Page 24 of Protecting His Woman
“And yet, I only want you, and that is why I am still here.You’re the only one I want, Vicki.You’re the only reason I’m still here.Trust me, if I didn’t want to be, I wouldn’t be here.”He tucked her curl back behind her ear.“I’m not here for a quick fuck, Vicki.That is not why I’m with you.I’m here for something long-term.”
“But my mom—”
“I don’t give a fuck who your mom is.She has nothing to do with us, and I’m not going to bring her into our shit.She is Thames’s problem now.Not ours.I would never judge you based on what someone else is doing.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Fuck, no.That shit does not work with me.”He ran his hands up and down her thighs.“I’m going to be real with you, Vicki.I want you.I want this.I want to be with you, and I’m not holding back.You and me, this is what I want.”
“I want that too,” she said.
“Good, which means I am happy to wait until you’re ready.I’m not saying dating me is going to be easy.There will be times I’m going to need to leave, because I’ve got shit to do.I’m not going to tell you everything I’m doing either.That is not your problem.”
“I’m not going to give up on my siblings either.”
“Good, because I don’t want you to.I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
The strangest thing was, when she was with Damion, it was the most comfortable she had ever been.
Chapter Seven
Damion couldn’t fuckingbelieve what he was doing.
For the longest time, he truly believed he hated kids.Sure, they were great and part of fucking and all that, but he never wanted them for himself.Yet, as he walked around the latest Old County Potluck Sunday, with Betsy on his shoulders, Dhalia, Smithy, and Pete close by, and Vicki on his arm, he was actually, honestly, fucking happy.This made no sense to him.
Betsy was a cutie-pie.She had looked up at him, gave him an odd stare, and asked if he was going to be mean to her sister.He told her no, and that he was going to treat Vicki like a queen.At first, she didn’t like that, because all fairy tales suggest that queens are mean.
Damion told her that in his world, his queen would be the sweetest, most precious, and it also meant she could be a princess.That seemed to win Betsy over, and his reward was carrying her through the high school park.She held onto his hands and didn’t wriggle, but she was heavy.He didn’t mind, though.When they saw a bouncy castle up ahead, she gave his hands a squeeze, and he let her down off his shoulders.
Vicki’s other siblings were more than happy to hang around him, but it wasn’t long before they made their excuses and were long gone.
One Sunday every month, Old County had a potluck, where all the stores and families could choose to have a stall, allow the locals to stop by, enjoy some food, and get to know each other.There was also the chance of different families coming around as well.
This was what Damion had insisted on, as he didn’t want people to fear the families.He spotted the Thames’s up ahead.It wouldn’t be long before the blood test came back.Damion would receive the results first.Vicki hadn’t talked about it since it was done, not even to ask if he was curious or what he thought.He didn’t know if she would be happy knowing who her father is.
There was no sign of Annette, which he was pleased about.He didn’t know if Annette was alive or dead, and right now he didn’t want to know.Jude was still around, and he paid him random visits, giving him just enough food to keep him alive.Every time he went to finish the job, he would see him, get pissed off all over again, feed him, and leave.
