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She swallows hard. “It can’t be. And I know you won’t because your father would disown you.” Her expression hardens, her tone brimming with bitterness.
My father has been the center of our arguments, in one way or another, throughout our entire relationship. Little does she know, I hate him more than anyone.
“I don’t give two flying fucks what he thinks. I don’t talk to him.”
“Really? About time.” Her pleased smile fills me with hope until she says, “But let me reiterate: the baby isn’t yours.”
I reach in my pocket for a Jolly Rancher, unwrap it, and pop it in my mouth. “Damn. I wouldn’t mind getting a supermodel pregnant.” I wink.
I’ve lived a life filled with disappointment. It’s easy to make jokes. Part of me doesn’t want to believe her. Another part of me doesn’t care if the baby is mine or not. Nothing matters as long as she gives me a second chance.
And fuck, I hope she does because being in the same room with her, having her smile at me, is a total mindfuck. My body is energized, adrenaline pumping hard through my veins. My heart is beating against my sternum as if it’s trying to escape my chest, as if it knows its home is right in front of us.
“Well, you had your chance. Clearly, I’m already pregnant.” She gestures toward her slightlyrounded stomach.
She can’t be far along. I wouldn’t have noticed had she not shielded her belly, which means she’s pregnant by some fuck she met while modeling.
That pansy-ass photographer she went on a date with? She could’ve reunited with him. Fuck! I should’ve done more than threaten him with the loss of his job. I should’ve broken his nose—or neck.
The one time I refrain from violence, and see at what happens?
I twirl the candy with my tongue. Before I get too worked up and add someone else to my hit list, I need to verify who the father is.
“Will your baby daddy mind if I stay?” Not that I fucking care. “After all, you aremygirlfriend.”
I refuse to listen to what anyone says. She never broke up with me. No form of those words ever came out of her mouth or via text. Nothing. She ghosted me.
Again, I don’t blame her. I was off the rails. Deep down, I realized it was over, and I couldn’t bear to go through that sober. Or breathing.
Now that I’m clean, she’s all I think about. All I want. All I dream of.
She rolls her eyes in response to my thinly disguised attempt at gathering information and pushing my boundaries. “No father involved, and I’ll let you stay if you stop calling me your girlfriend.”
Fuck, yeah! My heart leaps. I’m demented for wanting her alone, especially while pregnant, but I need her all to myself.
Plus, that’s one less person to consider murdering.
I try to control it, but my grin is downright wolfish. “Perfect. Now tell me about the asshole who did this.”
She adverts her gaze and twists the banket, all humor between us fading away.
I take her hand in mine, and a jolt of electricity runs through my fingers, scorching heat dancing along my skin from her touch. “Hey, look at me.”
With tears in her eyes and trembling lips, she glances up. My mind jumps to the worst. A spark of rage burns in my chest, and I clench my jaw, struggling to contain my emotions.
“It’s okay, baby.” I tuck away loose strands of her hair that have fallen from her messy bun and pin them behind her ear. “Did he hurt you?”
All joking aside,if he did, I might kill someone.
No, I know I would. I have no mercy for those who harm women or children—just ask her ex, who now resides in prison. Turns out, Aurora wasn’t the only girl he wasunkindto.
She shakes her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “No.”
“Tell me, Aurora. No matter what, I’ll always be here for you.” I bring her knuckles to my lips and inhale her intoxicating scent. A wave of heady recognition washes over me—jasmine and vanilla, her favorite lotion.
She settles against the starch-white pillows with a deep sigh, and I continue to hold her hand, not daring to move. Anguished eyes meet mine, and I’d do anything to erase it all.
“I’m overwhelmed, Jax.”