Page 115 of Cut Me Down

“It’s fine, Nana. It’s just about work.” She nods her head, though I’m not so sure she’s going to accept my answer.

“That girl you got out there, she’s a little spit fire, yeah? Nice and polite too.”

“She is feisty. One of the million things I love about her.” She nods her head again.

“She’s been through a lot, hm?” She wiggles her painted on eyebrows at me.

“Do not tell her about your sense of smell, Nana.” She had a very traumatic life when she was young, and she swears she can smell it on other people. She says she can tell if someone is good or cold hearted by how they smell. I remember how she was when Melanie brought her first boyfriend to meet her. It’s still one of the funniest days of my life.

“I won’t dear, I'll refrain.” I look out to see her, but my chest tightens when I don’t immediately meet her gaze. I scan the living room until I see through the back doors that she’s moved outside to the porch. Instantly relieving my worries. “So, you think she’s it? You've never liked one enough to bring her around before.” I meet her soft stare.

“Yeah, Nana. She’s it. I wish I could explain how I know that. She just…she’s everything to me. I love her.” She smiles and pats my arm before gripping it adoringly.

“There’s no need to explain, Damien. I knew your Paw-Paw for all of a month before we got married. Fifty-seven years of marriage, and five years of death separating us, and not once have I doubted our love. Your father only knew your mother for three weeks, and I know he feels the same for her. Us Hartley’s, when we know, we know.” She walks up close to me. “She must be one special woman. To claim your heart, was a miracle.” We laugh. “So, in that case.” She starts to take her wedding rings off of her finger.

“Whoa, Nana. I can’t take that…” I put my hands on hers to try and stop her.

“Yes, you can. And you will.” She puts her engagement ring into my hand.

“Paw-Paw gave that to you, Nana. I can’t.” My whole family knows the story behind the ring. He took his whole life’s savings to buy it for her. Then a man mugged him and stole it. He searched for days for the mysterious man and then killed him when he finally found him. He proposed to my Nana that night and come to find out that it was actually her father that stole from my Paw-Paw. She said yes when he proposed and confessed to him how she was glad her father died. She was even happier when my grandfather told her it was him that had killed him. Turned out my great-grandfather was an abusive piece of shit. Murder has always surrounded our family. I suppose it's tradition at this point.

“I had always planned on giving it to one of my grandkids. For some reason when you and Emma were born, I knew it’d be you. Your Paw-Paw would be just as honored as I am. If you'd rather get her something fancy with all of that money you got, then that’s fine, but…”

“No, Nana. This is…she’d love this more than anything else I could get her. Thank you.” She places her hand on my cheek and gently taps it.

“You were always such a good boy. Such a good son, good friend, good brother.” I actually feel my throat tighten to her words. “Emma would have loved her.” All I can do is nod. I know she would have. Anyone that would make me this happy would have lit up her world. Now me? I know damn good and well that if any man ever tried to get near my sister, my body count would have started much earlier. God help every man on this planet when Ashia and I have a daughter. “Now hurry up, get hitched, and start popping out babies. I'm trying to get to thirty great grandkids by the time I croak.” I roll my eyes at her, grab her elbow, and help her walk back into the living room. Unable to lose the smile on my face.

“I'll let her make that choice, Nana.”

Chapter forty-one

Ashia

‘Lost Boy’ – Ruth B.

After finishing the dishes, me and his mom helped put the kids to bed while some were pulled into the office to talk. I imagine it’s about DH. Everyone that was pulled into that room works for him and Damien looked too tense for it to be about something else. Plus, the fact that they know about Damien’s real occupation says enough. I'm glad I'm not in there with them. His dad is a little scary. Nice, but scary, and I’m not sure how long it will take for me to feel comfortable around him. If I ever do.

It feels really nice outside tonight. Soothing. It’s warm, but the wind is cool, and heat lightning strikes across the sky occasionally to keep me awake. They have a large back deck, with covered swings and seating that leads down into the large backyard complete with a fire pit toward the end. A great view of the forest behind the house and there’s nothing in the sky for the stars to hide behind tonight.

I came out just to take a second to breathe while everyone is getting settled. I could almost fall asleep on this swing, if it wasn’t for that damn baby smell still lingering in my nostrils. He is so cute and small. It should be a crime for babies to be that adorable. Holding him for so long got into my head, but that’s how biology gets you. I swear babies smell that way to get others to have babies too. I see babies at work all the time, and they’ve never affected me like this. It was what he said when he fucked me on the car earlier. Asshole sent my body into ovulation. I take a deep breath, hoping to clear my head, but all I can do is smile.

Today was…incredible.

Other than Ser’s small family, I have never met so many great people. They all clearly love and care for each other and would die for one another, and they’re so comfortable together that you would think they all live together every day of the year. Everyone participated in so many fun activities and mingled like everyone already knew what to say. As if it was so natural that it was deeply ingrained in them. There were no side conversations or any awkwardness. Just people who love each other coming together to spend quality time.

Right before we played football, which I kicked ass at, and everyone was outside, the kids wanted to have a ‘pretend contest’. Which was practically charades, but everyone knew who they were acting as, so we just voted on who did the best. Damien and Zander were the best out of everyone, and my man’s goofy side really shined through, deepening my feelings for him even more.

They had to act out three things. The first? A prince. Zander chose the normal knight in shining armor prince, while Damien chose Flynn Ryder from Tangled. I can still hear him say ‘Alright, you give me no choice…here comes the smolder’ and smiled all cheesy. He won, regardless of the technicality that Flynn Ryder isn’t a prince, but the girls easily let that slide.

The second thing they acted out was a superhero. You would think since Damien is such a nerd, he would’ve won that one too, but Zander pulled a Hail Mary and used a rope to swing off the porch like Spider-Man. Damien acted like Batman, and then winked at me to reference our banter from yesterday. Saying ‘I am the night’ in a deep, batman style voice. For all the adults that know what he does? It was hilarious. For the kids? Not so much.

The final, and the best thing, was a pirate. Zander tried really hard. His fake sword fight and hook hand was very convincing, and almost won the kids over. Until it was Damien’s turn. All he had to do was steal the rum bottle from the table, yell ‘why is the rum gone?’ and do the Jack Sparrow run down the porch and through the yard. Most of us cried actual tears from laughing so hard, and he was the clear winner. His dad even laughed at him, and that might be the only smile, or glimpse of amusement, I’ve seen from him today.

I can’t help but sit on the swing and giggle to myself like a little schoolgirl with a crush on the popular jock. He is amazing, and just from being around so many people who know and love him, there’s no way it’s fake or a façade. He doesn’t wear any type of disguise with me. He’s always just…him…and that is the most incredible feeling I've ever experienced. Knowing I don’t have worry that I feel this way about someone he really isn’t, is the best thing I could ever ask for.

“Is my mommy out here?” I snap my head around to see Elena, Lauren’s four-year-old girl, standing in the doorway.

“No, sweetheart. She’s still talking with Paw-Paw. What’s the matter?”

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