Page 37 of Love Sanctioned

“You had his uncle killed. Why, because I love him and want to be with him? My choices and life have absolutely nothing to do with you. It never has, so why would you do this?”

My father laughed coldly. “You’re thinking way too highly of yourself, sweetheart. Even though you shouldn’t be associating with the likes of those people, let alone allowing scum between your legs. That’s not it. Contrary to your belief, it had nothing to do with you. I wasn’t even aware that you were scumming it. I had his uncle killed for reasons bigger than you could ever imagine, oh naïve child of mine.”

I glared at him, about to turn and leave, but his voice stopped me.

“Don’t leave so fast. Since you’re here I have a proposition for you.”

“What?” I turned around confused.

“Take a seat and hear your old man out. I’m sure you’ll want to hear what I have to say.” He wore a sarcastic smirk.

“I’m sure I won’t.”

“I’m sure you will, especially since it has everything to do with your brother’s future or lack thereof. Now sit and hear me out.”

I glared at him, irritated and regretting that I’d come over here, but I was here now. There was no turning around. “Fine, you have five minutes.”

I took a seat in one of the white chairs with gold accents strategically placed right in front of his desk.

“I guess it’ll take me that long.” Then he paused dramatically, looking around as if it wasn’t just him and me in the room.

“I’m not getting any younger, Karsyn, and this little tiff with your brother does me no good. If anything, it puts me in a fucked-up space, so I propose we fix this. I’m pretty sure you don’t want me to die and your brother is still out in the cold.”

I narrowed my eyes. “So what are you asking me to do?”

“Get married, daughter. To a man of my choosing, of course. You allow me to broker your marriage and your brother’s future won't hang in the balance. Especially with that little project he’s working on with the Carters. I would hate to see that come to a screeching halt, especially when it seems so promising.”

I was quiet, mentally going over his words. I couldn’t believe I was even considering this, but for my brother, I’d do whatever necessary.

“A suitable young man, of course.” He smiled widely, his expression dipped in joy, nearly the exact mirroring of The Shadow Man from The Princess and the Frog. “You don’t have to give me an answer today, but I do expect one within the next few days if that’s not too much to ask.”

The overwhelming need to throw up woke me from my sleep. Top of the morning and I was full-fledged sprinting to the washroom to empty my guts. Once finished, I sat back against the wall, my chest heaving and my stomach not feeling right.

“Yo, you good?” I heard, making me open my eyes and look toward the doorway where my brother stood. I didn’t realize he was still here. After the impromptu conversation with my father, I sorta crashed and burned.

“Mhmm. I’m jus—” I started but my face was hovering over the toilet again, hurling once again. What the fuck could this be?

I was sitting back against the wall with my eyes closed when Kolton called my name. My eyes popped open, locking on the wet towel he held out for me to take.

“Look, I know this shit hurts, but you gotta bounce back. Cooped up here at Mama’s house ain’t doing shit but enabling you to hide from your problems. Yeah, that shit hurts, I can see it, but you are more than this. Your happiness is more than this. The situation is fucked up, but at the end of the day, his loss. You’re a fucking catch, twin, now start fucking acting like it.”

He was right and his words resonated. Too bad along with his words I was carrying something more… So much more. I was off the floor and taking care of my hygiene within minutes, then under his watchful eye, I began to pack up my things. He was right, I needed to leave my mother’s house, because here I would get no privacy to get the answer to the question I was now asking myself.

We left my mother’s house around the same time. He was headed to his lounge and me to a pharmacy. All I had been doing was crying, sleeping, and throwing up since everything happened, never mind two of those things were symptoms of something I didn’t want to think of, not until I was sure.

I spent entirely too long in the pregnancy test aisle of the pharmacy, then I ended up grabbing the most expensive two with hopes that paying more ensured accuracy…shit I didn’t know I was for sure overthinking this, but was I? Never in my life had I ever felt the need to take a pregnancy test. I was always safe… Just not with him.

When I finally made it home, I felt strange, maybe because in contrast to my mother’s old money decorations, my condo was modest and modern. It was all of me here and the only thing missing was my dog who she had conveniently kidnapped on her weekend at The Bluffs with friends. She knew only Kolton could get me up, which was why she called him during her weekend absence. Well played, Mother.

Once I was unpacked and settling back into my own space, I decided it was time for me to take the tests. At this point I’d be able to at least see what I was working with, if anything. A baby would complicate my situation more than I needed right now, but it didn’t ask for my recklessness or to be here, so I would be forced to figure it out.

I had just washed my hands and set the two freshly pissed-on pregnancy tests on the counter when my phone started ringing in my back pocket. I could use the distraction at this point. When I pulled it out, looking at the screen, I saw it was Junnie calling. I answered immediately because I did miss my friends.

“Bitch, don’t you ever drop off the face of the earth on me again. I don’t know what Psy did, but if you want me to, I’ll bust his ass for you. Just say the words, Karsyn.”

I laughed through tears as if I hadn’t shed enough of them. “I’m sorry, I just needed a minute. Where are you?”

“Wherever you need me to be. Fuck it, I’m about to request the rideshare. Are you home?”