Kirby Carter

. . t h r e e m o n t h s l a t e r. .

Time seems to blur, each day melting into the next and picking up speed.. Things run relatively smoothly, despite the chaos that is your fortnightly meetings with Darby.. Which have now become an increasingly tense stand-off and macho display of one upmanship between the Bratva and the IRA rebels..

Another of those meetings is set for midnight tonight, as Darby has finally found you a space to begin construction of the Vulknut ULTRA device that he is apparently very excited to show you.. Hunter - acting as Bratva Sargent Axe Hunt' - has handled almost all of the negotiations on your conditions, setting it up so that half of the men working in the lab with you will be there to protect, Bratva Bodyguards, basically.. The other half however will be Darby's IRA diehards, there to ensure you play by his rules..

The whole idea is to tie Darby to as much dirty money and criminal activity as possible before Specter will perform what the viking refers to as a 'sting operation'.. You aren't entirely sure of the details, but you understand the need to have the evidence nessicary for Specter to hand him off to the appropriate government body..

Maybe even the CIA..

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise you at this point.. Not much would..

But in the meantime, you actually have to begin building the ghastly device.. Something you are seriously dreading.. Concept design is one thing.. But construction is another thing entirely.. You can't just cook up any old crap, the process is such a delicate balance.. incredibly dangerous and high risk..

The last time you made a device it housed less than half of the capacity of the Vulknut.. And you had intended to stop its use too, at Rose River.. But you had failed then.. Because of you, too many innocent lives were lost.. You have to believe that somehow, this time is different.. That Hunter and his team won't do to you the same thing Stuart Diggle had all those years ago.. When you were supposed to get out of the IRA the first time..

Honestly, when it comes to Darby, you have placed all your faith in Hunter.. You desperately cling to the belief that the viking won't bail on you when things get tough..

You need that to be the case..

Everything else otherwise in your life runs on a loop between those meetings.. Lucky calls you with updates on the goings on of her life every other day, while you pretend everything is normal on your end... When she had called you a few days ago to cancel a lunch date with you because she was feeling under the weather, you had almost had a complete meltdown..

But she had assured you it was just a cold, and she would be over if by the end of the week..

Still, you had insisted that Hunter called Knox and make sure he keep a very close eye on her.. And to ease your mind.. He had done exactly that.. Even allowing you to question Knox for a half hour about everything she had been up to... A gesture that had not gone unappreciated..

Hunter takes you to visit Lacey on Sundays, the pixie-faced doctor to be has basically become your unofficial midwife, helping you prepare for and understand some of the way too crazy medical practices involved in giving birth..

The Viking goes with you to every one of your doctors appointments, he reads all the books.. He makes sure you eat enough and take your vitamins, in the most annoyingly adorable ways..

He does everything you hadn't expected.. He's there for you.. Only every so often, he needs to return to Specter to work on his reports for Ellerie, usually coming back to the apartment unbelievably late, or even the next day.. On those nights, Patrick usually comes and stays with you until Hunter returns the next day.. And on those nights, you're are uncomfortably aware of just how much you hate it when he isnt6 there..

How your little apartment feels so empty without his hulking muscle lumbering around..

Having him so nearby, you've definitely found it difficult to keep your hands off him, if you had known that the man could do the things he does to you in the bedroom, you wouldn't have wasted any time denying him..

The viking is dynamite.. C-4..TNT.. He is the best kind of master in the bedroom, cruel and punishing, yet restrained and tender.. Giving your body to him comes so easily.. And each time you do, Hunter claims what is his..

Along with another little peice of your heart...

All in all, the two of you have been quite blissful in your little bubble.. Not having come acorss a single dispute.. Until now.. "Kirby! I gotta know.. Its gunna keep me awake at night.. Do you want me to go insane? Is that it!?"

You roll your eyes at him in the mirror as you paint the peachy pink lipstick on your pouted mouth..

The two of you about to have dinner with Patrick and Yevette at their apartment.. Something that you had to work rather hard to convince the viking to agree to..

"I hardly think not knowing will kill you.."

He grunts, flopping down on the bed with a huff.. Looking sexy as sin in his black jeans and pale blue button down that he wears cuffed at the sleeves, showing off those incredibly toned forearms of his.. "At least tell me what you think? You're a fucking mystery, duchess.."

You giggle at his dramatics, after all, he is only teasing you.. Trying to get a reaction.. You can tell by the playful tone and cheeky smirk.. "I don't want to jinx anything.."

He leaps to his knees, pouncing forward to tug you down onto the bed.. You tumble backwards onto the soft pillow top, your coffee curls falling wildly about your face.. "Aha! So you do know what you want!"

You giggle breathlessly as he begins to tickle you all over causing your muscles to spasm and fit hysterically.. "Ahhh!! Hunter, stop... Ooooh nooo!!.. Please.. I'll tell you anything you want to know!!.. Stooooop!"

You squirm and writhe trying to escape him.. When he ceases his onslaught at your begging, you peer up to see his happy smiling face, your heart almost beating out of your chest .. "Tell me.."

You smile.. "Alright, I hope.. I hope it's a boy.."
You say it quickly before clamping your hands over your mouth.. You would be just as happy, either way.. But deep down.. You desperately want to see a tiny version of The Viking..

Your heart melts at the thought.. He grins, pleased to have gotten his way.. And you smile, pleased to have made him happy.. "You do?.. So why can't we open the envelope and find out?!.."

You sit up, adjusting the mustard colored, chunky-knit sweater over your crisp, navy jeans.. He's talking about the envelope that holds the gender of the jellybean.. The one sitting on your makeup dresser that he hasn't been able to stop eyeing since the doctor gave it to you a few days ago..

You hadn't even wanted the envelope, but Hunter had insisted you take it, just in case you changed your mind.. You're not going to change your mind, you rarely do once again you've made a decision, but to humour him you had agreed.. "Its more exciting this way.. I just really want it to be a surprise.. Please.. Is that okay?"

He heaves a sigh as though he is frustrated, but his teasing smile tells you otherwise.. "Of course it is, Duchess.. Whatever you want.."

You lean over and peck his cheek, leaving a perfect set of pink lip-prints on his skin.. "Thank you Hunter, you're too sweet.."

You are about to pull back but a firm hand slips around the back of your neck, another around your waist..

Easily, he flips you over, pinning you to the mattress.. "I've got a few ideas about how you can make it up to me.."

You shouldn't have called him sweet.. That was always going to be a sure fire way to stir him up.. You giggle as his hands find their way beneath your shirt, his fingers dipping beneath the lace cups of your bra to tease your peaking nipples.. "Mmm.. How?"

He groans, pushing up your sweater to reveal the soft olive skin of your stomach, his hands coasting around your waist, while his head dips to kiss a tingly trail to your belly button.. "Fuck.. Your body looks incredible, baby.." You giggle, pushing gently against his shoulder.. "Mmm.. And you smell so fucking good.."

You shudder at the vibrations of his rumbling tone against your skin.. "We're going to be late to dinner.."

He growls against your flesh, nibbling his way back up to your neck, that familiar warmth between your legs has you pressing your thighs together needily.. "I dont care, I'd rather stay in and eat you.."

You place a gentle hand on his cheek.. "I care..Remember?.."

He sighs, head falling to your shoulder.. "Right.."

You can feel the fast beating pulse through his rigid hard on, pressed to your thigh.. You can't let all that excitement go to waste.. You'd much prefer he hold onto that for later..

"If you can be a good boy at dinner, I promise.. I'll let you have whatever you want for dessert.." You wink as his eyes flash hungrily..

"Hmm... You know I've been dying to fuck your tight little ass, baby.." He hums..

You blush, turning to him wide eyed.. "You have one filthy mouth, Marine!"

He smirks, those grey eyes flashing wickedly.. "Yes mam'.."

You smile softly as you turn back to the mirror, fixing your lipstick "Mmm.. I like it.."

He arches an eyebrow, clearly ready to drop some seriously sexy nasty talk.. But you don't give him the chance.. "Now get that gorgeous butt out the door, viking!.. or we're going to be late!"

....

When you arrive at Patrick and Yevie's apartment, there is an odd tension in the air.. So thick you could cut it with a knife, as if the two had been arguing before you turned up..

But Yevie does her best to put on a friendly face, pretending that there is no issue as you sit though one of the strangest dinners of your life, with an extremely icy O'connor...

Clearly the bad blood between he and the viking runs a little deeper than you had realised..

"You done?.." Patrick doesn't wait for Hunter to reply before he snatches up the unfinished plate..

The viking gives you a warning look, one that signifies he is running out of patience with Patrick's attitude himself..

To be honest, so are you..

Hunter has been nothing but respectful and kind to them both, and Patrick is so far yet to thaw.. "Sure, mate.."

As Patrick stomps off to the kitchen, You've just about given up hope when Hunter decides he's had enough.. As the viking pushes up to his feet to follow Patrick, nerves blossom in your chest.. "Excuse me, ladies.."

The two of them disappear into the kitchen.. As soon as they're out of sight, Yevette turns to you confused.. "What on Earth is going on with those two, KC?"

You sigh.. "I was kind of hoping you could tell me, Yeeves.."