Page 84 of Do It For Me

“Thank you.”The words echo in my mind.“Thank you so much.”

She places him in my arms. He’s covered in blood, his tiny face scrunched and wrinkled, but he’s mine. Entirely mine.

I won’t let anyone hurt him. No one will touch him.

“Hello, little monster,” I whisper.

The man presses a kiss to the top of my head through his mask, and to my surprise, it doesn’t bother me.

“Do you have a name in mind?” he asks gently.

I never thought of one. I can’t name him Dante; that would be pure torture for me, and I’d feel even more pathetic. His father’s name is out of the question, and my father’s name doesn’t deserve to be remembered. I could name him Victor, but I’m not very fond of the idea.

“What’s your name?” I ask him.

The man stiffens, his grip tightening slightly on my hand.

“Don’t name your baby after a stranger, mama,” Gwen interjects with a knowing smirk. “You have no idea what kind of trouble that might bring him.”

A faint laugh escapes me, weak but real.

I stroke my baby’s delicate face.

Memories flash through my mind—our first date. That same day, a kid trusted me, and I helped him find his way back to his mother.

Back then, I still trusted someone. And someone, even for a moment, believed in me.

“Does Finn sound too bad?” I murmur.

The baby’s tiny hand clasps my pinky, his fingers so impossibly small yet strong. His wide eyes lock onto mine.

“Finn sounds perfect, sweetheart.”

I exhale slowly, exhaustion settling over me.

Finn Cassano. It would’ve sounded so beautiful.

Daniel strokes my head gently as I keep my focus on the boy in my arms. The doctor and nurses move around me, doing whatever they need to with my body, but I don’t care. None of it matters anymore. I have everything I need right here. He’s my reason to keep going.

Now I understand my mum.

Daniel hums a soft tune. It’s familiar, but I’m too tired to figure out which one it is.

“You look exhausted, mama,” the doctor says softly as they finish. “We’ll take Finn for the night so you can get some rest, okay?”

No. I can’t let them take him.

I turn to the man beside me, searching his face like it holds answers. Like he’s someone I can trust.

“I can’t…” My voice breaks. “I don’t want to leave my baby.”

“He’ll be fine,” Gwen reassures me. “It’s just for tonight, so you can sleep.”

The man’s eyes meet mine with such sadness that it’s contagious. It even looks like he’s been crying.

“You won’t… take him from me?”

“No, sweetheart,” Daniel murmurs, his voice sounds… hurt.