CHAPTER 38: HIS RESOLUTION

"I will be honest with you. My whole family knows about her and they all love her dearly. So, you don't have to be worried about any problems arising from my side. My parents even want to see her," with sincerity in his eyes, Duke told the two older men as he faced them.

Hearing that from Duke, the worry that seemed to be shrouding the two men seemed to automatically vanish.

That was one of the major reasons why they were worried. With Darica's personality, it was easy to offend other people. Especially these noble families, for she was completely different from other sophisticated women.

While other women would show their charm in the four arts, she was the kind that would solve everything using her fists. How could their niece compare with those ladies in the capital?

"If it's like that, then we are relieved." Travis finally heaved a sigh of relief.

"However, just because we approve of you doesn't mean that you have won!" while tapping Duke's shoulder Craig slyly said.

Travis also threw a wink at Craig as he added, "You need to work hard, young man. For the future awaiting you is uncertain!" speaking mysteriously.

Duke didn't understand what those two were saying. But if he were to guess from their words, he had a feeling that Darica's family might not be that easy to please.

And when he recalled how tough his life was when dealing with only the F5 gang before, how worse would it be for him when the other family members appeared?

"Uncles, if I may be bold to ask. Just how many uncles does Darica have apart from you?" with uncertainty in his voice Duke curiously asked.

Upon hearing that question, the two men were baffled.

They couldn't help but look at Duke, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Are you sure that you want to know about that?" Craig asked teasingly as his mind did a rough count but seemed to be failing.

"Yes, I just want to be prepared!" he agreed as he looked sincerely and eagerly at the two.

While scratching his head doing some maths, Travis unsurely answered, "Last time I checked, including us, there should be six."

"Hey, it's not six. You should all be above ten," Craig answered, correcting Travis, who was indeed not good with his calculations.

"Oh! Are we that many?"

"Are you playing me or you are that forgetful?" Craig hissed at Travis.

Seeing that Craig was about to get angry; Travis hurriedly took Craig's hands in his in swift movements, making Craig, who was taken by surprise, glare at the other.

"What are you doing?" Craig coyly asked Travis, traces of nervousness on his face.

Although the two were lovers, it was the first time that he was being so intimate in front of Duke, a guest who probably knew nothing about them.

"Appeasing my wife!" Travis shamelessly answered, completely disregarding Duke, who was watching from the side with amazement in his eyes.

It wasn't that he had never seen a homosexual couple before. However, it was the first time a couple like them were being so brazen right in front of him as if he didn't exist at all.

"You_"

"Okay, honey. Let's go back to the village. If Darica starts flaring up, we won't have it easy!" Travis suddenly said, cutting Craig from nagging.

Upon hearing Darica's flaring, Craig's outburst suddenly got quenched.

Everything happened in just a short moment, and yet Duke learned a great lesson.

'Darica must be scarier than what I know already!'

That's what he perceived from those two's actions.

And since they were done talking, Duke helplessly followed behind the loving couple who were talking about topics that he just couldn't understand at all.

However, he was relieved though, for he had managed to win over the two uncles on the first day he went to her house.

And that was a milestone covered. As for the other uncles he had yet to see, he was going to take it one step at a time.

After returning to the village, the first thing that greeted him was a tall silhouette that was familiar with, even in his dreams.

Darica was standing in a cleared space with her back facing where they were coming from.

The rings of smoke could be seen in the air as she smoked.

That was something that shocked him greatly when he first learned of it.

Honestly, he wasn't a regular smoker, but he loved drinking. And yet, Darica kept on amazing him with the things that she loved doing. She even had more tattoos than him.

In their relationship from the start, even before they became official, Darica was more of the man in the relationship and that was starting to get realized.

Honestly, he didn't know how she met Travis and others. He could tell that those two were either part of a gang in the past or might have visited the prison at least once in their life.

Now what he was curious about was how they were related to Darica and why they seemed to be afraid of her getting angry.

There was indeed some huge secret that was hiding there.

What kind of family did she have for Darica to put them first before anything else? He was quite envious of them the more he thought about that.

And as for her parents, he never heard anything about them before. Everyone just guessed that she was an orphan. After all, she was raised in foster care. And he wasn't willing to open her wounds by asking about such a sensitive topic.

Nevertheless, he was going to take everything one step at a time and not rush it. He was afraid of losing it all when he had just managed to grasp it in his hands.

"Are you guys done talking now?" without turning around to face him, Darica asked him.

Seeing that she had already noticed that he was behind her, he couldn't help but smile wryly.

'What kind of person is Darica?' he wondered.

Taking steps towards her with his hands in his pocket, he answered her, "Umm, we are done."

"That's good then. They didn't make things difficult for you?"

He shook his head as he stood right next to her, completely unafraid of the second-hand smoke, since he was used to it with all the partying he had been doing. And he was a smoker himself, so there was nothing to be worried about.

"No, we are all cool," he answered her.

This time, Darica turned her head to look at him with a smile on her face and said in a reassuring tone, "Mmm, they are good people and just worried about me. The more you spend time with them, the more they will grow on you."

Seeing that smile on her face, he was taken aback as his heart began to thump loudly, obviously surprised by the sudden attack.