Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“It’s going to be okay, you know,” Nicole says, hugging me.
Until this moment, I didn’t realize that she was standing right in front of me. She’s so happy that I’m pregnant. I can’t help but wonder how my parents are going to react. My mother is not Dom’s biggest fan at the moment. Dad seems to be team Dom, but I think he is being very cautious about it all.
“That makes one of us who is positive about that,” I mutter, and she laughs.
“Thea, forget all the other bullshit and the worries for the moment. Can you honestly tell me that the thought of having Dom’s baby doesn’t fill you with happiness?”
“It does,” I tell her, not wanting her to think for one second that it doesn’t. “I want my baby. Unfortunately, all the other stuff is happening too. I can’t exactly ignore it.”
“You can for today,” she disputes, making me laugh.
Before I can argue with her, my cell rings. I look at the caller ID and bite my lip. “It’s Dom,” I whisper.
“You better pick it up. Remember, no more running for either of us. Tell him to meet you at your house.”
“Hello,” I answer after clicking the screen and putting the phone up to my ear.
“Thea. Thank fuck, you answered me.”
I feel a little guilty because I’ve been declining his calls. I know I haven’t been acting the most adult, but I’m dealing with a lot--not to mention pregnancy hormones. At least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
“Yeah, I need to talk to you too.”
“I do you, too, Gorgeous. I have so much to tell you. I just got a call from Dad. Damn, where are you?” he asks. He sounds so excited, almost giddy. I swear if he has a tail on me and knows I’m pregnant before I can tell him, I might just strangle him.
“I’m at the women’s clinic downtown,” I respond, figuring that’s safe. They have all kinds of doctors here—not just an OB. It’s a specialty clinic that focuses on women and health problems that are unique to them.
“The clinic? Sweetheart, are you sick?”
“I’m fine, I—”
“You know what? This can’t wait. I need to tell you. Everything is going to be okay, Thea. I need you to know that. Is anyone with you?”
“Um, your mom. Dom, what’s going on? You’re kind of freaking me out.”
“I will explain everything when I get there. Ask Mom to stay with you, I don’t like the idea of you being alone. Will you let me talk to you when I get there? I have so much to tell you.”
“I’ll wait for you on the benches in front of the clinic.”
“Good, I’ll be right there. I love you, Thea.”
He hangs up without giving me a chance to respond. I can do nothing but stare at my phone.
“Is everything okay?” Nicole asks.
“I’m not sure. He sounded different. Actually, he sounded happy.”
“You told him about the baby?” Nicole asks.
“I didn’t get the chance. Whatever he’s happy about, it’s not the baby. I didn’t even get to ask him to meet us at the house. He told me to wait for him here and I just agreed like a dummy.”
Nicole’s Tinkerbell laughter floats around me. “That sounds like my boy. I swear he’s so much like his father it’s a little scary.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to hear that just yet. Dragon is a lot,” I mutter as we sit on the bench at the bottom of the concrete steps that lead to the clinic.
“Hate to break it to you, Thea, but so is Dom. That’s my point.”
“I guess so,” I mutter. “I would have liked just a little more time to get used to the idea that I’m pregnant before I have to see him.”
“Newsflash, Thea. With Dom, that’s something you better get used to. None of the Savage men give their women time.”
“Are you trying to scare me off?” I mostly joke. I expect Nicole to say something smartass back. When she doesn’t, I look up to see her staring at an angle from me. I follow her gaze and quickly see Gabby walking toward the clinic.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
That’s the one person I truly didn’t want to see today. The happiness that had built up inside of me starts to slide away. Nicole and I stand up together and are rewarded with a gasp when Gabby sees us standing there. For a second, I’m pretty sure I see panic on her face. Does she think the two of us will gang up on her?
“I guess I don’t need to ask if Dom told you I’m pregnant. It’s clear you know if you’re stalking me and bringing his mother into it,” she says, giving me a look that I’m sure is meant to kill me on the spot.
“Gabby, I don’t want to fight with you. We need to be adults here. You might be pregnant, but I’m not giving Dom up. We’re going to have to learn how to get along—if for no other reason than the baby.”