Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Daemon
If there was ever a time I’ve been a dick, now would be it.
The past couple of days have been rough, and I’ve done nothing but be an ass toward Everleigh.
She doesn’t deserve it, and I know it. I just needed to get through the funeral and come to grips with the fact Lana’s gone.
I might not have been in love with the woman, but she’s the mother of my son. She was also a friend.
Fuck.
I can’t believe she’d keep something so important from all of us. Why couldn’t she tell us what was going on? So many damn times I asked her if she was okay, and she fucking lied to me.
It’s been hours since the service, and here I am, still standing close, watching as the men lower her into the ground.
I sent Hendrik and Everleigh off with everyone else.
The look my woman gave me was one of apprehension.
She didn’t want to leave me alone, but I’m not.
My brothers are here though they’re giving me space.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Reaper making his way toward me.
“You gonna be all right?” he asks.
“Yeah, it’s just fuckin’ with my head,” I answer on a harsh breath and turn away from the grave.
“Get it,” Reaper says, getting my full attention.
“Lost my whole family, save Angel. It’s not fuckin’ easy losing someone you love.
Never will anyone understand what’s going on inside each of us at coming to terms with the grief that wants to overtake us.
But remember, you have us. You have your ol’ lady. You’re family.”
“Thanks, Prez.” I give him a chin lift and look toward our bikes. “Guess we better get out of here. I need to check on Hendrik and my woman.”
“Yeah, but you also need to take time to read this,” Reaper says, pulling a folded envelope from his back pocket. “Trey asked me to give this to you before he left. Said he was gonna go hang at the house with Hendrik.”
I stare at the envelope for a long moment before slowly reaching out to take it from him.
“Take your time and we’ll be here when you’re ready to go,” he says, clasping a hand on my shoulder and squeezing.
I nod and swallow past the lump that forms in my throat as I stare at the handwriting that belongs to Lana. I give it a couple of heartbeats then tear the envelope open. I unfold the slip of paper and read the words from the woman herself.
Daemon,
If you’re reading this, then I’m sure you’re probably pissed with me. I get it. I’d be pretty ticked with myself as well. But then again, we both know how stubborn I can be.
I didn’t tell you about my breast cancer because there was nothing you could do about it. It was too progressive, and the end was inevitable. There was no stopping it. We caught it too late.
You can be mad at me all you want, but I wouldn’t change my decision in not telling you. I refused to let you, or our son suffer alongside me. I stayed strong as long as I could and knew that when the time was right, I’d fall asleep never to wake again. I know it sounds morbid, but hey that’s me.
Please don’t blame yourself for not finding out what was going on with me. You didn’t need to deal with me and what I was going through on top of everything else. You were trying to win the woman who was meant for you.
Speaking of, it’s why I’m writing this. I want you to know I’m so happy for you.
Give Hendrik the brothers and sisters he’s always begged us for.
Okay, okay, I won’t push, but seriously, Everleigh is a beautiful woman.
I’m sure with you holding her tightly, she’ll be able to face the demons haunting her.
Even I can tell she has them. All you have to do is look in her eyes and see they’re tearing her apart.
Anyway, I want you to know that I’m happy for you, and I can rest easy knowing you and our son are in good hands. Cherish what you to have and never let it go.
With all my love,
Lana
I clench the paper in my hand and tilt my head to the sky, closing my eyes as I release an uneasy breath.
“Damn stubborn woman,” I mutter to myself. Of course, she’d do just as she did to keep anyone from suffering alongside her.
Fuck.
Dropping my gaze from the sky, I cock my head side to side, feeling the tension ease away slightly as my neck makes a cracking sound.
I look over my shoulder one last time before straightening and heading for where my brothers await me.
“You good?” Tombstone asks, his attention on me as he sits on the back of his bike leaning on the tank of the massive beast.
“Not hardly, but I will be,” I answer truthfully.
Lana made sure to give me answers in the letter, but she also opened my eyes to the fact she’s right about Everleigh and the fact she still has demons haunting her.
“Let’s get out of here.” I fold the paper and put it in my back pocket as I make my way to my bike.
As one, my brothers and I ride out, the sounds of our bikes roaring into the sky, giving Lana a final send off. She might not have been an ol’ lady, but regardless she was family.
I pull into my driveway and notice no one else is there. Reaper must’ve sent a message ahead of time so everyone could clear out and give me the time I need with my family. The only other vehicle there is Trey’s, and as I put the kickstand down, he steps outside, his eyes on me.
“You read the letter?” he asks when I make it to the porch.
“Yeah, I read it.” I laugh darkly. “Still doesn’t help but Lana’s Lana and she wasn’t one for letting others take care of her.”
“Got that right.” He grunts. “Even as a kid, she refused to let anyone help her. Not even the time when she was ten and riding her scooter. She’d been going too damn fast and did a front flip over the bars and ended up with road rash. Lucky for her, no damn cars were coming or she’d been dead.”
I grin and shake my head. “I remember that story.”
“Yeah.” Trey chuckles and moves farther down the stairs. “Well, I’ll let you get in there and take care of your family. You got one hell of a woman in there. Happy for you, and I know Lana was.”
“Appreciate it.” I nod and make my way into the house, hearing Hendrik’s voice come from the back, probably in the kitchen.
I lock the front doors and head in the direction.
I lean against the door frame and watch both my son and woman.
No surprise that my kid would help in cleaning up what must be the food everyone brought for us over the past couple of days.
What does surprise me is they weren’t putting the food in the fridge. Instead, they were throwing it away.
“What’s going on in here?” I ask, getting their attention.
Hendrik’s head whips up quickly and he gives me a sheepish smile. Everleigh brings her gaze a lot slower, and I don’t miss the sadness and weariness she’s trying to keep hidden. It’s the same look she’s had for the past few days.
Again, I’m a dick and need to apologize for keeping her at arm’s length. But still, I’d kept her in sight, not wanting her far from me.
“We’re getting rid of all this food,” Hendrik answers for the both of them. “Evs says we don’t need this stuff. We don’t need six different casseroles and the pies that taste like cardboard.”
“I agree, but still that’s a lot of food being wasted.” I jerk my chin at the dishes scattered on the counter.
“It’s not anything any of us want to eat,” my kid retorts, again speaking for them both. “Evs told me it doesn’t taste right because it was made out of grief.”
“What?” I furrow my brow and look at Everleigh.
“It’s true. When something tastes good, it means you put effort into it and not because you feel sorry or pity someone,” she explains and pulls that bottom lip of hers between her teeth.
“Right.” My eyes stay on her mouth as I move deeper into the room. When I’m close enough to wrap my arms around her waist, I do just that, not delaying in claiming her mouth.
“Jeez, Dad, get a room,” Hendrik says, making fake gagging noises.
I break the kiss and cock my head slightly to take in his expression. No longer does he have that sadness in his eyes. “Why don’t we get changed and go out to eat?” I offer. “Deal with this shit tomorrow.”
“Mexican?” Hendrik suggests.
“Why not.” I grin, shrugging, keeping my arms around Everleigh. I jerk my chin to the hall. “Go get ready.”
Hendrik doesn’t waste a moment in doing as I tell him, leaving me alone with my woman. I return my attention to her and reach up to grip her chin between two fingers forcing her to meet my gaze.
“I’ve been a dick, sugar.”
Everleigh blinks and her lips part marginally. “It’s okay. You’ve had a lot going on.”
“Don’t excuse away my being a dick, Everleigh,” I grumble sternly. “My head might have been fucked up, but it doesn’t give me the right to be that way toward you.”
“Okay,” she whispers, closing her eyes. I swear as she releases a breath tension seems to just seep out of her.
Yeah, I was definitely a dick to her, and she’s been worried about me.
Dropping my hand from her chin, I lean in and press my lips to hers. Claiming her mouth once more.
“I’m ready,” Hendrik yells from the front of the house, interrupting my moment with Everleigh.
Breaking away, I press my forehead to hers. “When we get back from dinner, and Hendrik is asleep, I’ll make it up to you for the way I’ve acted.”
Everleigh’s breath hitches and she gives me a small smile. “You don’t have to make up for anything. I understand it’s been hard on you.”
“Sugar, already told you, don’t excuse away the way I’ve acted.”
“Okay,” she answers, dropping her gaze, pulling that lip between her teeth again.
“You okay?” I ask, sensing something’s not right.
Slowly, she brings her eyes back up and shakes her head. If there’s one thing about Everleigh, it’s that she doesn’t lie. But that doesn’t mean she won’t keep something to herself unless urged otherwise.
“You wanna tell me what’s wrong?”
Everleigh shakes her head and pulls away. “Not right now. You’ve had enough today and—”
“Baby, talk to me,” I interrupt her.
“We getting food or what?” Hendrik calls out.
“I’m pregnant,” Everleigh blurts out at the same time.
And at the news, my chest tightens, and it’s all I can do to keep from collapsing to my knees.