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I can see from the strain on Beck’s face as he sits on the sofa with Dawson on his lap that he hates the fact he has to leave us and go to practice. Leah asked if I would feel better going with the guys and watching in the stands but the truth is, I just want to hide in Beck’s room where he can’t see me. I feel so fucking filthy knowing that this sick pervert has been inside my apartment and seen me naked. Bile rises in my throat and I swallow rapidly to rid myself of throwing up again. After Leah announced earlier that whoever is doing this knows about Beck and my past, I’ve felt sick to my stomach.
“He’ll never allow anyone to hurt you or his son.” I peer out the corner of my eye to see Darius standing beside me. I’ve been standing here, leaning against the entryway of the kitchen watching Beckett and Dawson, loving being able to finally see Dawson with his father. The sight in front of me is one I never thought I would ever get the chance to see. I still pinch myself thinking I’m going to wake up and this will all have been a dream.
“You can’t know that for sure,” I say quietly.
Darius snorts. “Yeah, I do actually, because I know Beckett.” I push off the wall and turn to face him. He keeps his gaze focused ahead as he runs a hand through his hair. “When I fucked up with Leah, he stood up and protected her when Corv and I couldn’t. He made sure that she was safe, protected and cared for even if that meant putting my girls ass on a plane and getting her away fromme.” He turns to face me and I fight the gasp from slipping free, the anguished look in his eyes tells me this is hard for him to admit. “None of us knew his story. We trusted him anyway because he showed us all time and again that he would ride for any of us till the fucking bitter end. Beckett doesn’t care for a lot of people and he trusts only a handful, if you are lucky enough to be one of those people, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe even if it means killing to guarantee that.”
I search his gaze trying to detect a hint of humor but I see none. He’s dead serious, no pun intended. “He killed my father to keep me safe,” I whisper. Darius nods.
“I know. He also helped us cover up the murder of the cunt that beat the shit out of Leah and tried to rape her.” My eyes widen in shock. “He’s a good fucking guy, Valance, one of the fucking best. Trust in him and I promise you that you and your son will be safe, we’ll make sure of that, but Beck more so.”
“Why?”
“I’ve known him for years and never once have I ever seen him hold a girl’s hand, hug a chick that wasn’t Leah or even openly eye fuck one until you. Beck has always been reserved, quiet, guarded if you will and none of us ever cared about that until recently.”
“What do you mean?” I push.
“Now that we have seen the real Beck, we are not prepared to lose him and let him retreat back inside himself. Losing you would do that.Iwon’t allow that to happen to my best friend so, whatever we have to do to ensure your and Dawson's safety, we will do it, even if your moral compass can’t stomach the way we will handle the situation.”
My heart swells inside my chest at hearing how protective he is over Beck. “He is so lucky to have found all of you. Beck didn’t come from a family that cherished him. I see now that he found a family in all of you and I am honored to be able to see that.”
“You don’t just get to see it, Valance, you are our family now and we protect our own. Even if you and Beck didn’t get back together, we would all have made sure you and Dawson never struggled or wanted for anything.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want any money,” I answer sternly.
He places a hand on my shoulder and smiles. “It’s because you don’t want the money why we would give it. Love him like he deserves, Valance, and I promise you that you and I will never have a problem.”
“I’ll love him till the day I die,” I answer with such conviction that Darius can hear the truth in my words.
“Good, because he is a possessive fuck and come game day in two weeks he’ll have you kitted out in his jersey just so every fucker knows you’re his girl.” I smirk not hating that idea at all.
“So, Leah wears yours to every game?” He cringes and shakes his head.
“Uh, she doesn’t come to my games anymore.” I sense there is a story there but I don’t push. “We’ll figure this shit out, Val, you have my word that we’ll all do everything we can. Troy has a PI guy on it. Beck gave him your number so if anything new pops up you’ll be the one he calls.” That surprises me that Beck being the control freak that he is, would allow me to receive the information first before him.
* * *
“I can skip if you and Dawson want me to stay?” I wrap my arms around his waist, rest my head against his chest and breathe him in.
“Beck, you have to go and you even said yourself that your coach would be pissed at you.” I feel him deflate as he wraps his arms around me and holds me close. I’ll never tire of the feeling of being in his arms. He places a kiss on the top of my head and steps back. I smile reassuringly and shoo him out the front door with a smile. I close and lock the door behind him and watch through the window as him, Corvin and Darius climb into his car. Crue, Saint and Katie climb into Saint’s Jeep. I wave goodbye as they pull out of the drive and don’t turn away until they are out of sight. I sigh and make my way upstairs to check on Dawson who is napping.
I make it halfway up the stairs when a knock sounds at the front door, and I freeze. Cody and Leah come into view at the top of the stairs with worried looks on their faces, I take a deep breath and steel my spine as I make my way to the door with the girls following close behind me. “Who is it?” I call out a few feet away from the door.
“I have a delivery for a…” I wait with bated breath for the guy to continue. “Valance Karver?” I frown and shoot Leah a look.
“Just leave it on the doorstep!” Leah calls out, the moment we hear his footsteps retreating Cody rushes forward and peeks out the window making sure he’s gone before opening the door, grabbing the package and then quickly closing and locking it again. She hands me the long rectangle box, which has a red bow on the top with a card. I grab the card with shaky fingers and open it.
He will never love you or our boy as I do.
I drop the card and box and jump back a step, the box opens and the contents spill out.Black Mamba Petuniaflowers cover the floor. I keep backing away until I hit the back of the sofa unable to take my eyes off the flowers.
“What the fuck,” Cody whispers.
“Shit, everyone upstairs now!” The panic in Leah’s voice has me obeying without complaint. The three of us rush up the stairs and head for mine and Beck’s room, closing and locking the door behind us quietly so we don’t wake Dawson. I lead the girls into the bathroom and close the door part way as I look to Leah expectantly.
“Why did we run up here?” I ask.
“Whoever the fuck is doing this clearly saw the guys leave and from all of the photo’s I’ve seen, he can’t seem to see us on the second floor so I thought this would be the best option.” The fact that statement makes sense worries me more than I thought possible.
