Page 70 of Endure the Pain

I nodded my thanks and took off in that direction. Just as I stepped into the hall, I paused when I heard Brenna angrily ask, “Which one of you upset her?”

“You’re an ungrateful prick,” Dean growled. “Would it fucking kill you to ease up on her?”

“I don’t understand her. I don’t know what she wants,” Finn said.

“She’s not Samuel. She doesn’t want shit from you,” Asher snapped.

Not wanting to hear anymore, I went into the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, I took in my wet eyes with disdain. I could barely eat and now I had uncontrollable crying.Fucking fantastic.What else was this pregnancy going to do to me?

I splashed some water on my face, willing the tears to stop. Once they did, I intended to go back into the kitchen with a little bit of dignity. I opened the door to Finn waiting in the hall.

With his arms crossed, he leveled his gaze with mine. “I’m sorry and thank you.” I would've bet his words tasted like vinegar with how he forced them out.

I schooled my face and accepted his apology with a shallow nod. “Since I have you alone, I need to talk to you about Sean Kelly.”

CHAPTER 22

I stood before my full-length mirror in my bathroom, fighting the urge to cry. I couldn’t button my pants. Well, I could, but it was painful.It’s fine, Maura. Gaining weight is normal. A good thing.I’d just have to wear leggings to my doctor’s appointment. Shedding the outfit I'd intended to wear, I headed back to my closet.

Jamie and Louie were going with me to my twelve-week appointment this morning, and both of them were waiting patiently on the couch for me to finish getting ready. Storming out of the bathroom in only my underwear caught their attention.

“What’s wrong?” Louie asked.

“I’m getting fat! This baby is going to wreck my body,” I snapped before I disappeared in my closet.

Angrily, I snatched a short, loose dress from where it was hanging and some leggings from a drawer and began yanking them on.

I was pulling up the leggings over my ass when Jamie leaned against the door frame, watching me. “You done having a pity party?”

I flipped him off with the meanest look I could muster. “Fuck you!”

The corner of his mouth twitched, and he pulled backhis sleeve to look at his watch. “We have time,” he said and stepped into the closet.

Eyeing him as he approached me, I asked, “For what?”

He knelt to the ground in front of me in his black tailored suit. As he smoothed his strong hands over my hips, my heart rate sped up.The icy rage in my veins melted, instantly. The heat in his eyes threatened to turn me into a puddle. He smirked up at me. “Take off your pants and you’ll find out.”

We ended up being a few minutes late to my appointment. Having Jamie’s head buried between my legs, his tongue making me writhe on the closet floor, had been so worth it. It had extinguished my sour mood, which I supposed had been Jamie’s goal.

During my appointment, Dr. Greene had eyed Jamie and Louie, obviously wondering who the father was. I could see that he was tempted to ask, but he stayed professional and continued on like it was normal for two men to stare intently at the ultrasound monitor and ask a million and one questions.

After my appointment, Jamie and Louie had to go do mob shit and I needed to do some shopping. I loathed the idea of wearing maternity clothes, but I was quickly reaching the point of not having a choice. I invited Brenna to tag along. According to Finn, she was dying to get out of the house.

My goons and I drove to the mall in Milford. The three of them didn’t seem thrilled about spending the afternoon shopping and Finn had grumbled over the phone about it when I'd told him to meet us there. Asher parked the Escalade next to Finn’s blue Camaro in the parking lot. Both Brenna and Finn waited next to his car as the four of us exited our vehicle. Brenna smiled at me, appearing…better, much better. Like the weight of her pain wasn’t as heavy to carry. It had been almost a month since I’d taken her from Dylan. She was doing well inschool and was excelling at everything my goons were teaching her.

“Want to get milkshakes first?” was the first thing she said. It was obvious she was excited to be out and about. I’d have to make it a point to plan more outings with her.

I smiled. “Absolutely.”

She hooked her arm with mine and we headed inside toward the food court. Asher and Will scanned the court while Dean and Finn kept with us as Brenna and I approached an ice cream counter. Brenna ordered a strawberry shake and I got a chocolate peanut butter one. The smell of greasy food from the next food counter hit my nose. I put my hand to my stomach because it immediately started rumbling.

Dean took a step closer to me and whispered, “Do you feel sick?”

I shook my head. “I smell onion rings.”

He rolled his eyes and walked over to the next counter. Onion rings hadn’t stopped being my number one craving. Well, that and peanut butter. They were the main things Jellybean wouldn’t make me throw up.

The other night, Rourke had joined us for dinner and had watched me, disgust adorning his face, as I had dipped my onion rings in peanut butter before eating them.