Saint took another sip of his drink. “So, you’re waiting for the build to get far enough that cutting Sienna loose don’t shake shit up?”
“Basically.”
Big A rubbed his jaw. “Then wait ‘till the first real phase is locked. Once the money too deep and the work too visible, Langford can’t start moving emotionally without fucking up his own image too.”
I leaned back again and fixed my eyes on the TV, though my mind had already gone back down the hall to Ava’s room, to her voice, her face, the way she looked at me with those beautiful, light, striking eyes like I made her just as mad as I made her wet.
Ava didn’t calm me. She didn’t just drive me crazy either.
She didboth.
6
AVA REYNOLDS
The next day was family dinner at the Cartier estate.
These dinners still happened, just not as regularly as it used to. The family had gotten too big with kids, wives, business, and too many moving parts. But every now and then, everybody still managed to come together under one roof.
Dinner had already ended, and everybody was spread through the den, living room, and kitchen in little clusters. The kids were everywhere. There was a cartoon on the TV in the living room. The football game was playing in the den. Aria’s kids were in full chaos mode, and even with the nanny helping, it still looked like a lot. Sire and Truth were arguing over toys loud enough for everybody to hear them, Reign was into something every five seconds, the twins, Faith and Joy, stayed getting into everything as one year old’s do that just started walking, and Major was being passed around like a cute little football from lap to lap. There were toddlers everywhere, it was noisy, and a kid always needed something.
Royal was amongst them, adding to the chaos.
Watching Aria and Legend handle all of that made me nervous. Because if it looked this overwhelming with a husband,help, and a whole family around, what the hell was it going to look like for me doing this alone?
To add to my anxiety, Reek was there.
That alone was enough to make the whole room feel too hot and small.
I sat on the couch trying to act normal, but it was harder after last night, after feeling him all over again, after being reminded how good his dick was.
If I wasn’t pregnant, I probably would’ve taken the dick in whatever little doses he chose to give me. But thank God I was pregnant and too aware now to keep making that kind of mistake with an emotionless man. Reek gave pleasure too easily and feelings never. I knew what it was and what it wasn’t.
After last night, I vowed to never sleep with him again. I needed to focus on figuring out how to be a single mother and finding the courage to tell him sooner than later.
And once he found out about the baby, he was going to be so pissed he probably wouldn’t want to touch me again anyway.
Distance was best for us, until I told him about the baby. So, I had been avoiding him as much as I could, and there was no way I would allow us to be in a room alone together again.
Just then, Livia sat down beside me and looked over at me a little too knowingly.
Then, low enough that nobody else could hear, she said, “Ava, I know you missed Chicago food and all, but that ain’t why you’ve been eating like crazy. You had two plates at dinner. You’ve never eaten that much.”
I froze a bit before I gathered myself and acted natural. “And? I missed Chef Eddie’s food. Why are you paying so much attention to me anyway?”
Her eyes narrowed as she smirked into my eyes. “Don’t play with me. And that little glow you got ain’t from the Thailand sun.”
I just stared at her, so she leaned in a little closer. “I saw you killing those garlic pickles Legend got from the pickle lady.”
“Why are you watching me so much?” I muttered. “Obsessed much, bitch?”
Livia gave me a dry look. “Ava, please. I’m a mother. And I know pregnancy when I see it.”
That made my stomach begin to flip. “Did Zahra tell you?” I blurted before I realized it.
Livia’s face brightened with satisfaction. “I knew it!” she whisper-screamed. “Who’s the father?”
This conversation was happening around too many people, one being Reek. Suddenly, I could no longer breathe and was filled with anxiety.
