Page 59 of Audra: The Prequel

She looked stunned, her mouth hanging halfway open.

Damon continued. “You’ve already shown me what kind of mother you’ll be. I can’t think of anyone else I’d want to have a child with, and one thing’s for sure: my kid willnever,everdoubt that they’re loved.”

Her brow puckered, and she placed a hand on his jaw. “What happened to you when you were younger, Damon?” she asked softly.

His jaw tightened as he struggled with a surge of emotion. Then he pulled back. “You don’t want to hear my dirt.”

“If we’re going to raise a child together, I think I deserve to know your background.” Her voice was gentle, cautious.

Damon stood abruptly and went to stand in front of one of the windows. He heard her get up, and she came to stand beside him.

He didn’t want to talk about his childhood and had effectively kept her in the dark this entire time. Turning away, he returned to the sofa and sat down, unsure where to begin—unsure if he wanted to begin.

Audra followed him again, but this time she straddled his thighs.

“Audra…” he said in a warning tone.

“Talk to me. Please.” She cupped either side of his face in her hands and forced eye contact. Sympathy filled her eyes.

Damon knew he had to open up, but damn, was it hard. Finally, he pushed the words past his lips. “I’m adopted.”

“I don’t remember that in any of the articles I read about you.”

He dipped his gaze. “I don’t talk about it. Dena and Chadwick Foster are my parents, and that’s all that matters. The same way all your siblings are your siblings, whether they’re related to you or not.” She had told him that the first night they went out to Prime Table.

Audra nodded her understanding. “Do you mind sharing how you ended up getting adopted?”

His body tensed. He didn’t want to tell her but sensed this time he wouldn’t be let off the hook.

“I grew up in an abusive home. My father terrorized us with punches… and kicks… yelling and weapons—knives, a gun, a baseball bat. Didn’t matter to him, and he smashed stuff all the time. He was the one who destroyed my Spiderman kite, for noreason except he was in a bad mood, and I came home from the park at the wrong time. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t scared to go home from school or anywhere, for that matter. I was always worried that I’d say the wrong thing and set him off. He used to beat my mother too. Eventually, I was removed from the apartment, and that’s when I met the woman who would become my mom. She was my social worker. My biological parents gave up their parental rights, confirming that they had never wanted me.” He swallowed as the memory of their rejection tightened his chest. “But Dena, my mother, she wanted me. Which is crazy, because looking back, I can admit I was a handful. I don’t know what made my case special compared to all the others she had handled. Luckily, my father was open to adopting a troubled eleven-year-old.”

Damon stared unseeing at a point beyond Audra.

“Damon, I… I’m so sorry that happened to you. I had no idea.”

He lifted his gaze to hers. “I don’t want your pity, Audra. I’m fine now.”

“I don’t think you are,” she said gently. “Have you thought about going to therapy?”

He let out a scoffing laugh. “For what? That shit don’t work. I don’t need a therapist. I know who I am, and I know what kind of father I’ll be.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you wouldn’t be a good father,” Audra said hastily. “But it’s obvious that what happened to you still affects?—”

“I’m fine,” Damon insisted in a harder voice. “I’m going to be an involved father. Not only to the baby you’re carrying, but to Kerilyn too. When we get married, I won’t treat her any differently than the kids we have together. We already know we’re in sync in a lot of ways. I’m not worried or scared. I want this.”

She stared at him for a moment, as if she couldn’t believe her ears. Then, slowly, relief crossed her face. “This is the real reason why they call you The Flash. You move fast. You don’t waste any time.”

“Why waste time when you know what you want? I love you. You love me. I know it’s scary because we didn’t have plans to get married and raise a family right now.”

“It’s very scary,” Audra admitted.

“But it feels right—don’t it?”

The happy smile that broke out on her face was the only answer he needed. “Yes, it does. You know, my mother told me once that there’s no timeframe for love. For some people, it happens quickly. For others, it takes longer. The only common feature is that love grows. You might not be aware of it, and then one day… one day you need that other person in your life, because your life won’t be complete without them.”

“That's exactly how I feel about you. I want this, Audra. You and our baby. It's not too soon. It's right on time.”

He pulled her in for a deep, heartfelt kiss.

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