Page 18 of Yes! Professor Hendrix
“Marisa,” I whispered, brushing her hair back. “If you want me to be your real dad, then from now on, I’m your dad. I don’t want you ever thinking you don’t have someone who loves you, because I do. One day, you and your mom will have my name, and I will take care of you both. Okay?”
“Are you going to be Mommy’s husband?” she asked.
“I want to be her husband and your dad,” I said, pulling her close. “All that’s left is earning your mom’s heart so we can be a real family. Will you help me make Mommy fall in love with me?”
“Yes!” she cheered. “Then I can call you Daddy Nolan?”
“You can call me Daddy anytime,” I promised. “And Marisa, know I will always protect you and your mom. If you ever feel sad or unsafe, just call, and I will come running to you. Alright?”
“Alright!” she said, hugging me tight before leaving the class to join her mom.
Since that day, I knew I had to go harder for my family. I had made a promise to my baby girl, and I was going to make it happen. She deserved a family, and I was gonna give it to her.
Getting back on the bus, I let her sit with Marisa like a good mama. But every few minutes, our eyes met through the mirror above the driver. And each time, she looked away like she didn’t know how to handle what was happening between us.
When the trip was over, we stepped off the bus into the school parking lot. As parents started arriving to pick up theirkids I kept an eye on Lena. I waited for her to come over—but instead, she pulled out her phone, lips pursed like she was trying to hide something.
“You good?” I asked.
“Yeah… I’m just about to call a ride. I didn’t drive today. I took a rideshare,” she said, trying to act distant with me.
I immediately got annoyed. The fuck was she tryna do? Push me away after everything that just happened between us? I thought I was clear with her ass—I’m not going anywhere. Not after claiming her and our daughter. This little game she was playing? That shit didn’t make me laugh. It pissed me the fuck off.
“You playing games with me? The fuck you calling a ride for when your man has a car?”
“Nolan… It’s just… Everything is moving so fast,” she said, her voice small, avoiding my eyes like I was about to burn her down.
“It is! So what?”
She took a deep breath and finally looked up at me, eyes filled with conflict.
“I… I just want us to take our time. I have a child and I need to think carefully before bringing someone into her life like that. We don’t even know each other that well yet. I don’t wanna move too fast and crash when things don’t work out.”
“You won’t crash. And that’sOURdaughter you’re talking about. Fuck, Lena, everything I said while I was deep inside you was real. I’ve been watching you for months. I know what I want. I want youandMarisa. I’m not waiting another day to take my place by your side.”
She gasped at my words like I’d hit her in the chest. But I kept going.
“We need to take our time to?—”
“I already took the damn time. I planned this shit; waited for the right moment. If you feel it’s going too fast then just hold onto me tighter. I’ll guide you through it. But don’t stand here acting like I didn’t make myself clear. Calling Marisa onlyyourdaughter? That shit hurts. It cuts fucking deep.”
I stepped closer, but she moved back, like she was trying to put space between us and that shit stung.Bad. It was like she reached in and twisted my heart in her fist. And in that second, I realized that the more intense I got, the more I scared her and if I kept going, I’d lose her. Thatwasn’tan option.
So I stopped. Looked her dead in the eyes, swallowing down all the fire burning in my chest.
“So now what? We fucked and we just go our separate ways?” I asked, voice low, steady.
“I… Please, let me go. I feel like you’re pushing me to take everything you’re offering without a second thought and that’s scary as fuck! If this is meant to be, I’ll come to you on my own. You can’t force me.”
Her words hit me like a punch. I knew I was intense, impatient. But damn… I had her under my skin. Deep. But knowing that I was scaring her? That shit fucked with my head. As much as it burned, I knew I had to give her space. I had to wait.
I was about to tell her as much. That I’d back the fuck off if that’s what she needed. But then?—
“Lena?” a voice called from across the lot.
I turned and it wasthatnigga. Her baby daddy.
“I came to pick you up. Marisa told me you were chaperoning today and I knew your car was outta service, so I figured you’d need a ride.”
