I should have known when he hadn’t been home in a few days that he was back with Nico. I just couldn’t bring myself to believe he would tell him where I was. But now it’s not just me he put in danger, it is my baby too. Sam may not be my real brother, but he is the only family I’ve ever known. The only person who never tried to change me. Shaking my head at my thoughts, I make myself answer him. Maybe the sooner he gets the info he needs, the soon he’ll leave me to be alone again.
“What?”
“Does he know?” I know what he’s asking, but for some reason I play dumb. Maybe because I don’t want to say it out loud.
“Know what?
“Becs,” he growls, and I can hear him losing his patience with me. God knows I don’t want him to knock my head against something again. I can still feel a throb in the side of my skull from the last time.
“No, he doesn’t know,” I admit. I was going to tell him, but I just hadn’t worked it all out yet. I am scared. What if Bray tries to take the baby from me? He has more money than God. I’m sure he would have no trouble doing it. I don’t want to keep the baby from him, but every time I start to think of the million ways he could respond to finding out, I get so freaked out. I’ve never had a family before, and with this baby, I do now. It is something I’ve always wanted, something I’ve dreamed of. I want to give this baby a home like I never had. It may not be fancy, but he or she will feel loved. Every day they will know I want them. That I will never cast them aside like they mean nothing to me.
“What will he do when he finds out?” Nico asks, turning to look at me.
The million dollar question. I’m not sure how to respond because I’m not sure what he’ll do, but I think Bray will want our baby. I’m just scared of how pissed he might be at me. If he’ll take the baby from me, or if we’ll do this together. Maybe he wants us both, but I push that thought from my head. Bray showed me that he’d never be happy with me. I don’t fit in his world. Maybe a baby won’t either. Where would the workaholic find the time?
“I’m not sure, to be honest with you,” I admit, wringing my fingers in my hand. Sam tried to pressure me a few times for answers, but I’d just skate around them. I’ve only known for a little while that I am pregnant, but when a tiny bump started to show there was no hiding it from everyone else. At first I was excited to always have this piece of Bray, that we would forever be tied together, but once my mind got the best of me I was pretty fucking scared.
“Guess we’re going to find out how much he’ll pay for the thing,” he says, standing from the bed.
I flinch at the word, ‘thing’.
“What if he wants me too? Or doesn’t want either or us?” I question. Bray may not want me as his, but I don’t think he’d let harm come to me. Maybe he’ll be pissed about the baby, or think that I am going to keep it from him.
“Not part of the deal, Becs. I’m willing to ransom off the baby, but I’m not giving you to him. But trust me, he’ll want the baby. As much as he’s been sniffing around for you, I think he’ll take any piece he can get.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach, but I try to hide my joy at hearing Bray’s looking for me. I know when I left he wanted me, but not in the forever kind of way. I only left because I knew it would never last, that I could never be what he wants, nor do I want to change. When I did try to mold to his world it only ate at me inside. I’d loved people in my past that couldn’t love who I am, even when I tried to be what they wanted. I seem to be unlovable.
“Why are you doing this to me? Get your money and let me go! I don’t want you.”
Before I get the last word out of my mouth, Nico is on me, nose to nose. I can feel his hot breath on my face. “I never fucking asked what you wanted, Becs. Is that what the other guy did, played nice? Well you took off from him, so I’m thinking you don’t like nice so much. I take what I want. Get used to it or life will be real fucking hard for you.” He skims his nose along my cheek, then I feel his wet tongue lick up the side of my face “Or you do what you’re told, and life can be a whole lot easier.” Leaning back he looks me in the eyes. It takes everything in me to not look away.
A smile spreads across his face. “God, I can’t wait until you’re fully mine. But make no mistake, you’re mine now. That stupid fuck let you slip through his fingers, but I’ll never release you.”
I can see in his eyes that he isn’t lying. His dark eyes are so cold, they send a chill down my spine.
“If I was you, Becs, I would get used to the idea of us. Because I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off you until you pop that baby out.”
With that he turns and leaves, but not before he calls over his shoulder, “I’ll be back tonight to play a little more with you. Maybe I’ll use your mouth next time instead.”
The door slams and I hear the lock click in place.
BRAY
“Where the fuck is she?” I grit between my teeth and land another punch to the side of Sam’s face. I’m through playing nice.