“Shh, it’s okay, I’m okay, it’s not my blood.” I try to reassure him.
“Thank fuck.” He sighs in relief. “I fucking missed you, my Gorgeous Girl.” He smiles drunkenly. It’s good to hear him say that he missed me. I internally melt at his sweetness.
“I fucking missed you too, my Handsome Man.”
“Mad woman.” He pulls me closer to him and rests his head in the crook of my neck.
“How do you feel about a shower and a shave?”
“I thought the caveman appearance made women all hot and bothered?”
“Fuck that, you smell like shit.” I laugh.
“You wound me.” He slurs.
“I know, but you really do and so does your house what th-”
“Our home,” he corrects me.
“Well our home smells like a bar, complete with vomit. Let’s get you showered and sober and then we can start on the house.” I wriggle my nose at the smell.
“I’m sorry, Nancy.”
“What for?” Why is he the one that’s sorry, I’m the one who left on a fool’s errand.
“For pushing you away, for getting myself into this state, for the house smelling like shit, for everything.” He sighs.
“You didn’t push me away; there was something I needed to do. As for the state you’re in, well I’m not the one who’s going to pay for it when they sober up, that’s all you. The house can be cleaned, although we are definitely getting someone in to do it.”
“What did you have to do tha-”
“All in due time, first things first. Shower time! Come on.” I stand up and try to help him up, but it’s near impossible in his drunken state. Luckily Callum comes my rescue and helps Bennett walk upstairs and into to his bathroom.
“Where do you want him?” Callum asks.
“Naked and in bed, where else?” Bennett snickers.
“Fuck off, I’m not stripping you.” Callum tells him, sounding disgusted by the thought of seeing him naked.
“Can you help him in the bathroom and I’ll take care of the rest.” I open the shower door and I’m so glad that there’s a bench in there so he can sit down.
“As you wish. I’ll be outside in my truck if you need me,” Callum says as he sits Bennett in the shower fully clothed.
“Thank you but you don’t have to stay,” I tell him as I get everything that I need to make Bennett human again.
“I’ll stay until you get him into bed, then he’s all yours.” He chuckles.
“Alright, thank you.” I wink at him and get into the shower with Bennett.
“Get out now! I want some sexy time with my woman!” Bennett drunkenly yells at Callum which earns him a laugh and a middle finger.
“No sexy time for you until you’re sober.” I stand up and strip to my underwear after Callum has left the room.
“Spoilsport.” He frowns as he undoes his pants, grabs his cock and starts whirling it around. “You sure I can’t tempt you?”
“No chance, Bennett.” I glare at him and he grins at me.
“Damnit. Well at least I tried.” He shrugs and manages to get himself out of his jeans and boxers without help. “I missed you,” he admits quietly.
“I missed you too.” I kneel in front of him and help him out of his shirt, making sure I don’t hurt him.
“I’m glad you did.” He strokes my cheek.
“Of course I did. I love you, Bennett.”
“I love you.” He sighs happily and rests his head against the wall with a content smile on his lips.
“Ready to be clean?” I ask in voice that I would talk to a young child as I turn on the shower.
“Like I have a say in the matter. I was happy in my own filth.” He whines.
“You’re disgusting.” I frown.
“It’s not like I pissed or shat myself.” He shrugs and leans forwards so he’s under the spray.
“That’s reassuring.”
“Why are you covered in blood and whose blood is it?” He asks as rubs my arms, watching the final traces of red wash away.
“Later, when you’re sober.” I sigh.
“You made me talk when I killed that prospect; don’t think you’re getting out of telling me what happened, young lady.” He chastises me.
“I killed a man.” I grab the can of shaving gel and spray some in my hands before lathering up his face.
“You don’t say. Now explain,” he studies my face and I sigh again before telling him everything.
“Fuck me, Nancy.” He shakes his head just as I bring the razor up to his face.
“No sudden moves. It was a couple of fucked up days, I’m just glad it’s all over now.” I sigh and start shaving him carefully.
“How can you be sure it’s over? Your mother could make good on her threat and hire someone to kill me or take you.” He frowns.
“I know, I’ll just have find a way to get it into her head that I’m never coming back. I want nothing to do with them and that if she ever tries to hurt you I’ll kill her myself,” I tell him calmly.
“You’re scaring me, Nancy.” He looks at me with a fake scared look on his face.
“Why?” I glide the razor blade carefully down his throat and hold it an inch away so he can talk.
“Well, let’s see, you’ve killed a man and slit his throat when you could have just left him to bleed out from his gut wounds. You wouldn’t be against killing your own mother if she were to threaten me and you currently have a razor against my throat. No biggie.” He grins at me.
“He was attacking me; it was self-defense. I had a moment of insanity and I snapped. I had had enough of people hurting me and taking advantage of me. As for my mother, she is responsible for every bad thing that has happened in my life. Does that make me a bad person?” I ask and look up at him, hoping he’ll tell me I’m not.
“It just makes you one of us. All the other girls have ended up killing someone too in self-defense. I’m not saying wanting to kill your mom is a good thing, but you’d do it to protect me and can’t argue with that.” He shrugs and grins drunkenly.
“Oh you secretly fucking love that I would do that.” I laugh. He motions for me to move back and he scoots down and off of the bench. He sits on the shower floor across from me and grabs my ankles. He pulls at them and places my legs over his hips. We stare at each other with our lips mere inches from apart.
“I do. It’s feels good knowing you’d kill for me.” He smiles and kisses me softly.
“Argh! You could’ve waited until I had washed your face.” I frown and wipe foam off of my face.
“You’re still cute even covered in foam.” He chuckles.
“Can I ask you something?” I ask as I shave above his top lip.
“Like you even have to ask,” he says.
“Can you forgive me?” I whisper. I’m terrified that he won’t.
“I’ve already forgiven you.” He looks at me with a serious expression and any trace of him being drunk have suddenly gone.
“I need to hear it.” I sigh.
“Why?”
“I just do, it’s important.”
“Ok, my Gorgeous Girl.”
“Say it, please.”
“I forgive you, Nancy,” he says and I can tell he means it.
“Thank you.”
“Come here you crazy woman.” He wraps his arms around me and brings me flush against his body.
“You love my craziness.”
“That I do.” He kisses my shoulder as I rest my head on his.
“You know the little twinge in your heart that you get when you are with your soulmate and it erases all the bad your heart has gone through?”
“Yes, I’ve felt that since day one, you did too?” He looks at me with a hopeful smile.
“No.” I try to keep a serious face.
“Oh.” He looks disappointed and I feel cruel for teasing him.
“I’m kidding Bennett. Did you seriously have to ask?”
“Well, yea
h. I always loved you, even when you were gone and hope was running thin, I never stopped loving you. I’m so sorry I failed you, I was meant to protect you and I let you get taken right under my eyes. You needed me and I wasn’t there for you. I will never forgive myself.” He sounds so sad and broken as he speaks and his words hit me deep.
“It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know you had a psychotic brother. It’s not your fault my parents treated me like shit and it’s not your fault that I got drunk that night. If anything, I’m grateful to you, you’ve saved me in so many ways.”
“Can you forgive me for failing you?” he asks.
“You don’t need to be forgiven; I never blamed you.”
“I need to hear you say it.”
I groan. “I forgive you Bennett.”
“Thank you.” He wraps his arms around me and rests his head on my shoulder.
“My pleasure, Bennett.”
He pulls away from me and looks at me with adoration on his face which makes my heart flutter.
“Be my wife,” he blurts out suddenly.
“What?” I ask shocked beyond belief, this is the last thing I expected him to ask. “Be my wife.” He repeats with a grin wider than a kid on Christmas morning.
“Are you sure?” I ask, I need to know he means it.
“Stop asking questions and just say yes.” He chuckles.
“Yes, I’ll be your wife.”
“Wahey! I’m getting married.” He chuckles before pulling me close to him and kissing me deeply and passionately. Only Bennett.
“Are you sure you’re not going to regret asking me tomorrow morning when you’ve sobered up and had time to think about it? Did you literally just decide to randomly propose?” I chuckle.
“Never and yeah, felt like the perfect time, almost naked in the shower, you still covered in the enemy’s blood and me half drunk and wounded. Perfect timing.” He smirks rather proud of himself.
Nothing that Bennett does should surprise me, but he still manages to. I’m glad he asked me in the way he did, it made our reunion even more special, especially after we felt like we had lost the other forever.
CHAPTER 32
Bennett
“Come ooooooon! I’m starving! You’re supposed to take care of me and feed me, I’m wounded! Take care of me!” I whine from my spot on the couch in the living room that I haven’t moved from all day. I hear Nancy’s sweet laugh sound from the kitchen and it’s like music to my ears.
“I’ve already told you five times, dinner will be ready soon. Stop whining or no dessert for naughty Bennett,” she pokes her head round the doorframe and threatens me.
“What’s for dessert?”
“Red Velvet donuts and me.”
“Shutting up right now!” I grin innocently at her and she returns to the kitchen. I have no idea what she’s making but it smells like freaking heaven. Luckily I don’t have to wait long before she comes back with two full plates.
“There you go,” she sings as she sets the plates down on the coffee table in front of me.
“Fuck yes!” I groan and sit up carefully. “Finally.”
“I promise you won’t get any dessert if you keep it up.”
“For such a hot person, you are incredibly annoying, you know that?” I huff and start eating. “But thank you for cooking my favorite dinner.” I smile gratefully at her.
“My pleasure. How are you feeling?”
“Still fine since the last time you asked.” I roll my eyes, she’s been asking me this every hour on the hour. I’m not sure how she thinks I could have hurt myself when I haven’t moved an inch all day.
“Just making sure you’re alright.”
“Thank you, my Gorgeous Girl,” I lean over to quickly kiss her shoulder before returning to my food.
“Do you really have to go back to the compound tomorrow?”
“Yeah, there’s club business to discuss.” I shrug. “Why?”
“I just don’t want you to overexert yourself.”
“It’s not like I’m going out on club business, we’re just meeting in the Chapel for a talk.”
“Alright, just be careful.”
“I will, I promise.” I smile, loving the fact that she wants to make sure I’m safe.
“Thank you.” She leans over and kisses me softly.
“It’s fine.” I smile and caress her lower back. “Remember the first time you snuck out of the house to meet me?”
“If I remember correctly, I was the one who suggested we meet in the park.”
“Yes, you did, you little rebel.” I tease her.
“I’ll always remember that day. What made you think of it?” she asks sounding confused.
“Remember the last thing I told you before we walked home?” She looks at me with a puzzled expression before a dazzling smile spread over her beautiful lips.
“How could I forget!” She smiles wickedly.
I walk out of the house a few minutes before midnight. My parents are fine with me going out late, as long as I don’t cause any problems they don’t care. Besides I have a date with the beauty next door, wild dogs couldn’t keep me away.
I sit on the edge of one of the sides of the gazebo and light up a cigarette. I’m a few minutes early so I can catch a glimpse of her when she thinks no one can see her. Unfortunately for me, she spots me before I see her.
“Hey you,” I hear her sweet voice call from behind me.
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I hold my hand to my chest, willing my heart to slow down.
“Never.” She frowns and joins me in the gazebo. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to come.”
“Why not? I told you I’d be here.”
“I know you did, but guys don’t always keep their promises.” She shrugs.
“Well I do.” I smile and we both sit facing each other on the bench at the back of the gazebo.
“I can see that. So how come your family moved here?” she asks, fiddling with her fingers, looking nervous.
“They wanted a change I guess. I have to say that I’m finding it quite odd, fancy neighborhoods aren’t our usual scene.”
“You don’t say.” A sight smirk plays in the corner of her beautiful lips and I feel my heart skip a beat.
“Your parents don’t like us much, do they?”
“Now what would give you that impression?” She asks sarcastically.
“Hmmm, maybe it was the glares or maybe the fact that they called us criminals as soon as we got out of the moving truck?” I laugh because the situation is hilarious; their prim and proper daughter is secretly hanging out with a ‘criminal’ and they have no idea.
“Sorry about that, they are very judgmental.”
“Don’t apologize for them, it’s not your fault. You can’t help who your parents are.”
“I’m sure you’re a normal guy with a very interesting lifestyle.” She smiles and I’m a goner. With that one smile, she’s stolen my heart and I know I’m never getting it back.
“You never know, you could’ve taken after your parents.”
“Hell no! They forbade me to go anywhere near you but I wanted to hang out with you.”
“And look at the little rebel now, sitting here with the criminal after midnight. Aren’t you scared I’m going to attack you?” I smirk creepily but she just laughs at me. “So much for trying to scare you.”
“As I said earlier, I think you’re a total sweetheart, you can put on a tough man mask Bennett but I know what you’re like inside.”
“You sound very sure of yourself.”
“That’s because I am.” She shoulder bumps me and winks at me.
“Who knows what could happen between us? The sweet innocent girl and the criminal.”
“I hope something good,” she whispers softly.
“Things rough with your parents?”
“Yeah, they’re just so controlling and overprotective. Everything has to be their way and I feel like I’m constantly suf
focating” She sighs.
“One day I’ll take you out of here and show you what you’re missing.” I smile and take hold of her hand.
“Oh, really?” She squeezes my hand.
“Really.” I promise and, kiss her hand.
“I love you,” she says and kisses me softly.
“I love you too.” I smile and kiss her back as I pull a small box out of my pocket. “I promised you a ring five years ago.” I open the box and turn it around to face her. Inside is my mother’s engagement ring. She gave it to me after Nancy disappeared, and told me that I’d need it as soon as I had her back, she knew I’d find her even when I had given up hope. It’s a simple silver band with a purple stone in the middle surrounded by small diamonds. It’s a very simple design but it’s stunning. She looks between me and the ring with a stunned expression on her face. “Erm…say something?” I smile nervously.
“I already said yes, remember?” She raises her eyebrow at me, a playful smirk on her lips.
“I know you did, but I was drunk and you never know, you could’ve changed your mind.”
“Never.” She holds out her left hand and I slip the ring onto her finger before kissing it.
“You’ve made me the happiest man alive in the history of the Earth, my Gorgeous Girl.”
“Soppy ass.” She kisses me and wraps her arms around my neck.
“You love my soppy ass. How about we celebrate in bed.”
“Sure, so you can tear one of your stitches and start bleeding again? Yeah, I don’t think so Mister.” She glares at me.
“Alright, spoilsport.” I frown and return to my food. I know she’s right, but I need to make her mine completely again.
I can’t believe I finally asked her to marry me. She’s mine forever and I’m hers. As fucked up as things are, I’m fucking over the moon that things happened the way they did. Who knows what would have happened had none of this took place. At least we have come out of this stronger and probably appreciate our relationship a lot more because we know what it’s like to live without each other and it is shit. I don’t know if her parents going to try and get her back or make her pay for what she did, but I will be their right beside her to protect her. I will never fail her again. We have our second chance and the rest of our lives to create more memories that replace the years we were without each other. I knew from the beginning that she would be my one and only, I just didn’t know how much shit we would have to go through to finally get here.
Forgiving Nancy (Last Hangman MC Series Book 5) Page 23
