden myself away from anything resembling a family since the day I entered the DCA. I told myself it was because I was a good agent and I needed to be completely unattached to be the best I could be. All bullshit when I think about it. When you lose everything you love, you tend to not want to love anything again. I love Shane and Jess, but what I feel for the boys and Nick goes beyond. It fills the cracks that my parents left. It’s healed my heart and opened my soul to the possibility of moving forward.

I roll out of the shower feeling better, but still wiped. I’ll be napping today. I pull on my go-to pricey leggings and the biggest fluffiest heather grey sweater I have. I’m actually comfortable in my clothes and with my toes warming in a pair of sweater boots I feel normal. I don’t give a crap if my outfit goes against the manual or if the entire town sees me and decides I’m no better than shit on the bottom of their shoes. I feel good and that’s all that matters right now.

I don’t put on any make-up and just pile my half-dried hair in a messy lump on top of my head. Fuck, I feel good looking like a mess.

I leave our room to be met with the smell of burning food. Yeah, they can’t cook. I chuckle all the way down the stairs and burst into full-blown laughter when I enter the kitchen and all five of my boys are in the kitchen, trying desperately to salvage breakfast.

“We suck,” Sawyer admits in a shrug.

“At cooking…yes.”

“Good thing we’ve got you,” Cole says in relief like he was afraid he was going to starve.

“You’ve got me,” I say, pressing a kiss to his flour-covered cheek.

It looks like a bomb of ingredients has gone off in here. I think I spy some batter on the ceiling too. What the hell have they been doing?

“Hey, mine turned out okay,” Dane protests.

“You mixed up the sugar and the salt. It tastes like shit,” Jake says pointedly.

“At least it’s not burnt,” he says shoveling a bite in his mouth and then immediately spits it out. “Yeah, that tastes like ass.”

“Tasted a lot of ass?” Sawyer snarks.

“Only when I kiss you,” Dane fires back.

We all fall into laughter as I wrap my arms around Nick’s waist. He’s trying at the stove, but I can tell he’s just burning more food.

“Why don’t you let me take over?”

“I’m a failure as a husband,” he huffs as he turns around.

He looks down at me and his breath hitches at my appearance.

“I know I look like crap, but I’m too tired to care,” I explain.

“I’ve never seen you look better,” he says in a husky sex-filled voice.

Oh.

“Oh.”

Nick slams his mouth on mine as he picks me up under my arms. I dutifully wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist as he palms my ass aggressively. He slants his head and plunges his tongue into my mouth. A moan purrs from my throat and coaxes a groan from him. Whistles and cheers break out behind us and I start to laugh again. Nick follows me with a chuckle deep within his chest as I slide down his body. He pats my ass twice before I move to the island to fix our pancake mess. Okay, there’s no fixing, I just have to start over.

My pancakes are a success, much to the glee of my boys. Our doorbell rings as the boys are finishing cleaning up the giant mess that they created in the kitchen. Nick stalks to the door his mask firmly in place. I can only imagine who’s here. If it’s Trish and her apology muffins, I may choke her to death with them. I’m not in the mood today.

“Kat,” Nick bellows and I hurry toward him. Jake and the boys fall in step behind me.

Cock sucking Officer Burke is at our door with sweet Officer Harrison. Game face on Kat.

“Good morning, officers,” I greet them brightly.

Nick sweeps me to his side.

“Missus Johnson,” Officer Harrison responds with a kind smile.

“How can we help you?” I ask knowing why they’re here.

“There was a report of a suspicious person in the neighborhood last night. We’re just making the rounds to see if anyone saw anything unusual.”

“I didn’t,” I lie. “Boys did you see anything unusual last night?”

“No,” they answer in unison.

“Like I told you,” Nick grunts. “We didn’t see anything.”

Burke glowers at Nick and Nick rumbles with tension.

“Well, we’ll be in contact if any of us remember anything. If there’s nothing else, we have a food explosion to clean up,” I say sweetly.

“Ma’am.” Officer Harrison offers a departing nod. “Great game last night boys.”

“Thanks,” Jake and Cole reply in harmony.

They turn off our porch and climb in their cruiser with Nick and I watching them retreat. Once they’re out of our driveway Nick shuts the door and releases a giant breath. The boys left when the cops did and are either cleaning or making another mess based on the noise filtering in from the kitchen.

“Go take a nap, Nicky,” I suggest running a hand up to his cheek.

“Come with me,” he murmurs into my palm.

“The boys need me.”

“They’ll survive a few hours on their own,” he assures me while tugging me up the stairs. “Boys we’re gonna take a nap. Don’t burn the place down.”

“’Kay,” a few of them yell back.

Nick shuts and locks the door before backing me to the bed and collapses on top of me when my knees hit the edge. His large hands run beneath my sweater and palm my breasts as his mouth teases my jaw.

“This isn’t napping,” I chide weakly.

“I’ll be quick,” he mumbles into my neck.

“A true romantic,” I tease and then moan as he pinches my nipples and rolls them.

I stop talking because Nick captures my mouth in a rough kiss at the same time he threads a hand into my pants and a finger deep inside me. His tongue matches his thrusts and I’m writhing in moments. Okay, quick it is. Nick adds a second finger curling them up to hit my spot while he circles my clit with his thumb. Oh, that’s it. I buck my hips and encourage him onward as I suck his tongue causing a growl to roar from his throat.

“Shit,” I sigh as my orgasm lights from my core.

Before I have a sense of what’s going on I’m naked and so is Nick, thrusting in me.

“Fuck,” he groans as I lift my pelvis to meet him stroke for stroke.

Nick buries his head in my neck and pounds me in such a quick pace that I have to give up meeting his thrusts. I wrap my legs around him and he threads his arm below my lower back pulling me flush with him as he drives into me. He’s panting in my neck, his breath warming my skin as his fingers dig into my hip. He’s grinding into my clit and bringing a second orgasm my way quickly. My eyes roll back in my head as I arch off the mattress, clenching around his dick.

Nick reaches a fevered pace, plowing into me. I hold onto his sculpted back loving every ridge and ripple. There’s a sheen of sweat covering his skin causing his musky manly scent to fill our room, intoxicating my senses. I do my best to roll him to his back and when he realizes what I’m doing he happily complies. I grind into him before riding him roughly.

He encourages my pace with his hands on my hips as he sits forward to capture my nipple between his lips. His stubble scuffs my skin adding to the warm sensation of his mouth devouring me. I dig my nails into his scalp as I feel yet another orgasm building. Nick’s hips power up from below me almost throwing me off him as he collapses to his back pulling me down on top of him.

I hold myself in place over him and let him lead. I offer him my mouth and he takes it aggressively while he gifts me with a swift smack to my ass causing my pussy to clench and my orgasm to topple over. I scream my release into his mouth as he finally lets go and fills me with long powerful strokes, groaning in relief.

When his hips still, I collapse, nuzzling into his chest. Nick pulls the duvet over us and a few moments later I pass out with him still inside me, encapsulated in his massive arms. Best nap ever.

Nick

I woke up from the best nap ever with a naked Kat draped over me like a flesh blanket. I rolled her beneath me and made love to her slow and sweet before I dragged her to the shower and took her again hot and heavy against the cool tiled walls. I’m like a teenager with her. I can’t get enough and she doesn’t seem to be complaining.

When we got out of the shower, she collapsed naked in bed while I left to take the boys to Bradford’s practice. I received knowing looks from all the boys but no comments about my day of endless sex. Fuck, I feel good.

That cunt Trish Booker wasn’t at practice, thank fuck. I didn’t have the stomach for her shit today. Bradford was ecstatic to see the boys and his coach appreciated the help at practice. I watched and worked some until it was time to head home. Bradford’s very nervous looking nanny picked him up, avoiding eye contact with everyone as she did. She scurried around and collected him before he could say bye to the boys. Weird.

Now I’m home in the office getting ready to make an important phone call. Kat’s downstairs with the boys in her sexy ass tight pants and giant sweater with no make-up and her hair a mess on her head. It’s the sexiest I’ve ever seen that woman look. Maybe that’s why I’m counting down the minutes until I can get my dick in her again. I’m becoming concerned about chafing at this point. I’ll power through, no matter.

“Shannon Kelly,” she answers professionally.

“Hey, Shanny,” I breathe into the phone, relieved at her voice in my ear.

“Nicky,” she sighs.

“How are you?”

“Fat, tired, hands full with Johnny who has learned to sit up on his own, preparing like mad for Thanksgiving and fuckin’ thrilled you called.”

“You’re not fat, you’re pregnant with twins,” I admonish.

“I look like I ate an entire turkey. It’s hilarious,” she says through a warm raspy laugh.

“I bet you’re glowing.”

“Nope,” she pops her
p
. “I look like hammered shit on crap crackers.”

“You’re insane,” I say through a chuckle.

“How are you?”

“Workin’,” I offer little detail. I can’t and I hate it.

“All right, Jason Bourne,” she teases but doesn’t push for details. She respects what I do and the boundaries I have in place. If she wasn’t a mother and soon to be wife I’d try to get her in the DCA. Her skills are remarkable and if Shane knew what she’s capable of he’d trip over his own feet trying to get to her. She’s where she belongs in life though. I’m glad she has my back.

“I actually need a favor.”

“Anything,” she responds immediately.

“I need Kieran’s number,” I ask quietly.

“Hang on,” she instructs and I hear the phone move around before she comes back. “Just texted it to this number you called on. You want me to email it too?”

This is why I love this woman. No questions, no hesitation, just trust.

“Nah, this is good. Have I told you how much I love you?”

“Not lately,” she goads.

“I love you, Shanny. More than you’ll ever know.”

“Well that’s a fuckin’ lie. I know how much you love me because I love you just as much.”

“I never can win with you can I?”

“My team never loses,” she offers a very true line that’s kind of a motto in her life. “I miss you, Nicky. This is the longest we’ve gone without seein’ each other since I got home,” she finishes softly.

“I miss you too, Shanny. I told you this is my last op, promise. I’ll be around more. Time to live a more normal life.”

“I agree. This shit drives me nuts. Not knowin’ where you are. Not bein’ able to get a hold of you. Worryin’ I’ll never know if somethin’ happens to you,” she trails off with sadness in her voice that crushes me.

“You’re my contact if somethin’ happens, Shanny. You’ll know,” I try to reassure her.

“’Kay.” She’s not reassured.

“Hey, don’t worry about me. I’m not as badass as you, but I’m pretty good. This op isn’t like others. I’m fine. You just worry about Johnny and the twins. I’ll be in Kansas City before you know it and…I have someone for you to meet.”

“Holy fuckin’ shit! You met someone? Who is she? How’d you meet her? Oh never mind you won’t answer me. Nicky…you met someone?” she asks tenderly, genuinely happy for me.

“Yeah.”

“Well thanks for all the details,” she huffs, but I know she doesn’t mean it. “Nicky, I’m so thrilled for you. You know that right?”

“I know.”

“When do I get to meet her?”

“Once I’m done with this op. We’ll be on a plane the next day, Shanny. This won’t seem real until you know her. You’ll love her.”