“Kai.” Rick steps in between us. “Abby needs to eat and rest up, or have you forgotten she’s pregnant with your baby?”
Kai steps back, forcibly calming himself down. “I’ve hardly forgotten, Rick.” He drills a pointed look at his brother. “And butt out. This is between me andher.”
“I’m glad to see you haven’t changed one bit. You’re still a raging, fucking asshole.”
“You’re no saint yourself.”
“What the fuck have I done?”
“You concealed the pregnancy and your engagement,” he hisses. “And you fucking ran!”
I step up to him, poking my finger in his chest. “I ran because you hid the documents stolen from the safe and you wouldn’t tell me why! And I didn’t know about the engagement! I told you my father had kidnapped me and locked me in my room. I was completely in the dark when you grabbed me into the bathroom before the party.”
“And the baby? How long had you kept that a secret from me?”
“I only discovered it the day after I left you. I’d gone to the doctors to renew the prescription for my pill. She always runs regular tests, including a blood draw, a urine sample, a Pap smear, and a pelvic exam before writing a new script.” My chest heaves. “The urine sample confirmed my pregnancy, and I was so shocked I stumbled out of her office barely paying attention to my surroundings, and that’s how my father’s men could sneak up on me.”
I snap out of my melancholy, prodding my finger repeatedly in his chest. “So, I didn’t lie. Not like you,” I snarl, brushing past him.
“It doesn’t mean you’re fucking innocent. You’ve done things you’re not proud of too.”
I slam to a halt and spin around. “God, you really are an asshole. You can’t just apologize. You have to throw shade and try to downplay your despicable actions.”
“I’ve never hidden my asshole side. You know that more than anyone.”
His flippant attitude annoys me, but I’m done with this convo. “Please don’t change on my account, because it helps me hold on to my anger.” I step back toward the door as I speak. “And if you think you’re keeping me here, you’ve another think coming, because once I get answers, I’m going back home. To. My.Fiancé.” I waggle the fingers on my left hand.
“Over my dead fucking body,” he growls, moving into my personal space again. “You’remine,” he snarls. “Iownyou.”
“Like hell you do.”
He fixes dark eyes on me. “You’re not marrying Charlie fucking Barron.”
I smile sweetly at him. “You don’t get a say.”
“That baby you’re carrying says differently.”
“You can have visitation rights, but this baby will live with Charlie and me. You can’t force me to stay with you.”
“So, you’d marry that motherfucker, and give up your shares in Manning Motors, just to spite Kai?” Rick says, his voice dripping in disbelief.
There was a time I’d gladly have exchanged my shares for my freedom. But not anymore.
Now I know how badly my father wants them, there is no way I’m relinquishing them to him. Not after the things he’s done. Getting my revenge is more important, so I’ll let him believe I’m on board with this new engagement, and toe the line, but he is going down. And I’ll be the one to do it.
“I’d do it to spite your father, because he’s every bit as bad as my asshole sperm donor, and there’s no way I’m letting him steal my shares.” I flick my hair over my shoulder. “But that’s not the reason. I want to marry Charlie,” I lie. “He loves me, and he’ll protect me. He hasn’t bullied me, lied to me, or purposely slept with me to fuel a sick agenda!”
“Your naivety is showing again, sweetheart,” Kai taunts. “You have no clue who Charlie Barron is.” He yanks me into him, cementing his arms around my waist and nudging his hips against mine. “And he doesn’t turn you on like I do.” His eyes blaze with a different heat. “I’m the only one who can fuck you hard, exactly the way you like it.” One hand moves down between our bodies, and he cups my pussy. “This pussy is mine, and you know it.”
“Jesus, Kai.” Rick exhales, jerking his gaze to the hallway. “Tone it fucking down.”
“I’m not a baby, Rick,” Harley says, walking forward. “And I’m sick of both of you treating me like a little kid.”
A wide smile crosses my mouth as I pull back from Kai, stumbling a little and falling into Harley. I reach up, cupping his face. “You tell him, baby.”
Silence descends, and Harley trembles behind me, but he’s too much of a gentleman to push me away.
Kai shoots a cutting look in Rick’s direction while Joaquin attempts to hide his laughter with a cough. “What the fuck?” Kai says, his eyes searching behind me.
