Page 38 of Claimed By the Don

“What?” he says in disbelief like he hasn’t heard me right.

“I’m pregnant, Benny. We have a chance to do this all over again the right way. Meaning I won’t panic and hide and you can know this baby from the moment they’re born. You won’t miss a second, I promise.”

His face is so bewildered. “You’re pregnant.” He repeats like it’s a foreign phrase. I nod.

“I didn’t plan it. I mean, obviously. I screwed up a lot, Benny. I know it’s unforgivable. I’m grateful to have a second chance at having your baby, at sharing that with you. But I understand if you want to only see Liam and the baby without me. It feels like a lot, having to deal with me when I lied to you for so long. I don’t want to make this any harder than it already is for you. And if it means anything at all, know that I love you. There’s never been anyone else, and there never will be. I love you, Benny Falconari. I’ll love you till the day I die.”

I choke on the last part. I fight back tears, look away from him and try not to cry. He deserves space and quiet to understand what I just told him. I lay my hand on my belly and take slow breaths, imagine peaceful waves of light wrapped around my baby. I’ll figure it out, whatever I have to do. My kids deserve to know their father and I will get out of his way as much as I can even though it breaks my heart.

“It was right after my dad got shot,” he says. It’s not a question. “You told me you were scared I was gonna die, and that you couldn’t handle me being in the Mob. I told you that you were being stupid and he was going to be fine. I was a jerk about it,and I didn’t think it would ever happen to me, and that you were just being dramatic. But you knew you were pregnant then—and I wouldn’t listen when you said you were afraid. That’s why you ran off, isn’t it?”

I nod. “But it wasn’t your fault. I made my own decisions.”

“No, I just didn’t act like I gave a shit if you felt safe or not. I didn’t ask how I could make things better. I just wanted you to drop it. To trust me and let me believe I was invincible.”

“I’m sorry,” I manage.

“I’m sorry, too. Because we both made mistakes.”

“That’s kind of you,” I say carefully.

“It’s not fuckin’ kind and you know it,” he almost growls. “Do you think there’s any world where I wouldn’t raise these kids with you? That I’d tell you to stay out of my face and only see them on my own and not want you, Daisy? How long have you known me?”

“All my life practically,” I say, tears spilling from my eyes. He can’t mean it. I must be imagining it. He can’t want me after all this.

“Come here,” he says and he reaches for me. I throw my arms around him, laughing and sobbing at once.

“What do we do now?” I ask.

“We build a life together.”

“Just like that?” I ask. “Yeah, just like that,” he says, and he kisses me, a searing, deep kiss that makes me feel weak and trembling all over. “And I’m gonna marry you.”

“Oh, you are?” I tease.

“Damn right I am. I was an idiot not to follow you when you took off.”

“I didn’t want you to follow me,” I protest.

“No, but you sure as hell needed me, didn’t you, Daze?”

I shut my eyes for a second, overwhelmed by the idea of Benny Falconari catching up to me at a rest stop, climbing out of his truck in those worn out Levis and giving me a cocky half-smile. I would’ve tried to back away and get back in my car. But when he ate up the distance between us in two long steps and took me by the hand, I would’ve sobbed into his chest and thanked God that he found me in time before I burned down both our lives by running away. It’s dizzying, the realization that I’d take it all back, that I would have come home with him and none of this would have ever happened.

“I wish you had stopped me. Or really, I wish I’d stopped myself. I did need you, Benny. I do need you.”

“You have me. For better or worse.” “I made a lot of mistakes,” I admit.

“So have I. Now we can get to know each other for real.”

“I’d like that. Because more than anything else I’ve ever been, I’m Liam’s mom,” I say, my voice breaking.

“I can’t wait to see the two of you together, learn what that’s like. I always thought you’d be an amazing mom, fun and creative, and adventurous.”

I shake my head. “Maybe I could l have been, but I’ve played it so safe, and I’ve been bound up in the idea that if I take any chances I could be found out and lose him.”

“Who was this guy you were running from, Daze? Cause it sure as hell wasn’t me. Is there a story you imagined where I’d find out about all this and just steal our kid from you?”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I was so scared, and I felt backed into a corner and like I had to hide out. I was convinced you would snatch him from me to get me back for keeping him from you.”

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