Page 14 of Accidental Theirs (Alpha Billionaire Daddies #6)

Chapter Twelve

OLIVIA

I brace my hands on the shower wall, looking down at the water swirling down the drain and fighting my gag reflex.

I hiccup and lose the battle, throwing up bile between my feet.

I groan, washing away the mess and getting out to brush my teeth. Again.

This is the second time I’ve thrown up, and I’m beginning to think I’ve got one hell of a stomach bug. Or maybe it’s that sushi I ate with Marie, the one from the grocery store.

I give Roland a call.

He answers easily, probably getting ready for work.

“What’s up, boss?”

“I’m sick. I don’t think I’ll come in today.”

“Don’t. If you give it to me, I’ll kill you.”

I chuckle.

It’s been weeks now, and I haven’t told either of my best friends what happened with the guys, mostly because I’ve been in my own head about it.

I’m grateful that I don’t have to see Dominic and Sebastian every day, but seeing Damien isn’t going well, either .

I barely talk to him, avoiding him since that night.

I’ve thrown myself into work, making sure everything is on the up and up with the merger.

Of course, I’ve had to interact with him now and again, and he seems to always be looking at me, and all I can think about is how I know what he feels like inside me, what he tastes like.

At least I won’t have to see him today.

I sigh as I plop back down on the bed, and then nausea rolls in my stomach again and suddenly, I’m throwing up into the wastebasket, hunched over the edge of the bed.

Maybe I should see a doctor.

I sit up slowly, a wave of dizziness passing over me.

I shouldn’t drive like this, so I call Marie.

“Thought you were sick,” she drawls.

“I know you’re at work, but is there any way you could leave early and take me to the urgent care?”

“The urgent care? Oh, no. Of course, I’ll be right over. What’s wrong?” There’s shuffling of paperwork in the background, like she’s packing up.

I smile, grateful to have a good friend. “Just a stomach thing. I just want to get some meds and nip it in the bud. I have a lot to do and can’t afford to be down for however long this takes.”

“Be there in twenty.”

She’s a woman of her word, showing up twenty minutes later and when I open the door, she balks.

“You look terrible.”

“Thanks.” I’ve shrugged on a pair of sweats and a hoodie and pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail.

She leads me out to the car, opening the door for me.

“Such a gentleman,” I tease weakly, my stomach still feeling unsteady.

She gives me a little bow, and I laugh, staring straight ahead as we drive to the urgent care to keep from being car sick.

When we arrive, I lean on Marie as we walk inside and sit down.

She pats my hand. “You really are sick. Is that why we’ve barely talked in two months?”

I flush, a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to hang out, it’s just... the merger is happening in less than two weeks, and there’s still so much to do.”

She winces. “I can imagine. That’s why I’m not mad at you.” She nudges her shoulder against mine. “But we should catch up.”

“We really should.” I give her a slow grin, and her eyes widen.

“What’d you do?” she whispers, but then the nurse calls me back, and I’m saved.

For now.

I’m going to come clean. After all, she and Roland already know everything about me, and besides... I’m kind of excited to tell them.

It’s not like I have a ton of fun, sexy, casual sex stories like Roland or a bunch of long-term relationships like Marie.

That night is definitely the craziest thing I’ve ever done.

I explain my symptoms to the nurse, and she raises her hand immediately, handing me a specimen cup.

“I’m definitely going to need a urine sample.”

“Oh, I’m not—” I freeze.

I was going to say, “I’m not sexually active,” because well, I wasn’t. At least not until that night.

She just pushes it into my hand, and Marie stares at me.

“You can’t be pregnant,” she hisses as the nurse walks out of the room, and I’m sure I’m as pale as death.

“There’s no way,” I mumble, more to myself than Marie, but she paces around .

“Is there? I mean, you would have told me if?—”

“I mean, it’s possible. But it’s really unlikely. It was only one night.”

She groans loudly. “Not Dominic again.”

I go silent, not wanting to blurt it all out in the doctor’s office, but she paces around the room some more.

“He hurt you so badly, Livvie. I remember picking up the pieces and how you couldn’t sleep without a bottle of wine in your system for weeks...”

“We’re not getting back together.” I mean that.

I don’t want a relationship. That’s why I wanted all of them, so that none of them would get the wrong idea. Well, that, and it’s one of my biggest fantasies.

Memories of that night and even the morning after with Damien rush over me, and my skin heats up.

The doctor comes in after what seems like forever, flipping through my paperwork and smiling.

“Hello, Mrs. Carter.”

“Ms.”

He raises an eyebrow but nods. “Congratulations, Ms. Carter. You’re going to have a baby.”

All the oxygen goes out of my lungs in a whoosh, and I bend over, putting my head between my knees so that I don’t pass out.

Marie, at my side in an instant, pats my back. “It’s going to be okay.”

The doctor pauses a bit awkwardly. “The nurse can speak to you about doctors... and options.”

My mouth goes dry.

Options.

I’m twenty-seven years old. I’m not married, and I have no prospects. I have plenty of money, lots of support from my friends and my father...

If not now, when ?

I’ve always wanted to be a mother, somewhere deep down, but I’ve never allowed myself to dream about it. Not since Dominic left.

He’s the only one I’ve ever wanted that type of relationship with, and well... now I don’t even know who the father is.

“This is bad.” I try to breathe in through my nose to calm myself.

“It’s bad, but it’s not horrible . It’s not like Dominic is going to run off?—”

“I don’t know if it's his.”

She grabs my arm, dragging me out of the doctor’s office and into the car without speaking.

Once we’re in the car, she turns to me and cups my face.

“Tell me everything.”

“Let’s go home first. I’m exhausted.”

She breaks all manner of traffic laws getting home, and finally, when I’m on the couch, sipping a cup of peppermint tea, I’m ready to talk.

I explain everything, going into explicit detail, and Marie doesn’t ask a single question, just staring at me with her eyes getting wider and wider.

“And now this.” I groan, holding my stomach with both hands.

I can’t believe there’s actually a baby in there. It seems so surreal.

“Oh. My. God.” Marie pulls out her phone, and I frown.

“What are you doing?”

“We need Roland. Immediately.”

It takes about an hour before Roland can get away from work, but he opens the door with his key and comes inside immediately.

“Marie said you had an orgy and got pregnant, so I figured you two were shitfaced. But you two look sober, so?— ”

“It’s true.” My cheeks are scorching hot. “Dominic, Damien, and Sebastian.”

“Jesus Christ.” He sits down across from me, next to Marie.

I’m lounging on the couch, and they’re on the loveseat.

His eyes are wide and focused on me. “What are you going to do?”

I half-groan, half-laugh and rub my hands across my face. “I have no idea. I should be freaking out, but... I guess I’m just numb.”

Marie’s eyes are wide open. “You're keeping the baby?”

I rub my stomach, smiling down at it. “I think... I think so. I’m ready to be a mother.”

“But is the father ready to be a father?” Roland points out, and I sigh.

“I have no way of knowing whose it is.”

Marie shrugs. “You can do a paternity test. We can talk to the doctor about it on Friday.”

I nod slowly. “I guess I’ll wait to tell them until I see the doctor.”

“You’re going to tell them? All of them?” Roland looks at me like I’m nuts.

“I have to tell them. They’ll figure it out anyway, once I start to show. God, what am I going to do?” Suddenly, it hits me, and it seems like I can barely breathe, my throat closing up into a little pinhole.

“You’re okay.” Roland puts his hand on my thigh. “We’ll be here for you, Olivia.”

Marie comes over to the couch to put her arms around me and sit next to me. “We will.”

I lean against her. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”

“Perish,” Roland pipes up in a chirp and it makes me laugh out loud .

Marie squeezes my shoulders a bit. “So, tell us. Which of them do you think would make the best father?”

I think about it for a long moment.

“I don’t know. Certainly, not Sebastian. He’s kind of a playboy, really. And Damien is just so serious, I don’t know if I can imagine him as a father.”

“And Dominic?" Marie smirks, knowing that I’ve talked about having kids with him before.

I sigh heavily. “Dominic would be a great dad. But that doesn’t mean that he wants to be one.”

Roland holds my hand. “Well, he wants you back. So, he’d probably be a lot more receptive than the others.”

Marie looks between us. “So, maybe you should hope it’s Dominic’s.”

Roland shakes his head. “Not necessarily.”

I look back and forth between my two best friends like I’m watching a tennis match.

I groan, lying down on the couch and covering my face with my hands. “You guys are not helping.”

Marie comes over and sits with my head in her lap, starting to pet my hair.

Roland hums. “You could feel them out. Spend some more time with each of them, see who would be receptive or not.”

“And what if the father isn’t receptive?”

Marie shrugs. “Then you’ll be a single mom. That’s not so bad. Not in this day and age. And it’s not like you are hard for cash.”

“I guess. But it's just not the way I imagined having a family.” I drop my hands from my face, looking up at Marie.

She smiles at me. “Best laid plans, and all that. But we’ll be here every step of the way.”

Roland frowns. “So, you’re saying she should date them? ”

She shrugs. “Not date, exactly. Just spend some time with each of them. Slyly ask them about family, kids, et cetera.”

“Like a secret spy.” Roland perks up, looking excited, and I snort.

“A pregnant secret spy?”

“Women can do anything they want, Olivia,” he says firmly, and it makes me laugh.

Marie shakes her head. “I can’t believe you’re not having a panic attack right now.”

I chuckle, rubbing my stomach.

“Maybe the baby is calming me down. Is that a thing?”

Roland wrinkles his nose. “I have no idea. Pregnancy is terrifying to me. It’s like having a little parasite in there, sucking away your life.”

“Gee. Thanks so much for that image, Roland.”

He grins at me. “You’re welcome. Now, what’s the baby craving? Are you having any weird food aversions?”

I shake my head. “Nothing yet. I’m mostly nauseous all the time.”

Marie nods. “Liana had morning sickness for four months with the twins. She was losing instead of gaining weight.”

I pale. “Four months ? Tell your sister she’s a warrior.”

Marie beams. “She knows. You need to eat something, though. How about a banana?”

“I’m not eighteen months old.”

She huffs. “The doctor suggested the brAT diet!”

It apparently stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

Roland snorts. “The brat diet? I think I’ve been on that my whole life.”

I choke out a laugh.

Despite everything feeling upside down, I have two good friends who care about me, and that’s not going to change .

Even if my life is turned entirely on its head, and I have no idea what will happen now.