Page 52 of Falling for Her

“You’re talking about a termination?” Honey asks carefully without any malice or accusation. She continues, “How far along is she?”

“She is still standing right here, Mama,” Damian snaps, and I quickly state, “I’m seven weeks,” not wanting Damian to think I’m taking her words to heart that she addressed him and not me.

Honey nods, her eyes softening, and I know she knows why I’m hesitant. I can claim it's because I’m busy or that I’ve basically raised my brother, but the truth is I am so goddamn scared.

I don’t want to die.

“I’m going to keep building with Aiden. Why don’t you all get to know my dad?” I say as I grab a half-upside-down Aiden, who giggles and wraps his arms around my neck while Damian half-growls and I know he must have swallowed it with how quickly it quietens.

He does this a lot if I strain myself, and it makes me believe he wants this baby, he just won’t voice it. He wants me to come to terms with what I decide without his influence, and God, I love him for that but can’t he see that I need his input?

Damn man.

“Can I sit?” Pitbull asks twenty minutes later, and I look up at him and give him a smile with a nod.

Damian and his parents have been whispering in the kitchen since we dropped the bomb along with my dad, and I can only guess what they were whispering about…

Aiden cheers, throwing his arms up in the air as he manages to balance a block without it falling and I smile before Pitbull says, “I’m sorry about your mother,” after a few minutes of watching Aiden play. I smile a little and reply, “Thanks.”

He hums and then says, “I’m not going to beat around the bush,” and I look at him. His green eyes, which look so much like Damian’s, are serious as he asks, “Are you thinking of a termination because you're scared that what happened to your mother will happen to you?”

I look at Aiden and swallow hard.

“I guess my ears have been burning, huh?” I mumble, and he chuckles and replies, “We’re just trying to figure out what is holding you back in admitting you want this baby.”

Damn, he’s not holding back.

I look at him as he speaks, “My son, he loves you something fierce, something I have never seen from him before meaning he won’t tell you how he feels regarding the baby to sway you anyway and neither will your father so I’m kind of taking charge to figure out what is holding you back.”

I look away from him, unable to face him, as I ask, “Does it really matter what is holding me back?”

“Yeah, it does,” he answers, and I look at him again. He gives me a soft look and says bluntly, “If it’s because you don’t think now is the right time to bring a baby into the world, that you’re not ready – something no one would blame you for, you are only just hitting adulthood and have brought your brother up thus far and you probably want more time with my son – then that is perfectly fine. You’ve helped your dad tremendously with your brother, losing out on your teenage years. Still, if you’re unsure whether to have this baby because of fear after losing your mother, then it does matter because, sweetheart, you will feel nothing but guilt and pain if you terminate this pregnancy over that.”

I sniffle knowing he is right and he finishes, “All I’m trying to say is, only terminate if you are one hundred percent certain a baby right now is not for you and Damian, not because of fear.”

I nod and whisper, “I promise I won’t make any rash decisions,” and he sighs in relief as Damian sits down next to me and as if on instinct, I lean against him and tilt my head to look at him. He grins at me, and my smile is automatic as our eyes lock and it’s like he’s the only person in the world while my stomach flutters.

God, I love this man.

“I’m proud of you, son,” Pitbull says breaking our connection and making us look his way. “I messed up over the years, but right now, I’m kind of glad I did because I have never seen you this happy, and if Butcher and I hadn’t messed up, you two may never have met,” he admits, and Damian shakes his head.

“Only you can turn the shit you forced me to do into positivity,” Damian mumbles, and I chuckle while Pitbull grins, not denying it.

“To be honest, I’m glad too because not once had he been in the bakery before that day he handed in his cut and I called him out on being a grumpy ass,” I admit.

Damian looks at me again and smiles before Aiden gets his attention by pulling on his man bun and I grin, loving their relationship and how well it’s blossoming.

Damian grabs him by his hips and throws him up, away from me so I don’t get kicked as Aiden laughs hard and Pitbull and I smile.

I’m not sure what will happen in the next few weeks, but I do know that with this man standing behind me, I’ll be okay.

Famous last words, though, right?

Chapter 21

Esmerelda

“Areyousureyou’realright?” Trina asks for the twelfth time with a furrowed brow as I walk back into the kitchen with the dirty dishes. I instantly turn my nose up at the different smells surrounding the kitchen, the main one, cheese, and the urge to vomit hits hard.

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