“Cassius’?” His tone darkens again for a different reason this time.
“There’s something else, before we fall out because you don’t approve of where I’m staying.”
“I’m listening.”
I take a deep breath in and count to five. “I still haven’t gotten my period.”
I wait for the explosion, the same one I expected before but it doesn’t come.
“Okay, well…” The phone rattles and he clears his throat. “Let’s just take a test and see what it says then take it from there.”
“In some ways you’re so much more mature than me,” I mumble and this time he chuckles for real.
“I’ll be there in an hour and we’ll do a test and go to dinner and take everything how it comes. How’s that?”
“That sounds good.”
I get showered and change, anxious to get this out of the way and a tiny bit excited to see the outcome. I don’t want a baby to come out of this mess. Not now. It’s too soon and I feel as though I still have so much life left to live. But then I think about it the other way and wonder what it would be like to be a mother. Perhaps it’s a naïve thought but there’s a little bit of excitement at the prospect.
What terrifies me the most is how Sargent will react. What if he gets angry or storms away? I’ll have to go all the way back to England because I can’t afford healthcare here. Will he provide for the baby?
I’m getting ahead of myself but it’s nice to have something else to focus on.
When I exit the bedroom I seek out Maddox and Cassius who are speaking in the kitchen.
They stop talking in hushed tones when I step into the room and both of them smile at the sight of me.
“I hope it’s okay, Sargent is on his way to pick me up. We’re going to talk.”
“Good.” Maddox smiles and drains the rest of his drink. “It will clear your head.”
Cassius nods his agreement. “But tell us if he upsets you and we’ll kick his ass.” He grins at Maddox. “We can take him if we attack him together.”
Maddox doesn’t look so sure. “I’ll let you do it. I’ll bring popcorn.”
“So you can be entertained by my ass whoopin’? Not a chance. Sargent would kill me.”
I giggle at their banter and pull myself onto a stool. Maddox stands behind me and braids my hair. I’m so lucky to have him in my life.
I tilt my head back so it rests on his chest and accept the hug from behind. Then I wait impatiently for Sargent to arrive.
When he does I hold my breath as Cassius greets him. There are no hard feelings between them. Apparently, they hashed it out but Cassius accepted Sargent’s explanations and apologies. Cassius just isn’t the kind of guy who holds grudges. Though it would have been different had it all blown up in his face.
He’s so handsome, even now while my mind is foggy with depression and shock I can’t help but admire how truly gorgeous he is. It’s such a shame he feels he can’t love. His hair has been cut but his beard is just a couple of millimeters long and so neatly shaped around his cheeks and jaw. There’s not a hair out of place.
When he sees me, his eyes soften and he doesn’t stop as he strides my way, not for anybody. I’m yanked from my seat and his lips are on mine. For a moment I relax into it and accept it because it’s him. But then I remember everything and how I feel and how I know he’s going to make me feel so I push him away.
“Let’s go,” he whispers, his eyes determined as they scan my face.
“Hi, Dad,” Maddox says jokingly. “Standing right here.”
Sargent turns and hugs his son with one arm as his other hand lingers on mine, as though worried I’ll run.
I allow it and allow him to lace his fingers through mine as he leads me from the house. I don’t want to cause a scene but the second the door closes behind us I snatch my hand back.
“Don’t. I need a clear head,” I say as he guides me to his car which is parked in the massive driveway beside Cassius’ silver Bentley. “I can’t think when your hands are on me.”
His answering smile is cocky, arrogant, but so fucking sexy.
I glare because if I don’t, I’ll climb him like a tree and just say fuck it to everything else that needs resolving.
When I fold my body into the seat, I almost sit on a white paper bag. He closes my door and rushes to his side as I peek at the contents. Pregnancy tests, three of them.
My heart starts hammering. I figured he’d make me go into a pharmacy myself but he’s been a gentleman. I don’t know why I doubted him.