Konrad by LeAnn Ashers
16
Etta
One by onethey hit the ground. Fewer and fewer are alive. It’s been an hour and now we can finally have a break without so many of them.
They are all over the property, it’s fucking crazy.
I sit down into the seat to take a break from the craziness. We’re parked to the side of the field at the back of the property.
I can feel all of the girls looking at me. “Are you okay, Etta?” Alisha asks from the back seat.
“I’m fine. I just hate that this happened and the girls won’t think this is a safe place anymore.” That is my fear—that they feel like they can be hurt anytime.
Shaylin shakes her head furiously. “They will know how hard you fought for them. We are all fighting for them to make sure they are safe. They know that.”
I am touched by her words. “Thank you.”
My door is wrenched open and I look at Shaylin in shock before I’m taken out of the SUV, my legs hitting the ground hard.
The girls are screaming as I’m carried off. I turn around and I almost vomit at the sight of who has me.
Michael.
Pure panic almost cripples me. I can’t let him take me. I can’t.
I fight with everything in me to make sure that doesn’t happen. I can’t let it happen. I need to protect my baby.
“Be fucking still, bitch! You are my wife!” he hisses at me, holding me even tighter, his hands digging into my arms.
I kick back, hoping to connect with his shin, my elbow digging into his stomach.
I look back at the girls, who are following at a distance. Shaylin looks terrified right now.
“KONRAD!” Kayla yells at the top of her lungs to get the guys’ attention out into the field.
Michael was hiding in the fucking woods, which is why I never saw him coming. “Oh, how I am going to love getting reacquainted with you again before I kill you!” he yells into my ear.
I reach behind me and I dig my hand into his pants, grabbing his balls and squeezing with all of my might.
I grin in satisfaction at the beautiful sound of him screaming and his balls shattering in my hand.
He lifts his hand like he is going to hit me. I try to back away. I close my eyes, waiting for the punch, but it doesn’t come.
Konrad
Hearing Kayla yellingfor me had my soul leaving my fucking body. I saw right off the bat what had her screaming as Michael carried off Etta.
I reach her just as he throws a punch, I step in front of her and his fist hits me in the chest instead.
He looks at me in shock like he can’t believe I’m actually standing in front of him, but oh yes.
“How I have waited to meet you, Michael.” I grin at him, my hand taking the fist that dared to hit her. I lift his wrist back farther and farther toward his shoulder.
His face reddens with his pain. “Please don’t break it,” he begs me, but I laugh at his fucking audacity.
He looks to Etta like she’s going to help him. I pull her behind me so he can’t look at her. I don't want him to look at her. He is not fucking worthy of that.
I pull it back and look him dead in the fucking eyes as I do so. “You think breaking your wrist is going to be the worst thing that happens to you?”
I hear the snap and that shit runs through me, pure fucking pleasure at his scream. I grip his face. “Get used to it. I am going to break you. I am going to fucking destroy you until you wish for hell because then you may have rest, because it’s not going to compare to what I do to you.”
I throw him to the ground and wave for the prospects to take him from me. They drag him to one of the vans, where he will be taken to one of those fucking boxes in the basement.
I turn around and take Etta. “I am so glad you’re okay, angel.” I lift her face so I can kiss her. I can feel her shaking in my arms.
Her hands are on my sides. “Is it all over?” she asks me, looking into my eyes, and I smile, kissing her forehead. I look behind her to all of my brothers standing behind me, all of us battle-worn. “Yeah, baby, it’s all over.”
Etta
A few Weeks Later
We are having a family barbecue.Konrad’s parents are here and my family is here. I am over twelve weeks pregnant and it’s time to tell everyone the good news.
Konrad has tried his best to not tell everyone, but he is such a proud dad it’s practically been killing him to keep all of that in.
“Can you get the food out of the oven?” I ask his mom.
She jumps out of her seat. Konrad squeezes my hand under the table. He is trying to hide his grin and pretend to be busy so no one suspects anything.
A few moments later, she comes back into the dining room holding a bun, looking confused. “Why is there a bun in the oven?” She looks at it and then at me.
She looks to me, to my stomach, then back to the bun. “Wait…” She trails off and then she screams, throwing the bun over her shoulder and running to me as fast she can, pulling me to her and hugging me.
“Oh my God! I am going to be a grandmother!” she screams, and that sets everyone in motion and running over to congratulate us.
Konrad pulls me from everyone until I am facing him. I look at him, confused as to what he’s doing.
Then he gets down onto one knee in front of me.
I gasp, shocked that this is happening now. He takes my left hand. “My sweet Etta, I love you with every part of my being and I will forever until the day I am taken from this earth. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Yes!” I scream. “I would love to marry you!” He slips the beautiful ring on my finger and stands up, lifting me off of the ground.
He presses his forehead against mine. “Forever and always, baby,” he whispers for only me.
“I am yours always.”