Page 55 of The King of Hearts (The Raven Group #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

HER

I t’s been three days since the attempted robbery at The Bean Shop. I came home with sore ribs and three marks in the shape of fingerprints on my breast. Thankfully, the soreness has mostly worn away.

After the intense fucking against the front door of Ryker’s estate, he carried me upstairs and straight to the shower.

I had forgotten about the dried blood on my face until I saw myself in the mirror.

A few spots of it were smeared across my cheek, but overall, I looked like I had gained red freckles.

Ryker was at the shower, turning on the water as I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection.

When he came up behind me, he noticed the marks that were already forming on my breast and the redness around my ribs.

The expression that took over his face wasn’t one I had seen on him before.

Even in the coffee shop, the look in his eyes when he walked in the door, which was scary enough, didn’t reflect the all-out rage I saw blazing in his dark-gray gaze.

He looked like he was on the verge of total destruction.

Like he wanted to paint the town red with the blood of his enemy.

I almost felt sorry for the guy who got away, because if there was one thing I knew with certainty, it was that Ryker would find him. When that happened, the guy would wish he had died as easily as his friend.

His hands moved around my waist, and he laid both palms on my lower stomach, right over the place where our baby grew. We stayed that way for several moments, his eyes glued to that one spot.

Then he moved us to the shower. As fierce as he took me in the foyer of his house, it was nothing compared to the pounding he gave me under the spray of water.

It was painful, rough, and I’m pretty sure I blacked out before he was even finished because one moment I was in the shower, against the wall with my legs wrapped around his waist as he pounded inside me, and the next, I was waking up as he settled me down onto the mattress.

I wasn’t even fully awake before he was taking me again, this time with me on my hands and knees in front of him.

I thought this kind of stamina only existed in my books, but apparently, not all things in romance are fictional.

Men can last hours and ejaculate multiple times without breaks if they’re motivated enough.

We were barely finished with that round when Dr. Bale showed up at the house.

Apparently, Marcelo called the doctor to come check on me at Ryker’s orders.

Other than the physical marks left behind, Dr. Bale said me and the baby were fine, but he still wanted me to come into his clinic the next day for an ultrasound.

The experience of listening to our baby’s heartbeat and seeing the tiny blip on the screen was surreal and made the reality of my situation more real.

I watched the screen with no small amount of awe, and tears sprang to my eyes.

Movement at my side pulled me from my amazed stupor.

I looked at Ryker, who was standing beside the bed I was lying on, and was struck dumb again by the look in his eyes.

I had never seen his expression so soft, so reverent.

It made me realize that maybe Ryker was just as captivated by seeing and hearing the undeniable evidence that we were actually having a baby.

In the present, I’m standing in front of the tall mirror in the corner of our bedroom.

I have on a white silk robe with the sash untied so I can take in my form.

The bruises on my breast are mostly gone except for three faint yellow dots where the guy’s fingers dug into me.

Fortunately, other than the redness on that first day, my ribs never bruised.

I move my gaze down to my lower stomach and rest my hand there.

I’ve found myself doing that more and more often.

Touching and looking at my stomach. It’s still hard to believe that I’m carrying a child.

That a living being is growing inside me.

I’m curious what it’ll feel like when it starts to move.

Dr. Bale told us that I should feel the baby move between four and six months.

According to the doctor’s calculations, I’m six weeks along, so I’ve got a ways to go before that happens.

There’s a light tapping on the door, and I turn from the mirror to go answer it, tying my robe closed.

I’m surprised but pleased to find Emersyn in the hallway.

I snatch her arm and tug her forward for a tight hug. We’ve talked on the phone and video chatted since the coffee shop, but I haven’t seen her in person since then.

“What are you doing here?” I ask after we break apart.

“I gave Ryker no choice but to let me come over to help you prepare for your big day.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” I say, and pull her into the room so I can close the door. I lead her over to the leather sofa that’s sitting in front of the fireplace.

“How are you feeling?”

I’ve already asked this question multiple times over the last few days, and her reply is always the same.

“ I’m fine .” I can’t see the bruise on her cheek, but I know it’s there underneath the cake of makeup she applied.

I hate that she was hurt, not just physically, but emotionally.

Although she insists she’s okay, I know the experience must have been terrifying.

She grabs my hand and brings it to her lap. “I promise, I truly am okay,” she says. “Stop worrying about me. Today is about you. How are you ?”

“First, I’ll never stop worrying about you when stuff like that happens. I’m sorry, but it comes with our friendship. And second, I would not consider being forced to marry a man as my ‘big day.’”

“Well, whether it’s a day to celebrate or a day to mourn, you’re still getting married.

” She lets my hand go and gets up, walking over to the dress bag hanging from a hanger on the outside of the closet.

“And I’m going to make sure you look fucking fabulous.

Now, let’s see how good Ryker’s tastes are. ”

I laugh and get up to follow her. “I haven’t even looked at it yet.”

“Then we’ll be surprised together.”

Both of our mouths hang open, and our eyes are wide in wonder once the dress is revealed. I recognize the design style immediately, and from Em’s slack-jawed look, so does she. The wedding dress is the most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen.

The style is A-line and reminds me of something a princess would wear in a fairy tale.

The whole thing is white and made of the finest lace with delicate white flowers woven in.

The straps on the bodice are about an inch wide, and there’s a cut between the breasts that’ll show off a tasteful amount of cleavage.

Below the cups, the lace is thinner and slim-fitting to show off a hint of skin.

At the waist, there are multiple layers of the same thin lace, and it flares out in a flurry, but the volume isn’t overly dramatic, nor will it be cumbersome to move in.

From the knees down, the woven flowers start to fade until they disappear close to the bottom.

It’s the slit on the side that I like the most, which starts just above mid-thigh.

“How in the hell did he manage to secure an Adele Bastien wedding dress? Those are so rare because she only comes out with new ones once every three years. And only a handful at a time.”

Em turns her shocked gaze to me, and all I can do is stare back at her.

“I don’t know.”

“How much money does your future husband have? He must have major connections.”

“Apparently.”

We admire the dress for a few more minutes before she looks at me. “All right, we only have a couple of hours. Hair and makeup first.”

Two hours later, my face and hair are done, and I’m wearing the prettiest dress known to man.

I’m back in front of the mirror in the corner, momentarily stunned at the vision in front of me.

Em is behind me, flitting around with the train of the dress, but I pay her no mind. I’m too caught up with how I look.

The dress fits like a glove, as if it were made specifically for me.

With the connections and the money Ryker obviously has, it wouldn’t surprise me if that were the case.

Em did an amazing job on my hair, the updo perfectly matching the fairy-esque style of the dress.

Only a few strategic pieces are left to softly flow around my face while the rest is loosely twisted up in a braid that runs along the crown of my head and around the top, sort of like a headband.

There are small white baby’s breath flowers woven throughout the strands.

My makeup is muted with a light layer of foundation, a soft peach blush, a thin layer of eyeliner and mascara, and a swipe of soft lavender eyeshadow.

My lips are a light pink. Around my neck is a thin silver necklace with a diamond teardrop.

My ears wear matching earrings. Gifts from Mom and Dad.

Ryker presented me with a set of earrings and a beautiful diamond necklace that went with the dress, but I chose to wear these instead.

I’ve never felt more beautiful.

It just sucks because it all seems like a waste. It’s not like I want or need to impress Ryker. He’s already impressed to the point of obsession.

The door to the room opens, and I turn to see Mom walking in. She’s wearing a gorgeous sage-green dress that hugs her curves, and her hair is left down to fall into wavy curls over her shoulders and down her back.

She takes one look at me and her eyes fill with tears. “Oh, baby, you look absolutely stunning,” she says, rushing over to my side and pulling me into her arms.