There are so many questions I have that I’m not sure I want the answers to.
But as the screen flickers to life, all of the noise in my head stops as the sound of a rapid and steady heartbeat fills the room.
Riley lets out a sob of relief, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to cross the space between us because my instinct is to pull her into my arms and tell her it’s going to be okay.
But I don’t move. I can’t.
She lied to me, and that’s not something I can suddenly forget.
The doctor looks between the two of us and smiles, completely oblivious to the war raging inside my head.
“The heartbeat is nice and strong. Everything looks great. It seems there is nothing to worry about, after all.”
Nothing to worry about.
The words make my stomach twist because therewassomething to worry about.
Riley could have lost this baby, and I never would have known it even existed.
I’m supposed to protect my family, it’s the one thing I know how to do, but how can I protect what I don’t even know is there?
Riley takes a deep, sobby breath. “Are you sure everything is okay?”
“Yes. But I would still like to monitor you closely. While these things often resolve on their own, I would prefer not to take any chances.”
I don’t miss the look the doctor shoots my way.
“So, I would like to book you in for another scan at twelve weeks, just to be safe.”
I frown. “How many weeks along is she?”
The doctor turns to me. “Excuse me?”
“How many weeks?”
“Around seven weeks.”
I do the math. That seven weeks would put the baby’s conception around the time Riley and I were in Vegas. Considering the fact we only slept together once during that trip, it means that the night I took Riley’s virginity in the pool is the night this entire lie started.
Was this part of her plan? Marry me and then lock down the marriage by making sure she got pregnant? After all, I was onlymeant to be a means to an end for her, a way to protect herself from Sean O’Keefe.
And what better way to do that than make sure she was carrying my child.
My ears start to ring as I fight like hell not to tear this room apart.
If Sean learns that she’s carrying my child, he’ll be hell-bent on making sure he tracks her down.
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” I warn.
Riley visibly pales as she places a hand protectively on her stomach.
The gesture hurts more than I care to admit. They are mine to protect, and she stole that from me.
“Were you ever on the pill, or was that a lie too?”
“I missed a day. I…I doubled up.”
The doctor nods. “If you had intercourse on the day you missed a pill, there is a high chance of a pregnancy occurring.”
