Blood Is Thicker...
By
Christine
Part Three
Chapter 23
You look so sad," he said to her after they were back in their room.
"You don't seem very happy about….you know," she answered.
"You can't even say it."
"You're upset about it."
He sighed and led her over to the bed. He urged her to sit, then sat next to her, looking at the floor. He sighed again and said, "I was so ready for you, Maddie. From the moment I saw you, I knew I wanted you. And I loved you before I even knew it. But I was ready, it was perfect. It IS perfect, what I feel for you. But this…a baby…I don't know how ready I am. I don't know what we're supposed to do, what parents are supposed to do." He detested doubting himself, his abilities. He shook his head dejectedly.
"I know," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I don't know either. But we'll be okay, we can figure it out, somehow…" but she didn't sound as if she was convinced.
He took her hand but continued to stare at the floor. An idea had tickling at the back of his brain, and he had ignored it. But it seemed he had no choice but to bring it up. "I don't think we should go through this alone," he was feeling a glimmer of hope. "I don't think we have to."
"What do you mean?"
He finally looked at her, "I think it's time you met your in-laws," he said, nodding.
She leaned back onto her elbows, a little surprised. "I thought you said you were disowned."
"I am," he smirked, "but it's all a big misunderstanding. I think it's time I straightened everything out."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes. It's time to go home. And this little one," he rubbed his palm over her stomach, "should not have to be born under a false name." He leaned down and kissed her abdomen. "Would you like to meet my family?"
"Our family," she corrected. "Now, I'm starving! You made us miss lunch with all your babbling at the hospital."
"Dinner's not until six."
"Well, isn't there a café we can walk to?"
"Let's just order room service." He smiled roguishly down at her. He felt comfortable at last, and tenderly stroked her face with his hand. "I've missed this so much," he said softly. "And I want you so much." He slid his had under her neck and lowered his mouth toward hers, teasing her lips with his.
"Oh, me too," she said and they desperately began undressing each other, eager for the hot sensation of the other's bare skin touching their own.
He continued lighting his feathery kisses onto her face, her neck, and lower still, just barely touching, and it was far from enough for her.
"Don't tease me, please," she begged softy. He gave in and took her mouth fiercely with his own. He moved off of her, and stood on the floor next to the bed, pulling her by her hips until her legs dangled over its edges. Positioned between her legs, he lowered himself onto his knees and heard her moan her delight when she realized his intent.
She delighted as his eager kisses make a path up the inside of her thigh, and she clutched the bed coverings with white-knuckled fists when she felt the moist heat of his mouth ravish her at last, bringing ecstasy of such surging intensity she cried out in near agony when he stopped.
His hot voice unexpectedly panted in her ear, "Wait for me, love," and he moaned aloud as he buried himself into her to the hilt. Each slow and deliberate thrust drew them together to the peak of rapture so blissful and consuming, Pik barely had the strength to stop himself from collapsing onto her.
Panting heavily, they crawled between the satin sheets, and he gathered her sweetly into his arms. He told her, "I'd say 'I love you,' but it's just not enough. You could never know how much you mean to me."
"I know, Pik, I see it in your eyes. Don't you see it in mine?"
He looked deeply into her eyes, "Stay with me always, Maddie. Always."
"I will."
Two weeks later, they boarded their plane using their aliases with no problems. During the long flight, Pik took Madeleine's hand and spoke in quiet tones to her. "I think I need to tell you about what happened, why I left my home."
"I'm listening," she said, clearly interested in her husband's mysterious background.
Pik's family had owned and operated a small textile plant in Broederstroom for several generations. It was a labor of love for Pik's father and older brother, Owen. It never held much interest for Pik himself, and he basically let Owen run his share of it without interference. But Owen loved to gamble, but wasn't very good at it.
Several years ago, he had lost continuously and had, over several months, failed to repay the bank for loans he had taken out against the plant, using the money to pay his debts. The discrepencies eventually caught up with him. The Van Cleafs were about to lose their family business and their good name. Owen begged Pik to take responsibility for the embezzlement. No one would be surprised if it had been him, and Owen was positive that, since they had been "robbed", albeit by a family member, their insurance company would cover the loss. Pik agreed, unconcerned that his dark reputation would turn a deeper shade.
However, the only way the insurance company would cover the loss quickly enough to prevent foreclosure was if formal charges were filed against Pik. Before Owen could explain anything to their family, Pik was disowned by his father and thrown out of their home with only the clothes on his back. Even his military service record, although slightly smudged with a few "responding to authority" comments, could not be used for reference because of the outstanding warrant attached to his name. He traveled around, ended up in South America, and began earning a reputation as a mercenary and general man-for-hire.
"Is that when you met my father?" she asked.
"No, not for a while yet."
"How did you end up from that point to your….'business arrangement'….with my father?" She said it distastefully.
"Maddie," he began, looking directly into her eyes, "the moment I put that wedding band on your finger, that 'arrangement' was over, that 'business' was over. That was not the way I wanted to live my life with the woman I love."
"And the moment I gave myself to you, I told you nothing would ever change the way I feel about you. I meant it. I believe you when you say that life is over."
"Still," he continued, "I wish I had done it sooner, so you wouldn't have had to see some of that life with your own eyes."
She changed the subject back to his brother, "So, what are you going to do when we get to Pretoria?"
"Well," he began, "you may not know this, but your father was, er, is, a genius with investments. With his father help, actually, I've invested very wisely and done very well."
"I can tell," she said, thinking of their expensive honeymoon.
"Well enough that I can repay the insurance company, with interest, what they had to pay for the money Owen had taken. Then they might agree to drop the charges. But only if Owen agrees to tell the truth."
"Do you think he will?"
"Oh, I can be very convincing," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he imagined his brother's face when he saw him. "Very convincing."
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