“You related to that drug kingpin that had his head cut off?”
I bite down hard on my inner cheek. “No.”
“That’s good. We don’t like garbage like that around here. Gave the town a bad name.”
“Never heard of him,” I lie.
“Tell you what. I’m going to let you off with a warning this time. Slow down.” He hands my license back and returns to his car. I wait until he pulls out to release my tears. My father may have been a monster, but he was all I had in this fucked up world. He’s the only person who truly gave a damn about me even if he had a fucked up way of showing it. Drying up my tears I get back on the road. I should go to the clinic but deep down I know what’s going on. I’ve not had my period for two months. I keep trying to ignore it, but I know I can’t keep pretending. I’m pregnant and this baby could belong to either Axel or Abel.
Instead of going to the clinic I decide to pay visit to Stephanie. I could use some womanly advice. My tail is waiting up ahead at the filling station, he pulls out right on my ass. It must be boring for him having to follow me around. Murphy is probably in his mid-forties to early fifties. He says I remind him of his daughter, Goldie. She’s been up north visiting her mother and you can tell he misses her.
I arrive at Stephanie and Uno’s house, and am buzzed through the gate automatically. I don’t bother with knocking. I never do. I find her in the kitchen with her blonde curly hair swept up in a messy bun on her head. I can’t believe my eyes when I take in her haggard appearance. The woman is always so put together, never a hair out of place. Today though she looks a hot mess. Her spaghetti strapped tank top has baby vomit stains on it and she’s wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants that appear two sizes two big, draping off her hips. Dark circles rim her eyes.
I hope this isn’t a terrifying look into my future.
Ruger is sitting inside the doorway that leads to the back patio. When the swing moves forward, he goes outside and when it swipes back, he’s in the kitchen. The fresh air is good for him. “Hey, what brings you over?” She smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Exhaustion is wearing on her.
“Oh, well I thought I’d come over and see if you needed any help or whatever.” Uno hired a nanny, but they give her the weekends off.
“I could use five years of sleep.” A light laugh follows with a big yawn. “Uno says you’ve been sick. Everything okay?”
“Well my husband still thinks I’m his possession and I…” I bite my thumbnail.
“You what?” her head tilts as she studies me.
“I gave into him last night.”
“Well that’s a start. You know he’s young and cocky. Abel has a lot to learn but play things right and you can mold him into a man you can love or at least tolerate.”
I grin. “Like you did with Uno.”
Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head. “That’s different.”
“Mhmmm. He doesn’t spend his nights with club girls either though, does he?”
“He knows better.”
“Exactly. Abel has been spending his weekends at The Inferno. I don’t expect him to love me, but I’m not stupid. I know what he does there.”
“But not who,” she muses.
I sigh and go over to check Ruger when he starts fussing. He lost his pacifier. I smile down at him as I place it back in his mouth. “He’s so cute.” He has a head full of dark hair.
“He wasn’t so cute last night when he wouldn’t go to sleep.”
“But you’re happy now that he’s here? I mean he brought you and Uno closer?”
“You could say that, but we have a lot of history, and a baby does change things, but it’s not a magic fix. I hope you don’t think having a baby will make Abel change who he is.”
“No, but maybe it would make things easier.”
“Or harder. Don’t be in a rush to grow up.”
“Says the woman who arranged my marriage.”
“I wanted you to be protected, and I won’t lie to you, part of it was for selfish reasons. We needed this fresh start for both our sakes and our relationship. If I didn’t get Uno out of Webb Hollow let’s just say he’d be next to your father.”
“Was he as horrible as people say?”