The thought hit me like a punch to the gut. My whole body began to shake.
I pulled his head down and bowed up to press my lips to his. The surprise, followed by reluctance, threatened to crush me, and he almost did when his hands wrapped around my wrists. He pushed me back, head shaking.
Tears streamed down my cheeks. “I need you. Please, please.” Nothing could be more true. I needed him, our connection. It felt like I would rip apart without it, the torturous fate ahead of us burying me in crippling grief.
“We have to go.” My own agony reflected in his features.
“If tonight is all we have, give me one last moment with you.”
It hit him as well—understanding flashed across his face. His lips met mine again, fierce and desperate, as he reached down and lifted me up by my ass. I moaned into his mouth, a gasp leaving me soon after as we fell onto the bed.
Harsh hands ripped open my shirt as he bit down on my bra-covered breast. He sat up and pushed my skirt up, grabbing my hips and pulling my pussy against his cock. His mouth was parted, lids heavy as he looked down at me.
“Tell me.” The lust in his eyes faltered, exposing the fear and sadness beneath.
I reached out, my fingers brushing against his chest. “I love you…more than my own life.”
His fingers deftly worked his belt, then moved to his zipper. “More.”
“I’m yours for this life and the next.” His fingers pushed my panties aside, then he rubbed the head of his cock against my pussy, making me burn and melt around him. “I will always be yours.”
He thrust forward, and I convulsed. My eyes rolled back as my nails dug into his forearm. Everything centered around the connection created from his cock being inside me. He leaned over me and wrapped his fingers with mine as he pinned my arms against the bed. Desperation fueled his kisses as my hips met his.
“I would die for you,” he whispered against my lips. My heart fluttered in my chest. “I would kill for you.” His voice was airy, and he grunted as I clamped around him. “My life is yours.” His thrusts picked up, harder, deeper. He stared into my eyes, burning with so many emotions my chest clenched. “My body is yours.”
I whimpered, every muscle tense, my body bowing toward his. His name tumbled from my lips in a mantra.
“Forever. In this life and the next, you are mine.”
I crumbled, the world exploding around me as I came. White nothingness washed over me, my body pulsing as each wave of pleasure ripped through me. Nathan let out a roar above me, his hips slamming against me. His cock jerked inside me, and I writhed beneath him, knowing he was filling me.
His breath was harsh above me, and he leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. Unshed tears sparkled in his eyes.
“I love you, my beautiful wife.”
A tear slipped from my eye, my bottom lip began trembling. “I love you, so much, my husband.”
We stayed like that for a few minutes, hoping the danger would disappear and we could remain lost in each other. It couldn’t last, and we got up, moving to the bathroom to clean up the mess.
Sex helped to relax Nathan enough to slow down and think a little more rationally, but we still got ready to leave. Silence remained over us as we changed our clothing. He made a noise, drawing my attention.
“I can’t believe we’ve been walking around unprotected all this time when we should have had your gun on us.”
I pulled up my jeans and buttoned them. “That’s not entirely true.”
His stared at me for a moment, stunned, before his gaze became angry, nostrils flared. “What?”
I grabbed my purse from the floor and pulled out the Ruger SR22. His eyes were wide as he stared at it.
“When did you start carrying it around?” He held out his hand, and I gave it to him, making sure the safety was still engaged.
“I got it a few weeks ago.”
His head snapped up. “A second gun? How? And why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”
“Drew helped me.”
He cursed under his breath. “Motherfucker.”
“We went over lunch. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you freaking out and stressing any more than you were.”
“Where’s your other gun?”
My eyes widened, flickering briefly to the closet. “Nate, I don’t—”
“Where?” His jaw was locked, anger radiating from him.
I walked into the closet and sighed as I pulled out the black metal case.
Nathan watched me as I exited and set it on the bed.
“How do you open it?” He set the Ruger down.
I lined my fingers up and set them down. “It’s a biometric fingerprint lock.” After a moment, the lock sprung and the case opened. “Glock 19.”
He reached forward and grabbed the gun along with the clip that was sitting beside it. He looked at it for a moment before sliding the clip in.
“Have you ever used a handgun before?” I stared at him, and he shook his head. “Any gun?”
“A shotgun long ago.”
I held out my hand. “Give it to me.”
He glared at me. “No.”
“Nate, you don’t know how to use it.”
“I’ve seen it used enough.”
“When? On television? This is serious. I went through training classes. It’s not as simple and easy as you think.”
“Aim and fire, right?”
I huffed and rolled my eyes. “There are safety precautions so you don’t shoot someone by accident. You need to know how to use it.”
“Then show me. That’s why you got a second gun, right?”
“I got it to protect us. I’ve never had to use it, let alone to kill anyone.”
He shook his head. “It’s not killing if it’s self-defense, and they’re coming to kill us.”
“Nate…”
“What? Why else would you buy a gun?”
I continued to look at him for a moment before focusing on the two guns I owned. The main reason I purchased the Ruger was for its size and easy portability. It didn’t detract from the reality of why I purchased the smaller firearm.
I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
“I’m tired of being afraid of the monsters that hide in the dark, of evil things in the form of humans.”
He nodded and handed me the Ruger while he stuffed the Glock in the back of his pants.
“Then it’s time to end this.” He held out his hand, and I slipped mine in.
Together. Live or die, it would be together.
CHAPTER 27
When we got down to the parking lot, Nathan popped open the trunk to my car and not his own. I glanced at him in curiosity, but understood. Switching to mine could buy us some time, because we were always in his car.
The air was heavy as we made our way through downtown to Meridian Street and north a mile to pick up I65. We were both stiff, unable to relax. I watched the Indianapolis skyline disappear in the rearview mirror when the interstate angled west. The IMA sat off to the right overlooking the White River as we passed, streetlamps filling the car with alternating light to dark.
“Shit.”
I turned to him. “What?”
His jaw clenched tight, eyes flickered between the road and the mirror. “They’ve already found us.” The engine revved as he pressed on the gas pedal.
I looked into the rearview mirror, but only saw the bright headlights from all the other cars. My heart fluttered in my chest, the beat seeming to increase with our speed. Every time I took a breath, it echoed in my ears. I kept watching, waiting to see what he did. A few miles flew by, and we approached the exit for I465.
Then it became clear, as traffic moved over to the exit lane, and one car accelerated toward us. Nathan’s knuckles were white as he gripped onto the steering wheel and hit the gas again as the speed limit increased. The words “Thank you for visiting Indianapolis” flashed by, and we were out of the city. My hands trembled as the safety of population was replaced by the unknown of Indiana’s famous corn fields.