Page 72 of Viper
“I’m okay,” I lie, and he tilts his head, seeing right through me.
Every day Katie has come to see me, and he’s been here helping me through, just as he said he would. The urge to cut has lessened but it flares up only occasionally when my thoughts run wild.
Sighing, he looks back at his paperwork, then begins clearing it up and placing it on his tray.
“Come here,” he demands, holding his hand out, and I oblige, slowly standing.
I take his hand and he helps me onto the bed next to him before he pulls me down and our lips touch, shocking me. Butinstead of pulling back, I close my eyes and melt into him as he cups my face and tilts his head, deepening the kiss, and our tongues tangle.
Everything settles, and peace consumes me, having his lips against mine again, and I gently cup his jaw to keep him connected with me.
I never want the kiss to end.
We make out like teenagers for what feels like hours but unfortunately for me only minutes before he breaks the kiss and places his forehead against mine.
I close my eyes, breathing him in before I admit, “I’ve missed you…”
He sighs with what I think is relief as he gently cups the back of my neck and murmurs, “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” confirming my thoughts, and I smile as I open my eyes and lock with his. “Now tell me the truth, how are you feeling?” he demands.
“Scared,” I admit, “Scared I’m going to relapse, scared I’m not going to be enough for you, and that we’ll never get past everything that has happened over silly stuff. Scared I’m going to screw our daughter up like Cherri did with me.”
His mouth parts in shock before his grip tightens and he states firmly, “You are everything, Lake, fucking everything! That day, I was coming to meet you at the diner, I was coming to win you back and beg you not to give our daughter up before I took drastic actions and tied you toourbed.”
“I would have hurt you for that,” I admit with a little sob, and he hums as he agrees, “I know, but I didn’t care, all I wanted, all I still want is you. Always fucking you and our daughter, and you won’t screw her up, Lake. You are nothing like Cherri, you’ve already proven that a million times over the years. You are kind, smart, caring, loving, and you always put everyone else first,” he places a gentle kiss against my lips, then whispers, “You arefucking perfect and will make an amazing mama and… I love you, Lake. I love you so much and I’m so fucking sorry I allowed my past to blind me that day in the diner and every day since then. I’m sorry I didn’t remember your heart, that I had to leave for two months to try and figure shit out. I’m sorry I never put you first. I love you and I fucking hope and pray that you give me a chance to make things up to you, to prove to you how much I need you in my life.”
My tears fall, and my heart pounds at his words, words I have longed to hear for so long.
We’re both guilty of ruining us, but we both want to fix it, to spend the rest of our lives together, and I can’t see my life with anyone else.
I meant what I wrote in therapy, even after everything, I only saw him as my future, my forever. Even though I’m scared of messing up again, of screwing our daughter up, I think it’s time I started to learn to face my fears and start on my future, which is them.
“Marry me,” I whisper, shocking him, his mouth parting. I continue, “I want forever with you, Jaylen, and I don’t want to wait any longer to start it. Everything that has happened, it just all seems pointless now, none of it matters,” I swallow hard, not breaking eye contact with his wide ones. I plead, “Marry me, Jaylen, and not next week, or next month, or year, I mean now, call a minister and marry me now and spend forever with me…”
His eyes dart between mine, and I keep eye contact, trying to show him I mean every word and when we hear the door open, we don’t look away from one another.
”What’s going on?” I hear my dad ask, and Jaylen replies, not looking away from me as he admits, “Your daughter just asked me to marry her.”
“Uh,” Dad stutters, and my eyes tear up, waiting for his answer.
I know I kept the baby from him, I know I slept with someone else, but he isn’t innocent either, we both royally screwed up but I still want forever with him but the question is, does he still want it with me?
He watches me for a few seconds before leaning over and grabbing his phone, breaking eye contact, and my heart pounds.
Oh god, is he going to say no?
DoIneed to tie him to the bed until he agrees to do so?
He presses the screen a few times before putting the phone on loudspeaker, and it rings.
“Viper, I cannot break you out of the hospital, your girl will kill me,” Brick answers, and Dad snorts while Jaylen smirks.
I don’t react, though. Instead, I’m confused.
Why did he call Brick?
“Not the reason I’m calling, though, if you could somehow swing it…” he trails off, and I smack his chest lightly, making him chuckle.
“Let me guess, Lake just hit you?” Brick laughs, but it cuts off when Jaylen replies, “She did, she also asked me to marry her.”
