Page 76 of Velvet Deception

31

SOFIA

Christmas Eve…

“When can we go?” Ramon asked for the fiftieth time of the hour.

I smiled as Diego shot him a look. “Patience, Ramon. Patience.”

“But it’s Christmas Eve!”

I laughed and squeezed Diego’s hand. We held hands as I rested the best I could in the hospital room. He was never far. Always close. He and Ramon spent the night in here last night, not ready to leave me in case I struggled with any PTSD about being here.

Ramon never whined, but itwasChristmas Eve. I couldn’t fault him for wanting us to get out of here. After the roller coaster of emotions from the last night, he had to be ready to crash. He likely needed something bright and positive to look forward to. Even if he hadn’t been kidnapped, rescued, rode a moped for the first time, saw me wounded, and then witnessed the death of the asshole who’d raped me, he’d still naturally be excited for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Not for presents, but to be with his family.

Of all times for this to all fall apart, then get pieced back together…

My life felt like a whirlwind this month, but now, things could fall into a new normalcy.

Diego was, as we’d both sort of suspected, a soldier for the Cartel. When Ramon was napping from all the excitement and danger, he filled me in on a lot of the important details. All the personal details he’d lost from the amnesia.

He was right when he said I didn’t have to fear coming to this hospital. First of all, because he was with me and he was my sexy protector. No matter what, especially with all his training and excellence at defense because he was an elite spy and assassin for the Cartel.

That was the other reason I could lower my guard. Diego wasn’t just any old soldier. He was the boss’s favorite, his adopted son. No one would mess with us. No one within the Cartel would challenge him now that Sebastian and Antonio were dead.

I’d needed to come to the ER to help with the bleeding from that cut Antonio had given me. They also fixed my arm, which was broken, after all. But the most important thing that this trip to the hospital taught me was that I really did have a glow. And I really was pregnant. Pamela, it seemed, had a knack for knowing those things, like she’d claimed.

Blood tests revealed that I was carrying a child, and with ultrasounds and multiple visits from the Ob-Gyn staff, I was reassured that the wound I’d received would not cause any issues for the baby. No vital organs were impacted. Nothing like that. It really was a blessing.

I felt overwhelmed and overly spoiled with all the gifts this Christmas. I had my man, my love. My son was safe and always would be. My family was growing with a newborn on the way. And oddest of all, Diego’s boss was hoping to step in as a grandpa.

Thatsounded like a stretch. I wasn’t sure how I could manage a complete one-eighty to let him into my life like that. I couldn’t imagine going to the compound again or directly speaking to the leader of the man who’d raped me. It comforted me to know that Stefan and Diego hadn’t been in the area when I was kidnapped and raped. They thought that was why it had happened like that at all, because the big boss and his favorite killer weren’t at the mansion to keep tabs on the powerful men within the organization.

Either way, all of it was in the past.

What I looked forward to was the future.

“When can we go?” Ramon asked again, flopping back on the spare bed in my room.

I smiled at him. “Baby?—”

He shot back up, sitting to grin at me. “Now you really can’t call me baby anymore.” He got off the bed to stand next to mine and put his hand on my belly. “Becausethatis the baby.” His smile softened. “My baby brother or sister.”

I would never tire of hearing the awe in his voice. He would be the best big brother, hopefully to many more babies.

“I don’t think it works like that,” Diego said.

I nodded. “You will always be my baby. You and this one.” I covered his hand with mine.

“Okay.” He sighed. “But when?—”

I laughed. “Ramon, the discharge process always takes forever.”

“It’s Christmas Eve!”

Diego pulled him back so he could sit on his lap. “ItisChristmas Eve,” he agreed. “That’s why I had a couple friends pack up your things from home and deliver them to the other house.” He glanced up at me, rubbing Ramon’s back. “I also had them help Juan and his abuela with anything they would need. I owe them many thanks for all their help.”

I smiled at his sexy face, falling in love with him all over again. Each day, I’d learn something new about him, and I couldn’t wait for it. He wasn’t just an elite soldier for the Cartel. He had the wealth and means to provide for me and Ramon, plus our neighbors, in such a way I never could have dreamed of.

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