Chapter 27 #2
“Trust me on this. Take it. I had my dad and brother. Soon as I needed them, they came for me, but they don’t live local and it took them two days to get to me.
For those two days, I was scared out of my mind, looking over my shoulder and hiding from the very people I once thought were my friends.
I had nothing but the clothes on my back.
I didn’t have my keys so I couldn’t get back into my house to get my purse.
I slept under a bridge in the dead of winter, wearing nothing but jeans and a T-shirt.
If some homeless guy hadn’t taken pity on me, I wouldn’t have made it.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget how cold it was.
Even now, I can’t stand it when the temperatures drop suddenly like that.
It takes me right back to a time I’ve spent years trying to forget.
That money will get you a bus ticket, cab fare, a hotel room, and food.
It will keep you safe until I can get to you. ”
I don’t bother trying to hide my tears. I’ve had friends over the years, great ones and some not-so-great ones. But part of me has always felt like that heartbroken little girl staring down at her dead mom, completely alone in the world. Until now.
“I love you—not in a way that I want to jump your bones—though you do have lovely bones,” I babble.
“And I can say that because before Midas, you’d have been just my type.
But then he broke my vagina and my heart…
and I’ve gotten way off track.” I blow out a deep breath as she looks at me with amusement.
“My point is, I don’t tell people I love them often because love, to me, feels like a curse—one I’ve spent a lifetime trying to break—but instead I’m the one who gets broken.
You’re worth the risk, though. Because I feel stronger for knowing you.
You came into my life when I needed you most. Whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.
And that’s why I’m telling you this now. If something happens to me…”
“No—”
“If something happens to me”— I keep going—“I need you to know that my life was better because of you. I want you to take a chance on the next girl and the one after that because you might just change their lives too.”
“If something happens to you, I’ll kick your skinny ass,” she snaps.
“Well, then I’ll do my utmost to keep my skinny ass safe.”
After a tearful goodbye, I head back down to Midas. As soon as he sees me, he jumps out of the truck and hurries over, taking my bag from me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“What the fuck?”
“I’m fine. I’m just going to miss her, that’s all.”
“Babe. You’ve known her for five minutes.”
“Yeah, and she’s done more for me in those five minutes than most have done in a lifetime,” I snap back, walking over to the truck and yanking the door open. I climb in, ignoring him saying my name, and slam the door shut.
“Stupid big-headed pain in my ass,” I mutter as I feel fluttering across my stomach. I place my hand over my belly and grin, my anger and tears forgotten as my kid twirls like a ballerina inside me. “You don’t like Mama getting mad, huh?”
The driver’s side door opens, and Midas climbs in, his eyes coming to me before drifting down to my hands on my belly. “Everything okay?”
I nod. “I don’t think they like me being mad.”
He stares at my stomach, somewhat entranced.
I bite my lip, wanting to shut him out, especially when two seconds ago he was pissing me off, but I don’t want to hide the wonder of my pregnancy from anyone.
More than that, I want to share it. If I’m going to be cooped up with Midas for the foreseeable future, then I’m gonna have to work with what I’ve got.
“You want to feel?”
His eyes shoot to mine. “Really?”
I nod and move my hands as he leans in closer. One of his large hands covers my belly. As soon as it does, I feel my baby move. Midas’s eyes jump to mine, and he has a look of wonder on his face.
“I felt them the other night, or I thought I did, but I wasn’t sure. But wow.”
He bends down, cupping my stomach with both hands, his lips an inch or two away from my belly button. “Hello, little one. I’m sorry I made your mama mad. I promise I’ll do better.”
Another kick has me swallowing down a sob. “I think they like the sound of your voice,” I admit.
“Yeah?” His voice is thick and full of emotion before he dips and presses his lips to my bump.
I gasp, my hands instinctively sliding into his hair as he pulls back and looks up at me with damp eyes.
“I know I fucked up, turned your life into a nightmare, but this right here, it’s my dream. It's everything.”
“Midas,” I whisper. I don’t want to gut this man, even if part of me thinks he deserves it. I’m not sure I have the strength or the desire to put my heart on the line again.
“Baby steps. We’ll get there, Legs. There’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere.”
And for some reason, that thought is as reassuring as it is terrifying.
“Let’s get you home and fed.”
“Okay.”
He presses another kiss to my stomach before leaning over and pressing one to my lips.
I don’t engage, but I don’t pull away either.
He doesn’t force the issue. He reaches over and belts me in before doing up his own seatbelt and starting the car.
The drive home is as quiet as the drive here, but it feels less tense.
Maybe because Midas got his way and I didn’t call the cops on him from the safety of the diner.
He’s right, there wouldn’t have been much point.
I have a feeling the cops would have somehow made it my fault anyway.
By the time we get back, I’m ready for a nap.
He parks in the rear and runs around to help me out before grabbing my bag from the back and slinging it over his shoulder.
He takes my hand in his and walks me upstairs before letting us into his apartment.
I slip off my shoes near the door and walk straight to the sofa, curling up in the corner.
“Why don’t you lay down on the bed where you’ll be more comfortable?”
I shake my head and yawn. “Because you’ll join me. And look at how well that turned out.”
“Turned out pretty fucking epic if you ask me, but I hear you. I didn’t do it on purpose. I was already inside you when I woke up. Yes, I could have pulled out. But Legs, your pussy is my fucking mecca. I’m only so strong. What I thought I’ll do from now on, is to sleep in boxers.”
I look up at him. He hates to sleep in anything at all. “Really?”
“If it makes you more comfortable, yes.”
“Okay. I know you don’t like it but I don’t trust your dick not to try and invade me again.
” And worse, I don’t trust myself to put up a fight to stop him.
We both know if I had fought him this morning, he’d have backed off in a second.
But I didn’t. I welcomed him in. Hell, I might not have rolled out a welcome mat, but I did the next best thing, which was to provide a slip-and-slide for him to play on.
So, can I really be surprised when things got out of hand?
“Done.”
“I’m still gonna stay here for now.”
He doesn’t argue. He heads to the bedroom and returns with a blanket that he throws over me. “I’ll make something to eat for when you wake up.”
I think I murmured, “Thanks,” but I’m pretty sure I was fast asleep before he even walked away.