“Answer me, Tina. Did you love him.”
“Gah, you stubborn man. Yes, I loved him a long time ago. But he rejected me because I was pregnant with Brynne. Even knowing Bruno had raped me just so Dorian wouldn’t want me, he rejected me. I wasn’t his virgin princess anymore. I was now dirty. Damaged. Tainted.” I placed my hand on my stomach, where our precious baby was protected inside me.
“You should’ve told me.” He brushed my hand off his face.
“Why? Are you happy now that you know the truth? It’s because Dorian threw me away like the kitchen trash that Bruno abused me all those years and tried to kill me. The man I loved had sealed my fate, Raul. That’s not something I enjoy talking about.”
“You had no problem talking about Bruno.”
“Of course, I didn’t. I hated him. Bruno didn’t break my heart like Dorian had.”
Raul hauled off and punched the wall.
“Oh my God, why would you do that? Are you okay?” I went to take his hand and inspect it, but he whipped it away.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Touch you?” Emotion lodged in my throat, feeling how I had when Dorian discarded me. “Do you find me revolting?”
“I need more than a second to process all this.”
I nodded my head. “Okay. Take all the time you need.” I opened the door and found Raymond standing there. “Mijo, what are you doing here?”
He scowled at Raul. “I heard him yelling and wanted to be sure you were okay.” He hugged me tightly.
“Oh honey, I’m fine.” I rubbed his back and stared at Raul.
“Are you guys fighting?” Raymond asked. “Are you getting a divorce? Because some of my parents are separated, and it was because of the fighting.”
“Honey, it’s not that simple. But I love your father very much; that will never change.” I kept my gaze locked on Raul’s like speaking directly to him.
“We’re not getting divorced, son.” Raul tugged Raymond out of my arms and hugged him. “Go find your sister and let your mom and me finish here.”
“Okay.” He gave me a tight smile, then left.
I turned around and exhaled.
“Not so fast.” Raul wrapped his hand around my wrist and pushed me against the wall. He caged me in. I wasn’t afraid of him. “Do you love me?”
“Yes, Raul. Even when you’re being a jealous jerk.”
He crushed his lips to mine. “Prove it.” He locked the bedroom door.
“You’re impossible.” I laughed and unbuttoned his jeans.
“I don’t mean that. Don’t sass me, Tina. I fucking need to know I am the only man you love and will ever love.”
“You are the only man I love, Raul. The last fourteen years with you have been the best of my life. I want one hundred more.”
“The thought of losing you makes me crazy.” He kissed me firmly. Not to hurt me in any way. My man was intense. He loved hard. Loved fiercely. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone else in the world, definitely not Dorian Adrienne.
“My heart only beats for you, my love.” I put his hand on my belly. “Right here. We created our child out of love. There is no purer expression of love than our child.” My eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t get this with Brynne, Raul. She was conceived from a violent act and the one person who could’ve helped me didn’t. Dorian Adrienne means nothing to me.”
“Fuck, Tina. I could kill him.” He smothered me, pouring his love into it. We would be okay. This was only a bump in the road, and like all the other times, we would come out stronger.
“I know, honey.” I kissed him softly. “I’m so glad Track has Brynne with him, and they’re both safe.”
He wrapped his arms around me. “Yes. Our children are safe.”