Page 53 of Hidden By His Side

“I won’t—”

Her hand covered his mouth. “Being with you is all I ever wanted. I never wanted to have a baby.”

He pushed her hand away gently. “Because I don’t want one?”

“I—” Her eyes slid away. “It’s complicated.”

“I need more than that. This can’t be about me.”

“Why?” she asked, her lips tightening as her eyes narrowed. “You’re all I’ve lived for. Ever since that bridge. I was going to kill myself. You were the one to stop me. So why is it wrong for me to want to live for you?”

Her voice rose as she said it, nearly shouting the last word, her eyes fierce. They held so much emotion, totally different from the way Ramiro’s mother used to look. Even while his mother was clinging to his father, she had dead eyes. She’d been dull and lifeless. Instead of living for his father, it was as if she didn’t live at all, dead long before his father had killed her.

“I love you,” Summer said, certain and filled with emotion. Filled with love. For him.

His breathing hitched. He swallowed, trying to keep his hands from shaking. Had anyone before her said they’d lovedhim? Not just said it, but drilled him with the words, trying to make him believe them.

“I love you, too, baby girl.” His voice was choked and soft. “So much. You don’t owe me anything. I want you in my life. I should have pushed you away long ago, the moment you started to heal. Instead, I made sure you’d depend on me more and more. Nothing you do will take you from me. If you tried to leave, I’d hunt you down and drag you back. You’re never getting rid of me, Summer. Never.”

Her eyes were shimmering again. How could such a slight body hold so many tears? How would it support a baby?

The thought had a different worry simmering inside of him, but he pushed it away. Women had been having babies forever. She’d be fine.

“If you keep this baby, you won’t lose me,” he told her. “I can promise you that.”

She blinked back the tears, staring down at her hands pressed against his chest. “I’m not going to keep it,” she mumbled.

He recognized that look on her face. It was one he never wanted to see, yet saw too often. “Why?” he pushed.

She tried to pull away, to avoid saying out loud the things tearing her up inside. His hands kept her on his lap despite her struggle.

“Why?” he asked.

She squeezed her eyes shut, the tears streaking down her cheeks again. “It’s better for the baby.”

“Because I’ll be a shit father?”

“No!” Her eyes popped open, and she glared at him. “It’s not you! You might not want children, but you’d be a great father.”

Ramiro’s throat closed. He couldn’t tell her how wrong she was.

Her expression softened as she slumped on his lap. “You always take care of me. How could you not take care of someone else?”

“You’re different,” Ramiro forced out, the words nearly strangling him.

Summer shook her head. “You take care of everyone. The men who work for you—Diego, who you were so worried about; Naz, who got so hurt—”

“Because I didn’t keep an eye on him like I should have. That kid—”

“See?” She let out the smile he hadn’t seen for days. “You’re just proving my point. You take care of him.”

Seeing the smile settled him a little. Enough to lift an eyebrow. “You didn’t think I was so caring when I fought with him in the office.”

“I knew you two were fighting that time!” Her hand smacked his chest lightly. “There are more examples, though. Hayes would never leave his house if you didn’t make him. Ash… well, I don’t know about Ash. He always seems to be doing just fine.”

Ramiro never liked when Summer focused on Asher Mendez. Ash may know how to blend in, but he was way too attractive for Ramiro’s peace of mind, and Summer wasn’t immune to hisflirting.

Of course, she was wrong. Ash was never fine. He just hid his darkness behind his charm.

---