Page 67 of Voice to Raise
He cocked his head. “You’re young, Malik. I mean, you might know you’re not going to have kids, which is fine. Or you might change your mind later. But…” He broke my gaze.
Gently, I pressed my fingers to his jaw and urged him to turn toward me.
To meet my gaze.
His eyes shone.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
He sniffed. “It’s stupid. Some people just aren’t meant to be parents.”
“But you wanted to be.”
He swallowed. “Yeah, I did. I thought that Paul would come around to the idea…” He snickered. “More fool me.”
“Jackass.”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“You’re only forty—that’s not too late.”
“With a job that barely keeps a roof over my head? With a five-hundred-square-foot condo?”
I nodded. “We make choices. This Land is Ours is your penance. I get it. But if you really want kids, you either need to marry someone rich or find a way to make more money. Or move to the middle of nowhere—but then you’d have employment problems.” I winked. “Or marry a guy with a massive house and a decent inheritance.”
He stilled.
I stilled. “I was just…”
“Yeah. I know.” He blinked. “Music? Then we can eat. I’m getting hungry. Then—” He gestured to my bedroom with his chin.
I grinned. “Yeah. That.”
With the moment of solemnity passed, we headed downstairs.
Chapter Nineteen
Spencer
Iplopped onto the center of a massive black leather u-shaped couch.
Malik sat on a chair facing me and strummed out the song on his acoustic guitar. He didn’t need sheet music or even a piece of paper with lyrics. He knew everything by heart.
Speaking of hearts…mine stuttered. His words were sung softly but with surety. His voice was both strong and gentle at the same time. The song built in intensity until it hit a crescendo…and then backed down to quiet again.
I blinked repeatedly.Pike…you would’ve loved this. This would’ve been your anthem. This song would’ve inspired you.
Malik finished singing, and the last chord faded. He tapped the body of the guitar and, finally, glanced up.
Our gazes held.
“Shit.” He winced. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”
I cocked my head even as I blinked.
“You’re crying.”
At first, I didn’t understand.Is he really that uncertain of himself? Of his talent? Where’s the arrogant asshole who knows everything?“That was…” I leaned forward. “Your talent truly is remarkable. You captured what we’re trying to do in a five-minute song.”
