Epilogue Raleigh

The sun is just starting to touch the horizon, turning the fields in front of us a brilliant gold. I lean back into Derrick’s chest, and he puts a hand over my round stomach, holding me close. The air is cold, but we’re tucked into heavy sweaters and socks. Justice sits with his head resting in my lap, and Chance lays across my feet. And anyway, Derrick’s arms around me are warmth enough.

The first thing we did once Emma was settled at Warwick estate was return to Beth’s farm and make several profuse apologies. We also sat her down and told her the truth- the entire truth, about Derrick’s career, my family roots, all of it. It took a tense hour to get everything out in the open, but once she’d heard the full story, Derrick’s mother found it easier to accept. In fact, she seemed relieved to be trusted with the truth, even if it had taken a while to get there.

And when we told her we were expecting a baby, and also planning to build our own home on the land nearby… well, all was very quickly forgiven.

After that, Derrick and I stayed with her while our own home began construction just across the road. Thomas hired the architects and contractor himself, pulling every string to get the place built in record time without taking a hit to the quality. We were all worried it wouldn’t be done in time for the baby’s arrival.

But here we are, three weeks out from the due date, lounging in the porch swing of our brand new home while the sky turns a thousand shades of pink and purple and orange.

Inside, the house-warming party/baby shower/celebration of Derrick’s fortieth birthday is winding down. Beth has recruited most of Thomas’s generals to clean dishes, collect trash, and pack all the presents neatly into a bin. Any of the guests that escaped her chores have started the long drive back to the city already. Iris and Paul left just a few minutes ago, with plans to search for a nearby hotel to break in for the night.

Emma was the first to leave, though. She didn’t even say goodbye. Before the cake was passed around, I realized we were a person short, and when I checked the front drive, her car was gone.

It’s the only part of moving out to the country that I regret. I brought Emma into the Warwick estate, then fucked off to live my best domestic life. She’s been training under Iris and making her own life for herself within the estate, but she’s still struggling to build friendships with any of her new peers.

Thankfully, I’ve been told by Iris that Paul swooped in and took her under his wing. As Morgan Speare’s former enforcer, he knew her father and probably knew of her as well. He was an outsider to the Warwick estate himself, just months before her. It gives them something to connect over.

Still. Something about her past, more than just her time as Silver, haunts her, and it’s something that not even I have managed to break through.

The door opens to our left, and Clara makes a loud shivering sound at the temperature. The dogs’ ears perk up at the newcomers, but unless I stand, they’re not getting up. Derrick immediately untangles himself from me so she can have the seat beside me, bathed in the setting sun, along with her tightly bundled baby girl.

Bailey Warwick, my absolutely precious niece.

Thomas leans against the porch railing across from us, all soft smiles and warm eyes for his wife and daughter. Derrick takes the spot beside him and gives me a very similar look. And as warm as that makes me feel inside, I’m more happy these two men are finally able to exist within a casual distance of each other without glares and cool threats.

“Can I hold her again?” I ask Clara, who eagerly hands Bailey over. I feel like Derrick and I have been monopolizing her the entire evening, but honestly, how can we not? We’ve been chomping at the bit for our own kiddo to finally be here, and not just because we’re both exhausted by the pregnancy at this point.

BaileyBear is a sneak preview I can’t help but take advantage of.

I tap my finger against her little curled fist, and she immediately clings to me, melting my heart into a puddle. I kiss her forehead and boop her nose with mine, and she gurgles at my relentless fawning.

Unlike everyone else at the party, Clara and Tommy will stay with us through the holiday. Clara insisted, and I agreed, that it would be good to spend this time as one big family, since all told none of us have had the best experiences with that. Plus, I was there when Bailey was born, and I’ll feel a lot better having Clara here when my labor starts.

“Have you picked a property yet?” I ask Clara, who’s giving her daughter her softest brown eyes. I’ve meant to ask her all night, but inside the house the talk was far too loud.

Clara perks up at the question. “I think so,” she says. “The place downtown that we ate lunch next door to. Remember that one? I keep coming back to it. I’ve made a dozen sketches of how it would look with track lights on the ceiling and paintings on the walls.”

“You’ll have to show me,” I tell her, and she nods, her eyes sparkling.

I’m thrilled that she and Tommy are finally taking steps to set up her gallery, and more than a little relieved too. Obviously they’ve been busy for the last several months- first on a whirlwind European honeymoon, and then dealing with the last half of Clara’s pregnancy and the birth of their gorgeous baby girl, but… I’m glad her dream isn’t being left by the wayside. Clara’s admitted that Thomas is the one who’s refused to let it go, even though they’ve both been so enamored with young parenthood.

After how many years Clara’s dreamed of having a place to keep all her gorgeous work, my brother’s going to fight tooth and nail to make it happen. I’m proud of him for that. And proud of her for still wanting it too, despite how tired and busy she’s been.

“Any more letters?” Derrick murmurs to Thomas. I can tell he’s hoping I’ll be too busy with Clara and Bailey to hear him. Unfortunately, he spoke right into the silence between us. When I raise my head to listen in, he winces.

Thomas shakes his head, tearing his eyes off his daughter to look out over the fields. “I sent my response to the return address in London three weeks ago and-” He shrugs. “Nothing.”

Derrick’s brow furrows. “So, a prank?” he asks, voicing aloud what I think we’ve all been hoping since the last letter, the sixth, appeared.

“Anything is possible,” Thomas says, giving him a look.

Anything, like the two of them becoming in-laws.

This is the other reason we’re all staying here for the winter. It was Iris’s idea, but after some nagging, Thomas finally agreed. With six threat letters received and no response to our reply, we all assumed that it was either an elaborate prank by someone else disenfranchised by the end of the Speare family- or that whoever had been making contact had decided to take things up a notch. Since we don’t have contacts overseas who can look into the validity of these letters, the threat could realistically be coming from anywhere.

So, just to be safe, we’re here. Pretending that this is just a happy excuse to spend the holidays as one big weird family. A family that’s about to have a new member.

I feel Clara’s warm cheek rest on my shoulder, and hear the soft sound of a snore in my ear. If it were anyone else, I’d think it was a joke, but Clara’s too sweet to make fun of Thomas’s business talk. She’s really out.

Thomas straightens from the railing. “That’s my cue. Let’s get you girls to bed,” he says, holding out his arms for Bailey. I hand her over reluctantly, immediately missing the soft weight of her in my arms.

Clara wakes again just at the shift of my weight, yawns, but pushes herself up to standing. Since they had the baby, she’s practically been sleepwalking, and I know Thomas is all too happy to be dropping everything so he can spend more time with the baby and she can get some sleep. They’ve both been missing Europe, but winter in a farmhouse with family seems like a much more prudent option in my opinion.

Hilarious how I became the prudent one as soon as my best friend had her baby.

We say our good nights and sleep wells , then Clara, Thomas, and Bailey slip inside. Derrick watches them go, then looks back at me, smiling with total contentment at what he sees.

I know the look he’s giving me. It means he’s been waiting all day to get me alone, and now we finally are. Despite how tired I am, my body wakes up under his lustful gaze, and I feel a familiar pang between my legs.

This man could turn me on if I were dying in the desert, and I’d let him.

I hold out a hand for him to help me up, and the dogs finally pull away. But Derrick doesn’t release me once I’m on my feet. Carefully, he scoops me up into his arms, and I open the door for us to step back into the warm house. Avoiding any lingering guests, he carries me to the back of the house where our own room awaits, and with a soft order for the dogs to stay outside and a kick of his heel, he closes the door behind us. Little does he know I have a gift waiting for him.

“I have a birthday surprise for you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Remember when I told you about my little online education... and how it only goes so far?”

“I remember.”

“Well, I’ve picked up a new skill. Haven’t had a chance to put it into practice yet... but I’m thinking now’s the perfect time.”

“What kind of skill are we talking about?”

“I think it’s time I give you a blow job.”

Derrick’s eyes go wide. “God damn, Raleigh! It’s been one of my fantasies since that night at the bar, when you wore that dark red lipstick. Your lips looked so wet and the way you said my name- slow and deliberate- that’s all I could think about. Your fucking mouth around my cock.”

I giggle, nerves swirling. “Well, go easy on me. It’s my first time.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I take his hand and guide him to the bed. “Sit.”

He obeys, excitement practically humming off him. His grin, the way his breathing’s shallow- I can tell he’s ready. But I don’t kneel right away. I walk to my vanity and grab the lipstick I wore that night. Turning to face him, I slowly twist off the cap and start applying the deep red color, watching him watch me. I give him the most sensual look as I lick my lips in a full circle before I press them together and make a soft popping sound.

“Fuck, Raleigh.”

As seductively as my round belly allows, I walk toward him.

“You’re so beautiful. Sexy as hell.”

I kneel in front of him, and Derrick’s mouth is slightly open as he stares down at me.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this,” he mutters, eyes dark with lust.

I bite my lower lip and flash him a teasing smile before my fingers deftly unzip his pants, exposing his already semi-hard cock. His breath catches.

“Raleigh,” Derrick says, so soft it gives me all the encouragement I need.

I wrap my hand around his cock and Derrick moans, tossing his head back over his shoulders. My lips part, and I lick a stripe up the underside, and then slowly, my mouth hugs his dick as I suck the head in. I bob down and back up, wetting him with my saliva. As I move to the tip of his head, I lick, swirl, and suck like it’s a lollipop.

“You’re killing me, sweetheart!” he says, as his fingers slide into my hair, gripping and guiding my pace up and down his cock.

I have to fight a gag as he hits the back of my throat, but it’s all worth it when I glance up and see his eyes roll back, a deep groan escaping his lips. The sight of him like this- completely undone by my touch- sends a thrill through me. Watching him lose control because of me is such a turn-on.

“Are you… sure you’ve… never done this before?” His voice is low and breathy.

I can tell he’s getting close as his grip on my hair tightens. I suck harder and go in deeper, up and down in time with his grueling pace. I lick and suck and twist my hand, desperate to get Derrick off before I lose myself.

“Shit… oh… fuck… yeah!” he hisses, each word rougher, more primal as he stills my head, clutching it as he shoots into my mouth.

I nearly pull back in surprise, but at the last moment, I manage to take him fully into my mouth. His cock pulses a few times before I finally swallow his cum. I gently stroke him giving him one last lick and suck before I pull off him. Derrick takes my hand and helps me up. “Happy birthday,” I say, as I straddle him.

His smile widens, the crows feet around his blue eyes deepening. “Thank you, Raleigh. For everything.”

“You’re welcome, and… I hope you liked it, ‘cause I did.”

“I fucking loved it! Anytime you feel the need, it’s all yours, sweetheart. But now it’s my turn.” Derrick eagerly announces.

I’m laid on our four poster bed, and I groan at the relief in my back, then giggle when I feel Derrick tugging at the ends of my thick tights.

“We do have guests right now,” I remind him, but don’t stop him as he strips the fabric away.

“Then you’ll have to be quiet, won’t you?” he grins.

“I’m sorry, what woman are you talking to right now?”

He kisses the tops of my swollen feet. “The most demure, thoughtful, humble, kind-”

“Fuck off -” I crack up.

“- fearless, unpredictable, captivating, gorgeous goddess.” He’s kissed his way up my legs and presses his lips at last to the top of my clit. I can’t see his head over the hill of my stomach, but I feel his breath tickling my most sensitive skin. I hear the smile in his voice and can see his dimple in my mind.

“The light of my life,” he goes on. “The mother of my child. The only thing I want, morning, noon, and night.” He licks up my clit. “The water I drink, the food I eat, the air I breathe-”

“Oh my god- Derrick please -” I gasp. But he’s in a playful mood. I’m not getting what I want so soon.

Derrick hooks his fingers under the hem of my sweater and gently pulls it up my body, lifting my back to help me undress. Once I’m naked beneath him, he pauses over my stomach, taking a moment to lay his cheek against it and listen to the sound of our child shifting. He leaves a kiss just below my belly button, then brushes knuckles over my swollen breasts. His fingers roll and pinch my nipples, prepping me.

Then his mouth closes over my breast and he sucks hard, making me squeak. I clap both my hands over my mouth to cut off the sound, and feel Derrick’s chuckle in my bones. His breath is hot on my skin, his greedy moans a vibration through my body. With one hand he massages the breast he isn’t suckling, and with the other, he reaches down and pushes two fingers deep inside my pussy. I’m trembling with the need to touch him, but if I’m not ready to cover my own mouth, the whole house is going to hear me scream.

It’s too good, too much . When his thumb rubs up and down my clit, and he presses into my G-spot, and his teeth pull at my nipple, he’s playing my body like an instrument, the one he’s been studying religiously for months. Crushing my own hands to my mouth, I cry into them as I cum, my tired, aching body suddenly cushioned by bliss.

Derrick sucks hard on my nipples as if he’s drinking milk from them and fucks me with his fingers until I’ve ridden my first orgasm and tipped over into the next. Then he pulls back and undoes his pants. His dick fills me with agonizing slowness, and when he thrusts, he does it shallowly, but with a precise angle that brings him right up against my G-spot again.

He’s been more gentle these last couple months, which my stiff limbs and sore bones appreciate. Still, I really can’t wait for the return of the days when he can tie me down and fuck me until I’m wailing into my pillow.

“God, Raleigh,” he groans. “You’re the best birthday present I’ve ever had. You’re the only one I ever need again. I love you. I love you so fucking much-”

He spills himself inside me, burying his dick entirely in my body. I scream nothing but air through my fingers at the glorious sensation.

We come down together slowly, until Derrick pulls out and lies beside me. He tucks me in against his chest, his arms going around me. Even almost nine months pregnant, I’m still a perfect fit.

Held safe and warm in the arms of my beloved, I slip into peaceful sleep and dream. Of him, of the laughter of children, and of the sun setting over the fields.