“What do you want, Kenneth?” I hiss under my breath. I can hear the audience break out into cheers and applause at one of Michael’s lines and I only hope that I wasn’t supposed to be smiling and waving.
But the moment passes and Michael continues on. Kenneth simply looks at him. “I want what’s mine,” he says to me. “I want to be with the man I’ve fallen in love with, and the man you’re trying to take away with that fake pregnancy of yours.”
“What makes you think this baby is fake, Kenneth?” I ask him.
He smiles at me sardonically. “Silly rabbit, I know you’re really pregnant, but I know that’s not Michael’s baby.”
Now the hairs are rising on the back of my neck. If Kenneth knows that this child isn’t Michael’s then who else knows. And if Michael thinks I told, then all bets are off. He’ll go after dad as easily as he throws away garbage.
The look must be translating across my face because Kenneth lowers his voice.
“Relax, Jocelyn,” he says to me. “No one gossiped, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
It is. But if no one has been gossiping, then who could…
“As far as everyone knows, you and Michael are in so much fucking love,” Kenneth says. “And you're expecting that child like two proud and happy parents. It makes me sick.”
How does Kenneth know?
“And in case you were wondering, I heard about your baby straight from the horse’s mouth,” Kenneth says, his eyes traveling to Michael. There’s an inescapable look of lust in them. Michael has just finished a line and the crowd is clapping again. He turns his head slightly and sees Kenneth and I speaking. “That’s right. Straight from the horse’s mouth. As he was fucking me doggy.”
I cringe at the thought of my husband having pillow talk with this man. He’s so fucking slimy.
“And Michael told me it was a secret, sure,” Kenneth says, gently touching me on the arm. But there’s no warmth to it, despite what it may look to the crowd. “But I don’t like it.”
At last, I get the courage to reply back.
I shrug. “Doesn’t matter if you don’t like it, hun,” I tell Kenneth. “If that’s what Michael wants.”
The fingers squeeze harder on my hand.
“Michael doesn’t know what he wants half the time until I tell him,” Kenneth says. “He doesn't realize that you don't deserve him. He doesn't understand that the population of this city doesn't care who he’s sleeping with.”
I remain silent as Kenneth continues. “But that’s fine. He doesn’t have to make the hard choices. That’s why he has me. And I’m making the choice for how he has to deal with you, Mrs. Anders.”
“What do you mean?” I ask Kenneth. His eyes are looking at me coldly, evaluating me.
“You’re no good for him,” Kenneth says to me matter-of-factly. “If anyone ever finds out that baby isn’t his, it could mean ruin politically for his future. We’d be stopped at the mayoral level.”
“We?” I ask, with an arched eyebrow.
The crowd cheers again and Kenneth waits until it dies down.
“You need to leave him,” Kenneth says to me.
I shake my head. I can’t do that. He doesn't know the conversation Michael and I have already had.
“I don’t think you understand, Jocelyn,” Kenneth says to me, looking at me shaking my head. “Michael may have threatened you, and he may carry through it, but it’s nothing compared to what I’ll unleash on you if you don’t leave him.”
Now I’m curious. What's worse that Kenneth could do?
“I’ll not only expose your father, but I’ll pull enough strings that when you finally do have that baby, Social Services will come take it away because you’ll be an unfit mother,” Kenneth hisses. “And Michael will be long gone after that shit comes out. He won’t be able to protect you.”
I’m frozen as I hear the words that my baby might be taken away.
“Sur
e, you’ll be able to deny that the baby isn’t yours, but once Michael starts getting hit, he’ll throw you overboard to save himself. And then no one will be around to defend you, dear,” Kenneth says, taking a moment to pause and look into my eyes.