Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Do you feel sick? Like morning sickness?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m just late.”
Ashley moves to the sink, peering at each test. “What does two lines mean?” She holds up one test. “This one already has two lines.”
I stand and look at the test in her hands. Two lines.
Pregnant.
“This one already has a plus sign,” she says, grabbing another test off the counter. “Plus is pregnant, right?” She snatches the instructions for the test she’s holding in her hand to look at what the results mean.
My world spins extraordinarily fast, and I sit back down on the toilet to control the whiplash it’s giving me. “I, uh…” I’m completely speechless. Numb.
Ashley’s got tears in her eyes. “This test is positive too, Chloe,” she says in almost a high-pitched squeal.
I can’t believe this.
Pregnant.
I repeat the word over and over in my head, forcing myself to face the reality of the situation.
“What do I do?” I ask, completely shell-shocked. “I can’t be pregnant.” My job. What will the captain think? Katherine? My first undercover assignment and I end up pregnant.
This can’t be happening.
Ashley kneels in front of me, pushing my hair out of my face. “I’ll be here for whatever you decide.”
Decide? I can’t even think about all the decisions that being pregnant means. Will I keep it?
I don’t even know.
I will not have an abortion, but could I give a baby up for adoption? Questions and random thoughts overload my mind.
“Devereaux,” I whisper. “What will he think?”
Ashley shakes her head. “Don’t worry about him right now. You need to do what’s best for Chloe.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
Ashley stands, moving to the counter to stare at the tests again. “Well, there’s a baby coming whether or not you want it to,” she says.
I’m still in a state of disbelief. The fact a baby is involved hasn’t really hit me yet. It’s all so surreal. “I need to tell Devereaux.”
“Do you love him?” Ashley asks.
I stand and toss the tests in the trash so I won’t be reminded of what’s transpired here. “Yes, I do.” It’s not even a question anymore.
“Does he love you?”
Does he?
“I don’t know. But I can’t focus on any of this right now. I have a case to solve.” I head toward the kitchen. “I can’t be bothered with all of this.”
Ashley trails behind me. “The problem isn’t just going to go away on its own.”
I let out a deep breath. “What would you do, Ash?”
She sighs. “I can’t answer this one for you, Chloe. This is huge. It’s something you need to think about and discuss with Devereaux.”
I nod, wanting to discuss this with him, but not now. “I have so much on my plate right now. It isn’t the right time.”
“It’ll never be the right time,” Ashley says, sounding wiser than her years.
I plop onto a barstool. “I know, but I can’t think about this now. I have to find out who’s killing these women.”
Ashley frowns. “And you will, Chloe. Maybe you’re on the right path. Or maybe you’ve just been looking at everything from the wrong angle.”
“What’s the right angle?”
“Only you can answer that.” She wraps me in a hug. “I have a house showing later this afternoon. I’ll stop by afterward?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s ok. I have to go home to Devereaux.”
“You should tell him. Maybe he can help you decide what’s best.”
I chew on my bottom lip, my hand instinctively going to my belly. “Maybe.”
Ashley grabs her handbag and gives me one last hug before she leaves. And when she’s gone, I sit in silence in my kitchen. Alone. But not really. There’s a baby in my belly. And if I keep him or her, it’ll be just us. Because I’m pregnant by a man I can never have.
Chapter 38
Devereaux
* * *
Yuri was a dead end. I need to focus on the prostitution ring in my club and figure out who’s behind it.
It’s late, and once again, I’m going through the member files. I pull up Derek Matthews on my computer, making sure I didn’t miss anything the first time I looked at his information.
“I’m headed out for the night,” Adele says, stepping into my office. “Do you need anything else before I go?”
I wave her off. “No, everything’s fine. Before you go, though, what do you think of Derek Matthews?” I ask, wanting her opinion on the man since she’s dealt with him more than me.
She shrugs. “Good guy, I guess. He brings a lot of different guests into the club.”
I click the button labeled “Member Guests” and pull up the women he’s brought into the club over the years. Their background checks flash up on screen and I sift through the different women, not sure what I’m even hoping to find. And that’s when I see her. Chloe’s sister.