Pierced: Pierced Trilogy Boxed Set (113 page)

“You ready for one more munchkin?” I whisper as I kiss the spot behind her ear that always makes her shiver. And I smile as she lightly shudders right on cue.

“Are you having second thoughts, Lieutenant?” she asks softly. “Because it’s a little late if you are.”

“Oh no, baby,” I whisper. “I am not having second thoughts. You and the munchkins are the best decision I ever made.” I kiss her ear and she softly moans, melting against me.

“Mmm. What do you say we leave the picnic and put the twins down for their nap early. Then we can continue this conversation in private.”

I chuckle at her. “Somehow I get the feeling you’re not planning on doing much talking during that conversation, Mrs. Pierce.”

“Would that be a problem for you, Lieutenant Pierce?”

“No problem at all, baby,” I whisper, smiling at her.

Pierced By Christmas

Prologue

It's funny how things work in prison, he thought. How certain guys always seem to find likeminded souls among their fellow inmates. Drug offenders tend to flock to other drug offenders. Child molesters and pedophiles tend to connect with other sickos of a similar ilk. The same could be said of sexual offenders as well. That's the label the system had placed on him. On both of them.

“Oh, I've got a plan,” he told his friend as he watched the guard patrolling the barbed wire fence in the distance. “One I've been hatching for a while now. Ever since I got word that my out date was set.”

“Does this plan involve what we talked about before?” his tattooed friend asked quietly, glancing sideways at him as they sat on the small set of bleachers in the exercise yard.

He smiled. “You mean paying a visit to our mutual friend?”

“That son of a bitch ain't no friend of mine,” his friend replied. “But yeah.”

He nodded. “Yeah, it's on my short list of things to do. But I'm gonna do more than just pay him a visit though. Mr. hot-shot cop has a few things in his life that are precious to him now, not the least of which is a pretty little wife. So, we're gonna have some fun. And she and I are gonna do a little dancing.”

His friend smiled as he looked at him. “What is it with you and married women?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he smiled back at him. “What is it with you and rich women?”

His friend sighed as he thought about it. “I don't know. The rich ones are just so … snobby. Stuck-up bitches, looking down on me when they're really begging for it, you know? Like they think their shit don't stink or something, and they're just begging for me to show 'em that it does.”

He nodded his head. This is why he had allowed his friend to remain in his orbit – because they shared a similar proclivity, and a similar philosophy about it.

“I guess it's the same with the married ones. They walk around pretending their little world is perfect. But it's not perfect, 'cause he can't protect her. And deep down, they all know it. Hell, sometimes I'd swear that she can feel me watching. Waiting for me to come. Like that cunt that testified at my trial. That bitch and her husband are first on my list of things to do. Once I've seen to that, then I'll move on to our friend.”

“Just make sure you ram his wife once for me,” he said quietly. “And make sure it hurts! But I gotta warn you … that little bitch is a fighter. She won't just lay there and take it.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” he nodded. “How would you like to get in on my game though?”

His friend looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Well, you know I'm stuck here. I'm done. How can I get in on this game?”

He shrugged his shoulders once more. “Thought you might want to send our friend a little note to start the ball rolling. I get out in three months. If we send a note now, it'll drive him crazy for a while wondering where the danger's coming from. Then by the time I'm free he'll have forgotten all about it.”

His friend smiled again, nodding his head. “Yeah, I'll send him a note. I know just what I want it to say too.” He grew serious as he thought about it. “Game delayed. But not over.”

Chapter One

Joshua

My eyes flutter open and quickly squint from the bright morning light filtering in through the sheer curtains on the french doors that lead to our private deck, and I blink at the alarm clock. I don't even know why I set it anymore; I always wake before it goes off. Reaching out to turn it off, I stretch a little, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. I feel the brush of her hair at my back and I smile thinking about those magical green eyes that I love so much. Samantha.

Slowly, I turn over, reaching out to wrap my arm around her and pull her close. Only I'm met with a much smaller version of the woman I seek, and I frown when I realize that the hair that lightly brushed against my back belongs to my daughter, not my wife. Livvie is sound asleep, tucked snuggly against me, her chestnut hair fanned out across her face and my pillow as her little feet peak out from beneath her yellow Disney princesses nightgown, and I can't help but smile. Glancing up, I see my smile reflected in Samantha's as she silently points to the foot of the bed.

Leaning up slightly, I follow her direction and look to the end of the bed, and I see Leo sleeping just as soundly near our feet, curled up in a tight ball and clutching his stuffed toy police cruiser like a teddy bear. I chuckle to myself and shake my head. That kid goes nowhere without at least one car on him.

I turn back and look at Samantha and she is beaming at me. And I suddenly feel so blessed.
How the hell did you get this damn lucky, Pierce?
Returning her smile, I crook my finger at her and motion her to me. She gently raises up as I lean in and kiss her, slow and deep, as I caress her face.

“Good morning, Mrs. Pierce,” I whisper, looking into her enchanting bright green eyes.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Pierce,” she whispers back.

“When were we invaded?”

She giggles slightly. “An hour ago maybe? They padded in here together this time,” she says softly.

“Oh, a unified front, huh?” I ask and Sam giggles softly again. “Time to push them back,” I say softly as I climb out the bed and bend to take Livvie into my arms.

“I know you're only joking but, you've got to stop using war terminology for dealing with them,” she smiles, looking up at me.

“Are you kidding?” I whisper, continuing to yank her chain. “It is us against them, baby; and we are quickly losing the battle!” She is laughing quietly as I gently take my three year old princess into my arms and carry her back to the nursery across the hall. I lay her down in her big girl bed and lightly brush her soft brown hair off her face as I cover her up. Then I head back to the master suite and repeat the process with Leo.

I take him to the nursery and lay him down in his car-shaped bed and place his stuffed police cruiser under the covers with him and lightly brush my hand over his soft, dark brown curls. Eventually, they'll each have their own room. But for now, they both feel better still being in this room together. And I smile as I think back on my initial misgivings about Sam and I moving into this huge house. I think I even asked her what we needed with five bedrooms. And now here we are with the twins and a baby on the way.
Filling 'em up pretty quickly, Pierce!

I enter our bedroom and lock the door behind me. The munchkins were both still sleeping when I put them down, but I don't want to chance them walking in on Mommy and Daddy's playtime. Been there, done that. More than once. And I'm not sure who's more traumatized, them or me!

“I'm on to you, Lieutenant,” Samantha says as I remove my briefs and climb back into the bed with her.

“Oh?”

“Mmm hmm,” she mumbles, raising an eyebrow at me. “I know that you've purposely been waking up at least an hour earlier than you need to, all so that you can take care of these … urges of yours.”

I can't help laughing at her choice of words, but I notice she has already removed her own nightgown. The twins have taught us to be a little quicker about these things. “Well, what can I say, Sunshine? I have needs. And only you can satisfy them, baby,” I offer softly as I caress her cheek.

She blushes slightly at my words and bites her bottom lip. She is so gorgeous.

“And my tactics were working just fine before the munchkins decided that it's fun to climb into bed with us in the mornings.”

She giggles at me and I can't stand the anticipation. I kiss her passionately, silencing her girlish giggle and caressing her tongue with my own. She moans into my mouth as her hands find their way into my hair, holding my mouth to hers as my hands roam over her soft skin.

As long as I live, I will never tire of making love to this woman. She is so amazing, and I can never seem to get enough of her. My mouth moves hungrily over skin, feasting on her sweet flesh as I go. Her neck, her breasts, her ribcage and her waist. I'm eager to taste her honeyed nectar. She moans softly as I reach my destination, her back arching and her fingers twisting in my hair. I take my time here, savoring the taste of her, loving the way her body convulses as my tongue refuses to relent.

“Oh, Joshua,” she moans as I travel back up her body with soft kisses. A moment later I'm deep inside her, moving at a steady, pounding rhythm as she writhes and moves with me, meeting me thrust for thrust. Her legs wrap around me tightly and I increase my pace, angling my hips and delving deeper into her. She moans loudly as her body trembles uncontrollably and her orgasm takes over, pulling me along with it, and I come magnificently, deep inside her.

“Ah, baby!”

I lay panting on top of her for a moment, savoring the feeling of being inside her. Finally I raise up and look into her eyes. “You are so damn beautiful, Sam.”

“Mmm, you say that to all the girls,” she purrs softly, and I smile.

“Only the ones who marry me and have my babies,” I tell her. “Speaking of which … is he okay?” I ask, placing my hand on her her small baby bump.

“Yes,
she
is just fine.”

“He.” I repeat sternly.

“She.” I can't help laughing at the determination in her eyes. But as I do, her expression turns serious. “Why do you want another boy so badly?” she asks me.

“Baby, come on. You know I'm just joking,” I answer as I gently pull out of her. “I will be happy either way; I just want him or her to be healthy.”

“But if you could choose, you'd want another boy. Why?” she asked.

“Honestly?” I quietly ask her, and she nods at me. “Because I already know that Livvie's gonna break my heart, over and over again. I've known it from the day we brought them home from the hospital.”

“What do you mean?” Sam asks, frowning at me.

I sit up and lean back against the pillows, and Sam follows. “I mean exactly what I said. She's going to break my heart. With Leo, it's different,” I say quietly, looking up to meet her gaze. “He's like my little shadow. He's my buddy, you know? My playmate.”

“You play with Livvie, Princess Daddy,” Sam teases. And I laugh at the dress-up reference, but I know that she's still not understanding what I'm trying to say.

“Yes, I play with Livvie. And nobody wears a pink, plastic tiara better than I do,” I point out with a straight face, and she giggles at me. “But that's not what I meant when I called Leo my playmate. It's like … Leo and I already have this bond that I never had with my old man. And I know this sounds silly because he's only three and half years old, but I swear … me and that kid have some of the best conversations in the world!” She's laughing at me, and I can't help but laugh too. “I can't wait to teach him stuff and do things with him. Even now when we hang out on our special days … that kid is going to be my very best friend, and I already know that. But Livvie …” My voice trails off as I think about it, suddenly getting emotional. And I feel Sam's hand on my arm.

“Josh,” she says softly.

I take a deep breath and sigh. “The first time she thinks she's too big to hold my hand when we cross a street,” I say quietly. “The first time she doesn't want to be seen with her dad because it's not cool. Or when she starts talking about boys and wanting to go on dates. Each and every one of those things is going to be like a little milestone for her, but for me … it is going to break my heart, baby. Each and every time. It already hurts just thinking about it. She may be Daddy's little girl right now, but that's going to change as she gets older. And this might sound selfish, but I don't want to go through that twice. Two daughters would be the death of me.”

Sam smiles at me, shaking her head. “You are in love with that little girl,” she says softly.

“Is it that obvious?” I smirk. “I mean, it's like you and your dad. Don't you think it killed him when you decided that you were too old for your father/daughter dates when you were a teenager? I bet it did.”

“Joshua, don't you realize that you are always going to be Livvie's first love? No matter what boy comes along; no matter what man she ends up marrying. You are the first man that she is ever going to fall in love with. The man that she is going to measure all others against as she gets older.”

“What makes you so sure of that?”

“I know that for a fact because I was Daddy's little girl too. I still am, even though he's gone. I know how it works. So trust me when I say that that little girl will always be in love with you. You will always be her hero.” She's silent for a long minute as she watches me, then she lightly caresses my face. “If this baby is a girl, Josh, you will fall every bit as much in love with her as you are with Livvie. And you will learn to deal with it. But … if you want to wish for a boy, that's okay too,” she smiled.

“Can we ask about the sex when we see the doctor this week?” I ask quietly.
Please say yes, please say yes.
With the twins, she decided she didn't want to know, but a little knowledge this time around would go a long way toward easing my anxiety.

She's quiet as she studies my eyes. Then she smiles at me. “Yes, we can ask if you want to. I just don't want you to be too disappointed if it's a girl.”