"I see." I hadn't thought of this and hearing him say the words aloud pained me in such a way that I felt as though I was dying slowly. "You've chosen the club over me." I breathed. "Over us?"
"No." He shook his head. "I'm being honest with you - the way you wanted me to be."
"You just told me I had to accept your part in the club in order to continue our relationship, Dace." The pain in my words was so loud, I felt as though the entire restaurant had heard. "How aren't you choosing the club over me?"
"You are mine, Angel." He shrugged simply. "You can accept it or you can fight it, but we both know you need me the same way I need you. I'm telling you I can't leave the club, not that I'm choosing it over you. I'm telling you that you're going to have to find a way to accept it as a part of our life. I'm telling you that we have to find a compromise because there is no way in hell that I'm letting you go."
Heat flushed my face as the waitress interrupted us, setting our plates in front of us. Sensing the heat of our conversation, she quickly fled without a word.
"Say something." Dace commanded.
"What am I supposed to say? Leaving you obviously isn't an option."
His eyes were hot on mine, but his words were harsh and cold - to the point. "Do you want to leave me, Ella?"
The way he asked the question made me fear the possibility and I shivered. "No, Dace." I shook my head and my lower lip quivered. "I don't want to leave you."
"Then we need to rule out the possibility."
"And I need to accept the club as a part of our life?" I nodded.
"It is a part of me," he sounded stressed. "So yes, I need you to accept the club."
"And the fighting."
"I'll remove myself from it as much as I possibly can, but yes, the fights will continue."
I looked down at my food and my stomach twisted. "I suppose there is nothing I can do but accept it, but I can tell you right now, Dace, that I will never support it."
He breathed what seemed to be a sigh of relief. "I know. I don't expect you to."
"Good." I looked straight at him and he nodded to my food. "Eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"Don't start this again." He warned. "Eat."
"Or what?" I glared across the small table at him.
"Do you really want to test me, Angel?"
At the glimmer in his eye, I picked up my fork and stabbed the thin noodles. "I'm eating."
"Good girl." He purred the words. "I love you."
"You know I love you." I whispered.
"I do." His eyes were serious - all play had left their depths. "I want you to know something."
"What?" I asked, swallowing my food.
"I want you to know I will do everything in my power to be worthy of you."
I set my fork down, "You are worthy of me, Dace."
"No," he shook his head. "You deserve someone much better than me." He paused. "And I'm going to try my hardest to be everything you deserve."
"I know." I reached across the table for his hand, weaving my fingers through his. "You're everything I need. There is only one thing I want from you, Dace."
"Anything," his fingers twitched against mine. "I'll give you anything I can."
"I want you to take me home and I want you to love me." I blushed at the bluntness of my words. They were so unlike me. "I want you to love me every day,"
"For the rest of my life," he vowed.
Chapter 24
I woke to the sound of my phone ringing against Dace's bedside table. He moaned deep in his throat as I tried desperately to wiggle from beneath him. His hands clutched at my waist and I sighed, stretching my arm for the phone. Whoever was calling was one determined person. This was the third time my phone had rung within what I was certain was an hour.
I caught hold of it and swiped the screen over Dee's name. I should have known. "Hello,"
"I need to see you, Ella." She spoke quickly as though fearing I was moments from hanging up on her. I wasn't going to.
"I need to see you too." I said quietly.
"What are you doing today?" She didn't give me time to answer. "Can I come over?"
"Yeah, I suppose." I shifted beneath Dace and he lifted his head, looking down at me through mischievous eyes. "When?"
"I might be on my way."
"You're on your way right now?" I gasped as Dace nipped my earlobe. "I haven't gotten out of bed yet."
"So?"
"So, give me a bit."
"No." I imagined she was shaking her head. "I'm coming now. I know you're mad at me and you've been ignoring me for too long. I'm not leaving for Kyle's parents house until I've seen you and we were supposed to leave yesterday. Kyle's getting cranky and I can't stop thinking about how sorry I am that I kept such a secret from you."