Page 34 of Derick

“If you can’t, we can hang out at my place,” Archer said before he shoved more of his lunch into his mouth.

“Yes, then we can meet Hope.” Courtney’s eyes lit up. She’d been asking to meet Hope for a while. She was taking courses to be a childcare worker and had told me several times that she loved kids and couldn’t wait to meet mine.

All my friends had asked about meeting Hope. I wasn’t keeping her away from them, it was just that with how busy I’d been I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Hope. Especially because lately I’d been sharing her with all the Silverman family.

I’d check with Derick, but I thought next week would be fine. “Okay, next Saturday it is.”

Ash leaned over and hugged me. “Yay. This is going to be awesome. I’m excited.” She squeezed me tighter. “I feel like I only get to spend time with you here.” She kissed my cheek. “Can you go shopping with us on Sunday? Hope can come too. Please.” She continued hugging me like if she let go, I’d say no, or disappear.

“Yeah, come join us,” Dexter said as he leaned in and hugged my back.

I cringed and fell off the seat to the dirt ground, quickly scrambling back up. Crap, I wished I’d worn leggings and not shorts. They weren’t short-shorts but sat mid-thighs. I’d scraped my knees when I got up and my pretty, green blouse now had some dirt on it.

Embarrassed, I looked around to see if everyone had seen me fall. I gasped when I was sure I saw two men with The Devil’s Queens vests on making their way over to me. My breath left me, and I darted my gaze around as I brushed myself off, not caring anymore about the dirt smudging my clothes. I will neverbe taken by them. I promised myself I would never go back to them. I couldn’t go through what they’d do to me. I would never let myself live that nightmare again.

“Fuck,” I moaned. I couldn’t breathe.

I could never go back to my father. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him or his men. I was dumb, I’d been a rat. I’d dobbed them in, telling the police everything I knew. If they got ahold of me, they wouldn’t just kill me, but torture me. I should have run somewhere my father and his friends would never find me. I should have left the country. I couldn’t go through any of how they treated me again. I didn’t want to. I was free and intended to stay that way.

Gasping for air, I searched for my safe people, sighing in relief as not just two of my bodyguards rushed to me, but I saw Derick dashing toward me too. Had I really seen my father’s men? Maybe I’d just overreacted because of Dexter. I had been so good lately and thought I could sit next to a man and not have my skin crawl or freak out.

Dexter reached out to me as Archer and the others started to gather even closer. Concern was clearly edged on their faces. I cowered away from their touch, but tried to keep some form of control. The problem was the circle around me now was so close that I felt I had no escape. My mind flashed back to times when this happened and nothing good came of it.

I felt tears slide down my cheeks just as Dean and Alex, my bodyguards, pushed everybody back and took control, making an excuse for me. I didn’t care. I was too lost in my panic. Derick came into my line of sight. The closer he got, the better my breathing got under control.

When he was before me, I didn’t care that everyone was watching, and what I thought I saw, I threw myself at him, climbing him like a tree. His laugh had any anxiety over what had just happened vanishing. I kissed him, holding him tight. Hewas the one. How did he know to be here when I needed him most? He was always so good to me.

He eased back and caressed my cheek. “You okay, precious?”

Taking a deep breath in, I slowly let it out, my gaze never leaving his. “I am n…now that you’re here. S…sorry, I…I ov…overreacted.” Groaning, I slid down him and rested my head on his chest. My stutter was back in full force, and I hated it.

Derick eased away and tilted my head back so I could see him shaking his head. “You don’t have to apologize to me, and never say you’re sorry when you’re uncomfortable. You have overcome so much. You’re free to have a say in whoever touches your body. I don’t want you to ever feel or be in the situation you’ve been in that you didn’t want or like before, ever again. If I could slay all your demons, I would, but until they are dead or gone, I will do everything to help keep them at bay.” He kissed my forehead.

This man, he was beyond anything I could ever have dreamed for. He treated me better than a goddess. He had my heart overflowing. “I love you.” I didn’t stutter as I gazed at Derick.

The beaming smile that spread over his face showed his perfect, white teeth, big warm chocolate brown eyes, and a light that radiated happiness. There was no way anyone could miss the reaction he’d had to my words.

“I love you too.” He leaned down, and in a softer voice that sent a wanton shiver through me, he rumbled, “I’ve told you that every night before I fall asleep since you started sleeping in our bed.” I just knew my face was bright red. My body heated, and I wasn’t even sure if it was from memories of what we did in our bed or embarrassment at what I would have to face when I turned around.

“Ruby, are you okay?” Archer asked.

“Do you need us to call someone for you?” Ash added.

“I can take you home if you like?” Dexter said.

Dexter’s comment had Derick spinning me so my back was to his front, and we faced my friends who now formed a semi-circle around us. Our guards completed the circle. I was sure there’d been more called, as I spotted eight of the Silverman guards. Which was way too excessive, I thought, but after what I thought I just saw, maybe not?

“Derick.” One of his arms circled my waist as he held his other hand out toward my group of friends. “Derick Silverman. I am Ruby’s fiancé, once I can convince her to say yes.”

I rolled my eyes and blew a raspberry at him, “Ha, ha. Oh you.” I shook my head. “Stop joking.”

“Oh, I wasn’t.” He pulled out an engagement ring and then got down on one knee and opened the box. Inside was a beautiful green ruby ring with yellow sapphires surrounding it and diamonds in the band. It was by far a statement as there was going to be no missing it. “I love you, Ruby, more than I could ever voice, but I will try to tell you every day for the rest of our lives.”

I gasped at the man I loved and shouted, “Yes!”

He slid the ring on my finger. He stood and picked me up, then sealed my lips to his. I was living a fairytale. I loved an amazing man who loved me back and wanted to marry me. Ruby Decker, the person that, besides my brother and daughter, no one loved. The girl who’d been beaten and neglected from day one, now had someone who loved her and wanted to marry her. In this moment nothing could bring me down. I felt like I was flying through the sky, the sun spreading its rays of light as I soaked it in. I’d never been this happy.

Derick groaned when clapping started around us. I buried my face in his chest. I wanted to stay in our bubble, so I didn’t resist when he rushed us back to a waiting car where he placed me in, put my seatbelt on, shut the door, and then went aroundto the other side and got in. He did his seatbelt and then tapped on the middle console, and a moment later, I felt the car move.

---