Mariah’s bottom lip jutted out, and she looked so adorable I almost laughed. The pain in her eyes stopped me.
“Mariah, I wouldn’t ask this unless I was convinced,” I said.
“I won’t do it, Benedict. I’ve been disappointed too many times.”
With that, Mariah rolled over and presented her back. Well, now, this was a dilemma.
Mariah
“Stop being so stubborn, girl. It’s Christmas Eve, a time for miracles.”
“I don’t believe in miracles,” I retorted.
Lady Catherine let out an unladylike snort.“Yes, you do, or Benedict wouldn’t be here.”
I opened my mouth to argue and snapped it shut. Damn her! That was a good argument. I settled for glowering at her.
“That won’t work on me; better men than you have tried. Take a leap of faith,”Lady Catherine ordered.
“I don’t have any.”
“Should I tell Lucifer that? Maybe inform him that everything he did was a waste of time?”
I snapped upright. Most of the world believed Lucifer to be the devil. I’d learned that he wasn’t a fallen angel, nor was he the devil. I rather liked him.
“That’s mean.”
“I don’t care. Get up and be the woman worthy of a Norton. It’s been a week. How long can you stick your head in the sand?”Lady Catherine demanded.
“It’s a bug,” I insisted.
Another unladylike snort echoed through the air.“That’s some virus. Take the test.”
“No.”
“Mariah Norton, you are not worthy of your name. No spouse of a Norton would ever willingly be a coward. I know you’vesuffered pain and disappointment, but I can guarantee you won’t this time. Benedict is turning himself inside out. I refuse to let my descendent suffer.”
Shame hit me, but grief from my previous hopes swamped me. Deep down, I knew this wasn’t a virus. But I couldn’t allow myself to hope again. Lady Catherine made a disappointed noise and shook her head.
“Where has your courage gone, girl? Never believed you’d allow Benedict to experience such uncertainty and stress. You are a disappointment to my lineage.”
With that stinging remark, Lady Catherine blinked out.
Well, damn, I got told.
Benedict
I entered the apartment, trying to figure out how to get Mariah to take the damn test. She had completely dug her heels in, not willing to risk her heart. This was something I’d not foreseen. Her fear of not being pregnant was causing a rift between us. Cat was adamant that Mariah was carrying a new life, but I couldn’t convince her. Over twelve months of being let down had crippled her.
Mariah wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room. I frowned. Surely she wasn’t still in bed. I checked the other rooms and couldn’t find her. Where the hell was she?
“Mariah!” I called.
She wasn’t downstairs in the bar, as I’d just walked through it. I heard a faint rustle and headed for the bathroom. I opened the door and saw Mariah sitting on the toilet.
“Oh God!” I exclaimed and began shutting the door.
“Don’t,” Mariah whispered.
