“You’re right. I’ll have to think about what I want to do. That’s a lot of responsibility.”
“Yes, it is, but there’s something even more pressing now you need to decide.”
“And what could be any more important than that?”
Grover chuckled. “You need to decide how to tell your baby daddy you’re a billionaire.”
“Fuck.”
“Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Call me when you decide what you want to do.”
9
PRESTON
Iloved my friends, but we were all pretty fucked with our relationships.
I'd met Thomas and Robert Friday night and had learned Thomas had found his Alpha in a young hot jock, and Robert had found his mate in his graduate student. Then there was me, their knocked-up manopausal bestie who might be in a relationship with someone who was a student. We commiserated with each other, and I ate my feelings since I wasn't nauseous now.
He had basically moved into my house in just a week, but it had been a lifesaver for me. When Joe was near me, I didn't have nearly as many problems with the pregnancy. Since he'd moved in, I had only thrown up occasionally. We slept in the same bed every night, just slept, but the comfort and intimacy were just what I needed at this point. The thought of being fucked right now was not appealing. Even though I had beaten the worst of the nausea, there were tons of other things that were changing. None of them made me want to participate in the horizontal mambo.
I didn't want to bump and grind with Joe, but he didn't seem to care. He was happy to curl up and watch a movie or hold me tight at night when I got restless and couldn't sleep.
He'd gone to see his parents today, but it didn't go well. At least, it seemed that way. He'd left sort of upbeat and happy, but he'd returned quiet and brooding. I'd given him a hug and kiss before I left, but he hadn't confided in me what was bothering him.
I cut out of my get-together earlier than I'd intended, so I went home to soak and think.
When I drove up to the house, I saw there was already company there. A strange SUV I'd never seen before had pulled into my spot in the drive, but I didn’t see Joe’s vehicle.
I parked on the road, then went inside. Tired and wanting to pass out, I unlocked the door and stepped into my living room to see a strange man sitting on my sofa. When he saw me, he stood up, and I immediately recognized him as Joe's father from the pictures Joe had shown me of his parents that he had on his phone.
"Hello, Mr. Page. I wanted to come here and meet you in person. I had to see the man that had decided to act like a slut to trap my son."
When I'd first seen the man in my home, I'd been happy to meet him. Even though I got the impression Joe didn't get along with him, I was hopeful that it could be mended somehow. I missed my mom and dad practically every day since they died in the accident, and it was hard to comprehend someone not at least trying to have that relationship.
But standing here being attacked in my own home, now I understood. This wasn't a good situation.
"I'm not sure where you think you have the right to break into my home and insult me in such a base and vulgar manner, but Joe's father, or not, if you don't leave immediately, I'm calling the police."
His handsome face scrunched up until his sneer was a permanent feature. "I'll leave, but before I go, I have a proposal for you to think over." He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a blank check. He showed me it was signed, then set it on the kitchen table between us.
"Lose the baby and break it off with my son, and you can write your own number on that check up to half a million dollars."
He surveyed the room and added, "You obviously need financial help, and once cut off from my son's trust, you'll be left with nothing to show for it."
I was numb. I hadn't thought it could get any worse, but it had. I was so livid I felt light-headed.
"Get out and take your fucking bribe with you. How dare you come here behind your son's back and try to have his child taken without his knowledge. You're no better than a murderer."
I believe he would have said more, but Joe chose that time to come in.
"Father, what the hell are you doing here?"
Joe came to me, and after giving me a once over, he stood in front of me and faced off with his father.
"You still haven't said why you're here."
His father opened his mouth to answer, but that was the second Joe saw the check still on the table. He picked it up, read what it said, then tore it into pieces and threw it at his father's face.
