Abel stood up, feeling agitated. He glared at his mom, feeling hurt and betrayed. “Jesus, Mom. I love Mia with or without the baby. I fell in love with her the moment she looked at me so scared with her big blue eyes. I fought it and messed everything up. You filling Jane’s head with nonsense has made everything worse. Jane has done nothing but torment Mia, and you and your cold attitude only added fuel to the flames. Now Mia is suffering and my baby, too. She wants to leave this town and go far away. You will never see your grandchild then.”
“I am sure your mom didn’t mean it, Abel.” His dad frowned, sticking up for his wife. Abel wasn’t surprised but he ignored his father.
“I don’t like Mia, but I wish her no harm,” Delores admitted, getting up to stand in front of him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I like Jane. She is so much better for you, Abel. Why can’t you see that? Mia wanted to abort the baby and forced you to stay in her life by holding the baby hostage. Who does that? I didn’t want to hurt Becky’s feelings, but Mia is no good just like her uncle Donald. Didn’t he take off on Becky as soon as things got a little rough?”
“What the hell,” Abel yelled and looked up at the ceiling. He wiped his face with his hands so he wouldn’t go ballistic on his mom. “Once again, Jane has filled your heads with lies and you fell for it. Mia grew up an orphan and she sees this baby as a miracle. She is so excited about being a mother. She gave me a way out, not expecting anything from me. She would never harm this child in any way. You could have been a mother figure to her, Mom. Instead you chose Jane, who is a vicious bitch.”
Abel sat down and told them who Mia really was and why she was in Brook Hollow.
“See, I told you she was up to no good,” Delores told her husband, who had been listening with interest.
Abel had it. His temper was going to get the better of him. He had to leave. “I am sorry you can’t see Mia for the beautiful gentle woman she really is. I stand behind her, Mom, and never with Jane who is vain, spoiled and rotten to the core. My child doesn’t need that poison in his life, so we will stay away from you and Jane.”
“Abel.” His mother looked horrified, putting her hand over her mouth. “You can’t say that to me. I am your mother.”
Abel looked at his dad. His dad looked sad but he stayed out of it. “If you still want to help out, let me know.”
He walked out and headed for Mia. He was going to prove to her once and for all she was his soul and heart, and to hell with what this town thought. He’d follow her to the ends of the earth if he had to. As much as he loved being sheriff, he’d quit if it came between them. Mia was his world and it was time to stake a claim and let the world know who she belonged to.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’ve made up my mind, Abel. I can’t raise my child in a town filled with so much hatred.” She felt sad because she loved Becky and working at the coffee shop. She felt like she finally found a purpose in life, but this was too much stress. He had explained how Jane poisoned his mother’s mind against Mia. Mia understood better now, but Delores had fallen for Jane’s words so easily. She could never allow her baby that close to her. What if Delores turned her child against her? No way.
“Gwen is making me some reservations and I will be out of here. If you want, I will call you when he or she is born.” She was determined to be strong and put her baby first. She loved Abel and her heart was breaking at this moment, but the stress was too much. Becky had taken her into the clinic and she was told her blood pressure was much too high.
Abel walked up to her grabbing her arms gently but firmly. “Mia, I have made so many mistakes with you it feels impossible to fix them all at once. It will probably take me the next fifty years of begging at your feet. The moment I saw you in that parking lot I wanted to hold you on my lap and do this.” He kissed her and made her open her mouth to his tongue. He explored her as if he never kissed her before. She felt his passion and her body began to feel heated. She felt his tenderness, his love, and her heart melted. She felt his hard cock rub against her belly and her pussy became wet. When he let her go she had to sit down on the couch before she fell onto it.
“Give me time to prove to you that I want you in my life. The baby is a bonus, but I love you, Mia. I want us to be a family and to hell with whoever doesn’t agree. To hell with Jane and her stupid friends. Even if my own mother doesn’t accept you I will put you first. Always.” He held her hand and kissed her knuckles.
Mia opened her mouth but no words came out. She felt so confused but he seemed so sincere. He had never said the words that she ached to hear. Was it too late?
“Abel, I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, feeling a little confused by this new determined attitude he was displaying. He always let her know he found her desirable, but he never involved emotions. “This is so unexpected. I gave up on you, even though I knew I loved you a long time ago. I was attracted to you the moment we met but I fell in love on our first date. You smiled and I was a goner from that moment on. Hell, I slept with you on our first date.”
“So we have a chance,” he insisted, looking relieved and happy. “Don’t leave. Give me time to show you how much I need you, want you, love you. I can’t do that if you’re a thousand miles away.”
“This town stresses me out,” she complained, thinking of the w
indow. It scared her. What was next? Broken windows or a personal attack on her? “I’m scared, Abel. I know Jane is behind all of this. What if she comes to harm me and the baby? First, I had Frank stalking me. Now he is in rehab and hopefully getting his head clear, but now I have a new stalker. Jane. I feel like I just can’t win. Why me?”
Abel picked her up and set her back down on his lap. He felt so warm and she felt herself relax for the first time since this morning when she saw those hurtful letters on Becky’s window. He hugged her tight, sheltering in his strong arms.
“I’ll protect you, Mia. Trust me?”
She nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. She yawned. “I called Gwen already. She is making all the arrangements.”
“Even though your crazy friend scares the hell out of me, I will call her and cancel. I will reassure her I am going to handle all of this mess and protect you.” His voice was strong and firm as if his mind was made up. Mia was the one having a hard time letting go of her fear.
“Wow, you’re willing to call Gwen? That is huge, Abel,” she teased.
He tickled her. “Brat.”
She looked at him seriously. “You are so busy, Abel. I don’t like being a burden.” She hated doing that to him. She always wondered if she had been more behaved as a child maybe her mother would have kept her. What if Abel got tired of having a wife and a crying baby as a responsibility? He already had every citizen in Brook Hollow to take care of. “You will get sick of me, of us. This town needs you. You are a good sheriff. You truly care.”
“I need you, Mia. You make me happy. I will never get tired of taking care of my family.” He forced her chin up so she could see his eyes. They were such a dark brown and filled with promise. A look she had not seen coming from him until now. Passion yes, desire sure, but this felt different. He played with the gold chain she wore every day. “I lived for my job, but it was a way to keep the loneliness at bay. I was bitter and cold before you came along. I have more help now and Lincoln is coming home in two days. Stay with me, Mia.”
How could she say no to his sincere plea? It was what she wanted, too, only she had been afraid to reach out and grab it. It was time to let go of fear. He let go of bitterness for her.
“Okay,” she whispered and closed her eyes. She was safe in his arms. She promptly fell asleep and he carried her to her room and stayed wrapped around her for the rest of the night.