Danni Rose (The Sherwood)

“What if the person isn’t related to Walker?” Danni asked breaking through his thoughts.

Seth coughed, and Walker turned looking at him. “Something you want to say?” He asked her youngest brother.

He shook his head no. “I just got choked,” Seth explained. Walker nodded but his expression said, he didn’t believe Seth.

“I’ll call the Sheriff when I get home,” Simon informed them. He pulled himself away from the wall where he leaned. “Time to go, Seth.”

Her brother met Simon at the door. “See ya, shorty,” he told Danni. She tried to laugh but Walker could see that it pained her too much.

Once they left, Danni looked at Walker. “I can’t help but feel if I had stayed you wouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t,” she told him.

He lifted her hand to his lips and when the kiss ended, he sighed.

“Why the heavy sigh?” She asked.

“I don’t know how to protect you because I don’t know who did this.”

“Maybe it wasn’t related to you. Maybe it was just random.”

He didn’t think so. Like Simon, Walker thought she was targeted. It made sense to him that he was the reason.

“How do you feel about Jackson?” He asked. Walker knew it wasn’t the time to bring him up with her lying in a hospital bed, but the man was creating a storm of emotion in Walker’s belly. He knew he could walk away and Jackson would take care of her. Rachel Hatfield might skin him alive but what was best for Danni?

She frowned at Walker. “You don’t need to ask that,” she grumbled.

He grasped her hand. “You see, I do.” His voice was deep, rough but soft. He couldn’t look at her or he would lose his nerve. He would crumble and bend to her. Walker would give Danni whatever she wanted whether it was right for her or not. “He found you, didn’t he?” He gazed at her.

She nodded.

“I should have been there, but I was a coward, Danni. I left because I couldn’t be there where you woke this morning.”

“Why?” She asked.

He glanced back at their hands where, he held hers. It was safer that way. “I’m not good enough for you, Danni. You could go with Jackson to Louisiana and rebuild what you once had. Have a good life. He could give you the house with the babies that you want. What can I give you? Working at your granddad’s garage the rest of your life…aching shoulders. Jesse always being a threat to us.”

“Look at me,” she told him.

Finally, he raised his eyes to Danni. “Jackson had his chance. I don’t love him anymore. There is that saying that you can’t go home again. Should I be with him, if I’m thinking of you?” She asked Walker.

His head shot up and his eyes gazed at her. Those words did something to him. Walker brushed his thumb across her swollen lips. He wanted nothing more than to kiss them, but she was too damaged right now. He knew that he didn’t deserve her.

“Can’t answer that?” She asked.

“What do you want me to say?” He responded.

“Say you’ll fight for me, Walker. Say that I’m worth it. I was never worth it to Jackson.”

He lowered his gaze. “Danni, you’re worth more than I deserve,” he whispered.

“I love you, Walker Wild.”

Those words gripped his heart. He felt the tears choking him. He couldn’t respond to Danni right now. Maybe never. He squeezed her hand. “Get some rest, Danni.”

**

He was leaning back in his chair watching her sleep. There was little else for Walker to do and it comforted him to be near her. Her features battered but at peace. His ankles crossed. The chair wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but Walker was content to just be close to Danni.