Page 15 of Always Mine

“Whatever you want to be, you’ll be great,” he said.

She laughed.“Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” Anthony said.“I don’t want you to go.I love being with you, Daisy.I love our time together.”

“You’re not bored?”

“No, never.We could sit in complete silence and I wouldn’t be bored with you.”

She sighed once again and he felt her hands tighten around him.Something was bothering her.

He held onto her, trying to give her all she needed.“What is it?”he asked.

She smiled and then looked down.“I don’t know, I guess I’m just scared.I’m not Lacey and Whizz’s real kid, and I don’t know what I want to be.If I leave, what if everyone realizes I’m not really one of you?”She frowned.

Anthony hated this.He didn’t know for sure how often she had paid a visit to her real dad before they killed him.It must have been multiple times because that bastard had gotten into her head.

“Hey, look at me,” he said.

She lifted her gaze and he saw tears in her eyes.“I don’t want to cry.My mom put makeup on me.”She sniffled.

“Then don’t cry, and what you said right there is the point.”

She frowned.

“Your mom,” he said.“Your mom is Lacey, and Whizz is your dad.You’re one of the Skulls.You wear the patch.You will always be one of us, and no one will ever judge you for not knowing what you want to be.If you want to go to college, then go.I’ll follow you.If you want to stick around, take courses, and figure things out, do that.Do what you want to do, not out of fear of being cast out or tossed aside.The Skulls do not do that.We’re a family, and remember you’re mine, Daisy.Always.Always mine.”

****

Present Day

Anthony pulled out of the memory, which had felt like a lifetime ago.It probably was nearly six years ago.

Finishing his teeth, he ran a brush through his hair, and then stepped into his bedroom.Glancing over at the bed, he couldn’t help but stop.This was where he and Daisy had lost their virginity.

After everything that happened with Tabitha, they had been there for her through the bad times, and when they found out she was pregnant, all hell had broken loose.Daisy had done everything she could, but finding out she was pregnant had strengthened Tabitha’s resolve.She was going to have this baby, as there was a chance it was Simon’s.They also knew there was a chance it was Ryan’s, the guy who raped her.

Anyway, it had been late, and he and Daisy had come back to his place to freshen up.His parents were at the clubhouse along with his brother and sister.They had been alone, and had no intention of having sex.They had slept together many times.Ever since they were sixteen, there had been times he’d snuck into her room, shared her bed, and they didn’t have sex.Anthony was happy to wait.

They had been lying in bed.Daisy had looked at him and told him she loved him.t had been a whisper.He leaned over and kissed her, with no intention at all, and then Daisy had told him she was ready.They were both ready.

He made love to her on this bed.That first time had been one of many.

Even with everything going on, they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off one another.Tabitha had been so consumed with what happened, her friends had simply retreated from her.Anthony had seen that.

She was hurt that Simon left without another word.She was pregnant, and everything had been different.Tabitha stopped hanging out, and once her son Nathan was born, she drifted.She would still go to functions and do what was required of her, but it was all different.Anthony saw this, as did Daisy.

They were all friends, but they were not quite as close as they once were.Like now, it had been twenty-four hours, and he had yet to hear from Tabitha.He had no doubt she would know, but that is what happened when friends moved away.People changed, they grew up, and some grew apart.Others completely lost touch.

He and Daisy had stayed together, had grown together.He knew it was corny, but they were soul mates.It was why when she asked him if he was in love with Tabitha, he thought it was so fucking stupid.Anthony liked Tabitha as a friend, but over the years, he had come to believe at times she was a little selfish.

Daisy didn’t put her own needs above their friendship, which is why they had kept it a secret for so long.Tabitha always thought they were longing looks he sent Daisy.No, it was how he looked at Daisy.She was his.He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her.

Once he finished getting dressed, he stepped out of his bedroom and made his way downstairs to find his dad at the kitchen stove.

“You’re cooking?”

It was rare for his father to cook.

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