Page 58 of Hot Momosa

“Not a day has gone by since you pissed on that stick that I haven’t wanted to be his father. I kept quiet because we agreed it was for the best at the time, but things have changed—”

She turned and met my gaze. “The only thing that changed is I told you it was over between us.”

“Right, but whether we’re a couple or not, doesn’t change the fact he’s my son.”

“It’s like we are saying the same thing but having two different conversations.” She stormed into the kitchen.

Resisting the urge to groan, I followed her. “Look. I was always planning to claim him as mine. I just thought we’d be together.”

“And since that isn’t going to happen, you’re forcing the issue—”

“No, dammit. Listen to me. You can leave.” I pointed to the door. “I’m not stopping you. Move on. Go live your life, fall in love, do whatever-the-hell you want. That’s your call. I’m going to establish legal paternity of my son regardless of whether you stay or go.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh.”

“I’m not doing this to hurt you, Dahl. It’s killing me that I am.” At the absolute end of my rope, I took a step back and laid myself bare. “Don’t you get it? My singular goal since the day we met was to make you happy. If it takes losing you for that to happen, I’ll do it. I love you that fucking much.”

She gasped and covered her mouth. “You do?”

My brain stuttered. “Of course I do.”

A smile ghosted across her lips and her expression softened.

I had no clue what the hell was going on with her. All I knew was that I’d done something right because for one brief moment, she’d looked at me the way she used to. I struggled to remember the last time I’d uttered those three little words to her.

Too damned long ago. Did she really not know?I’m a moron.

Tentatively, I drew her into an embrace and kissed her temple. “I love you, Dahlia Elizabeth Calhoun. You’ve owned my heart since college, and it will kill me if you walk out of my life.”

“I’ll stay.” She tilted her face up toward mine, but pulled away before I could kiss her. “But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to pick up where we left off like last year didn’t happen.”

“Like I told you before, I’ll wait for you this time.” The conversation had left me with a severe case of whiplash. Worst still, I had zero fucking clue if she’d agreed to stay because she loved me or because she hoped to talk me out of getting attorneys involved.

Not that it mattered. I was Italian. One of my ancestors had invented the whole, “The end justifies the means,” routine. I wasn’t above playing dirty to get what I wanted.

And right now, I want to play dirty with Dahlia…all freaking night long.

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