He keeps teasing me because he knows we’re drawn to each other, and he knows I’m struggling to resist. But that doesn’t mean I should just give in to my desire. I should be more responsible than this. It’s my own fault because I can’t seem to control my body around him. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones too.
Dammit!
Unable to focus, I log out of the computer and pick up my phone. A chat with Sophia is what I need. Maybe she can offer me some advice because right now, I’m desperate for some.
She answers on the first ring.
“Hey, Lala. What’s up?”
“Hey Soph… Guess who showed up at the office today?”
“Ooh, let me guess. Baby daddy?”
“Okay.” I wince. “Can we just stick withNikolaifor now?”
“Alright, Nikolai it is.” She snickers. “Did you end up telling him he’s about to become a dad?”
“Didn’t have to. He found out. Came around banging on my door the other day, demanding to know if it was his. Anyway, that’s beside the point.” I take another breath, stabilizing myself. “The point is that he was here earlier this afternoon for a ‘business meeting.’ He wants us to manage some of his investments. One thing led to another and we almost had sex again.”
“Again?!”Sophia echoes.
“Yep. He came on to me, and… I almost didn’t resist. Thank God some sense came to me. I managed to get him out before we had a chance to take off our clothes and mess up my desk.”
There’s a pause on the receiving end of the phone.
“Soph? You still there?”
The silence continues. I can practically hear her grinning down the other end of the line. She starts humming, the sound slowly leading up to a laugh, but I interrupt before she can get there.
“Seriously, Soph? This isn’t funny. He’s dangerous!”
“All I’m hearing is that he likes you. A lot. It doesn’t take much to see. He seems to really want to be in this baby’s life if he won’t leave you alone.”
“Are you being serious?”
“Look, Lauren.” Sophia exhales. “I don’t know why you’re trying so hard to push him away, but this is your life. Have it your way. I’ll support you no matter what, okay?”
“Thank you.”
I feel her breath stop for a moment.
“The baby,” she says. “Have you told your father?”
I stiffen at the question, anxiety balling up inside of me. I don’t know why that makes me nervous, but somehow, I know that not telling him is the right thing to do. There’s something shady going on with him, and I fear it’s getting worse. Since Nikolai got me pregnant, my hormones have shifted. It’s like I have more intuition now. I always knew that my father wasn’t exactly an angel, but now, every time I hear his name, alarm bells go off in my ears as a warning to keep my distance.
“Lauren? You still there?”
“Yeah,” I respond, shaken from my thoughts. “No, I haven’t told him. I don’t plan to.”
“He’ll find out eventually,” warns Sophia. “Won’t it be better coming from you?”
I shake my head. “He can’t know. Not yet. If he finds out, the baby can forget living a life of its own. Its entire life will be mapped out according to my father’s plans. Just like mine was.”
Sophia goes quiet, which means she agrees with me. What I don’t say to her is that there’s very likely blood on my father’s hands, too. Maybe even my mother’s blood.
My pulse quickening, I take a deep breath and shut my eyes. Pregnant women can’t be getting stressed. It’s not good for the baby.
“Listen,” I say. “I have to go now, Soph. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
