Chapter 61

GRACIE

Two weeks went by in a blink of an eye, he trying hard to be a better person to me and Hazel, but some days he would just snap, then apologize afterwards.  It wasn't easy, but I understood,  I was willing to be patient until the day his demons were finally going to be let free.

Although he fought it, I still feel it though, the darkness was still in there ... Still buried inside of him,  waiting for the slightest opportunity to claw out of their temporary cage.  He became more possessive than ever as he would never let me out of his sight even for a minute,  it elated me but at the same time, I was scared.

Some nights I would wake up to find him awake, his gaze studying me. But he's never hurt me. I knew he wouldn't....but I couldn't say for sure what would happen if I tried to leave,  not that I would try to, but the anxiety that he was getting way too obsessed with me was disturbing.

Aside from these, I had no other worries, that was until he broke the news to me yesterday.

That his father wants to see us.

I couldn't control the tenseness I felt inside, even until now.

Judging by our past relationship  I couldn't be sure what to expect, I've never met his father before,  I knew nothing about him except the fact that he hated my father,  and had sought revenge against him for the death of his wife and only daughter.

Although Hayden and I were still trying to fight and forget the painful past, I couldn't rest assured that the rest of his family would feel the same about me and Hazel. I didn't know how deep the hatred might still run. It wasn't about me,  I just don't want Hazel to be hurt in any way, all I wanted was for her to remain happy and clueless about the cruelties of the world for as long as I could.

The moment he walked inside the room, the air changed,  it was as if my body was trained and alerted to always recognize his presence.

His gaze held mine as he approached me in sure strides.

"Tell me what is wrong "

I was slightly surprised by his direct question,  I hadn't been expecting it when I had left the breakfast room I didn't think he'd noticed anything was wrong,  I thought I hid the fact that I'm very worried to meet his family, but then I could never hide anything from him.

I clasped my fingers together.

"I'm fine "

"No you're not" he pointed out flatly, pinning me with a stare he continued.

"You've been this quiet since yesterday, I know you are worried about meeting father"

I tilted my gaze to meet his once again, since he knew it all there was no point denying it anymore.

"I'm really worried, what does all this mean? can't we just stay here with you?  I know your family does dangerous things and I just don't want my daughter to get involved in any of it" I tried to say as convincingly as I could.

Okay.  That didn't come out fine,  something hard flashed across his gaze as he approached another step until there was no gap between us.

"I'll. never .put. her .in. any.danger" He breaths out enunciating each word slowly.

"You know how much you both mean to me" his gaze burned with bright intensity,  searching mine.

I could feel the tension radiating from his body, I almost reached my hand to touch him but decided against it,  I don't think that it would help at this moment.

His gaze spoke the plain truth, urging me to believe him and I believed every word he said, Still that wasn't enough to dispel my worries.

"I know you won't, you would never allow her to get hurt intentionally, but you have enemies, I don't want anything to happen to her just like...... " My words came to a halt when I realized what I had almost let out.

It didn't matter because he perfectly understood already

I saw sadness and raw hurt flickered in his gaze before it completely went blank.

"This is a part of who I am... I can't change the fact Gracie, not even if I wanted to," he spoke quietly. He stormed out of the room before I could utter another word, slamming the door close behind him.

I stared at the now empty room with the sourest taste lingering in my mouth and the pit of my stomach.

I've hurt his feelings.

But what could I have done? the feel motherly instinct in me wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happens to our little girl.

These past few weeks with him I had almost forgotten that he has a life outside, one he would have to get back to sooner or later.

Just like he'd said,  he couldn't change that fact,  even if he wanted to...

A sigh escaped my mouth as I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. Why do I feel that we've taken a step backward from all the progress this past week?

*

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HAYDEN

My fist punched hard against the tiled wall but I didn't feel the tingling sensation. My muscles were all tensed up.

She had been right

But that didn't make the truth hurt any less.

Often at times, it was common in our business,  it wasn't rare for someone to get hurt, just like mother and Jenny like she'd stopped herself from saying. I'll fuck with anyone before I let anything happen to either of them, still, it had felt like she was condemning me. Like our daughter would get hurt and it would be because of me. And it had felt like a punch to my gut. I exhaled roughly feeling the need to break things, the mirror in front of me looked so tempting.... everything had been going well, the last thing I needed was a rift.

I already anticipated this during the past week,  sometimes I had woken up during the night to stare at her wondering how she would take it.... being introduced to the world I lived in.

"Fuck. " I breath out in frustration as I  walked out of the bathroom, there had to be a way to make her understand..... That there was no god damned way out of this.

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