Page 67 of Falling for Her
He shrugs and admits, “I got worried when you said you were going for a walk, so I had a prospect follow you.” He tilts his head, “You missed your graduation, angel.”
I look behind me and admit, “I wouldn’t have been able to cope with it, Damian. You know it, and I know it.” I look back at him and hold the paper up with a small smile and say, “I passed with one of the highest grades, though.”
He grins wide and proudly states, “I never had any doubt,” and I grin back until he says, “Come for a ride with me…”
My grin fades because I know it was a question, it was a demand, and I say, “I uh don’t think that is a good idea,” which it isn’t, and not just because of my ribs.
The baby, I can’t risk anything happening to our baby.
“I promise I’ll go slow, angel. Come on,” he replies and holds his hand out and I eye it for a moment before looking at his face and I sigh at the pout he’s got going on, knowing full well I can’t say no to that look. I walk over to his saddle and put my bag as well as my diploma into it before grabbing his hand and as carefully as I can, I climb on the back gasping when my ribs pull and my thighs rub on the seat.
“Okay, hold on tight,” he says as he gently guides my arm around his waist. I follow with my other arm, lay my head on his back, and ignore all the eyes on us. I close mine as he starts his bike, feeling safe like always when he’s in my orbit before he pulls away from the curb.
“I’m proud of you,” Damian whispers in my ear, and I smile a little, keeping my eyes on the lake and the sunshine bouncing off it.
We’re at his thinking spot, and I’m sat astride his bike, my back leaning against his front, my legs dangling over the handlebars, which is shockingly comfortable.
“To be honest, I thought I may have failed because, damn, that class was hard,” I admit. He chuckles and then gently runs his lips against my ear.
“I never had any doubts, Essy. Everything you do, you put one hundred and ten percent in. Tomorrow night, with your dad, little brother, Cody, and unfortunately his girlfriend, whom he needs to dump sooner or later, we’re going out for a meal to celebrate this because baby, this is something to celebrate. I need you to get that in your head, okay?” he murmurs, and I nod as my eyes fill with unshed tears.
“I love you, stranger,” I reply, and I feel his lips curve into a smile as he says, “I love you too.”
Peace fills me, being in his arms, hearing the birds chirp.
He’s my special place, my home, and honestly, wherever he goes, I’ll willingly follow.
“The club wants me to move back on club land,” he whispers a few minutes later, “I have a house built near Bullet’s behind the clubhouse, and they want me back there, but I just, I don’t know, angel.”
Sadness fills me at the hurt and confusion in his voice and I say, “If you don’t know, then maybe you haven’t gotten what you needed from them yet. Maybe you need to speak to them and open up to them, I don’t know, but until you get the urge that you need to be back on club property, then don’t go. Don’t allow them to demand it or pressure you. You do you, Damian and I’ll stand beside you every step of the way.”
He hums and kisses my neck, and I sigh and ask, “If I asked you a question, would you answer it truthfully no matter what it was?”
“With you, I am an open book,” he replies truthfully, and I swallow hard while keeping my eyes on the lake. I’m nervous about his answer, but I need to know, so I ask, “What happened to the man who attacked me?”
The police have not been in contact since the hospital, and I have seen a couple of glimpses of Bethany with a prospect following her. Her neck is purple, and half of her hair has been shaved.
“I killed him,” Damian says, and I still, and he gently rubs his hand over my stomach, ignoring my reaction. He continues, “I knocked him out after getting him off you, then the club waited by the doors of the hospital with my cut while you were sedated. I killed him, angel, as soon as he admitted Bethany lied about you and convinced him to attack you, I took Acid’s knife, and I killed him before I went after Bethany.”
I swallow hard to clear the lump in my throat as he admits, “I grabbed her throat and lifted her off the ground, and honestly, it wasn’t because she was a girl that I hesitated in snapping her neck. Something she was well aware I was capable of, it was because deep down, I knew I couldn’t do that to Butcher, Louise and Bullet. Despite everything, they are my family, and I couldn’t hurt them that way, so instead, I did to her what that guy did to you and smashed her head on the concrete, she only needed stitches, and I don’t regret any of it.”
He gently cups my cheek as my tears fall and gets me to look at him over my shoulder. Fear shines back at me as he asks, “Are you scared of me now?”
My eyes race between his. I know I should be. I’m carrying his baby, and he’s just admitted to being a murderer, meaning everything Dad said the other day about the club was the truth, but I’ve seen a side to him that no one else gets to see.
I’m in this man’s world, and I know without a doubt that I’ll never be afraid of him. Even if I hadn’t gotten to know him as well as I have, I still would put all my trust in him because my heart knows him. He’s the other half of my soul.
“I love you,” I say, and he softens. I continue, “I know you, I know your heart, and I know that guy was most likely going to kill me for her, and I don’t know if it makes me evil, but I’m glad he’s not roaming the streets. I could never be afraid of you, stranger.”
He nods and confirms, “There isn’t an evil bone in your body.” Then he gently kisses my lips before rasping, “I love you too, angel.” I smile against his lips before kissing him again, my tongue instantly tangling with his before he pulls back, smiling.
Shaking my head, I turn back to the lake, sucking in the gasp that wants to escape from the pains that hit me from my side and legs before I lean back against my man’s chest not wanting to worry him as his hands come to my stomach again, gently cupping it.
“Twelve weeks, angel,” he says, gently rubbing my small bump, and I hum. He asks, “Have you finally made your decision?”
“You knew I’d never have a termination, didn’t you?” I accuse and he chuckles as he gently cups my stomach.
“I did, but I needed you to realize it as well,” he replies, kissing underneath my ear. He continues, “Even though this baby was unplanned and a surprise, you loved it instantly. You were just scared, and I saw that, and it also gave me relief because, yes, I want this baby. It’s a part of you and me, and I’ve seen how amazing you are with Aiden. Being a mom is who you are meant to be, I’m just a lucky fucker that it's my child you are having.”
