I walk outside, and I see Nico sitting at the bench, nursing a beer and staring ahead.
“You okay?”
“Am I okay?” He snorts, shaking his head. “I just found out my idiot sister has been keeping who has been sending her those flowers from us, after I asked her who had sent them the first time and she lied right to my fucking face.” He still stares ahead, gripping the neck of the bottle. I haven’t seen Nico lose his cool often. He’s always the levelheaded one, and I’m the hothead with the short fuse. So, to see him close to losing it, I know this has upset him a lot. “I mean what the fuck was she thinking? She needs to get it in her stubborn head that we’re here to help her through whatever she’s going through.”
I nod in agreement. Before I can reply and tell him she doesn’t actually know who sent them, I’m interrupted by a frantic Jess.
“She's gone. Daria's gone.”
My whole world freezes and turns upside down. Sprinting past her to my room, I swing open the door and see no sign of Daria. Dad and Nico run behind me.
Nico walks over to the desk. He stops dead, turning to speak. “Striker.” He holds up a piece of paper.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't be the person you all deserve. I need to make this right.
I want you all to know, I love you all so much.
D xxx
“Get the guys. We need to find her.” Dad shouts his orders as we all run to our bikes. We're about to speed off when we hear Chucky shout.
“Striker.” We all look over to him, his eyes drawn to something above the building. Following his line of sight, I see something that I never wanted to see. Daria.
No.
I throw my helmet down, running to the bottom of the building, underneath where she is, craning my neck as I look up. She's just sitting, staring toward the sky. I see her mouth moving.
“Daria!” I shout. “Daria, baby. Please get back from the edge.”
“Why?”
“Because we have a baby on the way, and because I love you.” I look to my right. I nod to Nico, who sprints, climbing the ladder at the far end of the building. “I want to build a life with you. You, me, Emily, and the baby. I want to marry you. But I need you to come down from there so I can ask you for real.”
“You don't want to marry me. You just feel like you have to do the right thing because I'm having your kid again.”
“That's not true, baby. You know it's not.” Come on, Nico. “I love you with everything in me. I want to wake up with you every morning, go to sleep every night next to you. Seeing that beautiful smile and that mischievous glint in your eye when you're up to something.” The thought makes me smile. “Come on, Daria. Please, just come down.”
“Everyone hates me.” Her voice breaks, along with my heart.
“No, baby. No one hates you.” Just as I say that, everything is a blur. It happens so fast I don't know how to react. I'm rooted to the spot; I've forgotten how to breathe. I hear a scream coming from my left. A tear drips down from my eye.
Daria.
I scale the side of the building as fast as I can. I need to see that she's okay.
What I see shatters me.
Daria is clinging on to Nico, crying into his chest, completely broken as he carries her down the ladder. He's whispering in her ear. I can see this has affected him as much as it has me. I’ve never in my whole time of knowing Nico seen him cry.
Witnessing Nico breaking the way he is strikes me hard. He looks over at me standing on the sidelines, watching the two people I love most in this life. Daria’s head turns slightly to look at me. She looks back up at Nico, who cradles her face and says something else, closing his eyes and kissing her forehead before placing her on her feet.
Daria turns and her eyes clash with mine as she begins walking toward me. I step forward, and she runs toward me, crushing her body with mine. I encase her in my arms, breathing a sigh of relief that she’s safe.
“I’m sorry.” She hiccups, the dampness seeping through my shirt and hitting my skin. “I’m so sorry, Striker.”
I cradle her head to my chest and squeeze my eyes closed, a vice grip around my heart getting tighter. I kiss the top of her head, taking a deep breath in. “Let’s get you home.”
“Daria,” Jess yells, running towards us. “Do you have any idea how idiotic that was?”
“Jess…”
“You could have fallen! You could have died!” she cries, pulling Daria to her into a crushing hug. “I love you. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I won’t. I’m sorry.”
“Come on. Home for you to rest.” I guide her to the car and drive us home.
***
“You want to tell me why you were on the edge of the roof?” I ask as I help her take her shoes off. She gives me a sideways glance but stays silent. “Baby, why were you on the edge.”
“I went up there to get away from you all hating me.” Her voice is small, like a kid waiting to get into trouble from her parents. “I went up there to get closer to my grandpa. I wish he were here. I wanted to be with my Grandpa.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about the flowers and how often they were coming?”
“I was scared and thought I could handle it.”
“Is this why you’ve been jumpy the past few months? Why you’re not eating much?” She swallows and nods her head. “Tell me honestly, were you going to jump?” Her head falls forward, her long hair acting as a curtain to shield her face from me. “Daria? You have to talk to me. I need to understand why.”
“I thought about it, but then I thought about you, Emily, and the baby, and how it would have affected you all. I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to you.”
“Baby, you need to start talking to me, to Nico, to anyone. You’re not alone in this. We’re all here for you, and it’s time you start trusting all of us with what’s locked up in your head.”
She says nothing, but nods. “I’m going to get a shower and call Dad.”
“I went to the prison. I was going to visit Ramon,” I stop dead, rage starting to fill in my veins. “I didn’t go in. I sat in the parking lot and read his file. After reading what he did, I couldn’t go in.”
Is she fucking with me now? She was actually going to go see that crazy son of a bitch after I explicitly told her not to go and she promised me that she would leave it? My whole body starts to vibrate with anger. Why couldn’t she just listen to me when I said he was bad news, the worst type of person you could ever lay your eyes on? Lauren even told her what he was like and she still went to go see him. Heat flows through my veins the more I think about it. I need out of here and calm myself down before I lose control and say something I will later regret.
“You still went as far as to go to the prison, Daria. After I told you to leave it. You may not have gone in, but you still went.” My muscles tighten so tight my limbs become painful. I shake my head and leave her. Closing the door, I hear her let out a sob.
My eyes squeeze, closed tight.
I nearly lost her tonight to her own thoughts.
I hope that, whatever is going on in her head, she opens up before it breaks her completely, taking me along with her.
***
“Did she say anything?” Nico called me after I got off the phone to Dad. I look over at her; she’s sitting on the seat outside opposite the pool, a blanket covering her legs. She looks so lost and dazed. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact she thought about jumping and she was going to visit Ramon. “Striker?”
“Yeah. She said she thought about jumping.”
“What the fuck? Are you shitting me? She was seriously going to jump?” He starts yelling down the phone. I debate whether to tell him about her nearly visiting Ramon in prison, but I don’t think he would be able to handle it. Daria can have that conversation with him.
“Nico, she’s obviously got more going on in her head than she’s letting on. We need to be careful about how we approach this.”
“Aren’t
you pissed at her?”
“Of course I am, Nico. But, shit, going in all guns blazing and demanding she tells us everything isn’t going to work. She’ll just withdraw further into herself. Believe me, I’ve been there.”
“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hangs up on me.
My eyes focus back onto Daria, and her hand lifts, wiping under her eye. Nico’s right, I am angry at her right now. But I’m also hurting for her that she’s gotten to the point that she no longer wants to be here.
I don’t know how to help you, if you don’t talk to me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Daria
It’s been over a month since the rooftop incident. I told Nico about how I was going to visit his dad in prison. No matter how many times I said I didn’t go in, he still yelled at me that I was stupid for even thinking of going and refused to talk to me for a week. Jess was sad that I couldn’t come to her over what I was thinking. Dad came over after Nico told him what happened. He thought telling Dad would make me talk, but all it did was make me want to stay quiet, I don’t want Dad to be disappointed in me again, like he was when I was pregnant.
As for Striker, he’s been quiet around me most of the time, up until a couple of days ago, when I begged him to tell me what he was feeling. To yell at me. Something so I knew what he was thinking. He shouted at me, telling me he thought I was being selfish by thinking that suicide was the only way out when he’d told me time and time again that I could tell him anything. He said he was livid at me because he doesn’t want Emily to go through what he went through after losing his own mom that way. I apologized and said that I would try to be more open. It’s just hard for me sometimes.
It turns out, whoever is sending the flowers and the person who ran me off the road, could be connected in some way, and likely Brad. Striker has been with me consistently since then. He called Dr. Brooks and told her about my fainting at the party. She made a house call and took my blood pressure, then put me on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. She was adamant that I take it easy with limited activities and light exercise.
“Honey, you coming out to the yard?” Lauren walks over to me, taking the bowl of chips. I came into the kitchen to refill the bowl. “Nico’s on tenterhooks wanting to find out if Ezra has a playmate or not.”
“I’ll be out in a sec.” I smile a little. Lauren was upset that I didn’t go to her about it all too. I told them all that it just takes some getting used to. It has always been just Jess I was able to go to, and I hate putting all my problems and worries onto her. She has her own life to lead. She shouldn’t need to have me constantly in her ear.
So, I agreed to up my therapy sessions. Lesson learned: I need to talk things out and not let them fester. However hard it may be.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. Let's go put Nico out of his misery.” My smile widens. We walk out into our back yard that Jess and Emily decorated with pink and blue accessories; paper plates, paper cups. There’s a poll so people can guess the sex—majority say boy—and what weight and date the baby will be born. The whole place makes me smile. It makes me wish I had this for Emily. All I had was a lunch with Alex and Jess after my sexing scan, which I loved, but I should have had all of this for her too.
Striker’s voice brings me out of my musings.
“Emily, come over here.” Striker calls her over and she stands next to us under a big black balloon. “You ready to find out if it’s a brother or sister?”
“Hopefully a brother.” She smiles up at him.
“I hope so too, Ems,” Nico shouts, holding Ezra. “And Ezra agrees.”
I giggle at him; he’s more excited than anyone about the prospect of another boy.
“You ready, baby?” Striker grins at me, holding the pin to the balloon. I nod, and we both pop the balloon, revealing a cloud of blue confetti.
“YES!” Nico screams. “You’re getting a playmate, buddy.” Ezra lets out a squeal and a giggle.
“Yes!” Emily throws her fist in the air and runs off to high-five Nico and Ezra, while Dad is the first to hug me.
“Congratulations, pumpkin.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” He turns to shake Striker's hand.
“So, are you happy you’re getting a son?” I look up into Striker's eyes when he takes me in his arms.
“I would have been happy either way, babe.” He places his hand on my cheek. “As long as you and baby are healthy, that’s all that matters to me.”
“I love you.” He pecks my lips, and a crowd of people walks over to congratulate us.
A shadow in the far corner of the bushes catches my eye. I shake my head, look back, and there’s nothing there. I must have imagined it.
“Hey, you good?” Nico walks over to me.
“I thought I saw something.” Striker swings his head to me.
“Where?”
“It was probably nothing and me being paranoid.”
“Dee,” Nico growls impatiently.
“Over in that corner.” I point to where I saw the shadow. Nico and Striker walk over, pretending to look for a ball they lost in a game of football. I watch them searching, playing with my necklace until they come back over.
“There’s nothing there.” I nod, still looking at the corner. Striker rubs my arms, crouching to my level. “Baby, there’s nothing there, okay? Brad wouldn’t be stupid enough to come by when the majority of the club is here. It would be like walking into a lion’s den.”
I take in a shaky breath, swallow, and nod again. “You’re right. Let’s go celebrate with our family.”
***
“You sure you’ll be okay, and you don't mind me going with the guys to celebrate further?” I’ve been stood outside for ten minutes with Striker asking me the same question what feels like a thousand times. He’s going back to the clubhouse with all the guys to continue the celebration of the news that we’re having a boy.
“Babe, go. Enjoy while it lasts. Once this baby comes, you won't be able to go out every weekend getting drunk. Besides, I’ll have Cobra here.” I look over to Cobra, who’s sitting in his usual spot on the front porch, I smile at him and he waves at me.
“As long as you're sure and you won't be mad when I come home.”
“Striker, I'll get mad before you leave, and I will lock the damn door and tell Cobra to not let you in so you'll need to sleep in Emily's treehouse.”
“Okay. Okay.” He chuckles, taking me in his arms. “I love you.” His forehead leans against mine.
“I love you too. Now, go, before I change my mind.”
He nibbles my earlobe, making me groan. “Bye, babe. I won't be late.” With one last kiss, he swings his leg over his bike and revs the engine, winks at me, and he leaves with all the guys.
“You sure you don't need a hand to clear this place up? I don't mind staying,” Jess offers, putting a sleepy Ezra into his car seat in her car.
“I'm sure. You just get this little man to his bed.” I ruffle his blonde hair while he gives me a sleepy grin.
“Call me tomorrow.” Jess pulls me in for a hug and leaves.
I walk to where Cobra is sitting reading his book on the porch. “You sure you don't want to come inside?”
“I'm sure, sweetheart.”
“You want a beer or coffee?”
“Coffee would be good.”
“One coffee coming up.” I offer him a smile and walk back in to the kitchen. I'm busy making drinks when I hear a thud coming from the front. “Did you finally decide to come in?”
“Well, hello to you too, babe.”
I turn and drop the coffee cup, the hot liquid splashing at my feet when I see who’s standing in front of me. My breathing comes out in short bursts. “Brad. How-how did you get in here?”
“Easy, really.” He smirks smugly. “Your man really needs to find more reliable people to watch you. The old guy was too engrossed in his book to notice me. A swift knock to the head with a plant pot and he was out
like a light.”
Cobra comes out of nowhere with blood dripping from his head and tries to get at Brad, but he sidesteps him and shoots him in the back of the head with his silencer. My hand flies to my mouth to stop me screaming out and waking Emily up as Cobra’s body falls with a thud on the floor.
Cobra.
“How… how did you find me?”
“Oh, Daria. Did you forget? I'm a detective. I have my ways.” His evil smirks sends unholy shivers down my spine. His eyes travel down to my swollen stomach. “Well, well. It looks like you're about to lose another kid at my hand,” he says as he laughs maniacally. My hands hold my stomach protectively. “How are you after your accident? Did you get my flowers? I do hope Emily didn’t have another allergic reaction to them again. How did she take the news about becoming a big sister? I bet she was pissed to hear it from someone other than you and that meathead.” My skin flushes with the realization that it really was him behind the flowers, running me off the road, and he told Emily.
“You caused me to crash? How did you manage to tell Emily? How did you know?” I squeak. I gasp, trying to control my breathing.
He snorts. “When will you learn, babe? Of course I ran you off the road. As for telling Emily? I sort of slid into her DMs, as the young ones are calling it. It’s amazing how much information you get on social media and how easy it is to make a legit-looking fake account.” My pulse races faster than humanly possible. All I can hear is my heartbeat until he speaks again, “Did you enjoy seeing your man with another woman? Here I was thinking that the MC was a brotherhood. I wonder what he would say if he knew someone from his own club was the one who provided me with those little gems.” An evil smile spreads across his feature. At one point, I thought he was sweet and kind. It disgusts me that I fell for his charms. Now, there’s someone within the club helping him to tear me and Striker down.
“Wh-who?”
“Oh, babe. Can you really not guess? You aren’t stupid. Think about it. Who hates you so much that he would do anything to destroy you? Who can’t stand the sight of you and that dick together? Who’s the one you had uprooted from his home and moved thousands of miles away?” Everything he says hits me like a lightning bolt.
Nothing Else Matters (Demons Disciples MC Book 2) Page 19