Page 151 of Say I Do

“You.” Tony passed the baby to Harlow quickly. Harlow’s eyes widened as he awkwardly held it.

“What the fuck? Are you high? Since when do I have a goddamn baby?” Harlow snapped.

“Since now.” He snatched up a letter and passed it to me. “Here.” Tony rubbed his temple. “I need a fucking smoke.”

I glanced at the letter. The handwriting was slanted as if it was written quickly and entirely in Japanese. Frowning, I held it up to Harlow.

“What does this say?”

“What?” Harlow asked over the crying.

I gritted my teeth, trying to yell over the noise. “Read!”

Harlow’s gaze went to the paper. Mumbling to himself, he read the whole thing as his eyes grew wider and wider.

“Shit!” he snapped.

“What?”

“This is Lorelei’s daughter,” he groaned. “She says Notin took off on her and left the baby behind. My father already cut her off. She can’t take care of a baby too.” Harlow’s face paled. “She says she saw how happy we were together, and that’s the kind of parents she wants for her baby.”

“Are you saying—”

“Yeah," Harlow groaned louder. “She’s left the baby with us.”

“Fuck. Me.”

“When?” Harlow asked as he shoved the baby toward me. “When will we ever be able to with a goddamn baby in the house!" He looked ready to cry. “Please take this thing from me. Why the fuck would she think I, of all people, could raise a baby?”

I took the baby from him and cradled her in my arms. Bouncing lightly, I tucked her close. The cries slowly started to calm before she closed her eyes. Once the noise had disappeared and she was resting, I sighed. I glanced up to see Harlow and Tony staring at me.

“What?” I asked.

“How did you do that?” Harlow asked in awe. “You really are the devil.”

I rolled my eyes. “I am not,” I said. I glanced down at her. “I’ve always wanted a baby.”

“Really?” Tony asked. “I never thought that would be something you were into.”

I shrugged as I kept my gaze away from them. “I’ve never said it out loud,” I muttered. “When I was supposed to marry Lorelei, it was just part of what I was expected to do. Having a child was a perk. When they switched her out for Harlow—”

“You thought you’d never have a kid,” Harlow said. His eyes looked sad when our gazes finally met. “Benito...”

“Don’t start your shit,” I snapped quietly. “I know you’re going to go thinking it was your fault or some stupid shit, but it wasn’t. We had no say over our lives.”

Harlow closed the space between us. “And if I never wanted kids?”

I shrugged. “Hey, a puppy is just as good,” I laughed. Even though I wasnota dog person, I would keep that to myself.

Harlow’s hand squeezed around my arm. I truly had been willing to sacrifice everything for my family, for my duty. Even if it meant never fulfilling a part of me, then so be it. I knew Harlow saw that. The sadness in his eyes made me want to hold him, to reassure the man I loved that I was okay. Sometimes you couldn’t get everything you wanted in life. However, it seemed that I had just gotten the missing piece.

“Did Lorelei say what her name is?”

Harlow glanced at the letter. “Emica.”

“Emica,” I repeated as I glanced down at her. “She kinda looks like you.”

“Yeah, it’s freaky,” Harlow muttered as he stared at her. “When I find Lorelei, I’m going to kick her ass. After I murder Notin.”

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