Chapter 16
Cole
When Amaryllis, Delaney, and Elizabeth went outside, I went to the front door to help David. Walking up, I stood next to him, my arms folded across my chest. Miller felt like he could barge into spaces he wasn’t welcome, and I wanted to make sure he knew Delaney’s family weren’t standing alone.
“Are you fucking kidding me, David? What’s he doing here? This is the asshole who kept my daughter from me.” Miller said as he looked at me.
David tried to interject, “Now, Miller, you’re not going to come around here and disrespect those in my house. I’m trying to be reasonable with you. You had better go now, son.”
Miller laughed. “Or what, old man? You think you’re going to keep me from my daughter too? You have another thing coming.”
Finally, I spoke up to shut him up. “Miller, Amaryllis doesn’t want to see you. Delaney doesn’t want to see you. You have no legal rights to Amaryllis. If you feel you can win something in court, have at it, but until then, stay away. We will file a restraining order if we have to.”
Miller went from laughing to looking deadly serious. “We… so you all are a we now? This is a joke. Don’t threaten me, asshole.”
In the most serious tone I could give, “It’s not a threat, Miller. It’s a promise. Stay away from Delaney and Amaryllis.”
David cleared his throat. “Go, Miller. Get on out of here. Move on. Get yourself cleaned up.”
Miller nodded his head and took steps backwards before turning around leaving. We stood there watching as he got in his car and took off.
“It’s not the last time we’ll see him,” I said.
“I know you’re right, which scares me. Take care of my girls, please.” He grabbed my shoulder, and we exchanged a look of understanding before closing the door and heading out back to the ladies.
***
I was carrying Amaryllis inside because she had fallen asleep on the way home from dinner. Delaney opened the door and then we took her up to her bed together, tucked her in with all her stuffies, turned her nightlight on, and closed the door.
Delaney leaned against the hallway door and let out a long breath. In a whisper, she said, “Cole… I don’t know what to do. It’s only a matter of time before he tries again to get close to Amaryllis. What if we aren’t there next time? It terrifies me.”
I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her in the tightest safest hug I could possibly give to get her to feel safe and reassured that everything was going to be ok. “Babe, I think you need to get an order of protection. I know it’s just a piece of paper but at least if he breaks that then he goes to jail and he for sure can’t get to her then.”
She nodded. “I’ll go down to the station tomorrow. Let’s go to bed.”
I grabbed her hand and led us to the bedroom. We changed and climbed in bed and Delaney said, “When I look at the past few months and how things have been since we arrived, I never imagined you, us. I also never imagined Miller showing up here, especially after everything he’s done. Everything feels so messy. We can’t even be together together in public because of work. Miller is acting like a crazy stalker. I just want to protect Amaryllis and do what’s best for her.”
I pulled her into me, kissing the back of her neck as my arm laid across her midsection. “Baby, baby, baby, breathe. Everything is going to be ok. It’s going to be ok with us, the shit with Miller will work itself out, and we can keep doing what we’re doing.”
She flipped over to face me. “And what’s that, Cole? What are we doing? Are you my man? Are you ready to take on a woman with a child. Are you ready for the fallout at work? I’m not. I’m not ready for that at all. It’s the last thing I want.”
“Delaney… if this is you trying to push me away, it won’t work. It’s impossible to stay away from you. I can’t.” I grabbed her chin and kissed her. Wrapping my other arm between her legs and pulling her body closer to mine so she could feel how I needed her set me on fire. “Yes, I’m your man. You’re my woman. Mine. I love you.”
Her breathing got heavier, and she let out a small cry coupled with “I love you. I love you so much, Cole. I love you more than I thought I could ever love someone, and I don’t know how or why it happened so fast, but I do.”
“Then nothing else matters. We will figure everything else out.” I cupped her face with my hand and kissed her. Then she leaned into my chest. We fell asleep there, tangled up in each other, letting tomorrow worry about itself.