I won’t lose her, not now that I understand what she truly means to me.
She’s quiet for a moment before she says softly, “If you tell me right now that you didn’t rape me…”
Fuck.
“I-I can’t,” I stutter, instantly shaking my head, and her eyes tear up, making them shine.
She says, “Well then, no to therapy, and you sign the papers as soon as I get a fresh set to you.”
I growl at her threat and tighten my hold on her waist when she lets go of my cheeks and tries to move back, and I snap, “How am I supposed to believe it?” My eyes race between hers, “I can’t just change how I’m feeling at the snap of your fingers!”
“You’re supposed to believe it because you didn’t do it,” she replies softly, “You’re supposed to believe it because I’ve spent years believing I assaulted you, Trick.”
I instantly snap, “Miles!” not hearing her words, and her eyes widen in shock.
“No,” she says, “You can’t do this, you can't claim me after six years of pushing me away, heck, there’s a woman claiming to be pregnant with your child!”
I tighten my hold yet again when she tries pushing against my chest, and I scoff, “It isn’t even her scan photo! It belongs to a waitress at the diner!”
Clark blinks, then blinks again in shock, and I cup her cheek, using her stumped state to touch her, and I command, “Who gave you the photo, buttercup?”
“Lavender,” she whispers, “it was after you spoke to me at work for the first time. She’s been claiming that you two have been together for our whole marriage, it’s why I never tried to speak to you about our future because I only saw one that entailed you and her.”
Mother fucker.
“I’ve never fucked her, not once,” I admit, and she stutters, “But-but, I’ve found you both in compromising positions, I’ve seen her in your bed…”
I sigh as I pull back, giving her a little space for a moment, and I state, “The compromising positions, she’s shoved herself up against me, which now I’m seeing is because she knew you were in the vicinity, and the same with her in my bed. I’ve had to change the locks to my room,our room, several times,” disbelief shines back at me and I swallow hard as I remove my wedding band then I turn my hand and show her my tattoo and her eyes widen in shock seeing her name before I put my ring back on. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into me as I cup her jaw and we lock eyes.
Just as I hear our daughter’s little feet coming down the stairs I say, “I love you, Clark, I’ve been in love with you since I gave you the nickname but never realized… and me pushing you into the wedding, I soon realized afterward that I didn’t do it for your safety, you already had that but I did it because I wanted you tied to me.”
A few tears fall, and I quickly kiss them away before I whisper, “Now will you come to therapy with me?” and I hold my breath, hoping and praying she’ll say yes.
Chapter 11
Trick – Three Days Later
I bounce my knee as I lean back on the couch, gently biting my thumbnail and eyeing my wife, who is looking around Dr. Gallow’s office with a furrowed brow.
Three days and she hasn’t been back to her apartment, she’s been at home with our daughter. Three days since I paid off her lease without her knowing and ensured the fucker who owned the apartment building won’t lease for her again.
She didn’t have any furniture or even her clothes, just the bag that was in her car because she didn’t have enough time from when she received the ultrasound to moving out to even do anything, only a few mattresses on the floor thankfully, and I know she’ll be pissed, but I won’t lose her.
I refuse.
I’ve known Clark all my life, and I’ve loved her for three-quarters of it. Even though I was blinded to the way my body reacted to her, to how I didn’t put up a fight to marry her when she said she was pregnant, I won’t be blind now.
“How long have you been coming here?” Clark asks quietly without looking my way, and I relax slightly, hearing her voice. Though tension still lingers, knowing I have to open a can of secrets to get her to understand my fear of relationships, the reason why I instantly pushed her away but refused to let her go.
For three days, she’s said nothing to me. She’s spent that time reflecting, even carefully rereading the ultrasound, noticing the name at the top of the image now that her mind isn’t clouded by hurt and has been looking at everything differently.
I’ve been holding her at night like I did the two days before she tried leaving me. I’ve been making breakfast and taking Willow to school before doing my residency, but she’s kept a wall up, and I know it’s because of the anticipation of today.
“I started just after our fifth wedding anniversary,” I admit just as quietly.
“Why?” she questions as her dark green eyes lock with mine, and instantly, I’m locked in, I’m entranced.
“Because I realized I couldn’t ignore the love I had for you anymore,” I confess, and her mouth parts in shock just as the door opens.
