Mandy froze. A divorce? He was going to divorce her? So he could go be with that bitch with the two kids? Oh, hell no. That wasn’t going to happen. But how was she going to stop him? Her mind darted from one idea to another. There was only one way she could think of. She smiled. After all, it had worked for women since the dawn of civilization.
She knocked on the door. “Cole, honey? Are you in there?”
Cole and Crash looked at each other.
Shit, Cole thought.
Crash smiled and whispered, “Speak of the devil.”
Cole walked over and opened the door.
Mandy stepped into the room. Her hand slid up Cole’s chest, and she leaned up to kiss him. She could feel his coldness, his lack of excitement to see her. Well, he wasn’t going to get rid of her that easily. She wasn’t giving up without a fight. “Hi, sweetie. I’m so glad you’re home,” she purred, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Crash moved toward the door. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”
Cole gave Crash a dirty look over the top of Mandy’s head. “Yeah. Thanks.”
Crash smiled back. “No problem, bro.”
The door closed.
Cole looked down at Mandy, pushing her out of his arms. “I hear you’ve been asking all kinds of questions around the club.”
Mandy looked back at him. “Darlin’, I just wanted to know who this girl was. Lord knows you wouldn’t tell me.”
“It doesn’t concern you.”
“Doesn’t concern me? I’m your wife.”
“Yeah. We need to talk, I—”
Mandy cut him off quickly. She couldn’t afford to let him mention divorce, not before she told him her news. “Baby, first I have to tell you something.”
“What?” Cole asked impatiently.
She smiled up at him, her hands resting on his waist. “I have some news. I’m going to have a baby.”
Cole stared down at her, and he felt the floor drop out from under him. “What?”
“I’m pregnant, Cole. We’re going to have a baby.”
“What? How?”
“What do you mean, how? You know how. We’ve done it enough times.”
“When?” Cole swallowed. “How far along are you?” God forgive him but he hoped he could talk her into an abortion if she wasn’t too far along.
“Four months. Aren’t you excited?” She hugged him, burying her face in his chest. He missed the sly look that passed over her face. She’d chosen the number with care. Not too far to be showing yet, but not so little that he’d try to make her get rid of it.
Cole stared at the wall. Four months.
Mandy pulled back and looked up at him. “You’re happy, right?”
He looked down at her and pushed her out of his arms. “You need to go. I’ve got some club business to take care of.”
“But, Cole—”
“Mandy. I’ll meet you back at the house later. Now get out of here.” He turned away, holding the door for her.
Mandy forced a smile. She could play nice, if she had to. “Of course, darling. I’ll make you dinner.”
“I don’t know how late I’ll be,” he said stiffly.
“Well, I’ll keep it warm for you. I can’t wait to get you back in our bed, sweetie.” She leaned up and kissed him before turning and walking out.
Cole closed the door and fell back against it.
***
Crash was sitting at the bar when he saw Mandy walk out the front door of the club. A few minutes later, Cole walked down and sat next to him. He looked sick to his stomach.
“You okay, Brother?”
“No.”
Crash watched as Cole rested his elbows on the bar and lowered his head to his hands. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Cole slid his hands down his face and looked at Crash. “She’s pregnant.”
“Who? Angel?”
“I wish.” Cole shook his head. “Mandy.”
“Holy fuck. What are you gonna do?”
“I don’t know.”
Trying to lighten the mood, Crash nudged him with his shoulder. “You can always push her down the stairs.”
Cole gave him a look.
“I’m kidding.” Crash took a sip of his beer. “That’s rough man. But you can still get divorced.”
Cole stared into space. Could he? What kind of mother would Mandy make? Someone as spoiled and self-centered as her? A shitty one, that’s what kind. This baby would need him, probably more than Angel’s kids did. At least they had a decent and loving mother who cared more about her own children than she did about herself. Who would this kid have if Cole left? God knows who she’d dump the kid with just so she could go out partying or shopping. And she’d probably end up bringing around a line of men. Men his child would be exposed to, and he wouldn’t be able to say shit about it. He couldn’t do that to a child, could he? Here he was, always admiring Angel for always putting her children first, above her wants and needs, and isn’t that what he needed to do? Put what was best for his child first and to hell with what he wanted? That meant staying with Mandy no matter how miserable he was with her.
Crash slid a shot of whiskey in front of him, and he downed it. He thought about everything he and Angel could’ve had together and would never have now.
Crash refilled Cole’s shot glass. “Drink up, Brother. I may not be able to help, but I can sure get drunk with you.”
Cole gave him a weak smile and clinked his glass to Crash’s.
It was hours before he headed home.
***