Duncan (The Protectors #3)(47)

“Can you stitch me up in your office?” Tessa asked after he cleaned up her hand and closed the wound together with steri-strips before wrapping her whole hand in gauze.

“Well, yeah I could …” Slade started, but Jared’s frown stopped him.

“He said you needed to be seen at the hospital.” Jared stared down at her. “We’re going to the hospital.”

“I’ll stop by after the party if that’s okay?” Tessa held her hand against her stomach.

“Can you guys excuse us for a minute?” Jared didn’t even look at Slade or Jill, his eyes were focused on Tessa.

Slade and Jill couldn’t leave the bathroom fast enough. As soon as the door shut, Jared knelt down in front of Tessa. “You saw the picture.” It wasn’t a question.

Tessa stared at her lap silently, telling herself she wouldn’t cry. Not trusting her voice, she just nodded.

“It was nothing, Tessa.” Jared reached down to cup her face, but she flinched away from his touch to look at him.

“They say a picture says a thousand words.” Tessa looked at him, her eyes searching his. “I saw the look you were giving her, Jared.”

“I know what it looked like, but I’m telling you it meant nothing.” Jared caught her face with his hand this time. “I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“Why?” Tessa felt her eyes welling up, dammit.

“She was telling me about the shop she was….”

“No, Jared. I don’t care what she was telling you.” Pulling her face away from his hand, she stood up. “Why did you have to look at her like you look at me?”

“I could never look at another woman like I look at you. You are my world.” Jared carefully, without jarring her arm, took her by the shoulders forcing her to look at him. “Do you trust me so little that a picture could tear us apart?”

Tessa knew it was only a picture; she wanted to believe him and she did believe him somewhat, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less. Her own insecurities were playing havoc with her emotions. The seed of doubt had been planted and she really didn’t know if she could overcome it because she always wondered how he could love her, an overweight human, when a beautiful vampire - who had everything he needed - was right underneath his nose.

A knock sounded on the door before Nicole’s head appeared. “Sorry, but they’re here. He’s parking now.” Nicole looked between the two of them then at her hand. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m coming.” Tessa waited until the door shut. “I don’t blame you, Jared. I know having a human as a mate is not the way it’s supposed to be. You need someone like …like her.”

“So that’s it?” Jared shook his head in disbelief. “Because of a damn picture?”

Tessa walked to the door opening it. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“The f*ck it is.” His voice followed her out. “I love you, Tessa, and one of these Goddamn days you’re going to believe that.”

Chapter 19

With the mess cleaned up from the party and the last person out the door, Duncan clicked the lock closed. Crossing the room to where Pam sat going through her gifts, he smiled. She belonged here, in his home…their home.

“Aren’t these adorable?” She picked up a pair of tiny shoes.

“They’re so tiny.” He laughed taking them from her. Setting the shoes down, he reached out his hand. “I have a gift for you.”

“Duncan, this is more than enough. You didn’t have to get anything.” Pam took his hand as she followed him up the stairs. Her eyes taking in everything since she hadn’t been up there yet.

Stopping at a closed door, he turned the knob pushing the door open. Stepping back, he let her look inside.

Pam took a step inside, her head moving back and forth not knowing where to look first, her eyes trying to take everything in at once. The room was decorated in rainbow colors with animals painted on each wall. A tree with full-leaved limbs was painted in one corner with little monkeys hanging from the limbs. Anything and everything a baby would need was in the room - from the beautiful crib, down to a diaper pail. Pam walked further into the room taking it all in. Making her way to the tree with the monkeys, she reached out to touch one.

Glancing back at Duncan, she shook her head. “Why?” She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but no one had ever done anything like this for her before, and even if they had, there was a price to pay.

“You don’t like it?” He frowned looking around the room. He should have waited and let her pick out everything she would need. “I can have anything changed that you don’t like or replace it all. I just wanted to surprise you. Jill painted all the animals. Everyone chipped in to have it ready for today,” Duncan’s deep voice, with a hint of disappointment, rumbled through the room.

“No!” Pam turned back toward him. “No, please. I love it.”

“Pam, you look anything but happy.” Duncan walked toward her. “Never lie to me. If you don’t like it, we can change it.”

“Don’t you dare change a thing in this room! It’s just no one has ever done anything like this for me before. I’m a little overwhelmed with the party and now this.” Pam laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.