Chapter 28
1174 Words
“I think I am falling for you,” Danny.
Present time -
The sheer relief and unimaginable shame. How could one feel both at the same time? Danny thought.
She was relieved to have told her best friends. For keeping it a secret only made her feel shameful. Like it was her fault that it had happened to her. A taboo conversation that only shames the victim.
Yet, she feels relieved beyond the countless therapists who have tried to get her to talk about that faithful night in her heart. She was finally able to tell the people closest to her heart.
The best part was that she was not forced to talk about it. To relive every detail, as once her therapist has done.
With her best friends, she just knew. She didn’t need to say too much for them to understand. They quietly took in what she said and understood what she didn’t say. And in the end, they still accepted her.
They all still love her. After all these years, she still loves them like a brother.
Even Blake? She thought.
Does he think vile of me now? Should I even care if I ONLY love him like a brother?
However relieved she felt, the venomous shame slowly crept inside her—making her second guess herself. Should she have told them? Would they start pitting her? Would they see her as weak?
What does Blake think?
One time she wanted to tell her dad what she felt after a night tremor, but he only brushed her aside. He told her to let out her pain through training. So her dad trained her hard. But it did not help with the shame she felther shame—the guilt she carried.
As her brain bombards her with 20 questions a second, she hyperventilates.
“Sshhh, my love, calm down. You are safe.” Blake rubbed the lower portion of her back in circles. As soon as he does, she instantly calms down and feels the warmth of his hand.
“How, Hmmm, How do you do that?” She asked.
“Do what?” Blake acted coy. He knows full well the reaction he is giving her. Blake knows he can comfort his mate. The bond has only gotten much stronger after her confession. His wolf and himself erfeel more possessive of her.
Oh, my darling, how you have suffered. I will promise to make it up to you. Blake thought to himself. He is vowing to himself always to keep h safe.
“Help calm me down?” Danny continues, “It's like, and I am ashamed to say this, but when you are there, I feel….” She bit her lower lip to frighten herself to allow herself to share her feelings towards him.
Was it saying what she felt or admitting to herself that she was? Was she falling for Blake?
“Feel safe?” Blake interrupted her mid-thought.
“Yes,” She answered shyly.
Blake’s heart swelled. He now knows for sure she could feel the bond too. And not only that, she was allowing herself to feel for him.
“You never have to feel unsafe again, Daniella,” Blake whispers.
Danny leans back to his chest as Blake wraps his arms around her chest.
“Am sorry,” Blake says with remorse.
“For?” Danny quips
“For all the s**t I gave you throughout high school. For when we were 12 and me walking out on you.” Blake’s voice broke.
Danny deepened her head resting on his chest as she spoke, “How many times do you have to apologize for that, Blake. How could you have known? Besides, you would have only pitied me then as you are now.”
Blake quickly lifted Danny off his chest and turned her around. Danny was now straddling Blake, and their faces were only inches apart. Danny let out a whimper as she sat on him.
“You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. And I don’t pity you. You deserve my respect, not my pity. I just wished I wasn’t a jerk all those years. If I could only turn back time, I would. I would have wanted you to have felt safe sooner.”
Danny was quiet. Unsure what to say. Her body betrays her as Blake’s warmth engulfs her.
“I still meant every word I said to you that evening. And I’ll repeat them to you now.” Blake cups her face, stopping him from taking her right there. He knew tonight wasn’t the night for that.
“ I love you, Daniella. I’ve loved you since, and I love you more each day.” He bites his lower lip and continues, “ What happened to you was atrocious. No one should have ever gone through such a thing. But it doesn't make me love you less. It doesn’t change how I feel for you.”
“I love you, and I vow to make you feel safe and loved for the rest of your days if you let me.”Blakes was losing control. Danny was on top of him. Their faces are so close together. All he needed to do was kiss her, and he would have claimed her there and then.
Danny’s body was betraying her as well. She has never been on top of a man before. Not like this. Not with Blake was professing his love to her, and despite all the warnings of her mind, her heart was melting.
“Blake, am I not yet ready?”
“I will wait for you. We can start slow. How about I be your friend again? I want to be in your life Dans.”
“Are you sure that’s enough for you?” The side of her lips curled upward, “Are you sure that’s enough for the infamous Blak Conner?”
Blake arched his brow. “Infamous? Ha. Why do you believe such gossip Dans?”
“Ha. Rumors? Conner, seeing you with q new eye candy every week isn’t gossip.”
“So I see I am back to Conner now. Is that how slow you want it to be?”
“You're changing the topic.”
“As I said, I was a jerk, and I am sorry for being one.”
Danny didn’t have a comeback; what was she to say when she knew she was falling for Blake Conner.
“I am ok with being friends again, Blake. Especially since you, my comforter.”
“Comforter,” Blake looked confused.
“How easily you could calm me down hence the term comforter” Danny laughed.
“God, you're corny as ever.” Blake laughs.
“IllI'll take it,” Blake retorts.
“Take what?” Danny was the one now confused
“Your offer of being friends again. If that’s where I have to start, so be it.” Blake was sure as hell never letting go of Danny.
- Writer
