Page 19 of Forbidden Vow

“I’m his father,” he growled. “We were in love once.”

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “And you changed you mind. The only reason you’re here now is because Lexington manipulated me into that law office.”

And that had continued to bother him. All those years ago, why had she chosen to keep her vow to his father and let him go?

Darius raked his fingers through her hair. “Why did you keep your vow? You could have violated the NDA.”

She just looked at him. “Yeah, I figured it out. All those messages you left on my cell, the times when you tried to tell me youcaredfor Lexington. You never said you cared for, as in romantically, him.”

“It’s weird,” she said absently. “When you grow in a home when your word is never enough, where the lie becomes the truth, it shapes how you see the world. It’s one of the reasons I became a nurse, you know?”

“How so?” He didn’t understand, though he felt he should have. This was a side of Raven she never revealed to him. Or maybe he’d missed it because of his own self-righteousness and pride.

“Patients, families-they trusted the nurse.” She gave a half-hearted laugh. “Sometimes more than the doctor.”

“I can see that.” Because of her, he did. Darius would trust her with his life. His love.

“Lexington had faith in me. In the end, he felt guilty about what happened between us.”

Shit, Darius did, too.

“He got us back together, though.” He smiled, proud of his old man for fixing his mess. Darius would follow his old man’s lead. “My father should get his own golden flat-screen or whatever God’s door prize is these days.”

“First, I don’t think there’s a sports bar up yonder. And second, we are not together.”

“Fuck, Raven,” he bit out in frustration. “You know I want to be with you. I have since your smart ass drank my coffee.”

She gave him a twisted smirk. “I’m pretty sure I brewed that cup for me.”

“You gave birth to my son,” he snagged her around the waist, dragging her into his lap. “That makes you mine,” he crooned, snuggling her neck.

She looked up over her shoulder. “You think so?” she teased.

Darius believed time would heal the wounds of the past. Maybe seeing him with their son would help her release the anger of his hurtful accusations. For him, understanding how much she valued a promise, even his father’s forbidden vow, made him love and respect her all the more.

In one swift move, he rolled her behind him. “Let me convince you.”

* * *

Darius

Darius looked down at the woman he considered to be his. With the twinkle of the city lights dancing across her skin, she looked like a nymph. Lashes lowered to half-mast, she watched him. He burned to be inside Raven, but her damn granny panty pajamas were in the way.

“Raven, why do you have on so much clothing? We’re in bed.”

“What?” she mused. “It’s just a pullover shirt, lounge pants, and socks.”

“It’s a fucking Sak’s closeout rack. Where the hell are you planning to go in your sleep?”

“I’m a mom, Darius.”

He lifted the shirt, sliding one hand up, cupping her breast. Against his hand, her heart pounded. “A sexy-as-fuck mom,” he whispered.

“Relax, babe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Raven stiffened.

Bending over her supine frame, he sucked her lower lip between his teeth. When she didn’t respond, he released it. “What?” When she tried to look away, he captured her chin, dragging her gaze back to his. “Spill.”