“Fuck you, Denton. Ivan is bad news. You’re lucky you didn’t get mixed up with him,” Gabriel said.
“I’m aware.”
“Where’s the father?” Gabriel asked.
Mia burst out laughing then, and she quickly covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry. It’s not really funny at all, and I really, really shouldn’t laugh.” Laugh she did, and she tried to keep her voice down.
“Have I missed something here?” Jacob asked.
“Ivan,” Mia said.
“What?” Jacob spoke again.
“The father of my son is Ivan.”
Silence filled the car, and Damian looked toward his brother, who raised a brow. He shook his head, letting him know that he would talk to him about it later.
“Do I even want to ask?” Gabriel asked, turning to look at her.
“Nope. Believe me, you really don’t want to know.”
Damian took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, trying to offer her comfort. She glanced down at their hands, and squeezed his hand back before pulling away. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
He couldn’t stop looking at her. After all this time, he had finally found her. If he’d been a few minutes later or even earlier, he’d have never known, and would probably be dead right now. That was why he’d gone into Smith territory. He wanted to hurt, and to die.
That had changed the moment he stared at her.
She kept looking out of the window as the scenery passed, and he heard her sigh. Reese continued to sleep, and she still held him, almost as if she was afraid he’d disappear.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. You?”
“You don’t let him go.”
“It’s the first time we’ve traveled in a car, and I don’t want him to be sick or scared.”
“You have a car seat but never travel by car?”
“The car seat came with the pushchair. It was a bargain, and he loved being in it. Sometimes it’s easier to rock him to sleep in this.”
She looked tired, worn out. He would take care of her now. She wouldn’t have to worry about Ivan again, and when he had learned everything he needed to, he was going to pay Ivan a personal visit.
Within the hour they had pulled up outside of his parents’ home, and the moment the car stopped, his mother was outside.
“You called and told her?” he asked.
“Yep,” Jacob said. “She was worried about you.”
He left the car, and immediately his mother held his face, turning it this way and that. “Damian Denton, never do that to me again. I was terrified.” She pressed a kiss to each cheek, and he scrunched up his face as she made a fuss of him.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Now, tell me what the hell is going on.”
Mia stepped out of the car, and held Reese in his car seat close to her.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet Mia. I’m going to be taking care of her, and she’s going to be taking care of Martha.”