Keep Her From Harm (The Denton Family Legacy 4)

“Ha, you called him Dad. How does that feel?” Damian asked.

“Weird as fuck. How are you handling everything now?”

“You mean with Martha and Betty, and stuff?”

“Yep. You tried to kill yourself, or at least you were getting into a situation that would have resulted in you killing yourself. That’s some messed up shit, and you found your woman while doing it,” Gabriel said.

Damian rubbed his head. “I don’t really know what I would have done. When it came to Betty I felt responsible for her, and I felt like I had killed her. That wasn’t the case. Not even by a long shot. I was honest with her, and I wish things could have been different. I care about Betty, but I love Mia. I can’t compare the two feelings as they really are not the same.” It had taken him some time to come to terms with everything related to his daughter and to Betty. There would always be guilt as there was no way for him to pretend otherwise. Mia, made sure to keep a picture of Betty, and had even put together a special photograph album for his little girl.

They arrived at his folks’ home, and he was surprised to see several cars parked in front.

“What’s going on?” he asked. Climbing out of the car, he followed Gabriel into the house, and the moment the door was closed someone placed a blindfold over his eyes.

“What the fuck!” He tried to attack, but his father spoke.

“Just trust us son, and you’ll be okay,” Maddox said.

“This is crazy assed shit.”

“Yeah, well, you’ll love it.”

He rolled his eyes, and then was marched out of the house, and he felt the change in the air.

“We’re ready,” Maddox said.

The blindfold was removed, and Damian blinked getting accustomed to the light. Music came on, and as he looked down the garden that had been set out for a wedding, he saw Mia standing, smiling at him. “Happy Birthday, son,” Maddox said.

It was his birthday, and he smiled as his family gave him the best present of all, his woman, his wife.

When Mia stood beside him, he took her hand, and mouthed the words that he loved her. She did the same, and there was no way anything else could surpass the feelings she had inspired inside him.

Epilogue

One year later

Mia rolled out the large sheet of pastry and pressed the cutter into the sheet, making little rounds.

Martha and Reese were sitting opposite watching her as she began to make little jam tarts. It was Sunday, and she had offered to host Sunday lunch. It was the height of summer, and Damian was loading up the barbeque. She had chicken and steaks marinating in the fridge. The potato salad was already made, and on the counter resting. She had made two, one with lemon juice oil, and another with a mayonnaise dressing. Throughout her pregnancy she had been getting more and more cravings. The worst one was peanut butter, cheese, and chicken. Late one night after she and Damian had made love, that was all she craved, and all she could think about.

Damian had wrinkled his nose at her, thinking she was joking. She wasn’t leaving their bedroom. She’d gone into their kitchen, and made the exact sandwich she was craving with leftover chicken.

Their home was a new addition to their family. A couple of months after they married, Damian showed her this place. It was a nice four bed home with two bathrooms, and a nice sized garden. She loved it, especially in the summer when she could take Reese and Martha out to play.

Once all of the pastry circles were in the pans, she dolloped out some jam and placed them into the oven.

Martha clapped her hands, and screamed for her to do it again.

Laughing, Mia rushed around the counter, and blew on both of their cheeks, loving how they giggled for her.

Damian walked into the kitchen from the garden, and smiled. “What are you all doing?”

“Playing,” Martha said, mumbling the word.

She moved from behind them, and went to her husband. “Hello,” she said.

“Barbeque pit is all set up, and waiting for those chickens and steaks.”

They both gasped as her stomach bumped. “How is my little guy doing?” he asked, bending down, and pressing a kiss to her swollen stomach.