Page 40 of Owning the Prez’s Ol' Lady

He was losing control, and he started huffing out quick breaths. Each one made him seem larger and even more intimidating.

“Because I love him, Joe. That’s why I can’t give you a chance. I wish I could give you what you want from me, but I just can’t. I’m a broken person, and the only time I feel at peace and slightly put together is when I’m in that man’s arms.”

His scowl turned into a frown, finally hearing what I had to say.

“I’m thankful for everything you have done for me, and I want to keep you in my life, but I can’t love you like you want me to, Joe, not when my heart belongs to him.”

He ran a frustrated hand through his dark locks, turmoil burning vibrant in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Shasta, but if I can’t be with you, I can’t be there for you. It just hurts too much.”

He started to walk away, leaving me even more of a mess than I anticipated.Why was this so fucking hard for me?

“Joe, please. You’re one of my best friends. I can’t lose you.”

He gave me a sad pathetic look, one that broke me in two. He looked like a wounded animal, one that was wandering the woods, lost and alone.

“I wish friendship was enough for me, Shasta. But it’s just not. I hope he gives you everything you want in this world, because I would’ve given you the world if you asked for it.” And without another word, Joe stormed out of the hospital, leaving me alone with my own conflicted emotions, and even more doubt if I was making the right choice.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Axl

She definitely wasn’t happy to see me. Ramona’s mouth dropped open in shock when I entered the doorway, and out of fear, she shielded the child, as if she was protecting them from me.

I would never hurt her.

I would never hurt either of them.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, looking from me, and then to Wasp, who was standing next to me.

How we picked the exact day she gave birth to show up in Platte, is beyond me. But there she was, holding a tiny baby in her arms, one whose bright red hair peeked out from beneath the little beanie it wore.

“I came to find you,” I answered, looking from her to the sweet baby in her arms. I didn’t need her to tell me that the baby was mine, I felt it in my bones.

“Why?”

“You know why, Ramona.”

The girl standing next to her was clutching Ramona’s hand, holding it in a way I wished I could. I always had a feeling that Ramona was hiding something, and now I knew what... her sexuality. She was gripping this girl like she was her everything, and it was obvious that was something I’d never be.

But that didn’t change the way I felt about her. Over the course of three years, I’d fallen madly and deeply in love with the woman, and now we shared a baby together, a baby she was still clutching close to her chest, desperately trying to protect them from me.

Wasp cleared his throat. “Well, I’m feeling slightly awkward now. It’s obvious the baby’s not mine, so before I make a fool out of myself, I’m just going to take my exit and go find Shasta. That’s the real reason I’m here.”

Ramona didn’t even smile, she just kept looking at me like I was the grim reaper coming to take her life. I wish she wouldn’t look at me like that.

“Is the baby mine?”

Ramona glanced down at the baby in her arms, then unraveled the blanket, showing off the most beautiful little face. Instantly, I was in love.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “She’s yours.”

“It’s a girl?”

She nodded again. “I named her Summer Rayne.”

My thoughts drifted back to that day we lost ourselves to the rain. She was all over me that day. Her feverish kisses still haunted my dreams. It was one of the few times she ever opened up to me. We laughed so much, and even cried together when we both came clean about our pasts.

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