The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 225

“You’re all adults, Jake. Let the past stay in the past. Emma is here with you. You have all got to get it together, for the sake of these babies, they will be siblings after all.”

Her comment hits me this time and I swallow hard, tears threatening. She’s right, as much as this is killing me she’s so very right; my baby has a sibling already and as much as I hate the girl in the next room I can’t hate the part growing inside of her that belongs to Jake. His eyes on me as I stare at my stomach and a tear rolls down my cheek involuntarily.

“Go see her, Jake. I’ll be upstairs.” I pull out of his arms and head away, but he catches me and hauls me back against him, lifting my face to his with that no-nonsense expression set in.

“Hell. No.” He kisses me gently on the nose and wipes my face with his thumb, keeping me close, reassuring me with his hold. “I’m sorry, Mamma, but I’m not changing my mind in this. Emma is my priority. If Marissa wants to talk, then fine, let her hang around or come back later. But right now, I’m taking Emma upstairs and I won’t be down until she’s ready to come with me. The pregnancy is making her ill and she needs rest. She needs me beside her to take care of her like I promised I would always do.” His eyes are steady on mine, so much transpiring in those green depths. He’s making a stand, showing me that no matter what it’s always me first, and whether I knew it, it’s what I needed and I’m grateful for the way the pain in my heart let’s go a little.

“I knew I raised you right.” Sylvana smiles, patting his shoulder. “Marissa can come back for dinner and you’ll talk to her before she leaves. I’ll send food to your room if you prefer not eating with her but at some point, you’ll sit down and be adults. Enough of all this foolishness now.” Jake grits his teeth and narrows his eyes before he finally nods.

“Fine. I’m sure we can all handle dinner without anyone throwing a few steak knives.” His jaw is still rigid and his body still solid. He may be agreeing but he’s not happy in the slightest.

I really hope the glance at me was not in any way related to his comment.

Although, come to think of it, I better make sure he removes anything sharp if I’m to sit at dinner with her.

I don’t have a clue about how I’m going to handle this.

“Good. Now go. I’m being extremely ignorant leaving her this long. Go to your room, it’s all made up.” She smiles, waving us off, then bustles away toward the long wide marble corridor leading to the family room. Jake leads me up the long sweeping stair before pulling me into our room and into his arms.

“Are you okay? About all of this I mean?” He looks worried. No. He looks scared and it only makes me love him more.

“No … Not really, but your mom’s right, Jake. This isn’t about any of us anymore.” I hate that I’m even agreeing to it, agreement doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like hell, but here we are. Being pregnant has changed my outlook so much in such a short time despite the fact I don’t even know how to accept it. Maybe it’s an internal maternal change but I’m thinking about Marissa’s child and suddenly I don’t want to be the bad guy in this. I don’t want to be the bitch that shuns a child because she can’t handle the relationship between her boyfriend and his ex.

Jake is pensive, his fingers tangling in my hair and his forehead resting against mine; sighing as he finds solace

in me.

“I love you. I don’t want you upset.” He sighs. “I don’t want you looking at her and thinking about …” He closes his eyes, the regret shining all over his face. I can’t say I’m not thinking the same thing, but this is how it is.

“I’m not going to leave you again if that’s what you’re worried about,” I reassure him, and he opens one eye to look at me then the other.