I watch until she disappears inside the building. Until I see a light flick on in what must be her apartment—third floor, just like she said.
I'm exhausted. Two fights in one night. Riot in the pit, then those five drunk assholes, and now this. My body's screaming at me, every muscle aching, knuckles throbbing. But it was worth it. Every fucking second was worth it.
Joanna's worth it.
I can still smell her on me. Strawberries and sex. I can still feel her body wrapped around mine, the way she'd ridden me like she was claiming me. The sounds she'd made. The way she'd begged me to cum inside her.
Fuck.
My cock twitches at the memory and I adjust myself in my jeans. Not now. Later. I'll deal with that later when I'm alone and can properly replay every second of what just happened.
I text Rampage: *Need a ride. Still at Joanna's place.*
His response comes less than a minute later: *Be there in 10.*
I lean my head back and close my eyes. Try to process everything. The way she'd looked at me when I told her about prison. Not with horror or disgust but with understanding. The way she'd defended what I did. Called the justice system fucked up for punishing me.
The way she'd touched me like I was something worth wanting.
I'm going to work so fucking hard to be the man she needs. The man she deserves. If she wants a stepdad for Daisy, I'll be that. If she wants someone to protect them, provide for them, be there for them, I'll be that too. Whatever she needs. Whatever they need.
Anything for her. Anything for her daughter.
The thought of Daisy makes something in my chest tighten. A three-year-old kid who needs stability and safety and someone who won't run when things get hard.
I can be that. I will be that.
Headlights sweep across the car. Rampage's truck pulls up behind Joanna's sedan and I walk toward him, my body still aching.
"Long night?" Rampage is smirking as he asks.
I settle into the passenger seat of his truck. "You could say that."
He pulls away from the curb, heading back toward the warehouse. "Want to talk about it?"
I should say no. Should keep this private. But something about the events of tonight, the violence, the sex, the confessions, has cracked something open inside me.
"I'm deep in it," I say.
"With Joanna?"
"Yeah."
Rampage nods slowly. "She's a good woman. Good mother. You could do a lot worse."
"I know. That's the problem. She's too good for someone like me." I stare out the window at Blackwater Falls sliding past. "But I'm going to try anyway. Going to work my ass off to become the man she needs. Better man. Better person."
"You're not as bad as you think you are, Danny."
"I went to prison for ten years."
"For protecting your sister. That's not the same as being a piece of shit." He glances at me. "Look, I get it. But sometimes the broken pieces fit together in ways that make sense."
I turn to look at him. "You really think that?"
"I know that. I believe that the right woman will make me want to be better. She’ll make me want to control the rage instead of just channeling it into the pit. You feel that way about Joanna?"
"Yeah. I do."
