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Chapter 93
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His Wicked Games series Chapter 94
BOOK EIGHT: A CUNNINGHAM CHRISTMAS- WARD - December 23rdThe tree is up.The stockings hung.The wreaths placed on every door, the garlands hung across every window.But it's not enough.Over the past month, we've turned this estate into a holiday wonderland. This house is so huge I thought I'd never run out of things to do. But I have. The place is an explosion of tinsel and ribbons. The gardens are covered in twinkling lights. And now I don't know what the fuck to do with myself.Most of my initial restoration projects around the estate are done, so I've settled for any job I can find around here. Replacing the moldings. Resurfacing the tubs. Refinishing the hardwood floors. Anything to keep myself busy.That's why, two days before Christmas, I'm in a guest room at the back of the house with a can of paint. As long as I keep working, as long as I keep pushing this paint roller back and forth across the wall, I won't go crazy. I can keep myself from worrying about what's real
His Wicked Games series Chapter 95
- WARD – December 24thIt begins to snow overnight. There's only a soft dusting on the estate when we wake up on Christmas Eve, but the flakes continue to fall steadily. After lunch, when there are four inches of white powder on the ground, Lou bundles Ramona up in her winter gear and takes her outside for her first real glimpse of one of the season's greatest wonders.Our daughter won't remember it, of course, but that doesn't matter. I can hardly see Ramona's chubby little face beneath the hood of her puffy green jacket, but I can hear her laugh. Lou and Lily are sitting with her right on the ground, and they take turns throwing handfuls of snow into the air over their heads. Ramona squeals in glee as the fluffy white powder rains down over them. As I watch, Lou scoops up a huge heap of snow with her gloved hand and blows on it, sending a cloud of snow at our daughter. Ramona laughs again and flaps her arms.I'm standing on the front steps with Calder, watching this scene. I know
His Wicked Games series Chapter 96
- WARD -I can hardly sit still at dinner.I spent three hours this afternoon setting everything up. It took me a while to run extension cords out to the maze - I definitely didn't think that part all the way through, and I had to "borrow" cords from several of our other light displays - but I finally managed to get the power out to where I needed it. Spelling out "Marry me" was a bigger challenge. I can lay beautiful patterns with bathroom tiles or reconstruct a nineteenth-century window frame, but spelling out words with holiday lights is... well, it's a bitch. Every five minutes I had to stop and untangle the damn things again. Or figure out which of the approximately five hundred bulbs was lose and making the others flicker.I'll be honest - there was definitely a lot of cursing involved.But that's not why I'm so unsettled right now. I'm anxious because by the time I got the lights set up just the way I wanted them, it had started to snow again. And by the time I walked back t
His Wicked Games series Chapter 97
- LOUISA -I have no idea what's gotten into Ward, but he's officially insane.Why the heck would he run out into the snow right now? Without even stopping to put on a coat? The weather is only supposed to get worse.By the time I get to the door, he's out of sight.I run to the coat closet and grab my things. Coat, scarf, gloves, hat. He might be crazy enough to run out into that storm like this, but I'm not. I'm not going to catch my death just because he's lost his mind. Finally, I stuff the baby monitor in my pocket. I hate to leave Ramona upstairs by herself, but something is obviously wrong with Ward. She'll be all right for a few minutes - but if I have to go out of range, then that idiot can deal with his problems on his own.The moment I step outside, the cold hits me in the face like a brick.I'm going to kill him. I tug my scarf up around my chin and march down the stairs, stepping in the impressions left by Ward's boots. I almost slip near the bottom, but I grab the s
His Wicked Games series Chapter 98
BOOK NINE: THEIR WICKED FOREVER- LILY -"What's the occasion?" Calder asks.God, he looks delicious tonight. I might be a little biased, but I'm pretty sure I'm married to the sexiest man in existence. I'm not sure what I like most - those broad shoulders, those dark and devilish eyes, that perfect hint of stubble on his cheeks - but I could eat him up. And that finely cut suit he's wearing definitely completes the picture. I told him he needed to dress up for dinner, but all I can think about is how I want to rip all those clothes right off him. Maybe we should skip dinner. I think I'd much rather push him down on the table and devour him instead.Wow, horny much? Calder has always had a very strong effect on me, but it's particularly distracting tonight. I fight back my more primal urges and slide my hands down the dress I picked out for tonight. It's a gorgeous gown - midnight blue with delicate beading along the low neckline - and this is the first time I've had the chance to
His Wicked Games series Chapter 99
- LILY – Seven Months LaterI'm going to kill Calder for doing this to me.Sure, I knew pregnancy wouldn't exactly be a walk in the park. I always knew there'd be aches and pains and a number of physical surprises - but I wasn't prepared. Not at all.It's like I'm a helpless child - I'm exhausted all the time and sometimes need help doing even the simplest tasks. God, I never thought I'd be looking forward to the day when I could tie my own shoes again. Did Lou have this much trouble when she was pregnant? Or am I just especially bad at this whole baby-growing thing?My hand slides across the wide surface of my belly. It'll be worth it, I know. But I really wish I could speed up the whole pregnancy part and get to the having-a-baby-in-my-arms part. Or, you know, just be able to go two hours without having to pee.The baby shifts inside of me. I've taken to calling him Bubble - it felt weird referring to him as only "the baby," and Calder and I have been in hot debate over what we'
His Wicked Games series Chapter 100
- WARD -I thought I was ready for this - but fuck me, I was wrong.I want to punch something. Just to release some of this energy. Just to do something. Because standing here waiting around for the ceremony to start isn't working. It's almost funny - I mean, I've wanted this forever. I tried to convince Lou to marry me from the moment I found out she was pregnant. I'm not supposed to be nervous now. And I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to find myself aching for a fight right before I marry the woman I love.Is Lou this anxious? Is she fidgety and distracted? Is she wondering why she ever agreed to marry a crazy oaf like me?I've never wanted anything more than this in my entire life - so why am I so damn jumpy?I jerk a hand through my hair. I want to fix something. Grab my toolkit and get hammering on one of my projects. Or grab a sledgehammer and tear through some old drywall. Smash something. But I'm already dressed. Already here. And anyway I'm pretty sure Lou wouldn't apprec
His Wicked Games series Chapter 101
- LOUISA -We're married. I can't believe it.I spread my fingers and look down at the ring on my hand. Dinner went by in a blur, and now that we're back in our room, the whole thing feels a little like a dream."Beautiful," Ward whispers behind me."It is, isn't it?" I say, letting the simple gold band catch the light.He grabs me so quickly that I don't have time to do anything but squeak as he scoops me up in his arms."You know I wasn't talking about the ring," he says into my hair, and I can hear the grin in his voice.I tilt my face up and kiss his neck. "Yes, I do."He carries me over to the bed. We've just put Ramona down for the night, and that means we've got some business to continue. Ward lays me gently on the comforter and lowers himself beside me. There's a devilish look in his eyes and one side of his mouth is raised in that lopsided smile of his. Some of his auburn hair has flopped across his face, and he pushes it back with one hand. Despite his urgency back in
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His Wicked Games series Chapter 116
- CALDER -I wait until both Lily and the baby are asleep before I decide to sneak out. As much as I want to sit here with her in my arms forever, our conversation about her mother reminded me of a call I need to make.I look down at her before I leave. Her brown hair is in a messy bun on her head, and she doesn't have a stitch of makeup on, but I don't think I've ever seen her look so beautiful. I lean over and press a kiss against her forehead as I lift our sleeping son out of her arms.He's so tiny that I'm afraid I'll break him. But even though he was born a little early, the doctor told us he's perfectly healthy - and after hearing him scream this morning, I'm tempted to believe him. This little guy has quite a pair of lungs on him.I settle him gently in the bed the nurse wheeled in for him. I can see so much of Lily in him - and so much of myself. I knew I would love my son, but the intensity of my feelings is startling. When I think of how close I came to losing both of the
His Wicked Games series Chapter 115
- LILY – Two Days LaterThey won't tell me what happened.I remember the pain. The screaming. The fear.I remember hearing the first, sweet cry from my son's throat.I remember the miracle of Calder's voice, the proof that he was alive.But after that, there's only darkness.I woke up yesterday morning in the hospital. Calder tells me they were able to get an air ambulance out to us at the estate, but he won't give me any more details than that about what happened two nights ago after he made it to the house. And there's a desperate, hollow look in his eyes when I ask, so I don't press him for details.Honestly? I'm not sure I want to know.And truthfully, it doesn't matter. Calder is alive. I'm alive. And our son is here. So much has happened in the past couple of days, and none of it feels real.I look down at the tiny little human in my arms. He's perfect. Even though he arrived a couple of weeks before his due date, he's still round and healthy. He emerged with a thick cro
His Wicked Games series Chapter 114
- LOUISA -Just stay calm.Just stay calm.Just stay calm.It doesn't matter how many times I say it to myself - it gets harder with every passing second. I spend almost twenty minutes searching for my cell phone in the rain, but I can't find it anywhere. It's not in the car. It's not on the driveway. It's just gone. Finally, I force myself to give up the search and return to check on Lily - and I'm not a moment too soon.If I had any hope that we might make it through the night without this baby - after all, I was in labor for nineteen hours - it's fading fast. After five minutes at Lily's side, it's clear that her little one has no intention of waiting for help to arrive, and she seems to know it, too. Even if I thought I still had a chance of finding my cell phone, I can't leave Lily now.Both Ward and Calder are still out there somewhere. It's just me and Lily - and a whimpering Ramona, who's still clearly confused and terrified. I long to go over to my daughter, to pick her
His Wicked Games series Chapter 113
- LOUISA -Lily's face has gone white."Calder?" she says into the phone, her voice cracking. "Calder! Calder, answer me!" Her hand visibly shakes as she pulls the phone away from her ear."What's going on?" I ask her, running over and shifting Ramona in my arms. I've just managed to get my little girl to stop crying. "What happened?"She doesn't answer. Instead she hits a couple of buttons on the screen, presumably calling him again. I glance over at Ward, but he looks just as shocked and confused as I feel.After a moment, Lily drops the phone, her eyes wide with horror."What happened?" I ask again, my stomach sinking further with every passing second. Something is wrong. Something is desperately wrong. Ramona starts to whimper in my arms."Lily," Ward says firmly. "You have to tell us what's happening."Lily glances up, blinking, as if she's suddenly remembered she's not alone."Something happened," she whispers. "Something happened to Calder."She's in shock, that much i
His Wicked Games series Chapter 112
- CALDER -Lily is in labor. Lily is in labor.That thought drives out everything else - even the raw, gnawing feeling in my gut when I think about what Michelle has done - and suddenly nothing matters but getting to my wife.If I was a madman on the road before, it's nothing to how I drive now. I don't care about the rain or the traffic. I don't care if a cop chases me down for driving twice the speed limit. I'm getting to that hospital. Getting to my wife.I should have been there, I think. I should have been by her side when this started. But though the guilt eats away at me, I can't think about that now. I have one concern and one concern only - getting to her. Being with her as soon as humanly possible. Holding her hand as the pain comes. Even over the phone, I could hear the fear in her voice.I need to be with her.And if I have to kill myself to get to her, I will.. . . . .- WARD -Keep it together, man. They're counting on you.I hate that I have to remind myself o
His Wicked Games series Chapter 111
- LOUISA -It might be storming outside, but I'm determined to make today a little brighter."I have a surprise for you," I tell Ward.It took me half an hour to find him after I put Ramona down for her afternoon nap. Even though I've insisted that he take a break from his restoration projects, Ward has continued to work, and I find him retouching the paint in a bedroom in the eastern wing. He's currently perched on a ladder with a paintbrush in his hand.When he grins down at me, I know he couldn't be happier to see me."What sort of surprise?" he asks, and his expression makes my heart skip a beat. He climbs down the ladder and stands in front of me.I drink him in as he wipes the back of his hand across his forehead. His T-shirt has streaks of paint on it, and there's a new hole in his jeans, but somehow all of it works together to make him look irresistibly yummy. Something wells up inside of me as I admire him - and the way he's looking at me right now brings the blood rushi
His Wicked Games series Chapter 110
- CALDER -Less than two hours later, Michelle and I are in Barberville and I've got her set up at a modest little extended stay hotel just outside of downtown. I've prepaid for a two-week stay, and after that, I'll reassess the situation and figure out the best course of action. Michelle told Lily that she was looking for a job in the area, but since learning the truth about her health, I'm not sure whether that was an empty claim or not. Either way, though, now is not the time to be making any rash decisions. Lily comes first. We'll deal with Michelle after the baby is here.I'm getting ready to leave when a thought occurs to me."Lily will have lots of questions when she learns the truth. And she'll want you to start treatment as soon as possible."She starts to protest. "I still don't think I want treatment - ""At the very least, will you go talk to a doctor here in town? Explore your options? I'll pay for your visit, of course."She hesitates, then nods. "All right."I tur
His Wicked Games series Chapter 109
- LOUISA -I'm in the office on the south side of the house, working out some of the final details of my surprise honeymoon trip for Ward, when Calder stalks into the room."Good morning," I say - though you'd hardly know it was morning, considering how overcast it is outside today. When I glance up and see his face, my fingers freeze on the computer keyboard. "What's wrong? Is it Lily?"We had a bit of a scare yesterday, what with Lily getting rushed to the hospital. She'll be on bed rest for the duration of her term, but both mother and baby are healthy - or so I thought. Calder looks like he's hardly slept. There are dark circles under his eyes, and he seems agitated."We need to figure out what Lily's mother wants," Calder says, jerking a hand through his hair. "It's that woman's fault that Lily is in this state."I lean back in my chair and glance over at Ramona. She's in her playpen over by the window, and she's pulled herself up onto her feet so that she can watch her uncle
His Wicked Games series Chapter 108
- CALDER -That was too close.My jaw hurts from clenching. My mind won't slow down. I've been pacing the same spot on the floor for so long that I'm surprised I haven't worn a hole into the boards.It was only a false alarm, I remind myself. Lily is fine - for now - and the doctor said she was only having Braxton-Hicks contractions, probably made worse by stress. But even though she's now safe in our bed, I still can't seem to make myself calm down. When it comes time for the real thing... I don't even want to think about it."There's no need to be so worked up," Lily tells me. "Everything is fine. Come to bed.""Everything is not all right," I say. "Your mother upset you so much that you - ""It was my dad's fault, too," she says. "And it was a false alarm. I'm all right. No harm done.""Maybe not this time, but I'm not willing to take that chance again." I resume my pacing. "That woman needs to go.""I agree," she says. "And she's already looking for a place. But in the mean
