Chapter 22
Chyanne
“A house?” Nicole asks me once more as she looks at me with her mouth open.
“Yeah, a house. Like a home, Nic,” I tell her. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe he actually asked me to move in with him.
“He cares about you, Chy. I’m just as shocked as you are, though,” she says.
“I know. Shocked isn’t the word. I can’t believe it.”
“Believe it, baby,” I hear Van behind me. I look over my shoulder and see him smiling at me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy before.
“It was a shock,” I tell him.
“A good one though. We’re gonna have a lot of good times in that place,” he tells me, resting his hands on my shoulders.
“You think so?”
“Yeah, baby. I think so. The guys are gonna help us move shit next week.”
“That soon?” Nicole whines. I know she doesn’t want us to go anywhere, and honestly, I don’t want to leave her, but I know this is good for me and Nate. It’s stability for him.
“Yeah, that soon. I want it all taken care of and us moved in,” Van tells her.
“What about Derrick?” Nicole asks, and I hear the soft growl that leaves Van’s throat. He doesn’t like talking about him, but the fact is, he’s still out there.
“He won’t know where we live for one. And for two, if he happens to find out, I’ll shoot him in the face,” he replies casually.
“You better take good care of them,” Nicole tells him.
“You think I haven’t been already?”
“I know you have. I just want her to be safe,” she tells him. Van walks around and sits at the table next to me, resting his elbows there.
“You think I’d let anything happen to her?” he asks her seriously. I can see there’s a little anger in his eyes.
“I think Derrick is dangerous,” she says.
“I think I’m dangerous,” he retorts. Nic nods her head.
“I think you’re right. I’d just hate to have my ass kicked by the club for shooting you in the head if anything happened to my best friend,” she tells him.
“Nic,” I say, trying to diffuse the situation between the two. I’ve never seen them like this, but I know Nicole is protective.
“Then you’re in luck, Nicole. Nothin’ is gonna happen to them, so neither of us needs to worry about it.”
“Fine. Then I agree with this. She deserves that,” she declares, nodding toward me.
“I think so too. Glad we’re on the same page. Now, how’s my boy doin’?” Van asks as he turns his head to look at me now.
“He’s good. I think he likes being held too much though.”
“There’s no such thing as holdin’ them too much. I asked my mom,” he informs me, causing me to laugh.
“You asked her?”
“Yeah. I thought I was holdin’ him too much, and I didn’t want that to hurt him.”
“And she said what?”
“That I was crazy as hell and to hold him now because once he grows up, he isn’t gonna want that anymore.” Now, I smile at him. She’s probably right.
“I think she’s right. He loves it when you hold him anyway.”
“I know. And I love holdin’ him.” He smiles at me and everything seems to settle around us. Nicole and I fall into an easy conversation as Van talks to Free.
It’s strange still. Knowing I’m going to have this for a long time. I never pictured myself in a place like this. I never pictured myself with a man like Van, either, but here we are. He’s perfect.
“Where’d you go?” he asks as I jerk my head around to look at him.
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“You. All of this.”
“I just have one question,” he says as he watches me intently.
“What’s that?”
“Are you happy?” That’s an easy one. I don’t even have to think about it before the words leave my lips.
“I’m very happy.” He nods his head, although he doesn’t smile at me this time. He looks serious as he shoves to his feet and looks around the room.
“I have an announcement to make,” he declares as he glances around a few more times. “I’m keepin’ Chyanne as my old lady.” Roars of applause and cheers sound around the room as I sit, completely stunned. What does that even mean?
“Holy shit,” Nicole mutters under her breath.
“What the hell does that mean?” I ask her while Van fist-bumps his brothers.
“That means you’re basically married in our world.”
“What? No.”
“Yeah. It does, Chy. That is the highest honor you could get from one of these guys,” she says as I turn my head and look up at Van with my mouth open. He winks at me and goes back to the guys as I sit, stunned by what she just said. I can’t believe it. First the house, and now this? He truly does want to be with me. I look down at the sleeping baby in my arms as tears roll down my cheeks. I didn’t plan on this. I wasn’t looking for this, and now it seems like everything I’ve ever wanted is falling right into my lap. Something bad must be coming. Something must be about to happen because there’s no way someone like me can have this much happiness.
Van pulls me to my feet and lifts my chin so I’m looking at him. He narrows his eyes when he sees the tears and shakes his head.
“This isn’t a sad time,” he says.
“I’m not sad, Van. I’m … overwhelmed. I can’t believe all of this. You just did that in front of everyone.”
“That’s how it’s done, baby.”
“And the house-”
“Is it too much too soon?” he asks me, sounding concerned. I shake my head.
“No. It’s just a lot to take in. Are you seriously sure about all of this?”
“Listen, you said it the other day. You’re fallin’ in love with me. Well, I feel the same way, Chy. I’m not gonna sit here and talk about my feelin’s and shit, but I know what I feel, and I know what I want. This is it. You two are it.” I nod my head. He’s made up his mind, and there is no changing it.
“Okay.”
“Okay? Is that you agreein’ to be mine, Chyanne?” I hear the pleading in his tone, and I know he needs to hear this, too. So I lick my dry lips and nod my head.
“Yes. I’m agreeing,” I tell him. He leans down and kisses me before slipping his hands around Nate and taking him from me. Then he throws his free arm over my shoulder and pulls me into his side.
“Good. This is all I want.”