Briar Valley: The Complete Duet

17. Killian

CHAPTER 17

KILLIAN

THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE – JACK SAVORETTI

Hurtling the axe into the woodblock, I split it into two perfect halves. My shoulders ache from several hours of aggressive chopping to release my anxiety.

Willow’s inside puking her guts up. I hate seeing her suffering, even if it is for a good reason. Hell, a fucking amazing reason. We’re having a kid. Us. Together.

I’ve been a wreck on the inside ever since finding out. This pregnancy isn’t going to be easy, none of us are under any illusions about that. But we’ve been given something so precious.

We can’t ignore that.

This could be our last shot.

Lining up the next log, I falter at the last second and almost hack into the ground next to the cabin instead. Ryder’s truck is careening up the steep slope at full speed.

“Killian!” he yells out the window.

I drop the axe. “What is it?”

“You need to see this.”

Slamming on the brakes, he comes to a halt with a spray of mud. I quickly wipe my hands off on my ratty blue jeans and climb into his truck. He’s panting hard, like he ran to his truck then drove straight here.

“Did someone get hurt?”

All he can do is wordlessly shake his head.

“Show me, then.”

Instructing Hyland to stay back and watch Willow while we’re gone, I climb into the truck, and Ryder takes off with a hissed curse.

Driving back into town quickly, we bump over rocks and uneven bends in the makeshift road. It’s a quiet Friday, and everyone’s preparing for the weekend ahead.

As we make it back into the town centre, I can immediately tell that something is off. I spot the swarm of black vehicles haphazardly parked around the town square from far off.

All are marked with a logo.

SANCHEZ REAL ESTATE.

My entire body freezes up with an icy stab of rage. There are at least a dozen vehicles—cars, trucks and vans—parked near workers in matching uniforms.

At the head of the group, two men wearing hardhats are deep in discussion over a clipboard and measuring tape.

“What the fuck is this?” I growl.

Ryder quickly parks up. “No idea. We should go back for Tara and Hyland.”

“Hyland’s covering Willow, and Tara’s off duty. Come on, we can handle this.”

Climbing out of the truck, I approach the two developers who appear to be surveying the land around them, exchanging ideas under their breaths. Both watch me coming towards them with matching, smug smiles.

“What are you doing on our land? This is private property.”

“Mr Clearwater, I assume,” the first greets. “We’ve been instructed to begin prepping for the upcoming development.”

“What fucking development? Briar Valley is not for sale!”

He flashes a shark-like smile. “Everything is for sale for the right price. We can make you a very significant offer.”

“Even if this was my land to sell, I’d rather see Briar Valley burn to ash than end up in your fucking hands.”

The second developer laughs. “That can be arranged. We’ll be needing a fresh start for our modern apartment blocks to be built.”

I’ll die before seeing Lola’s legacy be demolished to make way for some shitty apartments sold at half a million pounds apiece. That isn’t happening while I’m alive.

“Get out of here!” I snarl, shaking all over.

“It isn’t illegal to look around. We’re simply sizing up the land and having a little exploration of your delightful town.”

Ryder hisses from beside me. “Trespassing is illegal!”

“Go before I put a goddamn bullet between your eyes,” I add menacingly. “This is my town. You’re not fucking welcome.”

After smirking to one other, they pack up their belongings and instruct their workers to load up. At the last moment, the first developer presses an envelope into my hands.

I don’t open it until their taillights are heading out of town and climbing back up the unforgiving slopes of Mount Helena. My insides are searing with anger at the intrusion.

That motherfucking animal!

If Dimitri Sanchez thinks he can intimidate us with these psychological games, he’s got another thing coming. We’re not so easily scared off, and this is our property to defend.

“What does it say?” Ryder asks, panic clear in his tone.

Taking his arm, we walk over to Lola’s porch and sit down on the wide steps. I tear into the letter then scan over the neat, pretentious writing that turns my stomach.

If you think that my wife belongs to you, then you’re sincerely mistaken. Willow Sanchez will always be mine.

I’ll burn down this pathetic town of yours unless you return my property. It will be my sincere pleasure to see it destroyed.

Don’t test me.

Dimitri Sanchez

“Son of a bitch.”

Ryder reads over my shoulder. “He’s a twisted fuck, isn’t he?”

“This bastard is really starting to piss me off. Someone needs to end him.”

“Just say the word. I’ll do it with pleasure.”

Scanning around the town square, my scalp prickles with alarm. If those dickheads can just drive in here like they own the place, then we’re not secure enough to keep Willow safe.

“We need to step things up around here.” I scrunch the letter up into a ball. “I want people on the town’s perimeter.”

“To do what?” Ryder scoffs.

“We at least need to know if some asshole is gonna turn up in town and start making threats. We have the right to defend our land.”

Looking thoughtful, he nods. “We could have some of our best hunters out there keeping an eye. Not our fault if someone accidentally gets shot while crossing our land.”

After sharing a laugh, we fall back into silence. I’m fucking shaken up. Nothing much used to faze me, but worry and fear are quickly becoming new constants.

We have so much to lose. Willow. Arianna. Our future. The stakes are higher than ever, and so much of this is out of my control. I can’t just sit here and split logs all day. I have to do something.

“She needs to make that public statement,” I decide. “Sooner rather than later. This bastard needs putting in his place.”

“Did she tell you what she’s gonna say?”

“Not yet.”

Ryder bites his lip. “I think she’s planning to announce that she’s filing for divorce. Willow wants to kick him where it hurts.”

“Fucking good.”

The amount of pleasure that gives me almost makes me dizzy. I hate the fact that that man can still call her his wife. We’re the only ones who deserve the right to one day call her that. Not him.

“I hope she kicks him in the teeth, and he looks like a wanker in front of the whole world,” I spit. “He deserves nothing more.”

Ryder stands up and offers me a hand. “Let’s go speak to Harold. He can arrange a team of people to maintain the perimeter.”

I take his hand and let him heave me up. Never thought I’d see the day we’d have to turn the quiet bliss of Briar Valley into a damn battleground, but nothing in our lives makes sense anymore.

This madness won’t last forever.

We’ll find a way to beat him.

With evening shadows cloaking the cabin in darkness, I leave Micah and Zach to entertain the little terror in the living room.

Willow’s in bed nursing a headache after spending the afternoon on the phone to Lucas, Sabre’s PR rep. She doesn’t protest as I begin to run her a steaming hot bath.

“Come on, princess.” I scoop her up into my arms. “Let’s get you relaxed and comfortable.”

“My head hurts,” she whimpers.

“I know. The painkillers will start working soon.”

Sitting her down on the edge of the huge clawfoot bathtub, I tip in an extra large scoop of jasmine bubble bath then check the temperature. I don’t want it too hot for her.

Willow’s head lolls, resting on my shoulder as we wait for the tub to fill up. She’s wrung-out and exhausted. Morning sickness has well and truly arrived in the past few days.

“When are we releasing the statement?”

“At the end of the week,” she replies sleepily.

“And you’re happy with that?”

“It’s just a written statement, I don’t have to show my face or anything. Pauline has draw up divorce papers.”

Relief pierces my chest. Despite the emotional turmoil, I’m still glad that she’s taking this step. It’s another inch in the right direction after a year of letting that man continue to oppress her.

“I’m proud of you, baby.”

“You are?” she hums.

“Hell yeah, I am. This is you fighting back against Sanchez. I’m so fucking proud of how strong you’re being right now.”

Turning her head, she kisses my shoulder. “Thanks, Kill.”

“Always.”

Easing myself from her embrace, I flick off the taps then beckon for her to stand. Willow lets me undress her, peeling off comfortable sweats and one of my t-shirts that’s swamping her body.

I duck low then brush my lips down—over her ribcage, hips, pubic bone—until I can press a tender kiss to her belly. My voice chokes up as I picture the little baby growing inside.

“We’ve got you, sweetheart,” I whisper into her warm skin. “Just keep cooking in there, and let us take care of the mess out here.”

Willow’s hands slip into my hair, releasing it from the hair tie keeping it in a loose bun so it slips over my shoulders. When I stand up, she tugs on the hem of my flannel shirt and tee.

“Come in with me?”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Not like that,” she quickly adds. “I just need you to hold me tonight. I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts.”

“I’m here, Willow. You’re never alone when it’s us. I made you a promise before, and I’ll never break it.”

“They were here,” she whispers brokenly. “His men were in our town. I still can’t believe it.”

“I shouldn’t have told all of you.”

“How can you keep your promise when the devil is already knocking on our front door?”

After lifting her into the steaming hot water, I kick off my jeans and boxers to follow her into the bath. We settle together in the water, her small body cradled against my chest, between my legs.

“He’s playing games with us.” I stroke her hair, soaking the short black strands. “We’re not going to rise to it.”

“Rise to it?” she laughs. “He’s threatening to bury the whole damn town unless I return to him.”

“And that isn’t going to happen.”

Willow remains silent.

“Is it?” I demand, grabbing her chin and twisting so she looks up at me. “Your place is right here. This is your land now.”

“What if I don’t want it? What if all I want is to live a quiet, peaceful life, away from all of this madness?”

Pressing our foreheads together, I softly kiss her parted lips. “It’s coming, baby. You just need to hold on a little longer.”

Moving my hand around her body beneath the water, I bring it to the slope of her belly and rest it there. Her eyes fill with tears as she peers up at me beneath thick lashes.

“This is our future,” I murmur.

“Yeah?”

“The baby, Arianna and the twins. We’re a family, and I won’t let anything take that away from us. Not even you.”

“I don’t want to take it away,” she sniffles.

“Then trust me. Trust us. Trust that we will see this through… together. As a fucking family.”

When the tears spill over, I slowly kiss them away, tasting the salty tang of her sadness. My hand strokes over her stomach before moving lower to dip between her thighs.

“Let me make you feel good, baby girl.”

“Mmm.” She pushes her ass against my cock.

Teasing her inner thighs with gentle strokes, I move lower, easing my hand down to her core. She’s slick in the bath water, her legs parting to grant me access to her wet folds.

Rubbing my thumb over her clit, I love the little moans that slip from her mouth. Her back arches against my chest, pushing her legs farther open so I have more access to her cunt.

“Is my girl’s perfect pussy wet for me?”

“Yes,” she whines.

“Tell me what you want.”

“P-Please… touch me.”

“Where?” I bite down on her ear lobe.

Willow sighs, her thighs clenching around my hand. “I need to feel your fingers inside of me.”

“You’re such a good girl, aren’t you?”

Rewarding her, I dip a digit into her molten core. She’s wet—receptive and sensitive to even the slightest of touches from me. Easing my finger out, I push it back in deeper.

“Kill,” she moans.

“Yes, princess?”

“More.”

Chuckling, I kiss around her ear and down to her neck, letting my teeth nip the soft expanse of skin there. I want her to be covered in my marks and touch. She’s mine. Every goddamn inch of her.

Pushing a second finger into her slit, I stretch her wider. Willow’s moans grow in pitch with each thrust, her body writhing in the steam and scented bubbles.

I begin to move faster, picking up the pace and teasing each moan past her lips with a feeling of total satisfaction. Only we can take every ounce of control from her in such an intimate way.

“Are you going to come all over my hand?”

“Yes,” she mewls.

“Show me. I want to feel your juices running all over me.”

Flicking her bud again, I slam my two fingers deeper into her cunt and watch as her mouth parts in a perfect, pink O. She cries out in pleasure, her walls clenching tight around me.

“Killian!”

“That’s it, baby. Say my fucking name.”

With a final cry of ecstasy, she falls apart. Her sexy body quivers with each wave of bliss, and her warmth coats my fingers in stickiness.

Slumping against my chest, her eyes slide shut. I slip my fingers from between her legs and wash them off in the water before banding my arms around her from behind.

“Perfect.” I kiss the side of her head. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she breathes out.

“Can I wash your hair for you?”

“Okay.”

Lifting her head so I can access the short strands, she allows me to soak her hair in water. I grab a bottle of shampoo then begin to lather, working in methodical silence.

“Kill?”

I pause while massaging her scalp. “Yeah?”

“I need you to know that no matter what happens, I love you so much. I want to have this baby and future with all of you. I want our family.”

Rinsing off the shampoo, I grab the conditioner next. “I know. Me too. We’re going to be okay.”

“Swear on it?”

“I swear, Willow.”

Her eyes flutter shut as I massage conditioner into her scalp, swallowing a bubble of shame. I just hope that what I’m saying is true and not just a fantasy.