“I—what?”
“That’s the general consensus. A few subs believe you’re hiding from a broken heart, others think you’re just a private person, and Leona from laundry services is convinced you’re not actually human.”
“Then what the hell am I supposed to be?” Violet demanded.
“Well, she’s got this idea in her head that you’re an advanced form of AI in a really realistic robotic body. Of course, she’d downed almost a full bottle of tequila at that point, so she might have a different perspective when she’s sober.”
Christ Almighty, that’s what people thought of her? She was either a man-hating lesbian, a hermit, or a freakingrobot?It was demoralizing to say the least. “Oh, I’d justloveto know what she thinks of me when she’s sober. How can it possibly be worse than being an instrument of artificial intelligence and technology?”
“That was sarcasm.”
“Yes, it was. The last I heard, AI robots can’t get pregnant when someone steals all the goddamn Plan B from a medical clinic.”
“Wait, you’re pregnant?” The word sang loudly off the marble floor and walls. “Doc Isaac didn’t order more?”
The hint of panic in her friend’s voice soothed some of Violet’s temper. Things happened for a reason, she reminded herself. She and Tabitha were approaching this from different ends, but they’d both acted for similar reasons. It had just worked out for Tabitha, that was all. “He did, but there was a delay in the delivery. I meant to go into the city and get some, but… I was hiding from reality and missed the deadline for taking it.”
Those blue eyes popped wide. “There’s a deadline?”
“Seventy-two hours,” Violet said slowly.
“Oh fuck. Ohfuck.”
“You missed it.” It was just a guess, but the panic that had been in Tabitha’s voice was now etched into her face. Laughter began to bubble up again. “Well, sweetheart, guess you and I are going to be taking a test together real soon. Are you late?”
“Late for what?”
God, it was like talking to a child. Belatedly, Violet realized that was an unfair comparison because, in a lot of respects,Tabitha was far too innocent about a lot of things, and too experienced in others. “Your period, Tabby. When is your period due?”
“Oh. I don’t know. They’re kind of sporadic, I guess. Some of the drugs Rita gave me fucked me up, sent my hormones out of whack.”
“Wonderful. I suppose we’ll just have to take events as they come. Right now, you need to go out there and confess to Grit before one of his team beats you to it.”
Her nose wrinkled. “What about you? Are you going to tell… the guy?”
Violet snorted. “Not in this lifetime, sweetheart.”
“It’s the guy at the bar, right? The hottie who can’t stop staring at you?”
“IfI’m pregnant, there is no father. The child will be mine and mine alone.” Violet sighed and turned to study herself in the mirror. Unless she wanted to look like a woman twenty years older than she actually was, a vacation was in order. “Do me a favor, Tabby?”
“Yes?”
“Tell the idiot at the bar he can sleep wherever he chooses tonight. I won’t be home.”
“Oh, so just a little favor then?”
“In the grand scheme. He won’t take his anger out on you, he wouldn’t dare.”
Tabitha grinned, even though she’d lost some color in her cheeks. “Of course he wouldn’t. I’m a Fairfax. Most people instinctively know not to fuck around with us—unless they’re my sister-in-law, in which case, she lives for pissing my brother off. I think it’s a kink.”
“The makeup sex is probably epic.”
She cringed, a shudder running through her. “Ugh, don’t even bring my brother and sex into the same conversation. It’sbad enough knowing he’s procreated without having the mental images in my head.”
For all her murderous tendencies, the woman was truly a sweetheart, softer at the core than she’d admit. “You’ve survived worse. Now, if you’re feeling okay, I’m going to make my sneaky exit before Boudreaux becomes suspicious and stands guard at the door. Come find me if you need help, yes?”
“Yeah, I will. Thanks.”
