Forever the One (Always and Forever 3)

“For two years of your life you hid a huge secret from me. You lied to my face when I asked about the bruises. I trusted you and that trust could have gotten you killed, it practically almost did.” I wrap my arms around myself in defense, a dreary chill running up my spine at the mention. I still cringe and get shaken up whenever someone openly talks about the abuse. Others can do it easily because they never endured it. I however can’t because I lived through it.

“Now you come home and tell me you’re pregnant with Kingston’s child. I can’t believe you went there just to fall down a rabbit hole with a different man who is just like Joel.” I shake my head before placing it in my waiting hands.

“Dad, he’s not Joel. Trust me, I tried to push him away and compare him to Joel—that’s my natural reaction, but I couldn’t. He has never once hurt me, ever.”

“How can I trust you aren’t lying to me now? You lied about Joel.”

Ouch. I bounce back enough from that slap and cover my belly.

“Because I have this little person to protect and I may have been weak once with Joel, but I will never put my child through any kind of danger.” His eyes start to glisten, his mouth still set in a hard line as he looks down to where my hands sit on my swollen tummy. I’m only a hundred pounds on a good day, my 5’5 frame never allowed me to gain too much, so even if I’m only twenty weeks, you can see my baby bump, it’s coming in fast and it’s very pronounced.

“Can I feel it?” he asks, his eyes searching mine for approval. I don’t miss the deflection.

“Yes. Of course.” With shaking hands he gently covers my bump. The feeling of my father’s hands on my stomach, meeting my child for the first time gives me serenity. It connects my father and me in a way I have never had before. His protecting hands always safeguarded me and right here, right now, I feel him building that bond with my child.

“We find out when we get home if it’s a boy or girl,” I state, leaning my back against the bench.

“What are you hoping it is?” he asks, still staring down at my belly.

“I’ve never thought of it. But honestly, I think I want a boy.” I smirk when he smiles at the thought.

“Yeah, a boy would be nice. I’ve only had you girls in my life. I need a shooting partner.”

“He will not go shooting with you until he’s at least sixteen,” I warn, the image of a little boy looking just like Kingston holding a gun too big for his child body comes into my mind.

“Bullshit, that boy will be able to fire an AK by the age of nine. Just you watch me,” he threatens. I laugh and finally, after a few minutes of him obsessively touching my belly he sits back up straight in his marine posture.

“I need time to process all this, I still don’t trust Kingston. I saw all the girls he brought around, I heard the conversations him and Trey had. I know that boy and the reputation he built. Payson is a small town, baby.”

“I know dad. I know. But at least try to get to know him. I can promise he isn’t the man he once was, he’s amazing.” I smile and the memories from our sexcapade last night come rushing in. My core clenches and I feel all the blood in my body start to compile in my pelvis area. One thought of him and the hormones kick in.

I don’t know if this makes me sane, but the thought of how good he is to me and the way my dad is treating him only makes me want him more. It’s like I’m turned on to defend my man, to stand up for him. I want to go love on him and tell him I’m sorry for all the crap my dad’s putting him through.

God, pregnancy is weird to the body and the human psyche.

“I can’t make promises and I swear Lana, if he ever does anything remotely similar to what Joel did to you, I’m trained to kill and I won’t hesitate to protect you this time,” he warns me, his voice scarily low that his last words stick to me like glue.

“He won’t daddy, calm down. Besides, if he did I would tell you. I’m never gonna hide things from you again.” His face softens and I lay my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes and reveling in the feel of being here with my dad. He only wants to

protect me and even if he has no need to worry, I still appreciate his concern.

“I promised you I would try, now you owe me a promise,” he states standing after ten minutes of comfortable silence. I give him my attention and smirk.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s your bargain, dad?”

“You have to come visit more often once the baby is born. You never come home anymore and I already miss out on a lot of time with you. Don’t make me miss out on time with the both of you.” My heart pitter patters and my chest feels full, he really can be the sweetest grouch in the world.

“Deal.” I thrust my hand forward offering him a shake and he takes it firmly.

“Good. Now, let’s get some lunch.”

“Oh, thank heavens! I’m starving! Little monster has to be a boy. I swear I eat all day every day, he is never satisfied!”

“Welcome to pregnancy, baby girl.”

I made our bed, went for a run, and had lunch with Becky and I twitched nervously the whole time waiting for Lana to return. Between seeing Joel, listening to the batshit crazy things he had to say, and then Lana’s dad pretty much trying to convince her to leave me, I’ve been a tad fucking stir crazy to get my woman back in my arms.

Lying on her bed upstairs with my headphones in, blaring some fucking Papa Roach to calm my ass down, I totally zone out. My eyes are closed with the image of beating the fuck out of Joel playing on replay. I’m certain I’m dreaming when I feel the familiar sensation of small legs wrapping around my muscular waist. I bite my lip and let the new dream take over.