Chapter 10
MINNIE
I hear the front door close, and sure enough, Brad’s huge form strides into the kitchen moments later. He’s back from his work trip, and I’m glad, even if I’m on edge. Immediately, the gorgeous man presses a kiss to my lips before rubbing my back.
“What’s wrong?” he asks in a low voice. “Everything okay, sweetheart?”
I nod before gesturing at the spaghetti I’ve set out.
“I sent Hildy home early, but the food is still warm. You must be hungry.”
He grins and drops another kiss on my mouth before heading for the bedroom.
“Just let me take a quick shower and we’ll have dinner together,” he calls over one broad shoulder.
My gorgeous stepfather disappears down the hall, and our bedroom suite is so far away that I don’t hear the shower come on.
But I can imagine the hot spray pounding onto his muscled body, and within minutes, Brad reappears, still toweling his dark hair while wearing nothing but grey sweatpants draped over his hips.
Damn, my man looks good. He’s older, but works out like a fiend, and his six pack is prominent.
Not only that, but his chest is wide, shoulders broad, and he has a deep v-cut at his hips, leading down to the waistband of his sweats.
“See something you like?” he growls with a grin before giving me another kiss. Then, Brad sits down and attacks the spaghetti. “Damn, this is delicious. I’ll need to give Hildy a raise.” But he pauses mid-bite and looks at me. “You okay, honey? Why aren’t you eating tonight? Did you already eat?”
I pause, my cheeks slightly flushed. Here, in the privacy of our kitchen, I feel so safe. Being with Brad is comforting, and I know it’s his large presence that provides the reassuring calm. But I need to look out for him the way he looks out for me, and take a deep breath.
“It’s about my mom,” I say in a low tone. “I talked to Joelle today.”
One black brow raises.
“Oh really?” he asks. “When?”
“This morning,” I say. “She called.”
Brad nods, putting his fork down.
“And?”
Dread fills me.
“She was in a good mood,” I say, my heart heavy.
“And Brad, it’s because she had some news.
She didn’t tell me exactly, but she said that she has information that’s going to destroy the pre-nup you guys signed.
She was practically chortling about it and rubbing her hands with glee.
” I turn to him with panic in my eyes. “What could it be?” I ask, my voice rising with hysteria.
“It sounds awful, and she and her boyfriend were practically celebrating, like they’d hit the jackpot. ”
Brad nods slowly before taking my hand.
“It’s okay, Minnie,” he says in a low tone. “You know that you’re the most important person in the world to me.”
I nod but still, panic is surging through my veins and hot tears begin to form on my lashes.
“Yes, but I think something terrible is about to happen,” I sniffle, dashing one hand at my cheeks. “When’s your next court date? I just want you to be prepared, and maybe we should reach out to your divorce lawyer and let him know—”
Brad squeezes my hand, his blue eyes steady.
“Sweetheart, the divorce is over,” he says in a low voice. “It was settled today.”
I blink.
“Wait, what? You weren’t in Denver?”
“I was in Denver,” he replies. “But we settled out of court. My attorney made an offer to Joelle’s attorney, and she accepted. We’re completely done.”
I blink.
“But how? And what was the horrible news?” I gasp. “Oh my god, she told you the horrible thing, and it caused you to settle.”
Brad thinks for a moment, his blue eyes giving nothing away.
“I know what the news is. Actually, I’m the one who told her the news.”
I stare.
“But what is it?” I practically shriek. “How did this happen? I’m so confused!”
Brad squeezes my hand again.
“The news is that you’re pregnant, sweetheart. By me. You’re going to have my baby soon.”
I stare at my him, my face going hot.
“ What ?” I whisper. “No, you’re wrong. You have to be. I mean, I haven’t gotten my period recently, but that’s because I had an IUD put in after we started dating. Women don’t always get a period when using hormonal contraception.”
Brad pauses for a moment before giving me a searching look.
“No, you didn’t get an IUD put in, sweetheart. I specifically asked Dr. Linnea not to put one in. You’re fertile and likely pregnant right now because you haven’t had a period in months. I should know, because I’ve been fucking you during this time. I would have noticed”
I blink at him, totally shocked.
“You told the doctor what ? I’m what ?”
Brad takes a deep breath, his handsome features somber.
“I wanted you pregnant, Minnie, and so I took things into my own hands. I know it’s wrong, but I think you’ll agree it’s for the greater good.
I love you, Minnie, and I want us to be a family.
I’m ready to propose, in fact,” he rasps, reaching into the pocket of his sweatpants and pulling out a blue velvet box.
“I got this for you as a symbol of my commitment and adoration.” Then, he pops open the lid and inside is an enormous diamond ring, sparkling under the kitchen lights.
Brad takes to one knee on the hard floor, gazing up at me, his masculine features serious.
“Will you marry me, Minnie? I adore you more than life itself, and want to spend the rest of my years with you.”
I gasp, my mouth opening and closing without any sound.
On the one hand, a handsome man is on bended knee, asking me to be his wife, and he’s incredibly gorgeous with his ripped torso, ruffled dark hair, and piercing blue eyes.
But on the other, he just conspired to knock me up without my knowledge! What the hell!
“No, I will not marry you,” I manage through gritted teeth. “Not until you tell me everything.”
Brad sighs, but doesn’t look surprised. He gets back up and sits at the kitchen counter.
“No, I didn’t think you would accept,” he says in a soft voice. “But a man can dream, can’t he?”
I stare at him.
“What is going on?” I demand. “How could you conspire to knock me up? I’m going to call Dr. Linnea—”
He holds up one big hand. “Don’t blame Dr. Linnea. I’m the guarantor on her office lease, so she owes me. She lied to you because I gave her no choice.”
“But still!” I sputter, angry as a hornet. “I’m going to get her medical license revoked.”
Brad nods somberly.
“I know you’re pissed, but just hear me out,” he says. “It’s a somewhat long and complicated story, but I think you’ll agree that it ends well.”
“ Please !” I practically scream in the kitchen. “Be my guest! Start talking!”
The billionaire sighs, his shoulders wilting a bit.
“You know that I’ve been locked in a nasty divorce with your mom for a while,” he says. “It was a bad situation. Both Joelle and I were hellbent on mutual destruction.”
“Yes,” I bite out. “What else is new?”
He pauses for a moment, tapping the table lightly with one finger.
“Well, you started at Excel Properties,” he says in a measured tone. “And that changed a lot of things for me. For us ,” he amends.
“Right, because you were in the middle of a divorce from my mom, and yet I was working at your company. Awkward, but ultimately not a big deal. Go on.”
Brad nods, his expression thoughtful.
“Yes, but you were very beautiful, sweetheart, and I was attracted to you, obviously. We started making love, and I realized that this was a way to tip things in my favor. At least, that’s how I saw it in the beginning.”
I stare at him.
“Tip things in your favor, how ? What are you talking about?”
“With the divorce,” he says in a low voice. “I realized that I wanted revenge on Joelle, and I was going to get it by getting her daughter pregnant.”
This comment leaves me speechless. I gape at him like a dying fish, my eyes round.
“You got me pregnant on purpose as revenge on my mother ?”
“I did,” he rasps, a harsh flush coming onto those high cheekbones. “But then I started having feelings for you, and that changed everything, Minnie. So I struck a deal with your mom.”
I’m so shocked now that I can’t speak. My hands grip my napkin, the knuckles white, as I stare with horror at Brad.
What is happening right now? I feel like I’m in the middle of a dumpster fire with the flames raging all around me, and no way to get out.
My skin is crawling, my eyes feel oddly dry and hot, and I can’t speak. Brad takes the opportunity to continue.
“So I made a deal with Joelle,” he says in a low voice.
“I wanted to get you pregnant, and if I succeeded, I’d settle the divorce with her for a large sum of money.
That’s what happened earlier today,” he adds.
“The settlement papers were signed, and the pre-nup was waived. You’re pregnant, and as a result, Joelle’s walking away with twenty million dollars. ”
I stare at him, the words floating into my head but not making sense.
“You struck a deal with my mother,” I say in a low, trembling voice. “Joelle agreed to let you knock me up, in return for a payment of twenty million.”
“Yes,” Brad confirms, his handsome features looking a bit ashamed.
“I know it sounds sordid and wrong, and it’s because it is.
No mother should offer her daughter as a surrogate, but it was the only card she had left to play.
And it only happened because you showed up at Excel, gorgeous and creamy, sweetheart.
As soon as I saw you, I knew I had to have you, and now, this is where we’re at.
But it’s fine,” he says hurriedly. “Twenty million is nothing to me, and the pre-nup was never going to hold up anyways. Besides, we’re expecting a child now,” he says in a forceful voice.
“You’re going to be a wonderful mommy, I’m going to be the best father I can, and we’re going to be a happy family. ”
I stand up then, unable to breathe.
“You planned this,” I hiss, grabbing my purse. “I was just a pawn in your revenge scheme against my mom.”
“Initially, yes,” Brad acknowledges in a careful tone. “That’s how it started, but you’re much more to me now, Minnie. I love you, sweetheart, and I want us to be a family together. The baby changes everything.”
I can’t speak. I can’t express to him how my heart is breaking because I trusted Brad.
I gave my whole soul to him, and yet, this is how I’ve been treated: as nothing but a disposable womb in his ugly, nasty divorce.
Without another word, I run from the house and scramble into my car before screeching out of the driveway.
Where will I go? What will I do? All I know is that Brad Landry has betrayed me.
.. and my heart breaks when the sobs finally come.