I try to hold in my own amusement but fail as the two men take in my news. Jonas opens and closes his mouth a few times then jerks his head rapidly.
“I’d say that went well,” Jenny chirps.
“I wish I had their reactions on video!” Bessie howls.
“You two knew?” Jonas rasps, his color slowly returning.
“Yes, it was hard to hide when she was puking her guts up. But she swore us to secrecy,” Jenny informs them.
“Does Lawson know?”
My smile fades and I shake my head. “I was going to talk to him after Christmas. Then he showed up here and refused to leave. We have a lot going on right now to drop this bomb.”
“You don’t need him, Greer. You’ve got us. Jonas, Kevin, me—we can be father figures. Don’t let Lawson fuck up your innocent child.”
A lump forms in my throat, and I breathe deeply to try and stop the sickness churning in my stomach. My vision becomes blurry as a fresh round of tears swell up.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, and I appreciate your offer. Maybe I’m a dreamer, but it has never crossed my mind that Lawson would ‘fuck up’ my innocent child. It just so happens that my motherly instincts kicked in right away, and this baby is the most important thing in my life. He or she will be protected and surrounded by nothing but love. I understand this news has come as a shock, and I should have delivered it with a smoother blow, but maybe you can keep your harsh opinions to yourself and let me decide how to live my life.”
Enrique opens his mouth, then his eyes fly past my shoulder and glaze over with hostility. Jonas straightens, his gaze slightly less enraged.
I twist to find Lawson striding into the room with his own look of anger. He comes straight to me, sliding an arm around my waist and gently guiding me into his side. He kisses the top of my head and then dips his face to mine.
“Baby, why are you crying?”
“I’m okay,” I try to assure him.
“Why are you crying?” he repeats softer.
“It’s nothing.” I force a small smile.
I know he’s not convinced when his jaw hardens and hi
s eyes slice to Enrique and Jonas. “Is there something you need to say to me?”
I now feel sick for an entirely different reason. My mind starts reeling with all he may have overheard.
Neither of them answers his question, but their heated stares say enough. The room takes on an uncomfortable vibe, and Lawson rotates me so I’m fully embraced against him. One of his arms encircles my lower back, and the other hand goes to my neck, drawing my cheek to his chest.
I give him all my weight, letting him shelter me in his cocoon of protection. My nerves start to calm, and I give his bicep a small squeeze. “I really am fine,” I mumble into his shirt.
“Baby, why don’t you and the girls leave us alone for a few minutes?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Greer—”
“No, Lawson. I’m not leaving this room.”
He blows out a long breath, his muscles tensing tighter at the same time his fingers tangle through my hair.
“Let’s get something clear. You have a problem, you bring that shit to me. You want to beat my ass, give it a try. You want to unload your hatred, feel free. But don’t you ever fucking make Greer upset again.”
“You arrogant prick. You have no ground here. Greer may have a bleeding heart and find that soft spot to forgive you, but once a player, always a player. I’m trying to save her the heartache down the road.” The revulsion in Enrique’s voice sends my anxiety back to alert levels.
A fierce growl rumbles from low in Lawson’s chest, and I can feel it make its way all the way up. Images of him and Stan in my office flash in my head, and it’s my turn to grip him with all my strength.
“That is ENOUGH!” Jenny stomps to Enrique and snatches him by the collar before pulling him out of the room. She screeches the whole time, telling him what an ass he’s being until they are no longer in earshot.