Page 23 of Hope in his Darkness
“Did you just say ‘our kids’ as in mine and yours?” Why does the fact that he’s talking about ‘our kids’ give me a warm feeling in my stomach? I’ve never wanted children. I wanted to get my degree and start my career; those were my goals. Yet, thinking about having children with Brody makes me all warm and gooey inside. What is this man doing to me?
“Yeah, you caught that huh? Do you not want kids?” He looks down at me, his brows drawn together in concern.
“I’ll be honest, my biggest concern has always been getting my degree and starting my career. Children were never a part of my plan.” I can almost feel the disappointment rolling off him.
“Brody my parents were not good people, hell my dad still isn’t good people. I don’t know where my mom is. No one ever tucked me in bed at night, no one ever read me a bedtime story, and no one ever kissed my boo-boos and made them better.” By the time I’m finishing my breath is coming in rapid pants. Why did I tell him all that? Now he’s going to think I’m damaged, not worth his time.
I feel his arms wrap tightly around me, engulfing me in his warmth. That sense of belonging is there again, swirling around my insides. I may not fully understand this whole shifter mate thing yet, but there is definitely something telling me that this is where I have always belonged. Brody’s arms are where I’ve always been meant to land.
“Hearing what you went through as a child makes me want to do violent things. I’ll understand if you never want to have children. I will be just as happy holding you every night for the rest of our lives. But if you change your mind, I will help you with all the things you don’t know how to do. We can learn together, we can even fail together if we have to. Dad says that being a parent is learning from your mistakes and hoping your kid still turns out okay.” Here comes the waterworks again. Okay, so maybe I am PMSing, but I’ll never admit that to him.
“How do you manage to say the most perfect thing? They weren’t in my plans but thinking about you holding a mini version of you kind of has my ovaries exploding. I’m not talking right away or anything, but I’m not averse to it anymore.” He’s kissing me, one of those completely devouring me kind of kisses. The kind of kiss that leaves your knees weak and your heart pumping a mile a minute. I melt into him, taking everything he has to offer and then going back in for more. By the time we separate, I’m pretty sure if someone asked me my name, I wouldn’t be able to tell them.
“Damn woman, I’ll never get enough of this right here. Your lips against mine for the rest of eternity would still not be long enough for me. It’s like you were custom made for me in some factory and shipped directly to my doorstop, or barstop.” He laughs at his own corny joke, and I can’t help but laugh in return. I’ve laughed more with him in the short amount of time we’ve spent together than I think I have in my entire life before him.
“Yep, whoever they are, they could have delivered me sooner. It would have saved me a helluva lot of trouble with my dad and his threats of selling me to his friends.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I know I’ve made a mistake. Brody’s whole body language changes and there’s a growl emanating from his chest.
“Your dad did what?!” It’s half growl, half human-sounding, and all kinds of scary. I know he won’t hurt me, but I have a feeling my father might be another story.
“Brody he was drunk, he says stupid shit when he’s drunk. I don’t even listen anymore when he says things like that. He’s been threatening that kind of shit for years so I’ll work and pay the bills.” His eyes are flashing colors, and his breathing is erratic. I can tell he’s fighting to stop his animal from losing control, but it’s looking like he might lose the battle.
“Go in the house.” He says as he lets go of me and heads for his truck. Oh shit, oh shit.
“COLE! Cole, come quick!” I rush toward the house yelling for his brother as he comes running out of the house.
“I heard, go inside and stay there. I’ll see if I can get him to calm down and if not, I’ll go help beat your dad's ass with him. On second thought, fuck calming him down.” Cole moves so fast I barely register he’s moved before he’s climbing into his brother’s truck smiling like a fucking lunatic.
“That is the opposite of how to help Cole!” Either they choose to ignore me, or they don’t hear me over the roar of his engine and the closed windows. Since Cole could hear our conversation inside the house, I’m going with they’re ignoring me. Fuck, fuckity, fucking, fuck!
Chapter Seventeen
Brody
I’m barely keepingmy animal contained when Cole jumps in the truck with me. He better not be thinking he’s going to stop me from beating a fucker’s ass. After Hope told me what her father was threatening her with, all I saw was red. My animal is clawing to get out and I am ready to end her dad.
“So what’s the plan bro?” Cole asks me while grinning like a maniac beside me, rubbing his hands together like an eager kid about to get a present. Fucker always likes a good fight, but this is my fight, not his.
