Page 40 of In the Air Tonight

I try to process what he’s saying, but it’s like my brain is made of cotton. Nothing makes sense.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry,” I whisper.

He strokes my face and brushes hair back from my forehead. “Don’t be sorry.”

“Can I…” I force my unfocused eyes to look at him. “I can have others?”

“Yeah, you can.”

I blow out a sigh that becomes a sob, ripped from the deepest part of me. The baby I didn’t want is gone. I should be relieved, but all I feel is shattered over the loss of an innocent bystander in this tragic situation. Tears spill down my cheeks.

Kane sits on the edge of the mattress and wipes them away with a tissue.

“I don’t know w-why I’m crying.”

“You’ve been through a traumatic ordeal.”

“Did you call my dad?”

“Not yet. I figured it would be better if you called him so he could hear your voice.”

“Thank you for thinking of that.”

“No problem.”

I have one more question for him, the biggest and most important of all. “Were they able to get DNA from the baby?”

“No, honey. It was too late by the time we got here.”

The disappointment is gut wrenching. How will I ever make Ryder pay for what he did to me without the baby’s DNA for proof? It’ll be my word against his, and they’ll believe him because of how accomplished he is. I’m nobody next to him. Maybe that’s why he chose me to attack in the first place. He knew he could crush me in every way that matters.

Kane stretches out next to me and holds me while I cry. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but you’re going to be okay. I promise.”

He smells like fresh air and sunscreen.

I realize he has tears running down his face, too. As I pull back so I can see him, I’m struck by his obvious devastation. “Kane…” I brush away his tears. “What is it?”

“There was a nurse in the ER… She was so nice and caring. She…she said we’re young and we can try again. That we’ll have lots of babies when we’re ready for them.”

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.” Of course she thought the baby was ours. Why wouldn’t she?

“It’s true, you know. We are young, and we’ll bounce back from this and have lots of babies and a happy life. We won’t let this ruin anything for us, do you hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you.”

“As awful as this is, we’ll get through it together and be stronger for it.”

“I often wonder what I did to get so lucky to meet you when I was so young, to know I wanted to be with you forever, no matter what.”

“Same, honey. We’re so lucky, and we’re going to stay that way.”

He holds me as close to him as he can possibly get me, which is right where I want to be. Like always, he makes me feel so much better than I would’ve without him by my side. When he tells me we’re going to be all right, I believe him.

The next day, my father calls to check on me after I’m released from the hospital with orders to take it easy for the next four to six weeks. We texted him the news last night and said I wasn’t up for talking but to call me the next day.

“How’re you feeling, sweetheart?”

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