Page 89 of Code Violation

Desire echoes in her chest.

“Maybe we could spend all day tomorrow in bed? I have the whole day off work,” she suggests.

I release a long sigh when I remember the text message from Kane.

“I think Kane might be stopping by tomorrow. He wants to talk, and we both know he won’t take no for an answer. I don’t want you anywhere near him when he comes over.”

Vesper stiffens in my hands, brows pulled together. “Did he say what he wanted?”

I shake my head. “No, but I’ll hazard a good guess and say money.”

When my girlfriend’s eyes drop to the ground, I tip her chin up with my finger.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I ask softly.

Perhaps it’s a sin to think this, but I fucking hate my brother at times. Although I hate the discomfort in Vesper’s expression even more.

“I know I should’ve said something sooner, but I didn’t want you to worry. I planned to handle it myself if he showed up again, but I haven’t seen him since.”

A chilling breeze whips around my truck, and I grab a jacket from the truck bed, wrapping it around Vesper’s shoulders.

I try to remain calm. “Handle what, Ves?”

She chews on her bottom lip, eyes casting out to the side. “Kane. He knows I’m pregnant, and he thinks the baby is his.”

My mood turns from fucking awesome to sour as hell.

“How did he find out?” I sound incredulous, and I don’t mean to.

Vesper starts twisting her hands together, and I hold them in mine to stop her fidgeting.

My girl doesn’t need to be anxious or afraid.

“Just tell me what happened, and I’ll sort it out.”

She clicks her tongue, thinking. “Even with the greatest will in the world, Si, I think there are some issues or people you will never be able to eradicate.”

“That’s not true; every problem is solvable,” I point out, pressing my mouth against hers. “What happened?”

Her single laugh is dark and not at all humorous. “While you were in Vegas, he showed up at Riley’s. At first, it was during my shift, and he left and then came back when I was closing up for the night. He found a leaflet from the OB-GYN in my bag and started asking me questions. When I didn’t answer him, he made an assumption that the baby was his and demanded that I get an abortion.”

“Fuck!” I yell into the parking lot, anger bubbling over like a shaken-up Coke bottle.

Vesper recoils, and I pull her back into my arms.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whisper into her hair. “I lost it because who the fuck does he think he is?”

Her fingers play with the black toggles on my hoodie. “It’s none of his business, and I have no intention of saying anything to anyone beyond my sister and our friends until after I hit twelve weeks.” Blue eyes stare up at me. “When he discovers the baby is yours, he’s going to want blood. It isn’t worth war breaking out if the pregnancy fails.”

I want to tell her that even if this pregnancy doesn’t go the distance, I fully intend to make her the mother she’s always wanted to be. But I hold back my words because I know that’s not what she needs right now.

“I get it.” I speak into her hair, kissing the top of her head. “Did he hurt you?” I ask, closing my eyes at the thought of how scared she must’ve been. Alone in a bar with that fucker looming over her and demanding answers to questions he had no right to ask. Going through her fucking things like the sick bastard he is.

The irony is, I’ve hardly seen my brother in the past few weeks, yet the more time I spend with my girl, the better I get to know the monster he really is.

“I need you to promise me you won’t lose it or let this conversation get out to anyone else. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve held out telling you about this until now.” Vesper’s voice is small, almost hesitant.

I squeeze my eyes shut, willing away thoughts of Kane’s hands on her. “Okay.”