Forever with Him [Dark Temptation Book Three]

Chapter 5

Venus

I’m staying with you, Venus.

I couldn’t focus on anything besides Micah’s statement. He was staying with me. For sure, I should be feeling happy because Micah, the man I loved, the father of my baby – our baby was willing to be with me. He wanted to raise him together. 

But until when?

Until he was old enough to not really have a father by his side? Jesus, this was like us seven months ago. Micah found me and our baby for him to protect. Leave when we were saved. Leave for his own selfish reason. 

“No,” I said.

“Excuse me?” he said, offended.

“Like I said, I don’t need you. Neither your help. I’m fine with Nathan and Judith. I was fine without my father; my baby will be the same as me.”

“What the f**k? I won’t let you, Venus.” And that angered me even more.

Facing his hazel-green orbs, “Stop me, Donovan,” I challenged him, catching him off guard. I headed to Nathan’s truck and hopped in. “We’re going home, Nathan.” 

Micah was on Nathan’s side quickly. “Did she just call me with my surname?”

“She did. You pissed her off, Micah.” Surely, he did.

And I didn’t predict it when Micah went to my door, pulling me out, and my back hitting the door. And I was caged by Micah’s six-foot-two body. His chest expanded. His nostrils flared. His angelic orbs danced with anger. Once upon a time, I was scared when Micah was mad. Right now, it just fueled mine. Micah couldn’t do this to me forever. To our baby. Just because now he knew I was carrying my son. His future. Oh, that was it. I knew now. 

I might be getting into trouble but I was in one already. The second Micah left me, abandoned in that cold bed, he had put me into trouble. “Are you planning on taking him away from me the second he was born? Just for your sick plan with your father before?”

“Don’t remind me of that anymore, Venus. And I will be taking my son with me if you continue to be so f*****g difficult and let me help.”

“I don’t need your help!” I screamed.

“Yes, you do!” he yelled back.

“Tell me the reason, Micah. Why do I need your help?”

“Because I am his father! Do you want our son to be raised without a father, to repeat the mistake just like your parents did? To let him grow without any of our loves?” Deadpanned. Defeated. I couldn’t believe Micah just said that. 

Our son raised without Micah.

Our son grew without Micah’s love and protection.

Just like me.

His eyes mellowed. The anger was lessened but it was still there. “I know I can’t change my decision and what I have done to you. I know I broke you. Nathaniel told me. He told me nothing besides how you have to deal with your new life without me around. And our son is on his way. I didn’t even know you’re pregnant until five minutes ago. You completely covered your body I can’t tell that you’re conceived. You don’t want me to know. And now I do,” He put his hands on my shoulders. Welcoming the rousing thunder. The touch I missed. The touch I loved. “I beg you, Venus. Let me help you. Let me raise our son. Let’s do it…together.” My eyes were burning. Blinking to contain the tears.

“Until when you can keep your promises, Micah? You haven’t told me that your business with Lucifer is finished already.” He went silent. I looked up, finding him looking guilty as sin. I tilted a smile, not because I was happy, but I knew and stated, “You haven’t finished yet.” I pushed his hands away.

“Baby, don’t push me away.”

“You already did to me six months ago. This is why I didn’t want to tell you. Because neither of know when you can return. I can’t risk our baby, Micah. It’s too much and heavy for me to carry the pain. I’ve decided that since I was pronounced pregnant. I’ve talked about this with Nathan and Judith. They agreed.” Well, sort of. Judith not really. Nathan was disoriented. Because he was communicating with Micah and he didn’t tell him a thing. I knew deep down Micah wanted to stay with me. But when I imagined what our future looked like, it was all nothing but sadness and grief. The worst thing was Micah soon left right after I delivered. 

I turned and opened the door, jumping myself into Nathan’s truck again. I looked at my brother, begging through my eyes to let’s go already. Nathan nodded and looked at Micah behind me. He looked at Nathan as well, possibly begging him too. Not working. Nathan would always be on my side. Without speaking, he ignited the engine and abandoned Micah there. “Thank you, Nathan.”

“Micah got the point, Venus.”

“Not now, please? He still has to do something. Whatever he’s doing with Lucifer. I’m done with hoping. It is for the best that I end it now before I got hurt, and even my boy.”

Nathan didn’t say anything on our way home. I thought I did the right thing. I was not wrong. But what was this pain inside of me? The longing? I only missed him. But I didn’t want Micah to be in my life again. 

I could do this.

I had Nathan and Judith.

Only the man who attacked me kept bothering my mind. What now? I’d never been attacked ever since I moved with Nathan and Judith. That was the first time. What was going to happen?

“We need to find out who’s trying to attack you, Venus,” Nathan said.

“I’m sorry, Nathan.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“Everything happens right before your wedding with Judith.”

He slightly laughed and held my hand. “My wedding will not be ruined, sister. And it’s not your fault. Maybe just some random man doing some weird stuff or something. I’m on marriage leave now. I can concentrate by digging deeper.”

“Don’t forget about your wedding or Judith will slap you.”

He laughed. “I think if she finds out, she will help too.” Agreed.

We reached the apartment building as Nathan parked the car and we jumped out. Heading inside, taking the elevator, going up to the top floor. We walked out of the metal cubicle and entered our room. Nathan stopped; I almost bumped at him. I felt his back go rigid. Oh, no. I looked in front. Everything looked normal but I heard nothing. Was Judith not home yet? But the lights were on. If she hadn’t come home, the room would perfectly dark. “Nathan?” I called and he exhaled. Feeling his back now became more relaxed.

He looked back at me. “Go to your room, Venus,” he asked.

I wrinkled my eyebrows. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on.” If that’s so, why he told me to go to my room?

Not happening.

I headed to the kitchen. “Venus!” Nathan called. When I got there, my eyes were opened wide. My jaw dropped.

No. Way.

“Hi, Venus. And hello to you too, babe,” Judith greeted us. She was smiling yet her eyes were beamed with guilt. 

And Micah turned his head to me. “Welcome home, sweetheart,” greeted me while casually taking a bit of his favorite granny smith. Oh, he just went out of line!

I stood up straight, showing him that I was not the same Venus he knew before. It’d been six months since the last time we met, I spent most of my time with two beings I loved deeply, and guess what? I inherited some of their traits and they were useful. “Which part of my statement that you did not understand, Donovan?” Judith’s silver orbs widened. Micah’s face was still plain.

“Actually… None of them. And by the way, you only said you don’t need my help.” Setting his angelic orbs on me, he added, “But you never said I couldn’t stay.” Oh, s**t. He smirked. Showing that he was winning. Not happening.

“That has implied I don’t want you here too.”

“Too late already. Judith said I can use the guest room.”

“What?” I looked back at Judith. 

“Micah just explained something to me and it makes sense.” Judith!

“I thought we have an agreement?” I reminded.

She shrugged. “I don’t agree, Venus. I suggested you before to let Nathan tell Micah. And now he found out, it’s great, isn’t it? You two can build your family properly.” She stood up and headed to me. Facing her sword-colored orbs, “You said to us before, right? That you don’t want your son to face the same fate as your parents,” she reminded. My heart squeezed. I did say that to Judith and Nathan but I couldn’t help it because it would happen again. “Now you have the chance to not make the same mistake as Claudia and Demetrius. No one will come for your boy. You won’t lose him. You won’t lose Micah.”

“I already lose him, Judith,” I murmured.

“You’re wrong,” Micah said, getting my attention, and looking back at him. He put down his chewed apple and stood up. “My decision remains the same when I found you’re pregnant with my child. I’m staying, Venus.”

“But Lucifer—”

“Lucifer doesn’t mean anything to me anymore,” he cut me first.

“How could you say that? You’re dealing with Lucifer, the king of your kinds. Will he let you be?”

“No, but I’m not going to leave you alone. Not when you’re pregnant.”

“Are you going to leave me after I delivered or when he has grown up old enough to not have a father?”

“Enough!” he roared. He went to me. Judith gave him the access and he towered me. “Do you remember how my parents were, Venus?”

“This is different, Micah.”

“Which part? I grew up without love. You grew up with abundant of your parents’ love even without Demetrius. I know what bad parents are, Venus. Mine is the life example. I might have the parents I never wanted, that’s why I don’t want our son to face the same. I don’t want our son to pay for my sins and your past.” He raised his hands, reluctantly cupping my cheeks. They were trembling and I looked at him again. He was scared. “Please, Venus. Let me stay. This time, I promise I will never leave. No matter what Lucifer said, I’m staying. Please, don’t push me away. I’ll make it up to you, everything to you. I’m sorry I was not there for your first ultrasound. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you found out you were pregnant. And most of all, I’m so f*****g sorry about how I left you there.”

I couldn’t hold back.

He was calling my tsunami of tears. And they poured, wetting his hands. 

I wanted to be angry.

I wanted to stand on the ground with my words – my decision.

But what came out of my mouth, “Please, stay with me. Don’t leave me again. And don’t leave our baby…forever,” was that.

Micah smiled. “I won’t. I will protect both of you,” he vowed. Bringing me close, he hugged me. I wrapped my arms around his back. Smelling his scent. His cologne. Smelling Micah. My man. The father of our child. 

“Thank you for coming back, Micah.”

And he said the words I desperately missed, “Never thank me for coming back to you.”