Surprise Baby for the Don (Dark Daddies #2)

Chapter 19

19

Ginny

I stand in the middle of the apartment, paint roller in hand, staring at the freshly painted walls. The color is a perfect shade of light brown I found at the hardware store. It’s warm, soft, homey, and cozy. It’s exactly what I pictured when I looked through the paint samples. It’s so perfect in the room, neutral enough to not be overpowering, but still inviting.

It’s probably sappy, even a bit ridiculous, but I can’t help it. I wanted to redesign this place for Mateo without him knowing. It’s not easy to surprise a man like him, especially when he makes me travel everywhere with a driver, but I made the man swear to secrecy. After everything Mateo’s done for me, I wanted to do something unexpected for him, to somehow find a way to thank him. This was the only way I knew how.

There’s also the fact that this apartment is where we made love for the first time, where everything shifted between us. In a way, it feels sacred to me, the place where everything began. I want to transform it into something special, a space that reflects the deep feelings growing between us. Or, at the very least, the deep feelings that I have for him.

It’s crazy to think I’ve only known him for a few weeks. He’s completely transformed my life, and he’s taken care of me in a way that no one else ever has. Mateo has spoiled me. Sometimes it’s a little overwhelming, but I’ve come to realize that it’s his way of showing he cares.

Cassidy, on the other hand, still isn’t sure about him. I dip my roller into the paint and tackle the white, dingy walls underneath as I remember our conversation a few weeks ago.

“Ginny, get real, he’s using you for something.”

We were sitting in her living room, a spread of junk food laid out on her table and a sappy romcom playing low on her TV.

“Cass,” I warned, feeling protective of Mateo. “He isn’t like that. He has everything he could possibly need. He’s with me because he wants to be.”

“Are you sure about that? I mean, you started out as a bargaining chip.”

I sunk back into the couch, feeling the effects of her words. I knew my sister meant well, but she had the bad habit of being extremely blunt. She was as protective of me as I was of Mateo, but she didn’t understand him at all.

“Why do you have to be such a bitch sometimes?” I complained, picking up a handful of popcorn from the coffee table and throwing it at her.

She screamed and laughed at the attack, then grabbed a handful of gummy bears and started lobbing them at me, one by one. They stuck to my skin for a moment before falling into the couch cushions.

“I’m not trying to bring you down, Gin, I swear to God,” she promised, holding up her hands in both surrender and truce. “It’s just that I’ve seen men like him before. He’s rich and powerful, the world is literally at his feet. People aren’t people to him, they’re pawns. I don’t want to see him hurt you. We only have space in this family for one fucked-up person, and Pops clearly doesn’t want to relinquish that title.”

I smiled bitterly, not wanting to talk about Dad. Eventually, Cass and I agreed to disagree about Mateo, and she told me that she would reluctantly hold back her judgment, at least for now.

Since then, we’ve texted a bit, but I’ve tried not to talk too much about Mateo. She doesn’t get it, and I suppose that’s okay. Truthfully, I don’t get it either. I didn’t know it was possible to fall for someone so fast, or to fall so deeply. And that’s one of the reasons I’ve been throwing myself into this project.

Then again, maybe he won’t even appreciate it. He’s not exactly the sentimental type from what I’ve gathered, and he probably won’t understand why I’ve spent the last few days pouring myself into this place. He might think I’m silly or delusional, a lovesick little girl. Maybe Cass is right and I’m just a pawn to him, or a plaything. There’s always the chance that he’s not feeling the way I’m feeling, that I’ve convoluted it all in my head. Maybe this room is just a way to pour my emotions out and hope that he’ll feel them and return them.

Or, maybe there’s a simpler, less sappy answer to why I’ve become so hyper-focused on getting this apartment done. It’s been a great distraction from the one thing I don’t want to think about.

I glance toward the bathroom, my stomach twisting as I catch sight of the long, white stick sitting on the counter. The positive pregnancy test has been sitting there for an hour now, taunting me, reminding me of a reality I’m not ready to face. And no matter how hard I try to ignore it, to brush it off as a cheap test from the convenience store, the truth is staring me in the face.

I’m pregnant.

The thought alone makes me feel light-headed, a mix of fear and excitement swirling inside me. Of course, it could always be a false positive. Those things happen sometimes, right? I feel so stupid and na?ve even wondering. After all, just a little less than a month ago I was still a virgin.

I take a shaky breath, trying to steady myself as I dip the roller back into the paint, mesmerized by the back-and-forth motion. Painting is helping. Focusing on the rhythm of the roller gliding over the wall, the smell of fresh paint filling the air. But it’s not enough. I know I won’t be able to put this out of my mind until I know for sure. I should take at least two tests to be certain, right? Or maybe three or four.

I drop the roller back into the paint and decide it’s time to get some real answers. I grab my bag, toss in my keys and wallet, and head out of the apartment. The drug store is only a block away, and as much as Mateo would probably have a fit if he knew I was out here alone, I don’t want to run the risk of the driver asking questions.

The evening air is cool, and I pull my jacket a little tighter around myself as I make my way down the street. The city sounds fade into the background as my thoughts swirl, my mind replaying every possibility, every what-if. I don’t even realize I’ve reached the store until I’m standing in front of it, the neon lights casting a faint glow on the sidewalk. My mind is completely on autopilot, too afraid to tune into the reality that is my current circumstance.

Once inside, I make a beeline for the aisle with the pregnancy tests, grabbing several off the shelf. If one test isn’t reliable, maybe multiple tests will give me a clearer answer. Quantity over quality, right? I try not to think about how ridiculous I must look, piling pregnancy tests into my basket, but the cashier barely glances at me as I pay. Just another day in the city, I guess.

I hurry back to the apartment, clutching the bag tightly as if it holds some kind of secret, as if anyone on the street could guess what’s inside. Maybe I clutch it to keep my own sanity. I’m like a balloon sitting a little too close to a pin. I might burst at any moment. By the time I reach the building, my heart is racing, a mix of nerves and anticipation thrumming through me. I push open the door and head up the stairs, trying to calm myself with each step. Soon, I’ll know. One way or another, I’ll have an answer.

I can’t help but wonder what kind of father Mateo would be, if it is true. He’d be doting, that much is certain. He’d spoil our baby rotten, and he would make sure I’m set up for life, even if he doesn’t feel the way about me that I feel about him. He would treat me well, at least with civility. He wouldn’t want our child to lead the same life he did, right? I shook away that thought. I didn’t want that for our baby. It was too harmful.

I’m too much in my head about this and I know it. There’s no use wondering what Mateo will do or think until I know for sure I’m pregnant. Once I’ve taken every single test, I’ll let my mind wander and deal with the hypothetical scenarios.

But as I reach for the door to the apartment, my plans are shattered. The door swings open, and I barely have time to process what’s happening before I see a man in a mask, standing in the doorway, blocking my path. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest as I take in the sight of him, the glint of metal in his hand.

Before I can react, he swings the butt of his gun toward me, hitting me square in the face. Pain explodes behind my eyes, and everything goes black.