26. Brooke
I barely sleep. And again, in the middle of the night, I wake up missing Lev. My body physically aching for him.
But I feel better after having it out with Agent Michaels. Hopefully, now he’s got the point and will leave me the fuck alone.
I toss and turn for most of the night, only falling asleep when I cuddle the pillow and pretend it’s Lev’s warm body I’m curling into. So I’m feeling groggy and only half awake when there’s a pounding on my door.
My nerves fizzle and pop. Has Lev found me? My heart hopes so, but my head prays he hasn’t.
Today, I leave New York City for good. I will call Henry and ask him to send me some money so I can catch a bus home. At least, surrounded by friends, I will be able to figure something out.
But I don’t have to call Henry, because one look out the window and I see him standing on the doorstep.
When I open the door, I throw my arms around him, suddenly realizing how alone I’ve felt for the past couple of days.
“Hey, baby girl,” he says soothingly. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I start to cry. “Don’t worry, these aren’t tears are sadness. They’re tears of happiness.” I swipe them away with the back of my hand. “What are you doing here?” I ask once we’re inside the motel room.
But the moment I close the door behind us, I have to run to the bathroom and throw up. Morning sickness, my ass. More like around-the-clock sickness.
When I come back out, Henry is sitting on my bed, looking suspicious.
“Are you sick?” he asks.
“No,” I reply, elusively.
He crosses one leg over the other and gives me a very serious look. “I’m here to take you home. But before we go anywhere, I need to know everything, baby girl. I know you’re holding back on me. If I’m to help you, I need to know everything.”
I can’t tell Henry everything. It will put his life in danger.
But I will tell him everything I can.
“If my boyfriend finds me, he won’t let me leave.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m pregnant.”