Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

E ver felt like you were drowning with no way to reach the surface? That's what I'm feeling right now. My head is spinning, my mind going a thousand miles a minute. My heart beating out of control. I use everything I've ever been taught from my family to keep my exterior calm, though.

Never let them see you sweat. The words of my nonno echo in my head. The last thing Aleeka needs right now is to think I'm not in control of the situation.

The doc will be here soon. He'll fix her right up, whatever the hell is wrong with her. I glance in her direction. She's shivering. I want to wrap my arms around her, but then I'd have to put him down, and I can't do that. The elephant in the room. The innocent baby I'm currently holding and feeding a bottle of milk to, as if I've done this a million times before. I have no fucking idea what I'm doing. What I do know is that I will do anything for this kid.

That was my first thought when I saw him.

I had to protect him at all costs. And it's that thought that has me trying to keep calm and not lose my shit on Aleeka right now. She's been hiding him. I want to ask her why. I have so many fucking questions, but now isn't the time. I know he's mine. There is no question about it.

Aleeka and I didn't date for long. And we only slept together once, but I would have thought she'd know she could come to me with this. I would have helped her. I would have been there for her. Instead, she's been doing it on her own.

Would she have ever told me? If Josie hadn't mentioned that Aleeka was sick and needed help, would I have found out I have a son?

"Orlando, please don't take him from me. I know I should have told you. I know, and I'm so sorry," Aleeka whispers from where she's curled up beside me.

I turn my head, and my eyes connect with hers. She's scared. Why the fuck would she think I'd take her child from her? I suck a deep breath into my lungs and let an eight-count rhythm run through my mind before responding to her. "Why would I take him from you?"

"I… I don't know. Your family can do whatever they want. You can do whatever you want without consequences. I can't fight you. I don't have an army behind me, Orlando. You do," she says.

She's right. I could take him and make sure she never saw him again. The thing is… I would never fucking do that to a child, and it pisses me the fuck off that she thinks I would.

"I'm not going to let anyone take him from you, Aleeka. I promise." As I say the words, I know that I would do anything for this child, and that includes protecting his mother.

She opens her mouth, only to close it when there's a knock at the door.

"Come in, Doc."

The doc, the same guy who's been treating me my whole life, pauses when he steps into the room. His eyes honing in on the baby in my arms. Then he clears his throat and averts his attention to Aleeka. "I hear you're feeling a little under the weather."

"I'm okay," Aleeka says.

"She's not. She has a fever, and she's been shivering but she's burning to the touch. She's been vomiting too," I tell the doc.

"Okay, let me have a look. Do you want Orlando to stay in the room while I check you over, or would you prefer that he leave?" Doc asks Aleeka.

I glare at him. Good fucking luck getting me to leave, I think to myself, only to smile when Aleeka tells him she'd rather I stay. Although I suspect that it has more to do with the fact that I'm holding Sebastian, and she doesn't want him out of her sight.

Doc takes his time assessing her, determining that it's just the flu and explaining that it should pass in a day or so. He then instructs Aleeka to drink plenty of fluids and get some rest, offering her some sleeping pills before he packs up his bag and leaves the room.

"You should take the pills. Sleep it off," I suggest, even though I know she won't do either.

"I'm okay," Aleeka says.

Dante knocks on the door, popping his head in and indicating for me to go to him. "I'll be right back," I tell Aleeka.

Her eyes widen. I know she's afraid that I'm taking Sebastian, who is now sleeping in my arms. She doesn't say anything, though. Just watches me as I get up. I purposely stand in the doorway, not moving out of her sight. I don't know what it is, but I don't want her to worry. If I can do something as simple as this to ease her fears, then I will.

"Doc is still downstairs. You need to do a paternity test," Dante says, keeping his voice low.

"No, I don't."

"You don't know her, Orlando. She could be lying."

"How do you figure that? She didn't even tell me about him. What's she lying about? Other than hiding the fact we made a kid together?" I ask him.

"You're right, but why didn't she tell you?" He lifts a questioning brow.

"I don't know," I lie. I know why. I'm just not going to tell Dante she doesn't trust our family. Trust is a huge thing with us Valentinos, and if I'm going to bring Aleeka into the fold, then she's going to have to learn to trust us.

"I'll tell the doc he can go, but we can't stay here. Pops is already blowing up my phone," Dante says.

We might have sneaked out of the lockdown to come here, but no way was I going to leave Aleeka alone while she was fucking sick. "Okay, let me get some shit together. I'm bringing her with us."

Dante smirks. "Can't wait to sit back and watch the shitshow."