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I stepped forward, determined to go to her.
“I wouldn’t,” Romeo warned. There was no way I was going to listen to him, not after he’d been with them and not told me. “A pissed-off woman is one thing,” he said as I took another step. “But a pissed-off pregnant woman who says she’s going for a nap?” He whistled. “Dangerous.”
“Fuck!” I shouted, pushing my hands through my hair and gripping it so tight that my scalp started to burn. “What the hell do I do now?”
“You wait.” Ma’s hand rubbed my shoulder. “Wait for her to wake up, then talk. Communication will get you everywhere.”
She was right, so why did it feel like I was losing Navy before I’d ever truly gotten to have her. It was as though she was slipping through my fingers, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
CHAPTER 9
NAVY
I wasn’t sure how I’d managed to fall asleep, not with how angry I was, but my body was so exhausted that I’d gone out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillows. I was still half dressed with one of Dante’s T-shirts on, but my leggings were in a pile on the floor next to the bed.
Rolling over, I stretched my arms above my head and opened my eyes, trying to get them to adjust to the darkness in the room. The clock on Dante’s bedside table told me I’d slept for nearly four hours, yet it somehow didn’t feel like long enough.
I scanned the room, able to make out more now that my eyes had adjusted. My heart lurched in my chest at the figure sitting on the sofa, staring right at me.
“I’m sorry.” Two words. Two words that I didn’t think I’d ever hear come out of his mouth. But there they were, hanging in the air, waiting for me to respond. “I panicked.” His voice was rough, like he’d smoked an entire packet of cigarettes in one go.
My mouth was dry, refusing to form words even if I’d wanted to.
I didn’t though.
I was pissed at him. At us. At the situation we were in.
I was supposed to be finishing up my last couple of months of school. I should have been graduating and then heading to college. But all of that was out of the window. It was gone, just like everything else I’d ever owned.
Couldn’t he see that? Couldn’t he see what I’d sacrificed?
He stood slowly, sauntering toward me. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
“You shouldn’t have,” I croaked out, staring into his eyes. I could just about make him out thanks to the sliver of moonlight basking through the window, but that was all I needed to be able to see that he was being genuine. “This isn’t easy for me,” I started, pushing my hand flat on the bed to pull myself up a little.
“I know—”
Shaking my head, I cut him off. “You don’t know.” I hated how my voice betrayed me, cracking in the middle. “I’ve given up…everything.” He crouched at the side of the bed, his large hand hovering in the air, but he didn’t touch me, he just let it drop back by his side. “This wasn’t what I’d planned for my life, D.”
His eyes lit with fire at my nickname for him. I was annoyed at him and determined to make him see my side of things, but when he was this close…
“Whatwereyour plans?” His voice was low, inviting, alluring.
“I wanted to be a nurse.”
“Wanted?” He tilted his head to the side. “You can still do that, sweetheart.”
Butterflies took flight in my stomach as I stared at him, repeating his words over and over again in my head. He was right, Icouldstill do that. Maybe it wouldn’t be in the way that I’d planned it. Maybe I’d have to take longer to get to my destination, but I could still do it.
“I can?” It was meant to come out as a confirmation to him, but it sounded more like a question—a question that he nodded at.
He lifted his hand again, but this time he didn’t let it hang there, instead, he placed it on the side of my face, his long fingers weaving into my hair. “I know this wasn’t what you wanted. It wasn’t the plan you had. But I’m in awe of you, Navy.” He let his knees drop to the floor, coming closer to me so that our faces were only centimeters apart. “It took so much strength to do what you did.” His other hand wormed its way to my waist, resting on the bump. “You could have had an abortion. You could have not told me. You could have done so many other things, yet you didn’t. You put yourself at risk for our baby.” His breath fanned over my face. “I owe you everything.”
“Dante,” I whispered, feeling a lump build in my throat.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry that I shouted. I’m sorry I got angry. I’m sorry I put us here.” He inhaled a deep breath and pulled back, just enough to stare into my eyes. “But I’m not sorry I met you that night eight months ago.” His nostrils flared, his hand clutching my face harder. “The moment I saw you standing there…fuck.” He chuckled, but I knew he didn’t find it funny. “And when I first kissed you”—his gaze flicked down to my lips—“I’ve been dreaming about those lips since that night.”
“You have?” My chest heaved as my breaths came faster—heavier.
