Damien looked a mixture of furious and terrified.
“He always tells me that he is in me head, which is what he planned all along. He tells me I don’t really love ye’ or want a marriage and a family with you because ye’ could die and leave me, our kids could die and leave me. He says a lot of horrible things.”
Damien frowned. “Is … is that why you keep saying no when I propose?”
My shoulders slumped.
“Maybe. When I think about our future, I am absolutely terrified of you not bein’ in it, so maybe Morgan is affectin’ me. The bastard really did get into me head, just like he said he would.”
Damien reached out and pulled me onto his lap.
“We’ve talked about this,” he said. “You can’t fear the future. None of us know what will happen.”
“I know.” I nodded. “I just love ye’ so much that—”
“Baby, I know you love me,” Damien cut me off. “And now I know why you’ve been so resistant and scared whenever we talk about our future. You want our future. You’re just scared of it being anything less than perfect.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
He kissed the side of my head. “Morgan … Carter is gone. I know I’ve struggled with him for a long time since he was here, but I’m not going to worry about him anymore, okay? I’m leaving him in my past just like he is leaving me in his.”
My heart swelled. “Damien, I want that too.”
“Look at me.”
I did.
“We’re both leaving him in our past,” he said, firmly. “He has no power over us. He is nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing.”
“Nothin’,” I repeated. “Morgan is nothin’.”
When I spoke the words and felt Damien wrap me in his embrace, I felt lighter than I had in a long time. I realised what was happening. I was letting Morgan go and leaving everything to do with him in my past. In our past. I was free of him, and he would never mess with my head ever again. I wrapped my arms around Damien and squeezed him tightly. When I pressed my face into his shoulder, I forgot about my bruises and winced. When I pulled back, Damien leaned in and placed a kiss under my eye.
“Does it still look ugly?”
“So ugly.” He nodded with a grin on his face. “It’s such a chore to date you, the ugliest woman in the whole world.”
When I laughed, I saw Damien’s eyes light up.
“I love your laugh,” he said. “It’s such a happy sound, baby.”
I rested my forehead against his. “You make me so happy.”
“I know,” he mused. “I’m perfect.”
When I laughed again, he leaned us back onto the bed, rolled me under him, and spent the next hour loving my body until I thought my soul might leave it. When we finally left our bed, we both got dressed, and I dried the remaining damp sections of my hair before tying it up into a bun on top of my head. I put on my work clothes, kissed Damien long and hard—or as hard as my healing mouth would allow—then went into my studio. Damien started calling it a studio instead of an office as of late, and I’ve adapted it. Saying office reminded me of when he worked with me, and since I was leaving him in my past, I left my office there too.
“When the doorbell rang an hour later, I shouted, “Dame, can ye’ get that?”
“Sure.”
If it was Dante stopping by to annoy Damien, I was going to kill him.
“Baby, it’s Gavin and Kalin.”
I paused. I had completely forgotten about Gavin. I turned when Kalin entered my studio, and I wanted to snort when Damien and Gavin hovered by the door as if we were just going to attack each other.
“The pair of you go play the Xbox or somethin’,” I said. “Me and Kalin need to speak alone.”
They didn’t need to be told twice, so Damien closed the door and left us in peace. It was eerily silent for at least thirty seconds. Kalin stared at me, and I stared right back at her.
“What is your problem?”
She didn’t answer.
“You’re tapped in the head if you think Gavin is gonna cut me from his life just because you don’t like me. We’re best friends, do ye’ understand that? I love ‘im, and he loves me. We’re like brother and sister, and not you or the fact that you’re the mother of his child can change that. Ever.”
Kalin folded her arms across the top of her bump, but still, she said nothing.
“Well?” I demanded. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t give a … what?”
“Ye’ heard me,” Kalin said, her head held high. “I said I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
“Treatin’ you the way I have been,” she answered. “I’ve been jealous, very jealous of the relationship that ye’ have with Gavin.”