Damien (Slater Brothers #5)(89)

My jaw dropped, and Damien’s lips twitched.

“Yeah, you aren’t the only one terrified if things go sideways.”

“You’ve made me feel so ... human with that admission.”

“Human?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Like I’m not bein’ overdramatic and fearin’ our relationship endin’ isn’t a legit worry when it is.”

“Of course, it is,” Damien said, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. “Any one of my brothers will tell you the same, and so would the girls I’m willing to bet.”

After my talk with Alec, I knew they would, too.

“Thanks for sharin’ that with me about your parents,” I said softly. “I know that couldn’t have been easy.”

Damien’s body relaxed. “I haven’t really thought about them in a while; it’s nice every now and again to reflect on things in the past, just so I can look at who I am as a person now.”

I smiled. “That’s a lovely way to look at it.”

Damien’s eyes locked on my mouth, but there was no heat in his stare.

“What is it?”

“I never meant what I said to you that night in Darkness,” he said, licking his lower lip. “I know I’ve told you that already, but I want you to know that I only said it because I knew it would hurt you and push you away. I was terrified of how you cared for me, and how I cared about you, and my reaction was to hurt you and force you away. In a fucked up way, I thought I was protecting you.”

I lifted my palm and cupped his cheek.

“I know you’ll never forget it, but I hope you’ll forgive me one day for saying it.”

“I do forgive you,” I said sincerely. “I hope you forgive me for how I let you believe everythin’ was your fault. I’m sorry.”

“Babe.” He smiled softly. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I do,” I pressed. “What I did was wrong and unjust. I was angry, and let that anger blow what happened out of proportion. Please don’t make what I did seem any less horrid because we’re together now.”

“Okay,” Damien whispered. “I forgive you now, and I forgave years ago, too.”

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his. Feeling content, happy, and so secure it was almost frightening.

“I know it’s literally just been a few days, but bein’ with you makes me feel safe and sound.”

“Being with you makes me feel like I can let down my defences,” Damien said, nuzzling his face to mine. “You’re my steady place, Lana. My freckles.”

I opened my eyes and smiled.

“I used to hate me freckles.”

Damien sucked in a horrified breath. “Why?”

“’Cause everyone said they made me cute, and I hated that.”

“You are cute.” Damien grinned. “Sexy and sinful, too. And beautiful. Man, you’re so beautiful.”

I kissed him, and he smiled against my lips.

“Do you know when I first saw you, I knew you were a girl who could make me happy.”

I leaned back with raised brows. “When you first saw me, I walked head first into you and knocked you on your arse.”

“Yes—” Damien snickered “—but you gave me your hand to help me up.”

“And that gave you the impression that I could make you happy long term?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I knew you’d be someone to always help me up when I’m down, no matter what. That’s why I pushed you away after we were together, you were someone who I knew could reach me at that point in my life where I forced everyone out, and that scared the shit out of me. You’re my ride or die, Alannah”

“That’s so romantic.”

“I can be more romantic.”

“Proceed.”

Damien chuckled. “We’re endgame.”

I stared up at him, bewildered.

“I have no clue what that means.”

“It means,” he murmured, brushing stray hairs back from my eyes. “No matter what has happened between us, or what comes next for us, at the end of the day, you’ll be with me, and I’ll be with you. I know it, you know it … everyone knows it.”

My heart fluttered, and my stomach came alive with butterflies.

“You sound pretty confident, snowflake.”

“I am, freckles.”

“Since when?”

“Since you kicked me in the balls when we were eighteen and told me to go to hell.”





Ten days later …



Ten days had passed since I found out my ma had cancer, nine days had passed since Damien and I officially started dating, and eight days had passed since I found out the treatment plan my ma was signed up for to kick cancer’s arse as well as Branna and Ryder’s twins being born. It was Thursday, the day of her surgery to remove the peanut-size tumour from her breast, and I had never felt as sick in my entire life. I had terrible anxiety and chewed on my nails until I had none left and each of my fingers stung, while others bled.

“Alannah.” Bronagh clicked her tongue, gaining my attention. “You’re hurtin’ yourself.”