AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her bruises are healing nicely and I know they’ll look better in another day or so. Will she tell Kendall or hide it with makeup?
“You told me you loved me and you ran away!” She hisses at me. “You coward!”
I freeze at her words and open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out.
“And then you kept on avoiding me!” she continues, hurt in her voice. “I hate you.”
Her last statement is said with tears in her eyes.
I suddenly feel helpless. “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry!” I try to touch her.
Tracy pushes my hands away. “Why did you hide from me?”
“I didn’t – I mean, I didn’t think you loved me. Or that you wanted a man in your life at all. I didn’t want to burden you with what I felt,” I try to desperately explain. “Tracy, I’m an ex-con, I’m a simple driver. I have no ambitions in life. I didn’t think you’d want that in a partner.”
“You’re no deadbeat!” she says, fiercely. “And I don’t care whether you went to prison or if you were born in prison. You’re an amazing man and I’m lucky to have you in my life. You treat my son as if he were your own, you take care of me, even when you don’t have to. You took care of us these past two days. Do you think I’m blind? Do you think that I don’t know who furnished Max’s room or that Kendall never told you anything when you came looking for me initially? You think I don’t know what you’ve done for me and what you keep on doing for me without asking for anything in— r-return?” Her voice breaks.
I engulf her in my arms, begging her, “Enough. That’s enough. I’m sorry. Just stop crying.”
“I’m not crying!” She hits my chest with her fists and then gives in only to bury her face in my chest, sobbing.
I don’t know what to do.
Finally, when she lifts her head, she gives me an angry look. “I love you, okay? So, stop running away.”
My whole body goes still at her words. “What?”
“I love you, Duke.”
I stare down at her, unable to comprehend this cocktail of emotions whirling around inside of me. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
I blink at her, dazed. “You love me?”
“Yes.” There’s a smile on her lips now, “I love everything about you. I love how protective you are, and how funny, and how loving. I love how you make me laugh and how you adore my son. I love that you’ve become family to me and Max. I love—”
I smash my mouth down on hers, absorbing her next words, drinking her in. My kiss is rough and hard as if I’m trying to leave my imprint on her.
Her hands go around my neck and she opens her mouth, allowing me more access.
My hands go to her waist and then I’m picking her up, her legs wrapped around me.
Her bedroom isn’t very far and I lock the door before pushing her against it, kissing her even more fiercely, “I won’t let you take it back!”
“I don’t intend to.” Tracy’s voice is a little dazed but she clings onto me, not letting me kiss her as she tries to catch her breath.
My hands move through her hair, as my heart beats wildly and something warm bubbles in my chest. “I’m going to marry you, you know.” I tell her. “And we’re going to give Max lots of little brothers and sisters. And we’re going to open up a catering service called ‘Duke’s Tracy’.”
Tracy is watching me, with affection in her eyes, as I detail all our plans and she laughs. “You’ll have to take me on a date first. The rest can come after.”
I lift her up and she’s light as I whirl her around. “I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world, Tracy. I’ll give you everything you ever wanted.”
She laughs, giddily as I make all these wild promises.
I know that she thinks I will never be able to fulfill them, but I plan to achieve every one of them.
We fall onto the bed and she wraps her arms around me, dragging me in for another kiss.
