AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nevertheless, I would still like your forgiveness for the hurt I caused,” Denver said, his voice firm.
“You have it,” Mom returned.
He smiled and looked back at me.
“Now, tell me about your ranch,” Mom ordered.
For the next half hour, I watched my mom get to know the man who saved me. I watched my mom get to know a man who meant something to me. Twice, I had to stop myself from crying because I thought I would never get to have this.
A man meeting my mom.
“We’ll talk soon,” Denver promised, still chuckling at something Jackie said. He handed the phone back to me. Mom was smiling brightly, her eyes greener than before. She looked at me, communicating something to me.
He’ll make sure you live, my Valerie.
I nodded. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too. Goodnight.”
The FaceTime ended and I slowly dropped the phone back into my lap. I felt Denver’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t meet them. He didn’t have to come out here and meet her. He could’ve stayed inside. He didn’t have to talk to her about his home and he sure as hell didn’t have to listen to her talk about her old flower shop and her pumpkins.
“Val, look at me.”
I shook my head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Rough, warm fingers gripped my chin. When my head was lifted, he was right there, his smoke closing in. “You are so fucking strong, Valerie Cross. You are a magnificent daughter.”
My face crumbled.
“Baby,” he murmured, pulling me into his lap. The swing began to move, and my face was buried in my hands, his arms wrapped around me.
Shaking my head, I looked up at him through my tears. “You didn’t hurt me, Denver.”
A pained look flashed over his features, and he looked away. “I shouldn’t have—”
“You went to a dark place.” He looked at me and I continued. “I saw it. Something triggered it, but you didn’t hurt me. Your hand didn’t even squeeze my neck that hard,” I gently explained.
“Let me see,” he whispered. I lifted my chin, and after a moment, I felt his fingers brush across my skin. “I’m sorry. I’m finding myself to be sorry about a lot of things when it comes to you.”
I put my hands on his shoulders. “Do you regret it?” I asked, my heart in my throat ready to jump ship if he answered a certain way.
“What’s that?”
“Me.”
He was quiet for a moment, his fingers playing with the bottom of my hair. “You were the last thing I expected,” he finally said, his voice rough. “I’m not a good man, Valerie.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Denver
“I’mnotagoodman, Valerie,” I admitted. I knew I wasn’t a good man. There are things my hands have done that would scare Lucifer himself. I’m not proud of it but I’ll do what I have to in order to protect my home.
Including becoming a monster.
I never expected her to show up in my life.
After Cathy, I never expected to have a woman in this house again. I expected to spend the rest of my days alone, finding sex outside of my home, and I was content with that.
