Legacy by M.A. Foster

_____________________________

Dylan

The doorbell rings a second time as I make my way to the door. Yanking it open, I blink in surprise.

“Dylan?”

“Danny?” My brows dip in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

I hadn’t seen or heard from my old fraternity brother since he moved out to the Kappa Omega house. We hadn’t kept in touch, but I’d heard from mutual friends that he moved out of state.

“I came to see Katie. Why are you here?”

“Because my girlfriend lives here.”

“Oh.” Nodding, he lowers his head. “I just really need to talk to her.”

“Why?” I drawl.

“No disrespect, but it’s personal.”

“I don’t want to see him.” Katie’s soft voice comes from behind me.

I look over my shoulder to see tears streaming down her face, and it dawns on me. He’s the ex.

“Katie, please,” Danny calls out in a shaky voice. “I know you can hear me. Please talk to me.”

“Dylan,” Katie says to my back, and I look over my shoulder again. “I want him to leave.” Then she turns and runs up the stairs, slamming the door.

I whip my head back to Danny. “What did you do to her?” I snap.

A tear slips from his eye, and he quickly swipes it away. “I ruined her life.”

This is not the same Danny I knew in college. My friend. My fraternity brother. This is a shell of a man who looks like he’s seen better days.

Stepping outside, I pull the door closed behind me. “Hey, man.” I clasp him on the shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“As you can see, she’s very angry with me. After the accident—”

“You were in the accident with her?”

“Yes,” he cries, his chin quivering. “I was driving.”

“I’m sorry.” I hug him, slapping a hand on his back. “Is that why she won’t see you? Does she blame you?”

“She’s angry because I left her.” He props his hands on his hips and sniffs. “Dylan, please talk to her. Katie and I both struggled after the accident. I just… I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

I believe him.

I slip my phone from my pocket and open my contacts. “Give me your number.”

He rattles off his phone number. “I’m back in Heritage Bay for a while. I’ve been trying to get in touch with her since last year. She finally answered my call a few months ago. I wanted to let her know I’d be in town. I was hoping we could talk, but she hung up on me and blocked my number.”

“This last week has been a little rough. Give her time to calm down,” I say. “I promise I’ll talk to her.”

“I appreciate it.” He nods. “I heard about Jade. I’m sorry. I was gonna call you, but….” He waves a hand toward the door.

“Thanks.”

A white SUV pulls into the driveway, a dark-haired woman sitting behind the wheel. “That’s Christine, my fiancée.”

I curl an arm around his shoulders. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, man.” He heaves a breath. “I’ll see you around, Dylan.”

He turns to walk down the pathway, head lowered and shoulders sagging in defeat. A pang of sadness spreads through my chest as I’m hit with a sudden realization.

“Four people died that day.”

“You’re not the only one with ghosts, Dylan.”

“I ruined her life.”

Dread washes over me as I turn around and head back inside.

* * *

Katie’s curled up in bed with her back to me. I move around to the side and drop down on the edge. Propping my elbows on my knees, I thread my fingers through my hair and blow out a breath.

“What happened between you and Danny?” I ask quietly.

“What did he tell you?”

“He said you’re mad at him for leaving you, and he wants to talk.” I look over my shoulder to meet her teary gaze. “Danny was my fraternity brother. He was my friend. He was cocky and arrogant. He was the life of the party. But that’s not the same guy who was just at your door.”

Nodding, she sniffles. “I met Danny at a sorority party. Kennedy and I had come home for Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Our friend Chelle was having a party at her sorority house. She and Danny knew each other. He invited us to the Kappa Omega party, so a bunch of us walked down there. The place was packed.” Her eyes lift to meet mine. “But you already know that. You were there.”

“You saw me.” It’s not a question.

“You were playing beer pong with a pretty dark-haired girl.” Her eyes flick over my face. “Was that Jade?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” She sighs. “Kennedy didn’t want to stay at the party, so she went back to the sorority house, and I spent the night with Danny. A couple months later, I found out I was pregnant. I knew Danny, but I didn’t really know him. I called Chelle, and she gave me his number. He flew to New York to see me. We talked, and I told him I wanted to keep the baby. Danny was supportive of my decision. We liked each other enough, so we tried to make it work as a couple. Danny had a degree in finance, so he found a decent job in New York and stayed with me until I graduated. A couple months before our son was due, we packed up our stuff and moved back here. Danny’s parents had gotten us a nice apartment in Magnolia Park. The day I went into labor, it was pouring outside, and the visibility was shit. We were on the way to the hospital when we came up on an accident. Danny slammed on the brakes, but the car fishtailed, and he lost control.” She heaves a breath, and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach. “I woke up in the hospital two days later. My baby—” Her voice breaks, and so does my heart, because I know what’s coming. “He didn’t make it.”

Tears fill my eyes as I stretch out beside Katie and pull her into my arms. She presses her face into my chest. “I never got to meet my son,” she cries.

“I’m so sorry, babe,” I whisper.

* * *

It’s strange how the universe works. How one accident claimed four lives and changed the course of so many others.

The room is draped in darkness, and Katie hasn’t moved since she cried herself to sleep.

I don’t know how long we've been lying here, but my phone has been going off like crazy.

Katie stirs awake and lifts her head. “What time is it?”

I reach into my pocket to pull out my phone to see several missed calls and text notifications from Vanessa, Alex, and my dad. “Almost midnight.”

Groaning, she rolls to her back. “What a shitty way to end my birthday.”

I hum in agreement. “Your birthday isn’t over yet. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Well, there’s a birthday cake in your refrigerator,” I offer.

“You got me a cake?”

“Of course I did.” I reach over and turn on the bedside lamp. “How are you feeling?”

“Oddly relieved.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest.” She smiles slightly.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. And I’m sorry it took Danny showing up to force it out of you.”

“I was going to tell you anyway. Remember? Skeletons.” She taps her temple.

“Danny was very upset, Katie,” I prompt. “I’ve never seen him like that. What happened after the accident?”

She places her hands on her stomach and sighs. “Danny and I were struggling with losing Bennett.”

“Was that your son’s name?”

She nods. “As I said before, Danny and I liked each other enough. We got along well, but we weren’t in love. We were just two young adults trying to do what was best for our child. We wanted him to have a piece of us both.”

“Bennett is lucky to have such loving parents.”

“Yeah.” She closes her eyes briefly, her expression pained. “I knew Danny blamed himself for the accident, but I didn’t. There was nothing he could’ve done differently. I wished it had been me who died that day so my son could live to take his first breath. To see the world. To be hugged and to feel loved. To celebrate birthdays and holidays. I was so lost in my own grief, I didn’t notice that Danny had started drinking a lot. We became strangers. Just two people existing in the same space. Some nights he wouldn’t come home until three or four in the morning, and some nights he didn’t even bother to come home at all. A couple weeks after the accident, I started bleeding. Danny wasn’t there, but he left a note. I can’t tell you what it said verbatim but it was along the lines of ‘I’m sorry for ruining your life. I hope you’ll forgive me one day.’ It broke my heart because after all we’d been through, he didn’t have the balls to tell me to my face that he was leaving. He left a note. And that’s what pissed me off.” No wonder she was so pissed at me for taking off. Just when I thought I couldn’t feel worse. I’m an asshole. “Even worse, I was in pain and losing a lot of blood, so I called Gabbi. She called 9-1-1 and came over.” Her breathing picks up, and her voice grows thick with emotion. “I was rushed to the hospital. My uterus had ruptured, and they needed to go in and remove it.” She rolls her head to the side, her teary eyes meeting mine. “I’ll never have another chance to carry a child.”

Closing my eyes, I allow her words to sink in as I absorb her pain. I move to my hands and knees, hovering over her.

“Just because you can’t carry a baby doesn’t mean you can’t be a mom.” I dip my head, putting my face in hers. “I don’t love easy, but when I do, I’m all in. I love you, and one day I’m going to ask you to marry me. When, or if, you decide you want a baby, I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

She exhales a shuddered breath. “You’re the most incredible person I have ever met, Dylan Mackenzie. I was so scared to move on—to live again, but you’ve made it so easy to love you.” She pauses, and a little V forms in the middle of her brows as she considers me. “I think I was always supposed to love you, because every time our paths crossed, I felt this pull.”

I blink. “I felt it, too.”

“I’ve wanted to tell you ever since that night in London, but I was afraid you’d think I was insane.”

“You’re not.” I shake my head. “I felt it that night when you walked into the party. It was so strong, that I followed after you.”

The corners of her mouth dip into a frown. “You did?”

“Yes. Obviously, I didn’t catch up to you, but following after you is what changed everything between Jade and me.”

“I believe that night changed all of our lives.” She huffs out a humorless laugh. “It’s crazy how life works. I believe we were always meant to be together. I believe every time we crossed paths, that pull we felt was our souls trying to connect. I believe from that very first time we locked eyes at Splash, my heart became yours. It took us eight years to get here, but I believe this is exactly the way it was supposed to be because not only did you have my heart, you had my soul, too.”

I exhale a ragged breath. “Great. Now I’m gonna have to beg Liam to sell me that place.”

* * *

Katie reaches into the shower and turns on the water before stripping out of her clothes. My attention is drawn to the tattoo of peonies trailing across her shoulder and down her arm, covered in derma wrap.

“How do you feel about your tattoo?” I ask as I undress.

“I’m in love with it,” she says, turning her full naked body toward me. That’s when I notice the small tattoo below her hip. It’s an outline of a pregnant woman with two red hearts. I brush my finger over it. It’s incredible how something so small can pack such an emotional punch. “Is this for Bennett?”

“Yeah.”

“I love it.” Bending over, I press my lips to the tattoo before straightening to look down at her. “You’re not just a survivor, Katie. You’re a fucking warrior. I’m surrounded by strong women in my family, but you’re truly the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Thank you for sharing your skeletons with me. I know how painful it was, but now it’s time for us to heal.”

Katie nods in agreement before she steps into the walk-in shower, and I get in behind her. She tilts her head back and wets her hair, pushing it out of her face. I motion for her to turn around.

“You said you were going to explain your story,” she reminds me.

Grabbing the shampoo, I pour some into my palm before working it through her dark hair. The blue has faded, and it’s grown a few inches past her shoulders.

“I met Jade…” I go on to tell her the story from the night of the party when I saw her up until I came home from California and learned she’d died.

“Wow, Dylan. I’m so sorry.”

“Jade omitted or avoided a lot about her life, and I don’t know why. I spent three years dissecting and questioning every part of our relationship until one day I decided to let it all go, because it didn’t matter. Holding onto the past was not only hurting myself, but the people who care about me. Jade wasn’t a bad person. She was young and juggling a lot of responsibility. I loved her, and no matter her reasons, it wouldn’t change anything. She was gone. Willow lost her mother, and Harper lost her sister. Harper said she wants to believe Jade’s lies were to protect her, so I’ll accept that.”

Katie turns to face me, dipping her head back under the spray to rinse her hair.

“That day at my apartment, I felt like I was dealing with Jade all over again. You knew my story, but you weren’t willing to share yours. I understand why now, and I’m always going to be sorry for pushing you like that.”

She presses her palms to my chest and stares up at me with those icy blue eyes. “Don’t be. I told you I understood. Our losses might be different, but we still both lost someone we loved. Grief is still grief.”

I lower my head and cover her mouth with mine. Katie moans as she presses her naked body against me. “I want you,” she breathes against my lips.

“Turn around.”

I slide my hands over the front of her body, starting with her tits, cupping them before gently pinching her nipples and rolling them between my fingers. Her head falls back against my shoulder, and she lets out a breathy moan. I move my hands down her flat stomach, and she presses her ass against my cock.

“Put your hands on the wall and spread your legs.”

She leans forward, and does as I ask.

Grabbing her hip with one hand, I line myself up and push into her.

Arching her back, she looks at me over her shoulder. “Don’t hold back.”

I flash her a wicked grin. “When it comes to you, baby, I never will.”

* * *

The words “good morning” are whispered into my ear, stirring me from a deep sleep.

I’m acutely aware of the soft kisses trailing over my chest and down my stomach. A lazy groan pushes past my lips as something hot and wet brushes over the tip of my cock. I lift my head and watch through sleepy eyes as Katie takes me into her mouth. The vibration of her moan shoots straight to my balls.

“Fuck,” I hiss.

My hands curl into the sheets as I fight the urge to shove them in her hair and fuck her mouth.

“That feels so good, baby. Don’t stop.”

She lifts her gaze, pinning me with those icy blues as she bobs up and down, her tongue swirling around the tip. She moves a hand down to cup my balls, and I groan as she caresses them in her palm.

Her eyes close as she moves faster, and with the perfect amount of suction my eyes roll back.

“I’m gonna come,” I pant as I fist a hand in her hair and pump my hips.

An electric jolt shoots down my spine and through my limbs. My balls draw up and I come with a loud groan.

A shudder rolls through me as she presses a kiss to the tip before moving to straddle my hips.

“Happy birthday.” She grins.

My chest is still heaving as I reply breathlessly, “A very happy birthday.”

Not only is she my soul mate, but our birthdays are only a week apart.

“What do you want to do today?”

“Let’s take the bike and go for a ride. We’ll stop for lunch on the way back.”

“Sounds like a perfect day.” She presses her lips to mine. “Hold that thought. I have a gift for you.”

I push my head into the pillow. “You just gave me the perfect gift. Give me five minutes and I’ll return the favor.” I smirk. “A re-gift.”

She smacks me playfully on the chest. “You’re insatiable,” she says as she climbs off the bed and rushes downstairs.

I use the free moment to dash into the bathroom to take a piss, wash my hands, and brush my teeth.

Since Katie had such a shitty birthday, I’ve spent every day making it up to her. I bought her a novelty mug from Hazel to add to her collection, a new Kindle, a gift card to her favorite bookstore, and dinner at some fancy bookstore restaurant downtown.

I’ve also been working on getting her to talk to Danny. Now that we’ve both opened up about our painful pasts, we’re moving on. But in order to completely move on, Katie and Danny need closure.

I climb into bed with my back against the headboard and pick up my phone to see multiple texts from my family, friends and Elaina. Seriously?

I scoff as I open her text. Happy birthday, Big D! I’ve got a present for you. [wink emoji]

My lip curls in annoyance. Pretty presumptuous of her to assume I’ve been sitting around with my dick out waiting for her to come sit on it.

She did remember my birthday, so I’ll let her down easy. I text back, LOL! Thank you, but my girlfriend has it covered. Hope all is well. Take care.

I quickly open Elaina’s contact and delete her number before tossing my phone back on the nightstand.

Katie returns holding a gift bag. She moves to my side, passing me the bag, before dropping down on the edge of the mattress.

“Happy birthday. I hope you like it.”

“I have no doubt that I will,” I tell her as I pluck the tissue from the bag until I feel something hard, but smooth.

Curling my hand around the item, I pull it from the bag and a lump forms in my throat.

It’s a Harley helmet shaped like a baseball cap. The front has a slight flip to it and the word Legacy is scrolled across it.

Sometimes I think this woman is too good to be true.

“I had it made,” Katie says, softly. “I hope you like it.”

“I love it.” I lift my gaze. “This is seriously the coolest gift ever.”

A small smile tugs at her lips. “Maybe we could take the bike to my parents’. I think it’s time for them to meet the love of my life.”

I slip the helmet back inside the gift bag, then pull her into my lap. “Is it too soon to ask you to marry me?”

“Are you asking?” she teases as she leans forward to kiss me.

“Not yet.” I cup the back of her head, pressing our foreheads together. “You deserve the perfect proposal.”

“Dylan—”

“Katie, you deserve the best of everything and I’m going to give it to you.”