Chapter 27 #2
Darby laughs at that, and it helps lighten the conversation. “I doubt that.”
“Okay, it’s a tie between the girls. But they’re good girls, so who can blame him, right?
It was the same with Zack. He spent so much time at our house when we were young, and my dad was that solid male figure he needed when his biological dad was a complete waste of space.
To this day, Zack calls Dad on Father’s Day and comes to our place for Christmas, when he can swing it. ”
“You’re his family,” she says.
“Yeah, we are.”
Darby blinks, and her brows pull together in a frown. “It’s so different from how I grew up.”
“Tell me about that. Whatever you want to share.”
Before she can talk about it, our meals are placed in front of us. We both got steaks, and they smell great.
“Can I get you anything else?” the server asks.
“This looks amazing,” Darby says, shaking her head.
“We’re good,” I confirm, and then we’re alone once more. “You don’t have to talk about this while we eat.”
“Nah, I’m fine,” she says, cutting into her steak. “You already know the worst of it, so I won’t go into that here. Before Mom died, things were already scary. I think my dad thrived on all of us living in fear. And pain. I often wonder if he was a serial killer.”
My eyes widen, and I watch as Darby taps her fork to her lips thoughtfully. She’s not kidding.
“I mean, he had that kind of evil in him.” She shrugs a shoulder.
“Anyway, our safe haven was the Blackwell family. Whenever things got too horrible, Holden would round us all up and take us over to the Blackwells’, and we’d hang out there until things calmed down a bit.
They’re like siblings to me. So, I guess the way your home was a sanctuary for Harper and Zack, we found that with the Blackwells. ”
“I’m so fucking glad that you had it somewhere.”
Her smile is sad, and it makes me want to yank her to me and never let go.
“I didn’t have many friends, though. I didn’t honestly have time for friends or for extra things after school. I always wished I did, that I could join a club or sports, because it would mean that I could be away from home longer.”
Christ.
“But I couldn’t risk it. I had to be home to protect my younger sisters. Holden did a great job of scaring Dad just enough to make sure he didn’t kill us.”
My jaw is clenched so tight, it’s a wonder it doesn’t break.
“But he had to work the ranch. From the time he was roughly ten or eleven, right around the time Mom died, he worked the ranch harder than Dad did. Dad used Holden as slave labor, and he spent his time making our lives hell, so I had to race home from school to look after the others. Charlie was just a baby then, and there were times I’d get home and she was crying, hungry, wet, and neglected all day. The twins were so quiet, so scared.”
She’s talking about this like you would discuss going on family vacation as a kid. Like it’s just a fact, and I know that for her it is, but it’s breaking my fucking heart. How can she be so robotic about it? So . . . detached?
“But the best days were when he would pass out drunk, and we could just breathe. The little ones could play, and I could read or study without being yelled at for something. Those days didn’t happen enough.”
“Darby—”
“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me,” she murmurs as she finishes her steak. “We all survived it. I think we’re stronger because of it.”
“You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.”
“I think I’m mostly stubborn.”
“It probably served you well when you were young.”
Her eyes bounce up to mine, and she tilts her head, like she hadn’t thought of that before.
“You’re probably right. All of my siblings and I have issues from our childhood. We didn’t get out unscathed. There’s a lot of anxiety, some self-doubt, and I haven’t slept well since I was a toddler, but all in all, we’re pretty great.”
“Back it up. You haven’t slept well?”
“No.” She dabs her mouth with her napkin. “He liked to terrorize me at night, when the others were asleep and couldn’t protect me.”
“Baby.”
“I had to be on high alert, always. Because I would not allow him to hurt the others the way he did me.”
“So you got the worst of it.”
“I mean, no one had it great, Tucker. But yeah, I distracted him to me, rather than let him hurt the other girls more. But I have to tell you, I sleep like a fucking baby in your bed. Even when you couldn’t be there because of that mountain lion, I slept like a baby angel on a cloud, and now I’m addicted to it, so if you’re trying to butter me up with this fantastic meal and this beautiful sunset”—she gestures to the view, where everything is cast in gold—“just to then break the news that I have to go back out to the cabin, I might toss the rest of this wine in your face.”
I press my lips together to keep from laughing and then shake my head. “I’m so fucking in love with you that I won’t let you leave my bed for anything, Duchess.”
Her jaw drops and then closes again.
“That’s not the first time I’ve said that,” I remind her.
“I thought I was dreaming last time.”
“No. You weren’t.”
Her eyes bounce back and forth between mine as she nibbles that lower lip, and then her chin starts to tremble, and I can’t stand it anymore.
I walk around and sit in the empty seat next to her and kiss her cheek, her temple, before planting my lips right next to her ear.
“You’re incredible. You are changing my life for the better, Duchess. So don’t you ever think for a second that I don’t love the hell out of you. And you can say it back whenever you’re ready to meet me there. I’m in no rush.”
She takes a shaky breath and leans into me. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened in my life.”
“Same goes, baby. Now, I need some ice cream.”
“Oh, I’ve been wanting to try Sundae’s.”
“Let’s do it.”
It’s not quite dark when we park in front of the ice cream shop, and when we push inside, the scent of freshly baked waffle cones and sugar assaults us, making Darby moan the way she does when I’m inside her.
“I’m gonna need you to not make that sound here.”
My girl laughs and squeezes my hand. “I can’t help it. It’s already my favorite place in the world.”
“I thought our bed was your favorite place.”
“Okay, this is second.” She glances up and her eyes go wide, and I can only smile because I already saw him.
Zack is leaning on the counter, eating an ice cream cone, charming Indie, who’s blushing and laughing at something he just said.
“I’ll call the cops if he’s harassing you,” I say to Indie, who snorts and walks our way.
“If I can handle toddlers in my shop, I can handle him,” she says, and Zack scowls.
“Did you just compare me to a toddler?”
Darby smirks next to me, and Indie shrugs. “I’m just saying, you’re not difficult to deal with.”
Zack’s eyes narrow as he licks his ice cream. “I might have to teach you a lesson.”
“You can try,” Indie volleys back, and I can no longer hold back the laugh that I’ve been holding in. She turns to Darby with a smile. “Hi, you’re new.”
“I’m Darby,” my girl says with a smile. “And I hear great things about your shop.”
“They’re all true. My grandparents refined these recipes until they were perfect. You can’t go wrong with anything in the case, unless you’re allergic to something.”
“No allergies for me,” Darby says. “Ooh, I want espresso in a waffle cone. Just one scoop.”
“You got it.” Indie smiles at me. “Your usual?”
“You have an usual?” Darby demands.
“Oh, he does,” Indie replies with a knowing nod. “He’s very predictable. And it’s also the espresso.”
Darby’s eyebrow lifts and I smirk.
“Yes, the usual. Thanks, Indie.” As the other woman walks away to fill our orders, I lean in to whisper in my girl’s ear. “I won’t be predictable in bed later.”
“Promises, promises.”
“So, does Zack have something going on with the ice cream shop girl?” Darby asks when we’re settled by the fire behind the cabin, which is still dark and empty because my friend isn’t back yet. “Because the flirt was thick in there.”
“I suspect there’s a bit of a crush happening,” I reply. “Which is hilarious because we’ve known Indigo for most of her life, and she’s fifteen years younger than him.”
“She’s pretty, and funny, and smart, so I get it,” Darby says with a shrug. She’s in my lap, her arms curled around my neck, and we’re watching the fire. “This was a really great date. Thank you.”
“We’re going to do something like this every week.”
“We are?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to.” I kiss her cheek and then take her chin in my fingers and cover her mouth with mine, kissing the fuck out of her in the glow of the fire. “No arguments.”
“I wasn’t going to argue.” She grins and brushes her nose against mine. “I’d suggest firepit sex, but Zack could come back any minute, and he doesn’t get to see me naked.”
I growl against her lips, making her laugh. “No one gets to see you naked, Duchess.”
“So possessive.”
“Yes.” I bite down on her earlobe, making her shiver in my arms. “Because you’re mine. And I don’t share. But I’ll gladly take you into the house and fuck you on every available surface, your choice.”
“I’m supposed to choose?” Her breath catches when I lick down her neck to her collarbone. “I don’t think I can remember my own name right now.”
“Focus.”
“Can’t.”
With a chuckle, I lift her in my arms and check to see that the fire has died down to coals before I march us toward the house.
“I guess we’ll start in the kitchen and work our way around then.”
“Yes, please.”