Page 89 of Bleeding Blackheart

My nose wiggles at the smell of food. I pause, listening for noise downstairs, and I hear movement in the kitchen. I grab my phone and run downstairs quickly, wanting to see what’s going on. I calm down instantly when I see Montana bustling around the kitchen. She’s got on some sheer, mint green nightgown I’ve never seen before that barely covers her butt while she flips pancakes. She glances over her shoulder at me with a mischievous look on her face. “Are you hungry?”

I take a seat at the table, feeling almost out of place when I’ve spent the past seven days cooking in the kitchen for her. “I’m starved.”

Her butt bounces while she skips around the kitchen grabbing plates and trying not to burn her second pan of sausage. “I’ll have everything ready for you in a few minutes.”

I’m seconds away from hiking up that scrap of fabric flirting with her hips and fucking her up against the sink, but when I look around the room and see the effort she put into organizing everything and the juice and water on the table for us, I know she worked hard to put all of thistogether, and I don’t want to disrespect her by making a mess of it. Even if she did wear something painfully tempting to do this in.

My stomach and cock’s needs increase as the seconds go on, and after frying some eggs, Montana brings a hot plate of food to the table, setting it in front of me and goes back to get her own.

I’m halfway through my pancakes when I realize I haven’t said thank you, and when I finally do, she lets out this adorable giggle that makes me want to pounce on her.

I look over her body carefully while we eat, visually checking her scrapes that have healed tremendously since I got her home. She scarfs down her food quickly, oblivious to my staring, eating faster than I do. I’m already up out of my chair and getting her seconds of the food she made before she’s done with her first plate. I’m grateful she has an appetite, and I’m going to feed her as much as she can handle.

I’m enjoying being in her presence so much that when she asks me if I want to start getting ready to go after breakfast, I’m completely taken off guard. “Sure. Finish up your second plate, and we’ll get dressed.”

My girl eats quickly, and once I’ve cleaned up the kitchen, we get ready together in our room.

Montana holds the daisies in the passenger’s seat while I drive Colt’s Camero. We’ve had it for so long that it feels like ours. We’ll drop it back off at his house when we go to pick up Skye. He left me a message last night that he wants me to have her back so Violet won’t be all alone. Given the fact that I’ve wanted Skye back since the second I gave her to Colt, I didn’t protest, and I have something to look forward to on this cloudy day.

The closer we get to our destination, the more queasy I get. I never got a chance to properly tell Margaret goodbye. Thanks to Montana, I’ll be able to do so today. After a long drive, we finally pull up to the abandoned lot, and I help Montana out of the car.

She holds the daisies tightly, and I point her in the direction of where to go. “I’ll wait here for you.” I could go with her, but I know if I stand beside Montana while she pours her heart out, I won’t be able to say a word to Margaret after.

She walks ahead while the wind blows through her violet sweater dress and her wavy hair. Montana kneels before the burial spot, placing her hand on the ground with the daisies tucked in her other arm. As much as I try to holdback my tears, I can’t. She bows her head as if she’s saying a prayer, and when I see her shoulders shaking, I know she’s crying too. After a few minutes, she places the daisies down, and when she turns back to face me, I see she’s still holding one.

When Montana’s back in front of me, she hands me the single daisy. “This one’s for you to give her.”

I take the flower with my shaking hand and look down at her. “Are you coming out there with me?”

Montana gives my empty hand a gentle squeeze, smiling through her tears. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Knowing I have to do this alone, I turn away from her, heading back to where she just was before I lose the little bit of strength I have left. When I get to the pile of daisies, I look over my shoulder and see Montana wave at me. I remind myself that I’m not here alone, and I kneel before the gravesite to lay down my feelings.

When I first open my mouth, nothing comes out. It’s like I’ve got something caught around my throat preventing me from speaking. I look down at the daisy in my hand and twirl it around. One of the petals falls off and floats away, and I let out a breath, feeling my strength return.

“Margaret.” I squeeze my eyes shut to steady myself. “After all this time, I still can’t believe you’re gone. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry I’m the reason you’rehere right now and that I left you like this. I’m sorry I almost killed your goddamn horse so many times.

“You’re the first girl I ever loved, Margaret. And I never got to tell you this, but I bought us a house. A home to raise our family in. And the day I lost you, Marg, I tried to kill myself. However I failed. I became a very bad man, and I’ve done so many things that you’d be ashamed of.” I pause, finding the ability to open my eyes again.

“A little over a month ago, I met this girl. I was awful to her, Margaret. Really awful. I tried to kill her. I hurt her, I mistreated her, and I threatened her. But somehow, I got this crazy girl to think that I’m worth being around.” I smile thinking about my Montana. “And she is very crazy. Just as crazy as you were. You two would’ve loved each other, Marg. I know you would’ve loved her just as much as I do.”

I lower the single daisy to the ground. “I love her so much, Margaret. She adores Violet. And she’s taking care of all your goddamn shoes. I don’t know how the hell I have enough space for both of you in my heart, but I do. And I want to thank you. For loving me. For putting up with my crazy ass. For our baby. And for allowing me to give my love to someone new.” I loosen my grip around the flower, letting it join Montana’s pile before standing up and walking away.

38

Montana

Ihold Gunner’s hand while he drives us back home. We haven’t said a word to each other since we got back in the car, but the way his thumb strokes the side of my hand lets me know he’s enjoying our comfortable silence as much as I am.

It’ll be the middle of September soon, and the leaves are finally starting to fall. I think about Violet and what she’s doing right now, and I smile remembering that we’re going to have Skye with us soon too.

When we drive past our road, I squeeze Gunner’s hand, wondering if he’s paying attention. “Where are we headed to?”

He looks down at me and smiles. “It’s a surprise.”

“What is it?”

He rolls his eyes and faces the road. “Montana Elizabeth, it would not be a surprise if I told you what it was.”

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