Page 44 of Derick

The hate I tried to keep under control for my father and all his friends flowed through me. I clenched my fist and told myself to stop my pity party and that as much as I wanted to change the past, I couldn’t. Dr. Heather was helping me move forward, and her techniques were better than any of the other therapist I’d seen. I counted down from ten and breathed in deeply and let my breath out slowly while I stared at my angel, Hope. She was the brightest light in my life, but lately Derick was shining just as bright too, so my gaze darted between them.

My luck had changed, and I was smart enough to know it was because of Derick. He was so patient with me. He’d told me the story about how he believed I was his soulmate. I believe it now too. I had never had a good example of couples, thanks to mydad, but I’d seen what it should be on TV, and after what I’d seen tonight, I knew what I wanted to strive for.

I think after tonight I was ready to let myself and my daughter be happy. I was all in.

The chef came into the loungeroom to tell us that dinner was ready. I smiled. I had a family now and was getting married.

Derick

Ruby was so happy.I didn’t think I’d seen her smile this much in the last two days. Today though, surrounded by my family, her beaming smile radiated her happiness. She laughed, giggled, and practically skipped as she walked. I loved that she was taking every opportunity to touch me too. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that she even let the male members of my family hug and touch her without flinching.

“Are you ever going to come back to university full time? I miss ya.” Stephan asked.

His question brought me out of my musing and had me shooting him a ‘shut the fuck up’ glare. I didn’t want Ruby to think she was taking me away from anything.

Stephan rolled his eyes. “I’m not scared of you, so save your glare for someone who is.” He wiggled his brows. “When are you getting married? Maybe that might help.”

I didn’t get the chance to reply because Jade elbowed her husband and snarled, “Don’t be an arse.”

I felt my eyebrows rise, and a chuckle escaped. I loved how Jade had grown so much that she was starting to become just as bossy as my aunts and Divinity.

“I’m assuming that laughing is at your brother and not me, Derick, since I’m on your side,” Jade said.

Raising my hands in surrender, I winked at Ruby, who had stayed quiet most of the night. “I would never laugh at you, Jade. Now, my brother, hell yes!” I wiggled back into my seat and smirked at my twin. “I know who the boss is.”

Cassie, Dustan’s wife, burst into a fit of giggles at the mock look of horror on my brother’s face, before he masked it and fluttered his eyes at his wife and gave her his most innocent look. “He’s laughing at me, little bit. You gunna let him treat me like that?”

“Really, Stephan,” my Aunt Gillian scoffed. “Do you have to speak like you are not educated?”

Stephan rolled his eyes, and Jade took pity on her husband and helped him and me out. “Ruby, tell Derick that you wouldn’t get upset if he stopped being free for you to see him twenty-four seven. The Silverman men have a thing about not knowing what ‘me time’ is. If I didn’t love and wasn’t married to one, it would scream ‘stalker’, because they have no boundaries.”

“Oh, I totally agree with you, Jade,” Cassie added.

Cassie and Jade had been close once, but when Cassie and Dustan had issues, their relationship suffered. I had noticed that since our big talk and admitting my fault in their trouble, and Jade’s apology, they were getting close again. But I knew they’d never be as close as they once were. I was kind of happy that this meant Ruby might be able to get close to my sisters-in-law because they weren’t all best friends anymore and it may have them all on the same level.

Blinking at realizing that my thoughts had drifted to what I would have called ‘silly women things’ before meeting Ruby, I knew I was falling more for her and the curse, er, gift, was in full swing, just manifesting different to my brothers. I would never have cared about something like my sisters-in-law’s friendshipslast year. I felt guilty for my part in ruining their friendship, but I was happy that Ruby wouldn’t feel like she was coming in on two best buddies and would be on more even footing.

“I like him just the way he is.” Ruby speaks up, surprising me. “It’s nice to know he cares. His education is important, and I’ve told him to go to university, but he likes spending time with me, and truthfully, I love being with him. I’ve never had anyone treat me like he does, and it just makes me fall more in love with him. So no, I love not having any me time. I’ve had a lot of me time in my life, and I can tell you all that now I’m so much happier. I feel beyond blessed and so lucky to have Derick.” Her eyes were gold as she beamed at me.

“Next weekend.” My gaze is captivated by hers, and I don’t even look at my family as I make the announcement. “We’re getting married Sunday next week. I would love to say tomorrow, but I know you’ll need a dress and shoes, and we need to get the paperwork done.”

“Oh my God. Really?” Ruby gasped. “We haven’t even been engaged for a week.”

I stood and gathered her against me. Fuck this. It was late, everyone could go home. I was done and so was Ruby. Hope was asleep on her poppy. She adored my father.

“Mum. Dad. Hope’s staying with you tonight. Love you guys, but bye.” I didn’t reply to Ruby, but before she could say anything my lips claimed hers in a kiss that showed her that tonight I planned to convince her that Sunday we were getting married.

My cousins hooted with laughter when I ended the kiss and picked up Ruby in a fireman’s hold and left, going toward our rooms.

Ruby

My cheeks heatedas I heard the laughter as Derick carried me out of the family room and headed toward our room. His steps quickened and I started to bounce and had to hold on. I did something so unlike me, I slapped his butt. “Derick, what are you doing?”

He stopped at the stairs, and I squealed when his fingers gripped my arse before he smacked it twice. I wiggled. “I thought the kiss and telling my parents they were having Hope for the night made what I’m doing clear.” He tapped my arse again. “Stop moving, precious. I’m going up the stairs and I don’t want to take any chances.”

He placed a hand on each of my arse cheeks as he walked up the stairs. I giggled and he squeezed. I’d never been away from Hope a night since she was born, but she would still be in the same house—well, mega mansion that had wings. She would just be in another wing. I could handle that. Hope had an amazing day. I knew she was safe. I wanted Derick, and I had decided I was all in, so why not give in to what he was offering?

Sunday. He’d just told his family he was marrying me on Sunday. That wasn’t even a week away. I was going to marry Derick Silverman. I would be a Silverman in a week. What had just happened? Stephan had asked about when we’d get married, and then it had just escalated from there. What I’d said to everyone was true. I loved how Derick treated me. I liked that he wanted to be with me all the time. I even liked his need to know where I was and his jealousy.

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