Rescued by the Rancher by Victoria James Page A

stupid enough to listen to Ron about not worrying about condoms and, well, our parents decided abortion was the only way to go because Ron still had business school and if we were to get married, everyone would know it was because I was pregnant.”
    He ran his hand over his jaw, his other hand flexing by his side. “What did you want?”
    “I wanted my baby,” she whispered, choking on the words she hadn’t said aloud in years. “I wanted my baby so badly.”
    She held up her hand when he reached out to pull her into him. “Please don’t touch me. Not now.”
    He dropped his arms. “What happened, darling?”
    She stared at him, into those blue eyes she adored, and told him the truth she’d never had the guts to tell her sister or anyone else. “I agreed,” she whispered, wanting to die of shame and humiliation. “Spineless Meredith once again was going to do what she was told. I had lost my soul, my identity, everything. And then something happened. I couldn’t sleep the night before. I was so sick, throwing up and crying, and I had never, ever felt so alone. I was surrounded by enemies. I sat on the washroom floor, crying. I remembered I wasn’t alone. I had a baby growing inside me and I knew, I felt , how much I loved her and that realization consumed me, and I was filled with this love. It’s something I will never forget. A feeling that I will always, always treasure, it’s indescribable. At that moment, I was a mother, and I would do anything to protect my baby.” Meredith clutched her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the intensity of Gage’s stare.
    “That morning, I walked out of my room and announced that there was no way in hell I was getting rid of my baby. I told them I didn’t care what they thought. I stood at the top of the stairs, arguing with my father while my mother stood silently beside him. I said I was going to leave and live with Melanie. He grabbed my arm and I yanked it free and I fell down the stairs.”
    “Jesus.”
    Meredith stared beyond his shoulder, visualizing that day, so vivid still in her memory even though she had tried so many times to forget. “There was blood everywhere and they had to call an ambulance, but it was already over, I knew it. I felt her leaving me. I was hemorrhaging. When I got to the hospital I was unconscious. When I woke, hours later, I begged them to tell me what it was. The doctor said it was a girl, and it was all my fault, because I didn’t stand up for her, just like my mother never stood up for us. I didn’t fight for her until it was too late. I was never more disgusted with myself than that night. Without knowing it, that baby had become a part of me and I swear I have never ached more for anyone or anything. I never knew loneliness on that level. A part of me was gone. My little girl died thinking I didn’t want her. She never knew her mommy loved her.”
    Meredith felt the tears on her face too late. They streamed down as quickly as all the words had come out. He knew her now.
    …
    Gage reached out to hold the only woman who had ever managed to truly break his heart. She was broken, he was broken, and it wasn’t good enough anymore. He couldn’t allow himself to walk away or to be less of a man. He wanted to make her better. He wanted to take away all her pain and be the man she needed. He wanted to be a man worthy of a woman like her and wanted to heal her, erase all the sick memories she ever had.
    “Meredith,” he whispered as he enveloped her against him. She allowed him to put his arms around her, but her hands were still covering her face.
    “Gage, let me go,” she mumbled against him.
    “I’m so damn sorry about your baby, darling. I’m sorry about everything.”
    He felt her stiffen, and then she dropped her hands from her face and clutched the front of his shirt like she was holding on for dear life as sobs racked her body.
    “I know I have no idea what the hell I’m talking about and I know you