Page 28 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

FABIO

The cards are on the table.

I was certain that this would have beenthe final straw, makingher realize there was no future for the two of us as husband and wife.

But again, as always, she surprises me.

She should be mad at me. She should be unable to look me in the eye. She should be running in the other direction. But here she is, taking it better than I could ever have imagined.

I both love and hate it.

I love it because, yet again, she is showing me one of the many reasons she has my heart on a standstill. Eva's intentions are born out of purity. When she cares about you, it is hard to ever make her stop.

But I hate it. With that kind of heart, it makes it impossible to come up with a means to keep her away.

And it is not that I don’t want her in my life.

I fucking do.

But I do not want her sacrificing what she could have for me.

She is young. She should have a clean slate. I want her to, but I am positive her father would never give her to me if he knew about Jake. Never.

“Can we go see him?” She belches softly, already reaching for her seatbelt as if that were a command, leaving me with no option but to comply.

“I don’t think that is a good idea,” I adjust uncomfortably in my seat, still clinging to her hand like an anchor, hating my show of weakness but not ashamed of it regardless.

“Why not?” She seems a little too excited. “We can pick up something for him on our way there, I just want to see your mini-you so badly,” she giggles. “Does he have your eyes?”

“My mini what?” I shoot up an eyebrow.

“Your mini-you, like a small version of you,” she shrugs. “Generational difference in vocabulary. Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” she pats the back of my hand with her free hand.

I rarely go around to Mindy and Jake’s. I try not to be around them, and it is not because I don’t love my son. It is also because of what Eva said just now.

I don’t want him to be me.

For good reasons.

I want him to have a different life, a different path. I don’t want my darkness crawling into his world and soiling it. I want him to have his innocence and have it for however long he wants, until he is ready to shed it.

“You are not talking me out of this one,” she takes back her hands and sits upright with a tight chin, which shows her not conforming.

She thinks it’s rosy. She makes everything appear like there is always a silver lining. In the darkest storm, she is always searching for a flint of sunshine or rainbow. But perhaps, if I can get show her it all, if she can face the truth of this reality… Perhaps it will make her see what I am trying to make her see.

Taking her to Jake might actually be a good idea. Let her see him and see how messy this can be for everyone involved.

I pluck out my phone from my pants and pull up Mindy’s number to shoot her a text. I am never sure why it takes her forever to always text back, but I am crossing my fingers that this time she doesn’t text back in the morning.

Me: Mindy, I would like to come over with a friend to see Jake. She is person I care about very much, otherwise I would not ask. Would that work for you? Has he had dinner? I could pick some up for him.

I hit send.

“I texted his mom to let her know about us coming…” My phone chimes in my hand and I stare at the screen to see that Mindy has replied.

Mindy: A heads up next time would be better, but it’s fine. I know you don’t take these things lightly so I’m going to trust you on your judgement. He misses you, so yes.

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