CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
–QUINN –
“Rest,” the doctor says once more before he slips out of the room.
I slightly shift and am happy to have a little less pain because the doctor just wrapped my ankle.Rest might sound easy, and my ass being on this bed is one thing, but my mind is running overtime.
A knock on the door distracts me from the burning in my eyes.I don’t want to cry.Not only have I’ve done enough of it these past few days, it doesn’t help shit either.Well, except for letting the pressure in my chest fade for a handful of seconds.
“Come in,” I murmur.
Bri steps inside.The relief and joy flowing through me still rips a sob from me.My best friend crosses the room and is hugging me the next second.
“I missed you,” I murmur.
“Right back at ya,” Bri says and gives me a tight squeeze.Pulling back, she asks, “Why did you leave?And why are you here and not home like you said when you cleared your things out of our apartment?”
So much has happened in the past few weeks.Bri only knows some parts of it and I’ve done everything I can to keep her safe.She shouldn’t even be here, and I know it’s selfish, but I’m still glad she came.
“I’m married,” I blurt, getting one major thing out there, and while I’m at it?I throw out the other life-changing element in my life, “And I’m pregnant.”
“What the...”Her eyes are wide and she keeps staring at me without adding other words.
Movement near the door draws my attention.
“What is Tate doing here?”I whisper.
Bri is jolted out of the brain freeze I put her in when she shoots him a glare and snaps, “There’s nowhere for me to go, so go wait outside.”
Tate smirks.“I have my orders.Suck it up, duchess.”
“Duchess?”I whisper.“Why is he calling you duchess?Is it a term of endearment?”
“There’s nothing endearing about it,” Tate states on a fake whisper.
Bri flips him off and turns to me.“Ignore him.So, you got married?”
I hold up my hand to show her.
“And got a freaking tattoo?Oh my gosh, this is hysterical.You’re married to Fiero Reaux, how the hell did you manage to do that?Shit.You got knocked up during the whole one-time sex night?”Her gaze slides to Tate and she wrinkles her nose before she faces me again and adds, “You don’t know who the baby-daddy is and this is why and how the big boss muffles away mistakes?”
My head jerks back.Did she really just?
“There’s only one cock that went up her cunt, and only one made her take his cum into her body.Not me, not one of the others, only the baby daddy.Which should be none of your fucking business,” Tate snaps.
Bri hangs her head and nods.She reaches for my hand, and I instantly pull away.People tend to show real emotions in heated moments.I know the information overload takes a minute to process, but the things she just said?Hurtful doesn’t begin to describe it.
Fiero strides in the room and demands everyone’s attention with just his presence.
“Good,” he rumbles as he stares at Bri.“You’re here.”
I narrow my eyes.It might sound casual, and he is the one who told me he’d get her here...though it sounds as if there’s more to it.He stalks to me and my belly flutters when he places chocolate ice cream on the bed along with a spoon.
There’s no chance to thank him due to my jaw dropping when Fiero says, “Mind explaining to Quinn why your brother is involved with everything that happened to her the past few weeks?”
“What?”I squeak and glance at Bri.
I expect her to be shocked, to deny Fiero’s words, but instead she looks guilty.
