Page 63 of Endure the Pain

“Do you know who the father is?”

I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest. “Does it matter?”

“No. Just curious,” he answered honestly. “Jameson doesn’t seem to know.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know if I’m going to keep it.”

He straightened his posture. “You can’t make a decision like that without telling Jameson. If it’s his, which I have a feeling it is, he deserves a say.”

“It’s my body. Therefore, it’s my decision.”

He winced and quickly looked away.

“What?” I asked.

“You sounded just like your mother,” he said with an absent look in his eyes.

I did my best to level my voice. “She didn’t want me?”

He recovered. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does,” I threw back.

“What I meant to say was that you should talk to him.”

“I plan to,” I snapped.

“Good. Now, make sure you pick up your broth and toast from the kitchen before you head up to your room,” he ordered and left before I could push further about my mother.

I did as I was told and went to the kitchen. Despite throwing up less than five minutes ago, I was hungry. But what I wanted was onion rings. Bad. But it was probably best if I took it easy with the bland food.

As I entered the kitchen, the smell of fish hit me again. Thankfully, it didn’t overwhelm me with nausea. Just in case, I held my hand under my nose. I saw a bowl of broth and a plate with toast on a tray waiting for me on the island. As I walked across the kitchen for it, the dining room door swung open.

Angela’s voice filled the room. “I wonder who the father is?”

I stopped in my tracks and whirled to face her. “Excuse me?”

“Does Jameson know you’re fucking his best friend? I saw you together in the hall at the party after you two killed that man,” she said and stepped toward me. She put her hand on her hip and gave me a superior smuglook. “You kissed Louie and you two screwed in Stefan’s study. I wonder what Jameson will do when he finds out that his girlfriend is nothing more than a slut who got herself knocked up by his best friend. Haven’t you heard of fucking birth control?”

Fuck the high road.

It had been a stupid move on her part to get within reach. It took little effort to whip my fist out and punch her in the nose. She yelped as her head fell back. She covered her nose with both hands as blood gushed down her chin.

“You crazy bitch!” she yelled in a nasal tone before she tackled me to the ground.

Fear rushed through me. I was worried what the fall could do to the baby. I did my best to maneuver myself and landed on my butt first before my back smacked to the floor. Because I was so focused on protecting my body, Angela got the upper hand. She smacked me across the face before she wrapped both hands around my neck.

She was sitting on top of my stomach with an evil smirk. “How does it fucking feel!”

A shadow appeared over her shoulder. My eyes barely had enough time to see that it was Stefan before he grabbed Skank Barbie by her hair. She screamed out inpain as he ripped her off of me and tossed her ass across the room.

Jamie was kneeling down to help me sit up a heartbeat later. Followed by Louie, who began fussing over me. “Are you hurt? What about the—”

Touching my neck, I gave him a pointed look to stop him.

“Yes, princess, what about the baby?” Angela asked in a sickeningly sweet voice and smiled proudly from where she knelt on the floor, clutching the back of her head. “Please tell everyone how you’re carrying Louie’s baby,” she announced to the room. Everyone had come into the kitchen. My aunt, uncle, and cousins. All looked to me with wide eyes. Angela ended her announcement with, “Sorry to tell you this, but your precious girlfriend is a cheating slut, Jameson.”

Jamie’s eyes bored into mine, seeking truth. “You’re pregnant?”