Descent (Black Heart Romance)

“Why would you steal my snack?” I ask, as if genuinely hurt. “That was so mean.”

“Life hurts, sweetheart, get used to it.” Then he steals another one.

I make a face at him, then grab the plate and turn my back to him. “Get out of my house, you monster.”

“Oh, it’s your house now, is it?”

“Mm-hmm.” I nod confidently, then turn back around to hold out my hand. Although, on immediate reflection, I’m not sure how wise it is to show off such an expensive ring to someone Calvin has described as a criminal.

Arson barely glances at it. “Nice.”

“It is nice.” I glance down the hall the other man disappeared down. It’s where the bedrooms are, not even the rooms we’re entertaining in. “Why are you worried Calvin would bug the place, anyway? Aren’t you guys friends?”

“Everyone’s your friend until they aren’t.”

“Beautiful. You should put that on a throw pillow.”

He motions to the ceiling in a circular motion. “Make sure you give your husband a gentle reminder that all these fucking cameras better be off before Nick gets here, too. He won’t even come in if he feels like he’s being watched.”

“Nick?”

“My boss.”

“Oh. He’s coming tonight?”

Arson nods, then rudely abandons me without even properly ending our conversation to go check on the guy down the hall.

I look up at the ceiling. I’ve looked before, but I have yet to see anything that looks like a camera. I’ve looked at other places I thought a nanny cam might be hidden, too, because of the way Hollis behaved in here like he knew Calvin was watching, but I have yet to find one.

Arson talks like he knows they here, though, and I believe him.

Even if he is an abrupt, rude monster who steals snacks from pregnant women.

___

I make sure to start getting ready hours before the guests are scheduled to arrive. Calvin had to work today, but he promised to be home by four.

I shower and go through my skincare routine, then Monique comes to style my hair and do my make-up. I feel stunning by the time she leaves, but also exhausted. Being pregnant really takes it out of me.

I’m already wearing the glittering midnight blue dress Calvin bought me for this evening, but instead of putting on the heels and going out to wait with the staff, I decide to lie down for just a quick minute. I’m finding it hard to stay awake, but if I just rest my eyes for a few minutes, I’ll be good to go.

That could be true. Should be true.

It is not true.

When Calvin comes in, I’m fast asleep in my party dress. The lovely hairstyle Monique gave me is smashed against my pillow, and all I want to do is sleep.

“There’s my lovely hostess.”

I know if Calvin is here, that means I slept for more than 10 minutes. I try to muster the energy to care, but I don’t have it.

“Your hostess is sleepy,” I murmur into the pillow.

The bed sinks as Calvin climbs onto it. He crawls across the bed so he’s near the middle and closer to me, then I finally open my eyes.

“I take it little girl Cutler is making you tired today.”

“Exceedingly tired. And how do you know I’m giving her your last name?”

Calvin chuckles, which I suppose is all the acknowledgment that cranky remark deserves. Imagine going to war with Calvin over a name.

With one hand, he gently pushes me so I’m lying on my back. I close my eyes again, but start when I feel his hand come to rest on my stomach. “How are you doing in there? Making Mommy tired is naughty. You can do that later, after the party.”

I smile, a swell of tenderness surging up inside me to see him talking to our unborn baby. “Just wait until she’s born and she never listens to you. It’ll drive you mad.”

Calvin is utterly dismissive of this possibility. “Of course she’ll listen to me.” Smiling faintly as if he’s not about to bait me, he says, “She is her mother’s daughter, after all.”

I groan and grab his pillow to hit him with. “I’m too tired for you. Go away.”

He laughs and takes the pillow, replacing it on his side of the bed. “It’s time to wake up. I let you sleep as long as I reasonably could, but Charity is here and she’s not happy. Remember that talk we had about sticky first impressions and the importance of nailing it before I met your mom? This probably wasn’t the best way for us to be introduced.”

I dart up in bed, wide-eyed. “Charity’s here early?”

Calvin shakes his head. “I’m afraid you’re late. Everyone is already here, I just couldn’t bring myself to wake you up so I decided to let you sleep for a bit.”

I gasp, rolling off the bed and touching my hair. “What? Oh, Calvin, why did you do that?” I run into the bathroom and see my hair is a bit of a mess. Not a complete catastrophe, but as expected, I look like someone who just woke up from a nap. “Oh, my pretty hair. Monique worked so hard on it.”