The Trouble With Him: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (The Forbidden Love 3)

Suddenly, my eyes fall upon the concrete sidewalk to see the bracelet she wore on the ground. I pick it up, remembering on the walk over here how she said she loved it so much that if she ever lost it, she’d be so upset, which is why she never wore it.

Placing it safely in my pocket, I then extend my hand to hail a cab.

Romano may have ruined the night, but my concern is Ava.

“Addy thinks I’m falling in love with you.”

Her words repeat inside my head.

And like a wind knocking the air out of me, I can’t deny it any longer.

I think I’m falling in love with her too.

Twenty

Ava

The anger tearing through me is like a hurricane making landfall, destroying everything in its path.

My muscles continue to quiver, and the speed of my pulse rises as I stand here on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.

A cab is not too far in the distance, so I stretch my arm, and it pulls over to the curb.

Desperate to escape, I hop inside and quickly give the driver my address without a second thought.

The anger begins to shift as I stare out the window, riddled with humiliation. How dare he say those things to me in front of my family. What gave him the right to voice his opinion thinking he has the slightest clue what I’ve gone through.

He couldn’t be further from the truth.

Will Romano is a selfish man. The irony is he always gets what he wants.

It only takes ten minutes to get home, and during that time, my phone rings non-stop.

When I exit the cab, I move quickly, eager to be alone inside my apartment and not deal with the human race.

As my steps quicken, a pain strikes my lower body. I flinch, clutching my stomach while being forced to stop momentarily. The sensation is different from the baby's usual kicks, sharper and spreading across my entire abdomen.

I take controlled breaths in and out until the pain turns into an ache which eventually subsides. When it’s completely gone, I am able to move again freely.

In the sanctuary of my home, I breathe a sigh of relief, purposely ignoring my phone. The continuous ring is driving me mad. My hands reach for the phone inside the beaded clutch to turn it off. Without a second thought, I throw it on the sofa, not wanting to talk to anyone.

All I can think about is Will’s words and the conviction in his eyes while he sat there like an arrogant prick. The more I think about it, the more my blood boils. Will Romano needs to be taken down a notch, and I have no issue telling Millie to control her self-absorbed husband.

As for right now, the only thing to clear my mind is a shower. So I make my way to the bathroom, removing my clothes and shoes, then turn on the faucet.

The water is hot, easing my muscles but not my mind. Thankfully, the pain in my stomach has stopped. It must have been hunger pains since I’m unable to recall when I ate last.

After what feels like only a short time, my skin begins to wrinkle, prompting me to get out. I throw my robe on with nothing underneath, quickly brushing my hair to the side without worrying about any face creams since exhaustion begins to hit hard.

Upon my walk back to the kitchen, a noise distracts me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Austin is pacing the living room with his arms crossed beneath his chest. The skin bunches around his eyes along with a clenched jaw, unlike his usually calm expression.

“How did you get in here?” I ask, considering he doesn’t have a key or my code.

“Your doorman, Harry. I said you weren’t answering your calls, which you were not,” he answers coldly, then shakes his head with a frustrated stare. “God, Ava. Do you know how worried I was about you? You run off, don’t answer your phone. Anything could have happened to you!”

I lower my gaze, tightening the knot of my robe. “I’m here, alive, as you can see.”

“It’s not just about you anymore,” Austin shouts, running his hands through his hair with a tortured gaze. “Do you understand that?”