A huge part of me wanted to just pack my things and leave, but David was still in hospital. Plus, if I did leave, my father would surely cut me off, and I didn’t want toforceDavid to have to take me in. I knew he would, and he’d always provide for me and our child, but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on our new relationship so soon. We still had over seven months until the baby was due, and I wanted to use that time not only for David and I to get over the honeymoon phase in our relationship and see if we could actually make it work long-term, but I also wanted to use the time to ensure I could be financially independent. My plans to go back to college had changed slightly, as I wasn’t sure how I’d balance studying and raising a new-born. But I was trying to figure out a plan so that when the baby was born, I would be self-sufficient.
You’d have thought aftereverythingthat had happened with my brother and the Bloodline that my father would doanythingto ensure he didn’t push his other child away too. But apparently, discovering Joseph had been alive this whole time, coupled with the news of my pregnancy, had caused Dad to snap.
My heart ached thinking of Joseph. My parents had told me that Hernández had paid the coroner to lie about Joseph dying and had then spent the subsequent ten years brainwashing my brother against his family. The only small positive was that when Joseph had learned the truth, it seemed like he wanted to do the right thing. He’d even taken a bullet for Dad. Now he was unconscious in hospital, and the doctors didn’t know if he’d ever wake up.
It seemed unusually cruel of the world that it would give us Joseph back, only to snatch him away again straight after. But I wouldn’t allow myself to be consumed with bitterness. Hernández was dead, the Bloodline were behind bars, it was time to look to the future.
A future that involved David and I raising our child together.
I would doanythingto be with the man I loved, but I also didn’t want to tear my family apart while it was still so fragile. There had to be a way I could make my dad see sense.
At a soft knock on the door, I called out “Come in,” and was pleased when my mom entered the room a moment later, carrying a tray of food.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, laying down the tray on the bed.
I gratefully picked up the cup of ginger tea mom had made and took a sip.
“Glad I’m not feeling so nauseous all the time,” I replied.
Mom laughed knowingly. “Yes, I was the same when I was pregnant with both you and Joey—” She paused, the emotion catching in her throat as she mentioned my brother. “Thankfully it normally eases off as you approach the second trimester.”
“Yeah, that’s what my obstetrician said when she saw me.”
When I’d been first admitted to hospital after the rescue, I’d instantly been given an ultrasound scan to make sure the baby was healthy, and then had all my vitals taken. Once the medical staff were happy that the baby and I were healthy, I’d been referred for regular prenatal care.
A few days later, I’d seen my obstetrician for the first time, and she’d gone over everything with me. The only negative about the whole experience was that my dad had insisted on driving me to and from the hospital, so that I couldn’t sneak off and visit David.
It was ahugeturnaround from the past months, when I couldn’t goanywherewithout David following me.
I would have laughed at the irony if I wasn’t so damn frustrated.
But maybe there wassomethingI could do.
“Mom,” I began, adopting my sweetest, most innocent voice.
I didn’t even have to say anything else for my mom to smile knowingly. “Believe me Alyssa, I’ve tried talking to him. He won’t hear any sense.”
I sighed. “Can’t he see David and I did nothing wrong? He never took advantage of me. He was always a perfect gentleman. He risked his life to make sure I was okay. He took a bullet for me, for heaven’s sake.”
Mom sighed too. “I know sweetheart, but your dad is willfully ignoring all that and focusing only on a few key facts, like the fact David is fifteen years older than you are, and the circumstances of how you met. He thinks someone in David’s position should have known better.”
I let out a growl of frustration. “Are bodyguards not allowed to fall in love?”
“Certainly not with their charges, who are fifteen years their junior. Or at least, according to your father they’re not.”
“He’s being ridiculous.”
“I know,” Mom agreed. “It won’t last forever though. Give him time and he’ll come around.”
“I don’t want to give him time.” I hated the way I sounded like the petulant brat I’d used to be. But this wasn’t me throwing a tantrum about not being allowed to the latest, exclusive club, or not being allowed the newest pair of designer shoes.
This was my whole life we were talking about. Being parted from David was killing me. And how could I give him information about the pregnancy if I wasn’t even allowed to speak his name in my father’s presence?
“Let me try talking to him again. I can’t make any promises, but I will do my best.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you having my back in all this,” I said, wrapping my arms around my mom and giving her a hug.
Mom rubbed my back affectionately. “I almost lost you, Alyssa. I won’t risk that ever happening again. And you deserve to be happy with the man you love.”
