The Fighter

Chapter Twelve

Dear sweet baby Sammy.  I am so freaking sorry. Thank you to everyone who has read this far and especially those who have voted....and followed....and added my story to your reading lists...and those who commented on why my book was saying "completed" when it wasn't.....  I am so sorry for taking so damn long, I had major writer's block on this one (that I wrote myself into).  So, thanks for sticking with me.

"So," Jackson says staring at the two of us, "who wants to tell us what happened?"  Neither of us speaks.  "Let me rephrase that, tell me what the fuck happened or we're taking your car keys."

"We got caught in the rain," I say simply.

"And?"  Jackson raises a brow at me while Bear continues to glare at Damien.

"And Damien told me who he actually was."

"And?"

"And we may have stayed the night in one of Jer's bunkers until the storm passed.  You know that I don't like driving in the rain, my anxiety goes through the roof when I can't see where the fuck my car is going, especially on roads I'm not all that familiar with!"  Jackson raises a brow and tilts his head to Damien.  "I am not letting anyone else drive my baby after what you did, not a chance."

"What about that one time--"

"That was an emergency and I threatened him if anything happened to my car, did I not?"  they both nod.  "Exactly my point.  Now, my father and brother, where are they?"

"Jake is in his room down the hall still asleep since he stayed up all night waiting on you, and your dad, along with Derek are supervising the move of your step-family while your dad's lawyer works out all of the paperwork."  I nod and rub my hands down my face.

"I'm going to go to Jake real quick," I comment as I get up and walk towards the bedrooms when Damien suddenly speaks up.

"Where's Addy?"

"With Jake," Bear says calmly and Damien lets out a sigh of relief.  "She stayed with him because she didn't want to go home without you.

I hold my hand out for Damien to take and he slowly stands to join me in checking up on the kids.  Walking into the room, Jake has taken the side of the bed facing the door while Addy was tucked under his arm in a very defensive position.  Tilting my head to the side, I look at Damien and sign to him.

"Dude, she's like, what, six?"  He nods, motioning with his hand that she is roughly that age.  "He's fourteen...we'll have to give him the talk."

"He is not sleeping with my daughter," Damien angrily whispers and I just smirk.

"I meant about protecting her, you fucking dumbass.  Besides, he wouldn't do anything like that without her explicit permission and yours, I'm sure."  Damien continues to grumble while pulling me into his chest and burying his nose into my hair and I pat his hand reassuringly.

"Protection my ass," he says and I smile widely while turning my face into the side of his neck.  Damien's hold tightens around me as he pulls me further into him.  Just as he says this, Jake begins to stir and opens his eyes to look directly at me and he smiles tiredly before waving and going back to sleep while snuggling into Addy once again.  "If he does want this," Damien sighs, "I can talk to Bear."

"No," I say firmly, "he's not going into that.  He can learn to fight, I don't mind, but he will not be a part of that world.  He's my little brother."

"Yes ma'am."  Damien pulls me out of the room and softly closes the door behind him before leading me back to the living room to face the music once again.  Sitting there is Derek and Bear on the couch and Jer in the recliner, all looking at us with a raised brow.  "What," he growls out.