Tony was inside my apartnt.
First ti in three months.
The door closed behind us, and suddenly, the space felt too small and intimate.
He was standing there looking at , and I had almost forgotten how sexy and dangerous he was.
Three months apart and nothing’s changed. The pull between us, the connection, the chemistry. All was still there.
"You’ve been watching ," I said, it wasn’t a question but a statent.
"Protecting you. There’s a difference."
"Is there?"
"Yes." His voice was firm. "Hassan Patton was planning to kill you and Elliot. I stopped him."
I sat on the couch, my legs shaking. "He’s the one who shot Elliot?"
"Yes. He was a forr enforcer for my father. Held a grudge for twenty years over sothing that happened in the old days and was planning another attack on both of you."
"And you stopped him."
"That’s what I do, Katherine. Protect the people I love."
The words hung between us - people I love. Present tense.
"By spying on ?" I was now standing up, angry. "By following and watching with Pete?"
"By making sure you stayed alive!" He’s shouting too. "Hassan had been surveilling you for six weeks! He knew your routine, your schedule, where you shopped, and where you ran. Everything!"
"So you did the sa thing?"
"To protect you!"
"Without telling ! Without asking!"
"Would you have let ? Would you have accepted my help, or would you have pushed away again?"
I was silent because he was right. I would have pushed him away.
Tony was pacing now. He couldn’t stay still with the energy radiating off him.
"I watched you with him. Pete: the dinners, the coffee dates, playing with his daughter. The almost-kiss."
"You had no right-"
"I had every right!" He was in front of now and very close. "You’re mine, Katherine. You’ll always be mine."
"I’m not yours anymore. I left, rember?"
"Did you? Or are you just running from what we have?"
"I left to protect Elliot-"
"Bullshit. You left because you’re scared. Scared of how much you love and scared of how much I love you. You are scared of what that ans."
"I’m scared of watching everyone I love die because of your world!"
"My world? Katherine, my world is your world, whether you accept it or not! Hassan proved that! He ca after you, whether I was here or not!"
I burst into tears, couldn’t help it. "I know. I know leaving didn’t keep safe, but at least I tried. I chose sothing other than constant danger."
"And has it made you happy? This safe life?"
The question cuts in deep because the answer was no.
"No," I whispered. "I’m miserable, but I’m alive, Elliot’s alive. That’s what matters."
"What about us? Does that matter?"
"Of course it matters! But it’s not enough!"
Tony was breaking, and I could see it. The facade was crumbling.
"I’m a selfish bastard, Kat." The nickna. He hasn’t called Kat in months. "You’re supposed to be my woman. My partner for life. And watching you make friends with another man, watching him try to kiss you - it’s killing ."
"You think this is easy for ?" I shouted through tears. "You think I don’t miss you every single day? That I don’t dream about you? That my heart doesn’t break every morning when I wake up, and you’re not there?"
"Then why? Why stay away?"
"Because Elliot almost died! Because your family’s enemies won’t stop! Because I can’t live in constant fear that the next threat will be the one that kills soone I love!"
"But you’re not safe here either! Hassan proved that! Leaving didn’t protect you!"
"I know!" I’m sobbing now, collapsing onto the couch. "I know it didn’t. But at least I tried. At least I chose safety over love. Over us. Even if it didn’t work."
Tony sits beside . Not touching. But close. So close.
"And has it made you happy? Choosing safety?"
I was silent, then answered. "No. I’m miserable, but I’m alive. Elliot’s alive. That’s what matters."
"What about us? Does what we have matter?"
"Of course it matters, but Tony, it’s not enough! Love isn’t enough when people keep getting hurt!"
We were too close now, and the tension was unbearable.
I could feel his heat and his presence. Three months without him and my body still responded.
"Katherine-" His voice was rough, thick, and desperate.
"Don’t. Don’t make this harder than it already is."
"Harder than watching you with soone else? That’s impossible."
He reached for , his hand on my face - gentle and tender.
I should pull away. Should maintain distance. Should rember why I left.
But I don’t.
His thumb brushed my cheek, wiping away tears.
"I love you," he whispered. "Never stopped. Never will."
"I love you too. But-"
He kissed to cut off my protest. My objection. My reason.
And I kissed him back.
I couldn’t help it - three months of separation, of longing and of denial.
All of it poured into this kiss.
We tore at each other. Desperate and frantic.
His jacket, my dress, buttons, zippers, and everything that was in the way.
"This doesn’t change anything," I gasped between kisses.
"I don’t care."
We don’t make it to the bedroom as we stayed on the couch - no ti for anything else.
Tony’s hands were everywhere. On my thighs, my breasts, and my face in a possessive way, claiming what’s his.
"I’ve missed you," he growled against my neck. "Every night. Every mont. Every second without you has been torture."
"Tony... we shouldn’t-"
"Tell to stop."
I can’t. I don’t want to.
He was inside , finally, after three months of emptiness.
We both groaned as the feeling was overwhelming. Perfect and complete.
"God, I’ve missed this," he breathed. "Missed you. Missed us."
We moved together. Desperate and hungry. Three months of need pouring out.
No gentleness. Just raw passion. Claiming. Reconnecting.
"Mine," Tony breathed, thrusting deep. "You’re mine. Say it."
"Yours," I cried out. "I’m yours. I’ve always been yours."
The couch wasn’t enough, and we moved to the floor. The carpet was rough against my back, but I didn’t care.
He was relentless. Taking everything and giving everything.
"More," I gasped. "Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop."
"Never."
I flipped us to straddle him, taking control.
Riding him with my hands on his chest. His hands were on my breasts, squeezing, worshipping.
"So beautiful," he groaned. "So perfect. Mine."
We were both close; I could feel it building. It was overwhelming.
He sat up. His arms around . Face to face. Connected completely.
"I love you," he said, looking into my eyes. "I love you so much."
"I love you too."
We co together. Crying out, holding each other, and fusing back into one.
But we’re not done.
I moved against the wall, and he was behind . Rough and deep. Exactly how I needed it.
His hands were on my hips, pulling back onto him.
"Yes, God, yes-" I’m gasping, eting every thrust.
"This is what you need, what we need. Together."
"Yes, together... always."
Finally, we made it to the bedroom. It was slower now, tender and emotional.
We were face-to-face, looking deep into each other’s eyes.
He entered gently this ti, savoring and morizing.
"I love you," Tony said. "Never stopped. Never will. No matter what happens. No matter where you go. You’re mine. Always."
"I love you too," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "God help , I love you so much."
We made love slowly and tenderly as if we were trying to morize every mont.
Because we both know, this is all we get. One night. One perfect night.
Beforereality returns.
We fell asleep tangled together, exhausted, satisfied, and complete.
For one night, I’m ho.
The Morning After, dawn light stread through my window, waking .
Tony was beside , sleeping peacefully.
His tattooed arm was around my waist, holding even in sleep.
I watched him, morized him, and this mont.
Because reality was already crashing back.
Last night was a mistake. A beautiful, wonderful, perfect mistake.
But nothing’s changed.
His world was still dangerous. His family’s enemies still existed. Elliot was still at risk.
One night doesn’t fix years of trauma.
One night doesn’t make safe.
Tony woke and reached for imdiately.
"Katherine-"
"Last night was..." I searched for the words. "It was amazing. But Tony, I can’t. I still can’t."
His face hardened. "Why? We love each other. That’s all that matters."
"It’s not enough. Hassan proved that. Your family’s enemies will never stop coming. There will always be another threat. Another attack. Another reason to be afraid."
"Then we face them together-"
"No." I could feel the tears behind my eyes, but held on. "I can’t do this, I won’t. Elliot almost died because of your world. I won’t risk him again."
"So that’s it? One night and you’re done?"
"One night is all we can have."
He was getting dressed. His movents were sharp, angry, and hurt.
"This is really what you want?"
"It’s what has to be."
"You’re making a mistake."
"Maybe. But it’s my mistake to make."
At the door, he turned and looked at one last ti.
"When you realize you’re wrong... and you will, I’ll be waiting."
"Don’t wait for , Tony. Please move on. Find soone who can live in your world."
"There’s no one else. There never will be."
Then he was gone.
The door closed, and I collapsed on the bed.
Sobbing, broken, and empty.
I did the right thing. For Elliot. For everyone.
So why did it feel like I just destroyed myself?
Two weeks later.
My routine and normal life continued.
Pete was still around - polite, persistent, and hopeful.
Mandy was adorable as ever, always asking when I would co play.
Elliot had fully recovered and was back at Columbia. Thriving.
Everything should be fine.
But I’ve been feeling off, nauseous, especially in the mornings.
Tired, despite sleeping ten hours.
I was dizzy and lightheaded at random monts.
At first, I thought it was stress, grief, and heartbreak.
But it continued and has gotten worse.
Finally, I bought a test. Just to rule it out.
I was in my bathroom staring at the stick, waiting.
Three minutes. The longest three minutes of my life.
The tir went off, and I looked.
Two lines.
Positive.
"No. No, no, no."
I’m shaking and still staring at it.
I took another test and got the sa result.
And another. Still positive.
I’m pregnant.
Four weeks. From the one night with Tony.
"This can’t be happening."
But it is. I’m pregnant, with Tony’s baby.
After everything. After choosing safety and walking away.
Now I’m tied to him forever.
What do I do? Tell him, keep it a secret, or raise this baby alone?
I need help and advice. I need soone who understands.
Elliot.
I grabbed my phone to call him.
"Katherine? It’s early. What’s wrong?"
"I need you. Can you co over? Now?"
"What happened?"
"Everything." My voice breaks. "Everything’s wrong."
"I’m on my way."
I hung up, staring at the positive test.
Pregnant. With Tony Marvin’s child.
My carefully constructed safe life just shattered into a million pieces.
And I have no idea what to do next.
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