Page 62 of Full Out Fiend

I gently probe at my jaw again—it smarts, but I’ve had worse. And just like I repeated over and over again tonight—it was absolutely worth it.

Except now we’re driving away, and I have no idea how to play this.

Things between Daphne and me have been going well. We talk every day, and she’s included me in every detail and decision where the baby’s concerned. I hope to God I didn’t just throw that all away with my back-to-back tantrums.

When we pass through downtown Hampton, she finally speaks.

“Did you mean what you said back there?”

Panic rises in my chest as I sift through all the things she might be referencing. I feel horrible that I fucking went off on her family, especially in front of her little sister. Tahlia didn’t deserve to sit through that. But neither did Daphne.

Fuck it. I’m not sorry for standing up for her and calling them on their bullshit. I wish it had gone down differently, but they were horrible first.

There wasn’t a single thing I said about her or in defense of her that wasn’t true.

“Every word,” I confirm, reaching across the center console without taking my eyes off the road. I let out a silent sigh of relief when she lets me interlace our fingers.

“Have they always been like that?” I hedge.

She hums under her breath and sighs. “You’re going to have to be more specific about who you’re talking about…”

“Your parents.”

“I guess? It was all I knew when I was a kid. Then, as I got older, it didn’t affect me as much, because I didn’t live at home. I moved back in with them this summer since I was supposed to move into Anthony’s place after the wedding,” she explains. “I got so good at ignoring it that I stopped keeping track of when it happened. But seeing it through your eyes tonight…”

“That was bullshit. I meant what I said to your dad, angel.” I squeeze her hand in what I hope is a comforting gesture so she knows I’m on her side. But I won’t budge on this. “I know I can’t fight all your battles for you, but I’ll go to war to protect our child from that sort of gaslighting and vitriol. They’ll control their tempers and their words, or they won’t be around our baby.”

Daphne says nothing for a beat, then another.

“I don’t want to fight you on this, angel, but—”

She cuts me off before I make it any further. “I don’t disagree. At all. I just don’t know how to navigate this…”

“Leave it to me,” I assure her. “I’ll help you get your stuff moved out. I don’t mind being the bad guy as long as I’m not the villain in your eyes.”

“Never.” She squeezes my hand reassuringly where it rests on the exposed skin of her thigh. I spread my fingers wide, craving more contact. I meant what I said to her parents. Every damn word I said to her asshole ex was true, too. I want this woman so much it hurts.

“If you’re really moving out of their house… do you want me to take you back to Serena’s?”

I hate the idea of driving up 480 to her best friend’s studio apartment. Sure, it’s closer to work for her, and it’s infinitely better than being stuck at her parents’ house… but it’s farther away from me. I hold back my pout as I wait for her answer.

“Did you mean what you said?” she asks again.

I peek over at her quickly, our eyes connecting for a single second as we navigate what’s next and what this means for, well,us.

“I’ve meant every word since I met you, angel. But you’re going to have to be more specific about what you’re asking—”

“Do you really want me to move in with you?”

I hold back a grin and breathe a sigh of relief.

“I’ve literally never wanted anything more in my whole damn life.”

She pauses for a beat, then another.

We’re dancing in the in between, figuring this out on the fly, relying on nothing but instinct and this undeniable connection between us to validate that what we’re doing is good and real and true.

If she turns me down, I have to keep my cool. There’s no good reason for us to live together—but I want it so bad it hurts. I just want to be near her. To take care of her. And yeah, maybe I want more time with her and more opportunities to woo her. If I can show her how good we could be together—remind her how good we alreadyare—then maybe there’s hope for more.