Love Resisted (Entwined Hearts #2) (26 page)

“We’re gonna speak about this once, babe. So I want you to listen to my words and digest it. Sort out all that woman-overthinking-shit that you lot do, until it’s straight in your head. You have trouble, then of course talk to me again, but I’m gonna make this real simple.” He holds my chin and nods at me so I reflect his nod. Only when I do, does he continue, “You and me. That’s forever. There is, and never will be, anyone else for me. Whether it’s you and me. You, me and a kid, or you me and a fuck ton of them. As long as it’s you and me, babe, that’s what holds my world together. You. Just you. The rest we can do whatever you want. Whether that be trying to see how we can have a kid or doing absolutely nothing, and just living beautiful out together for the rest of our lives. As long as I have you, the rest is just gravy.”

I snort at his comment, but I also have a stream of tears once again attacking my cheeks. He brings both of his hands to my face and swipes his thumbs under my eyes wiping all the tears away. “I love you, Saul James,” I tell him.

“And I love you, Sophie, soon to be Mrs. James.” He smiles and both of his dimples pop out. My eyes widen. “Don’t worry, not yet. We’ll know when, babe, just know that it
will
be happening.”

I watch as her face lights up.
Did she ever think that I wouldn’t marry her?

“I always assumed you weren’t really the marrying type. No matter what you’ve said to me recently, I’ve had years of hearing you say you’d never get married, you’d never tie yourself down,” she says.

I guess that answers my question. She looks down to the floor so I grab her chin lifting her head so she’s looking straight at me.

“Soph, you’re not anyone else. You have had nearly all my past and you will have every second of my future. I want to tie myself to you in every way I can and I’m never letting you go, no matter what our future holds.”

She nods as her tears run over my hand. “I was thinking, Saul…I mean we don’t have to, it’s just I thought. Well…”

“Spit it out, babe,” I say with a grin and she smiles through her tears, which are thankfully drying up.

“Well, after talking to Dane about his childhood and knowing how we were both raised and that was by our real parents. I think…Well, we just have to look at our family. With the exception of Dane, you and Pea, none of us are blood-related. Yet we’re more of a family than either of us have had from our parents,” she stops and breathes in through her nose. “With the exception of my wonderful dad.”

I stroke my thumb against her knee where my hand is now resting. I can’t let my hand move any further upward or it will develop a mind of its own.

“Anyway, I thought it might be nice to foster and maybe one day adopt? You know, give a child who has nothing a chance for something?” she asks. I feel warmth burn through my chest as it swells with love, and my emotions threaten to take a hold of me.

I cough trying not to cry…again. “That sounds perfect, babe. Fucking perfect,” I tell her and bring her in for another kiss, this time it deepens as she opens for me. I slip my tongue inside caressing her mouth while softly putting pressure on her lips with mine. She slides her hand down and over my rock hard dick and I groan. “Stop, babe.” I don’t do much to actually stop her, instead continuing to kiss her while pushing my hands into her hair. She unzips me and pushes her hand through the hole in my jeans, grabbing hold of me. Her hand starts moving, pumping. I groan again, knowing I’m gonna shoot any minute as it’s been weeks since I’ve had her wrapped around me in any way. Then she grunts, and it’s not with pleasure but in pain. I pull back and see the pain scattered across her beautiful face, her eyes are closed and her brow is wrinkled. “Okay that’s enough,” I tell her.

“But Saul, I wanted to—”

I cut her off. “I know Soph, but I told you, we’ll wait until you’re up to it. The physio seems to think another two weeks and you’ll be feeling much better. We’ll reassess then,” I tell her and she smiles stroking my face.

“Thank you my Caveman.”

I nod. “Go phone Con’s friends and fill them in. I’m gonna call Dane and give him a list of shit to pick up from the supermarket on his way back. We haven’t got enough in for just us and now we’ll have more people arriving. It’s good this fucking place is so big,” I say looking around.

“Yeah, thank you for this honey.” I look back at Soph and see she’s biting her bottom lip.

“For what?” I ask.

“For moving us to this big house, away from…” I know she can’t quite finish that sentence so I don’t let her.

“Of course, beautiful. Anyway, this place is much nicer,” I say with a wink and she smiles.

“Call Con’s friend, babe,” I tell her getting up and pulling my phone out to call Dane. Glad that Soph seems to be coping with everything. She’s pretty fucking amazing. But then I knew that already.

“Saul’s gone to meet them at the train station,” I tell Dane when he walks down the stairs having just woken up. His eyes are all sleepy still and he has bed head. Damn he’s sexy. I can still look, right?

“Con?” he answers running his hand through his dishevelled hair.

“Bringing Pea back, they should be here anytime.”

“Saul just left you alone,” he asks a frown crossing his face.

“No Dane, you were here,” I tell the back of his head as he walks toward the kitchen.

“I was asleep,” he throws back looking over his shoulder.

“Yeah, and one scream from me or a single bit of noise and you would’ve been here like a shot,” I shout through to the kitchen.

“Hmmm,” I hear his reply followed by some muttering that I can’t make out.

“I’m back, bitches!” I hear shouted ten minutes later followed by the door slamming shut.

Dane looks at me. “So apparently Pea’s back,” he tells me his face stoic and I burst into laughter having to hold my stomach as it hurts to laugh. “Stop laughing,” Dane growls at me which just makes me laugh harder. Pea walks in followed by Con, who’s moaning about her not getting so carried away and even though she’s permanently back at the house she still needs to rest. To which she rolls her eyes at him but while looking at me which, of course, makes me laugh again. She gently throws herself into my arms.

“I’ve missed you sweets. So much.”

“Me too, Pea,” I answer rubbing my hand up and down her back. I close my eyes just pleased that everyone I love is okay. Pea sits herself next to me on the sofa.

“So when is the new addition to our family coming home?” I ask and her face flushes with love.

“Next week, they think. She’s doing so well, Soph. Look I have a new picture.” She pulls out her phone and flips through about five new photos she’s taken of the bundle of joy. She’s a beautiful baby, olive skin and a nearly bald head except for a tuft of brown hair. Big blue eyes.

“You made a good one,” I tell Con with a wink and see him puff his chest out. Which, of course, makes me laugh again. He huffs which then sets Pea off and before I know it everyone is laughing and I feel full of love and contentment.

“So have you named her yet?” I ask and Pea smiles.

Con sits on the arm of the sofa and wraps his arm around her shoulder. “Eleanor, after Pea’s gran,” he tells me and I watch as Pea’s eyes fill with happy tears. I’m feeling a bit emotional myself. Her gran would have loved that.

I hear the front door open and we all look that way knowing Saul will be coming through with the others.

“Fuck they brought a lot of shit,” Saul says as he walks around the corner. Spotting us all, he takes a sidestep and rubs the back of his neck.

“Who has a lot of stuff?” Con asks standing and we all follow suit.

“Errm,” Saul splutters looking at Pea for help.

“Con, baby,” Pea calls gently and he looks at her. “I wanted to do something nice for you and I organised it ages ago. Before, well, all this. But as we’re stuck here I had to make alternative arrangements for them.” Con tilts his head, confusion written on his face until he looks back at the door when the words, “Hey fucker!” are shouted in a gravelly American accent.

“Lewis, what the fuck are you doing here?” Con asks but with a smile on his face.

“Came to see your girl, fucker,” Lewis answers and Con strides across the room pulling Lewis into a man hug, just as the others come around the corner. One by one Con hugs them, he then turns and walks back to Pea. Lifting her, he swings Pea around then gently places her back on the floor, pulling her into him and whispering something that none of us can hear. Her face turns beet red.

“Saul, Soph, Dane, Pea, this is Sam, Tyler, Lewis and Libby,” Con says introducing everyone formally. They all gather to say their hellos except for Dane. I look around and see he’s still, his body locked into position and his eyes are trained on Libby. His jaw is ticking and his eyes are alight with something.

“Dane,” I call, but he doesn’t move and now everyone is aware of the weird vibe coming from him.

“Dane, what’s wrong, bro?” Saul asks moving to me and slipping his arm round my shoulders. Dane looks at us and then back to Libby. He steps forward stiffly, almost like he’s scared.

“Elizabeth?” he whispers and Libby looks at him with wide eyes.

“I go by Libby,” she replies. He reaches out to touch her face, but she pulls back fear flashing in her eyes and I see the moment she does the devastation that crosses Dane’s face.

“Nova,” he whispers softer and I feel like someone just stuck a hot poker in my heart.

“Nova,” the word escapes my lips, but only Saul hears me. He looks down at me and I whisper, “Elizabeth…Nova…Dane’s person.” Saul looks up and I can see his eyes working and then the moment they fix back on me he knows, just like I do that this is
the Elizabeth
he told me about. The one he has looked for, for years.

“Elizabeth,” Dane says again and Libby narrows her eyes. “Libby,” Dane corrects himself. “It’s me, Dane.”

Libby stares at him, creasing her eyebrow and rubbing her temple. “I’m sorry, I don’t know you,” she answers and I see the complete look of pure horror in Dane’s eyes. Never has he been so open in showing his emotions.

“Nova?” he whispers again, but his tone is of a man scared.

“I don’t know why you keep calling me, Nova, but I’m sorry I go by Libby. Although my full name is Elizabeth…I think.” She scratches her head. “I guess we’ve met before?” she asks seemingly trying to soften the blow.

“We didn’t just meet, Nov…Libby. We were together.”

She sighs at his response. “Can I ask, was this over ten years ago?” Dane nods at her question. She sighs again and sits on a chair.

“Ten years ago I had a serious accident and I’ve lost almost all my memories prior to me waking up in the hospital. I’m so sorry, Dane is it?” she tells him and I watch as the strong man I know crumble. His shoulders drop as does his head. He lets himself almost fall onto the sofa behind him and he looks back at her. Broken.

“Nothing. You remember nothing?” he asks and she shakes her head.

“Well, I know things like I was a foster kid, but that’s from parts of my life that I’ve pieced together. But as far as remembering, no, I don’t remember a thing. I’m sorry.”

Dane nods and gets up. He leans over and grips the back of one of the wooden chairs in the room. It looks like he does it for support.

Staring at the floor rather than at any one of us he grunts out, “I’m going out for a while.” A grimace crosses his face. Then he marches out the door, slamming it behind him.

“Go after him, baby please,” I tell Saul gripping onto his arm and feeling tears welling in my eyes once again. He nods, kisses me softly, and follows Dane. Everyone turns to look at everyone else.

“I’m so sorry,” Libby murmurs. She also has tears in her eyes.

“It’s okay,” I tell her and Pea moves to give her a hug.

“You can’t help it. Just give him time, I’m sure he’ll come back and you can sort through it all,” Pea tells her. She nods and sniffles and we all sit down unsure of what to say next. After a few minutes, the guys break the tension talking about what they’ve been doing. Pea sits next to me.

“So this is Dane’s Nova?” she whispers looking at me while darting her eyes in Libby’s direction.

“Yeah, she’s the one…and she doesn’t even realise it,” I reply sadly

“Pea? Soph? Can I ask what that was about?” Libby questions tentatively from her position on the sofa opposite. Pea and I look at each other.

“We can’t tell you everything, it’s Dane’s story to tell, but you knew each other when you were teenagers. You were in the same foster home, but you were also a couple,” I explain.

Pea butts in, “You were the one that got away, Libby. I know people can change and even if you did still have your memories you might not feel the same way about Dane now. But go easy on him, because for him…well…you’ve always been
it.”

“It?” Libby asks pulling her eyebrows inwards.

“
It,
you know, the one,” Pea finishes and Libby bites her bottom lip and looks out the window.

“Just go easy on his heart,” I tell her softly and she looks at me with fear in her eyes but nods her agreement. I sigh. I can’t concentrate. My head is spinning and my heart is breaking for Dane, he has quickly become like my big brother and I love him. We shared our secrets and I know how much he loves the beautiful, petite brunette sitting opposite me. And she hasn’t got a clue. At least I had Saul in my life and he knew me. Remembered everything we’d shared, even before we were together.

Dane though, he doesn’t even have that.

Fuck! I hope he’s okay.

“Dane. Fuck! I wondered if I’d ever find you,” I tell him sliding onto the barstool next to his.

“Maybe you should’ve just left me to drown my sorrows,” he slurs.

“No brother, I can’t leave you, especially at a time like this,” I answer.

“A time like what, Saul? A time when I finally find her, to then feel the pain of losing her all over again?” he answers while staring at his finger. Which for some reason he’s moving back and forth from his eyes to his spirit glass.

“What you drinking?” I ask him.

“Jack,” he tells me and continues, “Bar person lady, can I have another?” The barmaid walks toward us raising a single eyebrow considering Dane’s request.

“How many has he had?” I ask and he jumps in with, “Not nearly fucking enough.”

“Nine,” she answers dryly.

“Fuck Dane, I’ve only been looking for you for an hour. Shit man!”

“I need to forget, brother. I just need to forget,” he tells me as his voice cracks.

I look back at the barmaid, “Give him another.”

She nods. “He’s your responsibility,” she tells me.

“I’ll have a beer,” I answer, she puts my beer in front of me then gives Dane a double JD. “Double?” I ask her.

She replies, “Every one of them.”

“Fuck,” I say rubbing my hand down my face.

“What am I gonna do?” Dane asks me and I look at him and see myself a few months ago.

“You have to make her remember, or you have to make her fall in love with you again. Get it out of your system tonight brother, because soon the biggest fight of your life will begin.” He looks back to his glass and downs the lot in one go.