He turned around and went back into the building.
Chapter Thirty-Two
A couple of days later, Kimber sat in a chair by the window when Detective McCue entered her room. She loved looking out at the Rocky Mountains, the leaves on the aspen trees swayed in the breeze.
"What can I do for you?" she asked, gesturing for him to sit down.
McCue took a chair across from her. "How are you getting along?"
"Good. I should be able to go home in a few more days. I can't wait. I'm going crazy in here."
The detective looked around the room. "I bet you are. You're looking good. Better than you did several days ago."
"Has it only been a few days? It seems like a lifetime ago. I still can't wrap my head around it, that Dr. Redman was the one who killed and raped all those women. And he was the one breaking into women's houses-my house-to steal underwear? It doesn't seem real. It's like I dreamed it all. He was such a beloved professor and academic. He was going to be dean for the upcoming school year. It's unfathomable. I can't even imagine how his wife and kids feel. I'm just so grateful to be alive."
She shivered knowing that if Throttle hadn't called her when he did, she most probably wouldn't be talking to McCue. The series of circumstances from Josh to Cara to Hawk made her sure her father had a hand in protecting her. Even from beyond the grave, he was still looking out for her. Her eyes shimmered as she focused on what the detective was saying.
"He never even had a parking ticket. No one can believe it. The Board of Directors is in shock, as well as his colleagues, friends, and, of course, his wife and kids."
"I heard he pled guilty to all charges."
McCue nodded in agreement. "He wanted to save his family from a trial. His wife is moving back to Connecticut to be with her parents."
"So several of the other women went to the same college as me?"
"Yep. That's how we got the lead-a guy who works for us went to school with a few of the women. He also knew Deputy Manzik had gone there. Funny thing is no one recognized him. I can't understand that."
"Why did he do all those horrible, depraved things?" she asked softly.
"I don't know. I just solve cases and make sure the bad guy is punished. The head stuff is left for the mental health people."
A silence fell between them, and the clatter of trays and metal utensils signaled that lunch was ready to be served. The detective stood from the chair. "I just wanted to stop by to update you. I thought you'd like to know you don't have to rehash that night on a witness stand. Take care of yourself."
"I will. Thanks for stopping by."
Kimber watched Detective McCue walk out of the room, a feeling of intense relief washing over her. Later that afternoon, she'd meet with her counselor to work on the anger she'd felt since she began feeling better. It'd take time for her to come to terms with that night, but she'd have to be patient if she ever wanted to feel safe and whole again.
"Lunch, miss." The service woman placed the tray in front of Kimber, then left the room.
Kimber removed the metal domes and grimaced: soggy green beans, a piece of chicken, mashed potatoes with congealed yellow gravy, and red Jell-O. She replaced the domes over the food.
I can't wait to go home. I can't wait to be with Throttle.
* * *
The day after she came home from the hospital, Throttle moved his things into her house. He immediately insisted that she didn't need a visiting nurse to clean and change her bandages. Two times every day, he'd take off her bandage, wash her wound, apply the medicated salve, and redress it. His gentle hands soothed her and made her fall in love with him all over again. When he was tied up with church or work, one of the old ladies would come over.
Cherri and Addie were the ones who usually came over because they didn't work outside the home. Whenever Cherri came by to help, she'd bring her darling daughter, Paisley, who was such a good assistant to her mother. On the days Addie came by, she brought her daughter Hope, who was still shaky on her chubby little legs. She was so precious, and the love Kimber saw in both Cherri's and Addie's eyes when they looked at their children made her consider-for the first time ever-about starting a family. She wondered if Throttle wanted marriage and kids. She wasn't sure how he'd feel about it.
She was over-the-moon in love with him, and the fact that he loved her too-and told her-made her life complete. She never thought she'd hear those words from him, being that he was a hardcore biker and soft, romantic words weren't in his vocabulary very often.
Kimber was blown away at how the club pulled together to help her during her recovery. The old ladies were a godsend. Each night, one of them would bring over a dish for dinner. Cara always brought over wonderful Italian dishes, while Cherri's specialties were delicious chili and enchiladas. Addie was the casserole queen; Kylie made simple, healthy dinners; Baylee delivered takeout from Big Rocky's and Imperial Garden; and Belle made the best fried chicken Kimber had ever eaten.
Some of the other old ladies, like Doris, Bernie, Marlene, and Sofia, came by to help with the house cleaning and the laundry. For the first time since her father died, she didn't feel alone; she had Throttle and the Insurgent family behind her.
After dinner that night, Throttle pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head. "What did the doctor tell you today?"
"That I'm doing great and can go back to work next week. She wants me to limit my heavy lifting for another month, but I can start working full time. I can't wait. I've been so damn antsy this past week."
"You sure you should go back to full time so soon? Why don't you start back at part time and see how you do?"
"You worry too much. I'll be fine. If it seems like too much, I'll lessen my hours."
"I worry about you because you're important to me. You're part of me."
She turned her head up, looped her arm around his neck, and drew him to her. "I love you so much. I'm so grateful you came into my life."
"I'm the lucky one. I was alone and didn't even realize it until you entered my life. When I saw you with the knife in you … Fuck, babe, I was seized with fear for the first time in my life. I realized I want you in my life. Not just for the summer or a year, but forever. You're the only one for me. I want you to wear my patch."
Tears sprang into her eyes as she looked into his love-filled ones. "I'd be honored to be your old lady and ride beside you."
"And sometimes behind me. I gotta have you pressed against me."
She shook her head. "Okay. Sometimes I'll ride behind you and press my boobs to your back. Does that work?"
"Fuck yeah. And give me some hand action in the front too," he teased. He ruffled her hair. "You make me proud. You're a kickass mechanic. Hell, you fix a bike better than I do. Even better than a lot of the brothers can, and if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it. And you totally know how to handle a Harley. I haven't seen a woman handle a Harley the way you do. You're independent and strong, but you're a soft, sexy lioness in the bedroom. I love you, babe-every fuckin' part of you."
Her insides exploded from his words and for a minute she couldn't talk, she was that overcome. "Throttle, I love your rough side, and your soft side that most people don't see. I love that you care about your sister and play silly games and have tea parties with Olivia. You are the best thing that has happened to me and I'm never letting you go."
"No worries there ‘cause I'm not leaving."
She drew him close to her and kissed him, parting her lips to allow his tongue in.
And he kissed back. Wet. Deep. Hard.
"It's been so long, babe. Did the doc say we could fuck? I miss being inside you."
Since the stabbing, she hadn't been able to do much because she was groggy most of the time with pain meds and the stitches were healing. As she became stronger, they fooled around, but he hadn't been inside her since before the incident. Her body craved him and the connection they had every time they fused together. They shared something fierce and hot, and she wanted him all the time, which worked out perfectly because he wanted her just as much.
"She gave me the okay." She smiled seductively at him.
His eyes brightened, and she burst out laughing. He acted like he won the lottery or something. Shivers spread through her; it was always a turn-on to know how much he desired her. And only her. The club women, the hoodrats, the one-night stands-all the trappings of easy sex were gone. He was hers, and only hers, forever.