Going Down Fast (Billionaire Bad Boys 2)

With her heart in her throat, she looked at the stick. She’d purchased the brand that said Pregnant or Not Pregnant instead of a thin blue line to confirm. So when she glanced at the test, there was no doubt. No question.

She was pregnant.

The damned condom had failed her. She put her face in her hands and cried. After the day of worrying and working herself up for this moment, she needed the release.

What a freaking mess. She was just getting her life together after Keith had destroyed the reality she’d known. She had no savings, a job that needed her to be present and focused, and her push for being independent felt like a big fat sham. Because she was tied to another man because of a baby. Except she loved Lucas. It wasn’t his fault she was in no mental state to handle a pregnancy or a baby.

God, what was she going to do?

She wrapped the box and stick in the brown bag and buried it in the kitchen garbage before heading back to the bathroom. She washed her face and patted her burning eyes, staring at her face in the mirror, wondering why things couldn’t go her way for once.

Her cell rang and she glanced down. Lexie’s name flashed on the screen. She sighed, cleared her throat, and answered. “Hello?”

“Maxie, it’s Lexie.”

“And Kendall,” another voice added into the phone.

“Hi,” she said, smiling despite the despair she was feeling. “What’s up?”

“Since Kade is out, Kendall and I decided to go out for dinner. We want you to join us,” Lexie said.

She really wasn’t in the mood to go out and be with people. On the other hand, she didn’t want to sit home and dwell either. She had decisions to make, but none had to be made tonight.

“Where are you going?” Maxie asked.

A half an hour later, she’d pulled herself together, put on some makeup, and headed out to meet the twins at a restaurant near her apartment. Because the location wasn’t far, she decided a walk would clear her head. The last thing she needed was for Lucas to come home to find her with a blotchy face and red eyes and ask questions. She needed time, and keeping busy tonight would buy her some.

She walked out the building’s front door and into the cool evening air, feeling better as soon as the air hit her face. There was something refreshing about an outdoor walk, and if she was lucky, a miracle answer would dawn on her.

She drew her jacket around her and started down the street. As she passed the corner mini-mart, a man called her name.

She turned to see Vincent Bernardi quickly catching up with her. Her heart began to race. “What are you doing here?”

He grasped her elbow. “Keep walking,” he said, pulling her along at a steady clip.

“I thought you said you’d leave me alone.”

“Lady, you’re trying my patience, and I don’t have much to begin with.” Instead of heading straight on the well-lit avenue, he turned into a more dimly lit side street.

Her mouth went dry, and her nausea kicked in again for reasons beyond being pregnant.

“Took me awhile to check all my accounts and stay under the radar, but my funds are missing. Which means either you or your douchebag husband stole my money.”

She dug her heels into the sidewalk and stopped walking. “What? I didn’t even know there were accounts on that drive! I mean, if I were going to take your money, I wouldn’t still be here, would I? I’d be long gone!”

“I don’t give a fuck if it was you or your husband. It was mine and I want it back.” He still held on to her elbow and shook her hard, displaying his infamous temper, and her insides shook with fear. “Lucky for you, your boyfriend is rich. He can repay what his fucking brother stole from me.”

“I—” She didn’t have an answer to that. How could she ask Lucas to step up and pay for his brother’s sins?

“Take my number.” He slipped her a piece of paper. “You have one week, or I’ll be back, and you won’t like what happens if I have to contact you again,” he said, and she knew he meant business.

* * *

Lucas sat with Kade and Derek, having a drink before heading home for the night. All in all, things were going well. Business was on track, new development and improvements in the works, and things at home with Maxie were progressing at a pace he could more than live with. Even his asshole brother’s mess was behind them.

They’d just paid the bill when Kade’s phone rang. “Yeah, baby?”

Derek rolled his eyes, and Lucas couldn’t wait until he was on the receiving end of wanting to get home to his woman.