Whatever It Takes (8 page)

The summer passed by so quickly with all the work around the ranch. The summer always made for more labor to be put forth. There was no more news on Santini, and his men hadn’t been seen asking any questions in a couple of months. So Ana and I got into a rhythm of relaxing and doing things away from the ranch, but it all changed when fall kicked in. We were in a mad rush to make the changes for the season while planning for the next spring, so what I hadn’t needed was to be put out of commission. But hell if life worked out like you had planned.

Mateo and Davy helped me in to the house and through to the kitchen. I stood straight, just in case Ana was in there with Laura. Gratefully, she wasn’t. She was supposed to take it easy because of the babies, but she never was.

“Is Ana taking a nap?” I asked Laura, who gave me a nod. Then I crouched down into the chair at the kitchen table, my chest aching.

“What’s wrong, Will?” she asked, panicking, dropping what she was doing to get to me. I waved her off and sat up straight.

“He got kicked by one of the horses,” Mateo answered for me.

“We need to get him to the hospital,” Laura said in a hurried screech. I brushed her off a second time then put my finger to my lips. I didn’t want Ana to hear.

“We took him this morning. He didn’t want Ana to know so we’ve been working quietly. The doc’s already given him some medicine and examined him. He’s got to take it easy on the ranch. The x-rays showed two cracked ribs and he has a bruised side. He’ll be fine but doesn’t want to stress Ana out so far into her pregnancy,” Mateo answered, constantly looking towards the door.

He knew that I worried about Ana all the time. Without her memory back, the fear of Santini returning, and her swollen with my baby, she didn’t need the stress.

“Well, please take it easy for the rest of the day, but I’m going to tell you now, boss, it’s not good to keep secrets from the wife even if it’s just to keep her from worrying,” Laura warned me.

“I know I shouldn’t, but we just started to feel safer. Something about him being missing seems like a good thing to me, but I don’t need to freak her out anymore,” I answered, standing to get a drink.

“Sit down and relax. I’ll get you a drink. What’s your plan on avoiding the missus until the bruises and ribs heal? You two are like jackrabbits,” she asked.

“That’s what I asked,” Davy said with a laugh.

“I haven’t figured that out yet, but I’ll work it out. Now, I need to get to my office and get some work done. It’s the busy time still, so I really do have a lot of important business to attend to.”

“Have you thought about purchasing the property down the road?” Davy asked.

“I have. It’s something I’m going to work on. The seller is looking for a big buyer so she doesn’t have to break up the land. With twins on the way, I think we’re going to end up with a large family. So more land for crops and livestock will do us good in the future,” I admitted.

I had a feeling that the dreams of her and this woman were because the woman was Ana’s twin. If she were, that meant doubles ran on both sides of the family since Shane and I were identical. And with the first set coming, I knew it was only a matter of time before there were more.

“That land has been vacant for so many years since old man Richards died,” Mateo added.

“Yeah, well, they couldn’t find someone locally who it belonged to, but a great-niece was found, and she’s selling the property,” I replied. Looking into the matter very carefully, I knew it had to be a tremendous steal. This woman didn’t know what it was really worth or just wanted to wash her hands of the property taxes.

“What property?” Ana asked walking into the kitchen.

“Hey, sugar. What brings you down here?” I asked anxiously. I wondered if she had heard anything, but then again, she couldn’t have. Ana would have run in here panicking.

“I wanted to help with dinner,” she said moving to the kitchen island.

“You need to be resting. You almost fainted today,” Laura snitched on her.

“You what?” I growled, standing and moving to her.

“I got a little hot, but I’m fine. I didn’t faint, thank you very much.”

“Fall just started, and it hasn’t been over sixty degrees, but you got overheated. You need to march your pretty ass back up the stairs and get in bed. I’ll bring dinner,” I told her.

“I’m not a child, you know? I don’t need to be sent to my room.” She got pissed and stormed out the kitchen door. I wanted to go after her, but I needed time. I knew I would be in for it if I said one more word to her. Lately, if she wasn’t super loving, she was super pissed. I didn’t want her to start hitting my chest.

“Hey, at least you got your excuse to hide in your office for a while.

“Yep, and I’m headed there right now,” I said, attempting to stand again. My side hurt like a bitch, so I took one more pill from the prescription bottle then moseyed on to my office. I worked through dinner, but Ana didn’t. She joined the rest of the crew at the table. Shaking my need to mark my territory every time I heard her laugh at something someone said, I dug deeper into all the work and ventures I’d put off since I claimed her.

~~~~~

Three weeks and counting. I wanted to tell her I’d done got myself stomped by a horse, but she wasn’t feeling like herself, and I didn’t have the heart to upset her more. Sex had gone out the window. We’d done it once, a week ago, when I took her from behind in my office. I used work as a deterrent, so when she came into my office just wearing the tiniest nightgown in the middle of the night, it was too hard to resist. 

I sat at my desk reliving the moment she had paraded her sexy pregnant-ass body into my office. My eyes immediately lifted to the intruder. “Can I…”

“Yes, you can help me,” she sassed me, her hands barely spanning the sides of her waist. She tapped her stiletto heeled toes at me, wearing the shortest possible piece of lingerie. Her eyes were staring at me with anger and a deep seeded need to be wanted. She had no idea how hard it had been for me to avoid her. I wanted her every waking moment. It was all I could do to not cave. But being busy really had helped. One of my men had been gored on the side during a freak accident before a bull riding competition so things got crazy on the ranch, and the deal with the Richards’ property was taking more of my time than I had expected.

“I know you’re busy, but I’ve been missing you, William. I don’t care how much you give me, but I need your attention.”

“I’m sorry, sugar. Waltz your sexy ass over here,” I said pushing my chair back and grasping my stiff cock, showing her what she fucking did to me. “I’m hornier than you could even imagine.”

She sauntered toward me, owning her confidence. Damn, Ana was perfect. Her long hair laid down on her shoulders almost long enough to cover her breasts. Her dark pink nipples peeked through the gauzy material. I licked my lips, eyeing her pussy that was revealed through the same colored panties.

I loved the smile that graced her face. “You know I love you, Ana. I don’t mean to be so busy. I want you until neither of us can stand.”

“Hehehe. So only once then,” she replied. As she got bigger, the babies zapped the energy out of her.

I stood up, the pain in my side almost a dull ache now. Crooking my finger, I summoned her closer. When we reached each other, her belly tapped my abs. I loved her expanding tummy; it allowed me an excuse when I turned her around. “First, pretty lady. As sexy as I find these heels, I can’t have you hurting yourself,” I whispered, pushing her hair to the side and placing tiny kisses on her neck and shoulder. Kneeling down behind her, I took each foot and slipped off its shoe, massaging that foot in the process.

Making my way slowly up her thighs, trailing kisses in my wake, I bit her ass. “Ah,” she moaned, bending her butt cheeks harder against my face. The bite only sparked her need and fueled mine. Running my fingers to the little bits of material, I tugged them down to get at her pussy from behind. Holding her thighs steady, I slipped my tongue through her folds. Her juice was so fucking sweet. I didn’t know if it were the babies or all the damn fresh fruit she ate, but fuck, I couldn’t get enough of her taste. Parting her legs wider, I stuck my tongue deep into her honey to get as much as I can. She started bouncing on my face, her knees shook as she rode me.

She cried out; her body giving me everything she had, coming on my face. Lowering her down to me on the ground we faced each other on our knees. I couldn’t stop from kissing her. The look of pure satisfaction and adoration in her eyes made it hard for me to think straight. Ignoring the pain, I hugged her tight.

She pushed me away panting, “I can’t breathe.”

“Oh shit. I’m sorry, Ana.”

“It’s not that serious. It’s just there’s a lot less room for my lungs in there.”

“Damn it, baby. I didn’t mean it.”

“You didn’t hurt me. I swear,” she said in a panic. I wasn’t upset, but thinking I did something to harm her took my erection away. Lifting her to her feet, I kissed her lips softly.

“I’ve got some more work that needs to be done tonight,” I said, caressing her chin.

“Oh, okay. I guess I’ll go,” she said somberly, ducking her head in sadness.

“First, I need to work you over until we’re coming together, then tuck you in so I can work.” She looked back up at me and smiled. Gone was the embarrassment and I loved that fucking look.

I took her mouth again then leaned her over my sofa in the office. “Bend over, sugar,” I growled in her ear before nipping at it. Her hands spread out on the back of the sofa, and I nudged her knees apart with my own. Once I unleashed my cock from my pants, I tested her entrance—with my tongue. Fuck, I couldn’t resist. I could see that shit glistening and it was too hard to pass up.

"Sorry, but I couldn't help myself," I growled.

"Please, don't ever be sorry for doing that," she hummed. It made me chuckle softly.

Rising up behind her, I ran the tip along her slit. She sighed and twitched. Pressing forward, my cock was sucked up by her sweet pussy lips. Her walls had gone too long without me between them. It felt so good to be so completely deep within her that I didn’t feel the pain. My cock was pulsing too hard and fast to care about my injury. Every inch of me was buried in her pussy, making my head drop back and my eyes twitch with sweet sensations. I leaned over her and whispered, “Sugar, can you be a good girl and come for me again?”

She just nodded. Her body was already shaking; she was close. I closed my eyes, focusing on the feel of her walls against my shaft. Her lips caressed my cock as I pushed slowly in and out of her heat. Her juice coated my cock making it a smoother domination. I pulled her hips towards me and fucked deep into her.

“Damn, baby, I’m going to fuck you real fucking good once we get passed that six-week period. You’re going to be running from the dick.”

“Fuck me hard now, cowboy. Ride me,” she shouted, pushing her round ass back against me.

“You want me to ride you, sugar?”

“Yes, cowboy,” she purred. I wrapped her hair around my hand near the scalp and held on while I started to rut into her hot pussy.

I grunted, coming into her as she screamed my name.

After catching our breath, I carried her up to bed, and she fell straight to sleep. I hobbled down the stairs and hid in my office, popping two painkillers with a shot of Jack.

"Hey, Mom. How's it going?" I asked, walking into their inn. It was winter again, and there was always something that needed to be done. We didn’t visit the inn often, just in case there was some random traveler that was a part of Santini’s men. Nothing about him had been heard in a long time, but we also refused to check up
them
either. There would be no reason for us to be looking for him unless Ana were still alive, so we thought it was best to keep hush.

"The usual. How are you feeling? Your ribs better?" They were feeling back to normal, and my appointment had shown that they managed to heal properly on their own. I was worried every time I hugged my lovely wife. I wanted to squish her to me every day.

"Yes, which is good because I can't take hiding from my wife. She's been looking sad, and it’s all my fault."

"That's because you keep avoiding her. How many things have you come here to fix in the last month?"

"A lot, but today, you actually did need me."

"Yes, go help your father in the back,” she said grumpily. My parents thought I was doing more harm than good when it came to lying about my injury to Ana. They were right. She was miserable thinking I wasn’t attracted to her. It was something I was going to have to fix tonight after I took care of whatever my dad needed.

I walked to the back room to help put up a shelf. I was a foot taller than my father and thirty years younger.

"Hey, son. Thought I'd put your excuse to avoid your wife to good use." He gave me a crooked smile. “Grab the drill and get started.”

"Yeah, well, I was about to show her how much I've missed her."

"That's my boy. Let's finish this so you can get a move on."

We worked for the next fifteen minutes. Just as we were cleaning up the mess, my mother came in the room. “Oh my God. She’s here.”

“Who’s here?”

“The woman who keeps looking for Ana, and this time, she’s with another one of the criminals. They’re married. They came to check in. Claimed that they were here to get some rest for his wife. She wasn’t feeling well, and they’d been traveling through the snow.”

“I’m coming,” I said.

We all walked out of the back just as Ana appeared. Fuck, this was going to be crazy. I had to get her out of here.

“I want to know why they’re here, and I will. I won’t let anyone try and take her from me,” Will promised. He needed to return his wife to their home, but it was too late; she had come following him.

“What’s going on, Will? You left in a rush and were being secretive again. You know damn well I hate it!” My beautiful and very pregnant wife barked in anger.

“I think Santini sent someone to find you again,” I growled as I tucked her in my arms.

“No!” The tears welled up in her eyes, and I wanted them to pay for making my wife cry.

“We need to get you out of here before your seen,” my mom said in a panic.

“We’re divorced. That I know, so he has no claim on me,” Ana said, trying to reassure me.

The constant searches and snooping around town had been working my nerves to the point that I was ready to bury some bodies the next time. “I know that, doll, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to finish what he started. I’ll kill if he even tries.”

~~~~~

I was holding Ana in my arms just as the new guests walked back down from their room. It was too late to act. I wouldn’t let him take her.

“Ana, I won’t let him take you from me,” I promised her. Fuck if I’d let anyone keep her from me—anyone. The women made eye contact, and I knew this was either the worst possible thing or the best. The bastard criminal with the woman was looking at us angrily. I had my gun ready if he wanted to go at it. I looked at him letting him know I was watching.

“Ana!” The look-a-like shouted as she pulled out of thug’s grasp. She ran to Ana and wrapped her up in a great big hug. “Oh my God! You’re alive!”

“You’re real?!” Ana said.

“Of course, I’m real. I’ve missed you so much.” The tears fell down the woman’s face.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name. Are you my older sister?”

Those dreams were real then, but that didn’t make her sister a good person. She was with that bastard after all.

The woman sobbed heavily and said between hugs and tears, “I’m your older sister by like five minutes. I’m Lana.”

The man walked up to us and addressed my mother directly. “I asked you why you stared at my wife like that, and you lied. I don’t appreciate it one damn bit. She’s been freaking out about her sister’s disappearance since she learned of it. We almost left without knowing she was alive. Lana was ready to bury her sister.” He turned to me and gave me a stare down. “I’m sure you have your reasons, and I expect you to explain it to us. I know you, big boy, have the answers. I better get them, too.”

“Listen, thug, I don’t know who the fuck you think you’re talking to but just like I told that bastard, Santini, I know how to shoot, and if you want, I can give you a lifelong lesson.”

Lana gasped, “Please don’t. Is there somewhere we can talk? There’s a lot to explain on everyone’s end. Please.”

“Love, anything for you,” her companion said pulling her back into his arms.

“This way,” my father directed.

“Are you carrying anything on you?” I asked

“Yes, I am, and if you think I’m going to trust you enough to leave it, you’re out your fucking mind.”

“Please, men, quit it. Keep your guns. You won’t need them,” Lana said deflecting the tension. “It looks like my sister has been well taken care of.”

I let them walk in front of us, but despite Lana’s protest, Ana stayed by my side.

We all sat in the kitchen but not before my mother grabbed some food and handed it over to Lana. “He said you were hungry.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

“So let’s take it from the top. Why are you here again?”

“To look for my sister. I’ve been searching for her hoping that her husband hadn’t killed her. Ana, you don’t remember our last conversation?”

“I’m sorry, I still don’t remember a lot.”

“I’m sure you worked that to your advantage, didn’t you?” the arrogant bastard snarled at me.

“He didn’t. He’s the one who saved me and kept me hidden from Claudio.”

“You don’t have to hide anymore.”

“What does that mean?”

“He’s dead,” Lana said.

“Last we heard he was missing. Did they find the body?”

“No, and they never will. Let’s just say, you weren’t the only one who Santini tried to kill.”

“You killed him?” I asked the guy. “How do I know you don’t work for him? I don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Sergei Antonov, and Lana and I just got married. I didn’t kill him, but I know who did, and I can’t say who, but the reason Lana and I met was because she believed my friends and I had made him disappear.”

“He’s really dead,” Ana said hopefully.

“Yes, very, Ana. Your sister has been so worried that she was willing to take on formerly made guys like myself to learn about whether you had died or not. I promised her we would come here for answers. I hated Santini, and the only reason I didn’t kill him was because others deserved the honor.”

“Really.”

“My best friend is married to Santini’s former fiancée. Yes. He moved on after you. The family had no idea he’d been married before until Lana told us about you. He tried to kill her family and much more, so he paid the price.”

“So why were you talking to them when you came here?” I asked Lana.

“They told me to go home and leave it alone, or I’d end up like Ana. They were following me.”

“Oh. We didn’t know if they were using you to get to Ana,” I said in a semi-apology.

“Thank you and your friends. We’ve been living in seclusion since that day,” Ana admitted. Lana grabbed her hand and held it in hers.

“Don’t thank us. He was scum. We were glad to be rid of him. It’s you all I need to thank. Without you hiding and protecting Ana, I would have never met Lana,” Sergei said before giving Lana a kiss on the cheek. She smiled back at him with loving eyes. She wasn’t scared of him. So maybe he was legit, but I wouldn’t let him hurt her.

“Can you please tell us what happened to you?” Lana asked looking at her sister for answers to the past year.

Ana went on for about an hour explaining her memories of that day and everything she could remember about Santini when Lana interrupted.

“I wish I’d taken you away from him sooner. You didn’t know what he was about, and he didn’t give up. I knew you didn’t want to marry him, but at the wedding, you looked so happy. When he beat you on your honeymoon, you told me you deserved it.”

“It’s coming back in pieces, but I remembered being so scared of him.”

“I knew you were, but he was dangerous. I was looking for a way to get you away from him when you called me that night. The night he tried to kill you.”

“I don’t remember the call.”

“You told me that he found out that you’d been using birth control. He was so pissed about it that he beat you. You said goodbye to me then and that you wished you’d get a second chance to do it over. It seems like you did. Are you happy?” she asked, pointedly referring to our relationship.

“I’m happier than I ever dreamed of. I love William. He’s made my life perfect. It’s not because he’s my hero, but I thought he was my husband the first day. I remembered him from the morning of that day, and well, I fell in love with him.”

“I love you too, sugar,” I said stealing a quick kiss.

“So what’s going to happen now?”

“Oh, Sergei? Can we stay for a little while? Do you think Nikolai will let you?”

“Let me call him.” He took out his phone in front of us and made the call in another language.

“Nikolai said, of course. We’ll need to be getting a room here for at least a week, Mrs. Cline.”

“That won’t be necessary, my ranch isn’t far from here.”

“You want me to stay at your place.”

“Not really, but I know that what you’re telling me is true. I can spot a liar. Besides, I don’t think my wife would appreciate you being that far away after so long, and in her condition, I’m not going to let her travel every day when she needs to be taking it easy.”

“That’s so true. Same with this one,” Lana said. “He’s not going to let me out of his sight now that we found out we’re having a baby.”

“Oh my gosh! You, too!”

“Yes, although it seems you’re much further along.”

“Any day now.”

“Which we have to talk about?” I interrupted. “You shouldn’t have left the ranch, and you better tell me that one of the men drove you here.”

“No, I walked…Of course Mateo drove me.”

“They all know better than to let you follow me in the first place, but somehow, I doubt you gave them an option.”

“Nope. I wanted to know what broad my husband was meeting up with since he keeps leaving me every time I want to have sex.” It was the first time she actually made me blush in public.

“Babe, this isn’t conversation for the rest. You know damn well there’s no one else, but I’ve been keeping something you,” I admitted.

“Tell me right now. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what you’ve been keeping from me.”

“Can’t we talk about this at home?”

“Nope. I’m assuming your parents already know, so who cares.”

“The truth is I got kicked by a horse and broke a couple of ribs.”

“I know that already. Next time you want to keep a secret, try to keep it down. Then maybe I wouldn’t have been trying to intentionally torment you.”

“You did that on purpose?”

“You lied to me.”

“Fine. Well, I feel better now.”

“Yeah, but I don’t feel like it tonight.” She turned to her sister. “Lana, let’s walk together and chat.”

“Um, Ana, they are going to go in their car together.” I reminded her.

“Sergei, can you drive us to the house together so we could talk?” Lana asked her husband, hugging his arm and giving him that look I saw on Ana’s face many times.

“No, you girls can ride with me,” I stated. It wasn’t an offer. That was what was happening. There was no way I was letting him take her anywhere without me.

“Whatever, I’m not worried. I’ll follow.” Sergei pulled his wife to him. “I love you, Lana. Be safe. I’ll be right behind.”

“I know, my love. Thank you, and by the way, I am in the mood tonight,” she said to him with a wink. His ass grinned, and I wanted to punch him. “I almost forgot our luggage.”

“I’ll get it. Don’t leave without me.” The two women were talking while we waited for Sergei to come downstairs. I really felt like a bastard for keeping them apart.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for keeping you apart for so long.”

“It’s not your fault, William. Santini’s men were all over me. If you would have told me about her, they would have known. Plus, without the silence here, I wouldn’t have met Sergei, and I can’t imagine my life without him.”