My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 213

Samuel

"You're too young for a baby, Evelyn!"

"Jacob's right—you should abort it!"

"No, you can't have a kid when you're still a kid yourself!"

"I'm going to kill that bastard!"

"Evelyn, think it through!"

A hundred pleas, a hundred desperate arguments-none of them mattered. She was hell-bent on having this baby. And truth be told, I couldn't force her. Danica and I had her when we were young too. Questioning her now would mean admitting we thought she was less capable than we had been.

And I refused to do that. My daughter could handle this. I knew she could.

As shocking as the news was, my bigger concern was Jacob. That piece of shit's reaction. I knew what this meant for him—how the word father terrified him, how much he hated himself for the blood that ran through his veins.

He didn't think he was capable of being a father because he was convinced he'd fail. I'd seen it in him for years—his greatest fear.

"Do you think Jacob's going to agree to this?" Clara asked, worry lacing her voice.

"I don't think so." I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down my face. "This is going to be a tough road for them —especially Jacob."

"You should talk to him." She stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder, her touch momentarily soothing me. Of course it was. This was Clara—my Clara. My answer to every storm.

"It won't work, babe," I murmured, tension coiling at the base of my neck, my blood pressure spiking. "My words won't change a thing. I've tried—his entire life, all through college, every time we met. His response has always been the same. It's not that he doesn't want to be a father. There were moments when he told me he wanted a daughter, how he'd give her everything. But those moments never lasted. At the end of the day, he always backed away, trapped in his own fears. I bet that asshole even made plans with Evelyn during his highs—dreaming about their future, their kid. And now, when the time has come, he thinks running is his only option, when facing it head-on is what he really needs to do."

Clara licked her bottom lip, concern flashing in her eyes. "So what do we do?"

"I don't know." I sighed. "Wait? Let them deal with it?"

her voice tinged with dread, as if remembering Italy— when they both tore

two choices: either he fights his way out of the darkness, or he loses the only light he has. He can't have both," I let out, "This

***

Evelyn

door opening pulled my attention from my phone. My gaze flickered up just in time to see

let out, eyeing him suspiciously, "Guess someone finally stuck to their promise of

the sofa beside me. His hand traveled to the back of his neck, massaging the tension

tough day, baby," he

bother making deals with assholes?" I asked, raising a

most rich

you an asshole too."

dictionary." He lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug before leaning

open buttons of his shirt draped over me, exposing just a hint of cleavage. But he didn't linger—his focus snapped

smile formed on my lips as I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his. "You?" I whispered against his lips. "You're my

hair back, but the warmth between us vanished the second the words left my mouth. Jacob's body stiffened. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He swallowed hard, licking his

slowly, pulling away. "We can't keep avoiding this conversation, can we?" His chuckle was humorless, his voice strained. "Fine. Let's talk. But I want us to

bitter taste

Peace?

had about this ended with him

it. "How can there be peace when all you want is to

sharply, as if my words physically hit him. He pushed off the

the verge of losing it whenever we talked about our

hate the idea

face me. "This is not the right time to have

laugh. "Same old shit, Jacob. Try something new if you actually expect me to buy

clenched as he pinched the bridge of his nose, pressing his eyes shut like he was

shook my head in disbelief. "You're getting mad? You? As if this is some sort

trying to control myself as much as I can." "Control?" My voice rose. "What the hell is there to control? It's not like whatever you