by A. G. Khaliq
It looked like it was time for me to be interrogated.
“Hello, Damon Walliams,” the cop said flatly, folding his arms. “If you don’t mind, I’ve got a few questions to ask you.”
I drew out a deep breath, knowing this was inevitable, and there was no point delaying it any longer. I may as well get it out of the way and put myself in the clear.
I needed to stay strong and keep fighting for Raven’s sake.
Raven.
The love of my fucking life.
“We found Lazarus Landucci dead at the scene where you called the ambulance,” he stated matter-of-factly. “He was a very well-respected police officer. Care to explain what happened?”
I drew out a deep breath.
“He was going to kill Raven,” I explained timidly. “He had beaten her up really badly. He had abused her a few times in the past too. I had to step in and save her.”
“How did you know where Raven was? Why were you going to see her?”
“I’d just got released from prison on bail. She was the first person I wanted to talk to, and she wouldn’t answer my calls. I knew she was angry with me because she thought I’d kidnapped her sister, Sophia, that day. Lazarus Landucci had brainwashed her into thinking I did it.”
I took my head into my hands, needing to get it all out, needing to tell the man everything.
“The truth is, Lazarus is a dirty cop. He planted my DNA in Sophia’s room to frame me. This was because he was jealous that me and Raven were having an affair. He wanted to get back at me.” I swallowed hard.
“I wanted Raven to know the truth. I asked Sophia where Raven was, and she told me she was at The Disston…so I went there and saw Raven getting beaten. She’s pregnant, so I had to kill him to save her.”
The cop furrowed his eyebrows, not sure whether to believe the story I was telling him or whether to think it was just utter bullshit. I found myself trembling, wishing my innocence would be proven.
“That’s all very well, but do you have any proof of your accusations?” he asked. “How do you know that he’s a dirty cop? And do you have proof that he abused Raven? Do you have proof that it was Lazarus who kidnapped Sophia?”
“I know all this because I was Lazarus’s best friend,” I seethed, doing my best to remain calm and collected. “I stopped being friends with him when Raven told me he was abusing her. Raven can testify to this. Sophia also remembers that it was Lazarus who kidnapped her. She can testify to this too.”
“And what about the whole malarkey about Lazarus being a dirty cop?” He folded his arms.
“Lazarus was the kingpin of London’s biggest drug cartel. The one that police have been trying to nail for years…the Manzellas. The whole cop thing was to cover his tracks and get away with all the wrong he was doing. If you don’t believe me, you can look in your database. Check for deleted records, and files that suddenly “went missing.” They were all deleted by Lazarus.” I shook my head. “That’s not all. If you’re not able to find anything, I can literally give you the names and details of everybody involved in the operations, the locations of the hideouts, the shipment ports. I know everything.”
And I was willing to leave everything behind for Raven’s sake.
The cop shuddered, his tense shoulders relaxing. I knew now that he believed me, and he was willing to let me go free as long as I cooperated.
“If all of this is true, then you have just killed London’s most wanted criminal,” he murmured. “I’m going to go back to the station to see if all the information you just told me checks out. I have a feeling that you’re telling the truth.” He let out a sigh. “What you did was admirable. You saved a pregnant lady and gave her justice from her abuse. All your criminal charges will be dropped, effective immediately, and you have earnt the respect of the police in this town.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Officer,” I said thankfully, shaking his hand.
The cop nodded left for the station.
damon
LATER THAT NIGHT
* * *
I made my way to Raven’s hospital bed. I hadn’t been able to leave the hospital, I didn’t want to leave her side for a second after seeing the state that she was in.
She was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Her heart rate monitor was beeping more calmly now, which gave me some reassurance that she was going to be okay.
But deep down, I was still fucking terrified. I didn’t know how I was going to live without her if anything happened to her. I really hoped they would be able to save the baby, too.
“I’m so sorry that this happened to you, baby,” I murmured, squeezing her hand, pressing my lips against her fingers. “I went out of my mind in jail thinking about you. I love you, Raven. I love you so fucking much it hurts.”
I drew a deep breath, trembling as I begged her to stay strong.
“Please don’t quit on me now. Keep fighting, and stay in there. You and the baby are going to be just fine. I’m going to take care of you and Sophia with all my heart, and look after the baby as if it were my own. I’m sorry you got the wrong end of the stick about the whole police and DNA thing. I’m in the clear with the police now, and they’ve proven Lazarus was behind everything. You can trust me, baby. I’d never do anything to hurt you.” I trailed off, a tear rolling down my cheek. “Don’t leave me, Raven. I love you.”
I continued to stare at her, my beautiful, beautiful girl. After everything she’d been through, she deserved a happily ever after.
A happily ever after with me.
A man who would treat her like the queen she was, and not let her be sad for another goddamn day in her life.
And as if by magic…
She started to stir.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. My eyes filled with tears of happiness.
She was going to pull through.
She was going to make it.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she brought her hand up to my face, wiping the tears from my eyes. My heart felt like it was going to explode.
I couldn’t believe it…
“Oh my God, you’re awake,” I breathed, kissing her hands repeatedly. “After the amount of pain you put me through, I might as well start going to church.”
Raven giggled, doing her best to move her body to sit up, but without success.
“Shhh, it’s okay, baby,” I soothed. “You need to rest.”
“Don’t be silly, Damon, I’m fine,” she replied, but she did as she was told.
I pressed my lips to her forehead, not wanting to spend another day without this phenomenal woman in my life.
“Oh, and Damon?” Raven smiled.
“Yes, baby?”
“I heard every word you said, you wet mop,” she giggled.
I scratched my neck, flushing with embarrassment. She continued to giggle uncontrollably. I coughed loudly, doing my best to explain myself.
“I’ll have you know I was expressing my feelings,” I remarked.
“It was cute.” She giggled. “I love you, Damon.”
“I love you too, baby girl.”
raven
Months later, Damon and I got married, and I gave birth to the most beautiful baby. He adored it and looked after the baby as if it were his own.
I’d finally got my happily ever after.
“Let’s go on to the vows, shall we?” said the vicar, smiling as Damon took my hand into his, squeezing it.
Our big day.
When we would finally be husband and wife.
“Do you, Raven, promise to be Damon’s friend, to comfort him, and to listen to him? To celebrate his successes and support his struggles? To love him, respect him, and tenderly care for him, through all the days of your life?”
“I do.”
“Do you, Damon, take Raven to be your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?”
�
�I do.”
“You may now kiss the bride.”
“I’ll do more than just kiss her.” Damon smirked, and pulled me towards him as I giggled beneath his touch, feeling like a teenager again with a school crush. This man gave me new reasons to fall in love with him all over again every single day.
I was no longer Raven Emmerdale. My abused life was something that was in the past.
I’d gained closure. I’d spoken to my parents, and Lazarus was now six feet under the ground for what he did to me.
I was no longer the weak, timid girl I was before, who didn’t know how to defend herself.
I was now Raven Walliams. With a new second name came a new chapter in my life.
I may have started off life rough, but with Damon I found a new light, a new purpose.
He looked after Lazarus’s child as if it were his own.
And we had two more beautiful babies of our own, a beautiful baby girl and a beautiful baby boy I was currently carrying in my tummy.
After we got married, me, Damon, and my sister moved to New York. Far, far away from London. It was a new beginning for us.
My stripper boss wouldn’t be able to find me, nor any of my past enemies. It was a fresh start, and I was happy at last.
I was crazy in love with Damon, and he loved me all the way back.
I finally got my happily ever after.
My knight in shining armor wasn’t the man who saved me from the strip club.
It was the man I married, who taught me how to love when the whole world was against me.
Who taught me that my past didn’t dictate my future.
Who taught me that life is what you make it.
Who made me realise my self-worth.
Who made me feel like a princess.
And I loved him, my sister, and my children with every breath I took.
“Let’s put the babies to bed.” Damon smiled as he cooed to our beautiful little girl in his arms, rocking her gently.
I nodded as I cooed to our other baby. We made our way to the cots, and gently placed them in there, giving them soft kisses on the forehead to wish them goodnight.
Now that the babies were asleep, we finally had some time to ourselves. Damon made his way towards me, closing the gap between us, his eyes darkening with desire as he drunk me in, in my pink maternity dress and my flip-flops.
“Have I ever told you how sexy you look pregnant?” he groaned, eyeing me up and down with appreciation.
I giggled. “Come here.”
Pregnancy had my hormones raging, and I wanted to jump Damon’s bones every time I fucking laid eyes on him. I crashed my mouth down on his, kissing him hungrily, slipping my tongue into his mouth as he groaned against me, grabbing my ass and pushing me even closer to him. His lips travelled down from my mouth to my neck, causing me to moan and whimper while he slipped his hands underneath my top and began twisting on my nipples.
But suddenly…
I felt weak at the knees, and started staggering in pain.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Damon called out, pulling backwards in shock as I clutched my belly.
“I think my water just broke…”
* * *
Don’t miss the next books in the series:
* * *
Capo
The Cartel Part 1
The Cartel Part 2
The Cartel Part 3
Trafficked Part 1
Trafficked Part 2
More books by A. G. Khaliq
Mafia Kingpin Duet
Mafia Kingpin Part 1
Mafia Kingpin Part 2
Mafia Kingpin Boxset
* * *
Beauty and the Beast Series
Beauty and the Beast Part 1
Beauty and the Beast Part 2
Beauty and the Beast Part 3
Beauty and the Beast Boxset
* * *
His Captive Series
His Captive Part 1
His Captive Part 2
His Captive Part 3
His Captive Boxset
* * *
Coming soon with Limitless Publishing
Corrupt Me Series
Dangerous Desires Part 1
Dangerous Desires Part 2
Forbidden Fruit
* * *
Married to the Mafia Series
Stripped
Capo
The Cartel Part 1
The Cartel Part 2
The Cartel Part 3
Trafficked Part 1
Trafficked Part 2
About the Author
A. G. Khaliq is a 22-year old upcoming author, residing in the United Kingdom, who struck a publishing deal with Limitless Publishing after garnering almost 3 million reads for her stories on Episode Interactive, an animated fiction 'choose your path' app. Writing sexy and completely badass mafia stories is her speciality.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16955499.A_G_Khaliq
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