Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Everleigh
The look on the Daemon’s face when I blurted out about being pregnant will forever be seared in the back of my mind.
It was one of shock. joy, and sorrow all in one.
He didn’t get a chance to respond since Hendrik came in the kitchen and all but dragged us out to his dad’s truck.
This doesn’t mean Daemon didn’t react. He’s kept me close.
At dinner, his arm stayed around me the whole time.
It was sweet but scared me all at once because I didn’t know if this was how things were supposed to be.
After eating our fill of Mexican food, Daemon drove us back to the house, where Hendrik went straight to his room to pass out.
It was still early in the evening, but with the past several days he’s had, I’m sure he’s beyond exhausted and could use a good night’s sleep.
I leave Daemon to lock up the house and make my way into our room.
I grab a cami and sleep shorts and go into the bathroom to clean my face and change.
On a heavy breath, I meet my own gaze in the mirror, and tears fall because I don’t know what to feel at this moment.
I mean I want to be happy. I want this baby, but I’m scared.
Last time I lost my baby to the monsters who raised me.
I don’t think Daemon would let anything like that happen, that doesn’t mean something can’t.
Or that he won’t change his mind. I mean, he has Hendrik.
He’s a beautiful boy who is sweet and kind, and the spitting image of his dad with a hint of Lana in his features.
Stop it. I chastise myself. I can’t think like this.
Inhaling a breath, I release it, doing this a few times. Once I feel I have a handle on my emotions, I open the door to find Daemon standing there, shirtless and with his boots off.
“You okay?” he asks, dropping his arms from where he’d had them crossed over his bare chest. He takes a step forward and grips my hips with his strong, powerful fingers. His thumbs stroke against my hipbones.
“Yes.” My answer is barely more than a breath.
“Right,” Daemon remarks and steps back, pulling me with him. He keeps backing up until he’s sitting on the edge of the bed and pulls me into his lap. I have no choice but to reach out and wrap my arms around his neck to keep from falling. Not that he would let that happen.
“Daemon,” I gasp.
“Sugar, right now, in this room . . . in this house, I’m not Daemon,” Daemon says, gliding a hand along my spine.
“Hendrick . . .”
“Tell me the truth, Everleigh, you okay?” Daemon doesn’t give me a chance to say another word once I say his name. I don’t use it often. Mostly only when we’re having sex and I’m screaming his name through an orgasm.
Oh God. No. Don’t even go there.
“Yes,” I whisper, nodding.
“When did you find out?” he asks, his fingers trailing along my spine sending pleasurable sensations down to pool between my legs.
I swallow back my nervousness and answer him. “This morning when I was getting ready.”
Daemon nods, cocking his head slightly. “Thank you for not keeping this from me.”
“Come again?” I blurt out in surprise.
“You didn’t keep it from me,” he says, flattening his palm against my back. “You could’ve waited. But you didn’t. I’m sure you would have if I didn’t ask you earlier what was wrong. Though, sugar, you being pregnant ain’t a problem.”
“But . . .”
“No buts to it, Evs.” He shakes his head when I go to protest. “What I really want to talk to you about is where your head is with this information?”
“What do you mean?” I can feel the rising panic starting to bubble up and take over.
“You’re pregnant, Everleigh,” he says knowingly.
“I know that.”
“Right, well the last time, you were sixteen. Didn’t get to even see your baby. I want to know if you’re okay with this.”
And there you go. The man goes from being a dick as he called himself to being caring. Today’s supposed to be about me caring for him and Hendrik, not the other way around.
Tears well in my eyes and it’s all I can do to keep the sob back.
“I . . . I . . . I don’t know,” I finally answer after a long pause.
“I get it’s not easy on you. But let me say right off, sugar, today was a shit day, and in the midst of it, you didn’t just give me a gift, but Hendrik one as well.”
“Excuse me?” I furrow my brow, unsure by what he’s talking about.
“This morning, you found out you were pregnant, stood at my side during a funeral where we buried Lana, then took care of Hendrik while I got my head on. I get home, and you look unsure of yourself and nervous as fuck. I ask you what’s wrong, and you tell me. Fuck, if it wasn’t a gift.”
“But I should have waited.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Daemon tightens his hold around him.
The hand at my back flexes. “You turned a shit day into one I’ll never forget.
It fuckin’ sucks that we buried Lana today, but I’m gonna tell you something.
Lana wrote a letter before she died and before coming home, I read it.
She explained things, and I get it. Questions that were fuckin’ with my head she answered.
And, baby, I’ll tell you this, Lana wrote about us giving Hendrik brothers and sisters.
Said for me to be happy. And you, sugar, are not only giving Hendrik a sibling, but you make me fuckin’ happier than I’ve ever been in my goddamn life.
Other than the moment Hendrik was born. The only thing to remain now is you because the way I see it, with death comes life.
We lost a beautiful soul, though we’re gaining a new one. ”
My tears stream down my face unabashed and I can’t stop them even if I wanted to. “I’m scared.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you, Everleigh,” he assures me, pulling me flush against him, and wrapping his arms fully around my waist.
“But what if they find out and take this one like they did my son?” I whisper the question that haunts me most.
“They’ll die at my hand before I allow that to happen, Evs.” He growls fiercely. “They can try all they want, but I’ll make sure not one damn thing happens. I won’t let them get anywhere near you or this baby. You hear me?”
“Yes.” I nod, my breath hitching.
“Good,” he remarks, sliding his fingers up and into my hair. “Now, it’s time to finish what I’ve been wanting to do since I kissed you earlier.”
Before I can respond, his lips are on mine, and he falls back onto the bed. Daemon rolls and soon enough he has my clothes out of the way. Using his mouth, he trails kisses down to kiss me in places I ache for him most. By the time he makes his way back up, I’m a panting, withering mess.
“Hendrick,” I cry out as he sinks deep inside and takes me in the way only he knows how and it’s better than ever.
“Fuck, sugar, I fuckin’ love you,” he growls, partly groaning as he joins me in the bliss.
“I love you too.”
Without pulling out, Daemon rolls us until I’m straddling him and moves us beneath the sheets.
“Sleep, baby,” Daemon murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head as I lay over him, my eyelids growing heavy.