Page 44 of Tusk's Fury

I glance towards the door, suddenly I miss Victoria. Surely, Tusk is tired of walking around with her by now. My arms feel empty—so much so that I begin to tear up. Clara comes to sit on the arm of the chair and puts her arm around me. “Oh, sweetie, don’t cry. If you want, I’ll go get your baby for you.”

My head jerks up, and I realize that I’m just being overly emotional. I tell her, “No, don’t do that. He’s her father and has a right to spend time with her. I think we all need to realize that my hormones are still all over the place. I don’t want everyone to blame Tusk every time I get emotional. He’s a good man who doesn’t deserve that.”

She gives me an affectionate squeeze. “I’ve known Tusk for years. My sister didn’t know what she had with him. That’s why she threw it all away on an affair. I’m not going to get into all that, but suffice to say, I totally agree that he’s a good man. The part you’re forgetting is that you’re a good woman. Both of you deserve understanding and respect from each other. That’s all I’m saying.”

Before I can respond, there’s a knock at the door, and Tusk walks in with our sleeping baby. She looks content, conked out on his big shoulder. I come to my feet and motion him over to the bassinet. “Clara changed out the sheet. Let’s go ahead and lay her down.”

I’m vaguely aware that my friend is slipping out the door and closing it quietly behind her and giving us some alone time.

Tusk pads over on bare feet and lays her down on her back. I try not to notice that the man has gorgeous feet, but I can’t help but notice the way his jeans hug his ass. Where did that thought even come from? It’s probably because he wanted to have sex earlier. I was a damned idiot for turning him down, especially when I want him so damn much it hurts.

He fusses with her blanket, removing a tiny stuffed bear. When he is satisfied that all is as it should be, he turns to me.

“Want to talk, or want me to get the hell out of your private space?” Sticking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he adds, “In case you want to know what I want, I’d like to stay and talk for a bit.”

I motion over to the little impromptu seating area. It’s really just a chair and a cube coffee table that doubles as another seat. When I get ready to sit on it, Tusk says, “Absolutely not. You take the comfortable seat. Since I didn’t recently push a fuckin’ baby out, I can sit on the cube.”

I don’t even hesitate. Instead, I pivot over to the armchair. It’s really a comfortable rocker and rocking chair combo—by far my favorite seat in Clara and Tex’s place. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

He mumbles, “You’re more than welcome.” Making himself as comfortable as he can on the cube, he looks me in the eye. “I guess I’ll go first.” Without hesitating to see if I agree, he launches into his grievances with me.

“I didn’t mean to come off as rude earlier. I love you, but I’m real fuckin’ disappointed and angry that I missed out on everything to do with the pregnancy and birth. I didn’t get to pick out a pregnancy test kit and see it turn positive, go to pregnancy classes with you, or be present for the baby’s first sonogram. I didn’t see you heavy with my child or get to touch your belly or even see our child being born. All those are special moments I didn’t get because you ran off carrying my child and didn’t want me involved.”

I cut in quickly, “I’m deeply sorry for that, Tusk. I just—”

He cuts me off. “Look, Brittany, I’m not trying to be any kind of way with you. No matter what your reasoning was or how sorry you are, there is no fuckin’ way you can go back and make any of that up to me. But it’s all ancient history. I’m just gonna have to deal with missing all those special moments in my daughter’s life. I want to get that out in the open and talk about it rather than just let it fester below the surface, spoiling whatever chance we have to make a life together.”

“I get where you’re coming from with that. And I know saying I’m sorry won’t magically make things right again, but I want you to know that I deeply regret leaving you out of the pregnancy. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. I just thought you had got back with your ex-wife and wouldn’t want another woman around messing things up for you.”

“Here’s something I want you to think about. No matter whether or not you and I are together, Victoria will always be my daughter. This idea that if I didn’t want you, I didn’t want to be in my daughter’s life either was flat-out wrong. You’re my girl. You have been since the first fuckin’ minute I laid eyes on you, and if I have my way, that ain’t never gonna change. But even if you weren’t mine, Victoria still would be. I don’t want to be left out of anything to do with my daughter ever again.”

I nod getting choked up. “Yeah, I totally understand.”

He picks me up and sits down in the armchair with me on his lap, just like old times. “Good. It was dumb bringing Gina to the clubhouse. I should have made it clear to her that you were a part of my life and that me and her were over. I’m also sorry I didn’t introduce you to my boys and let them get to know you…”

I start to speak, “I understand, you wouldn’t want them to know you were dating a club girl—”

“That’s not it. I was just too damn worried about rocking the boat with Gina. I didn’t want her to try and stop me seeing my kids. But that’s gonna change. I’ll make sure she and my boys know that you and Victoria are part of my life, and you aren’t going anywhere.”

I smile and lay my cheek against his chest and listen to his heartbeat.

“Do you want to lie down with me and catch some Zs? You look exhausted.”

I tilt my head to look up at him and raise an eyebrow. “Are you offering to cuddle me and sleep too or is this a ploy to get me in the sack?”

The smile on his face lights up my world. “It’s been too long since I fell asleep with you in my arms.”

I tell him hesitantly, “I might even be up for what you offered before.”

He gazes intently down at me, then gently stokes his finger along my jaw. “I don’t want to rush you with anything. Let’s just see where the night goes. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” He gives my hands a squeeze and adds, “Holding you and sneaking a kiss or two is more than enough for me.”

Yeah, but it’s probably not going to be enough for me. All I’ve done is daydream about all the amazing sex we used to have since I left him. Seeing him again, and especially the kiss we shared earlier has sent my hormones wild. I reach for him and tell him softly, “I trust you.” And that’s all it takes for him to scoop me up in his arms and carry me towards the bed.

After sitting me down, he begins stripping off his clothing, all the way down to his underwear. Then he shoves them slowly down his legs, causing his huge cock to spring free. My hungry eyes eat him up, because he’s all sexy muscles, gorgeous tattoos, and brazen as hell. I love his lopsided grin when he throws himself down on the bed.

I’m wearing a thin nightgown with a robe over it. His expression fills with dark lust in a matter of seconds. I shrug off the robe and crawl under the blankets he’s holding back for me. Tusk curls around me in a protective pose. I shiver at the feel of his warm skin gliding against mine. His clean, masculine scent overwhelms me in the best way.

When I look up at him, he tangles his hand in my hair and tilts my head back to gaze into my eyes. I don’t know what he sees when he looks into my eyes, but I see a storm of emotions in his. There is intense longing, barely contained hunger, and frustration over the months we spent apart along with that all-too-familiar overlay of possessiveness.

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