Chapter 39
Pregnant.
I stare at the pregnancy test.
It’s my third one.
All of them have said the same.
I rub my stomach, stare into the mirror, and softly smile.
There’s a baby in here .
“Hello,” I whisper. “I’m going to be your mama.”
This morning, the cycle-tracking app on my phone notified me that my period was late. I wanted to wait to take the pregnancy tests until Julian got home, but I was scared.
If I wasn’t pregnant, I knew I’d get emotional.
I’d probably cry.
I didn’t want him to see that.
I was also excited as hell, and I’ve never been one for patience.
Julian is meeting with Yaroslav today to pay the balance of my debt.
That chapter with Dima is over.
No longer do I have to look over my shoulder, wondering if a crazy-ass, snake-tatted Russian will take me or kill me.
I grab my phone and sit on the closed toilet seat, speechless and trying to form words in my head. My hand shakes as I text Julian.
Me: I have the biggest surprise for you when you get home.
My phone beeps with his reply seconds later.
Julian: What’s that?
Me: You have to wait until you get home.
Julian: I don’t like waiting.
Me: Too bad. This might be your favorite, and I want to see your face when I tell you.
My response might give away the obvious, but oh well.
Even if he asks if the surprise is that I’m pregnant, I won’t tell him until he’s in front of me.
Tonight, I’m making dinner, and we have a lot to celebrate.
Emilio drove me to Safe Hearts today.
I’m teaching a quick class, and then I’ll have him take me to the grocery store and go home. Most of the day, I’ve been brainstorming how to tell Julian about our good news.
I’m in the restroom, washing my hands, when Sage rushes inside. She slams the door shut behind her, resting her back against it, and she’s trembling.
“Genesis,” she says, her breathing rapid as she bows her head, “I need your help.”
When she lifts her head, I gasp at the bruise under her right eye and rush over to her.
“Who did this to you?” I ask her.
“My stepfather.” She winces, as if in pain. “He beat my sister and me up. She’s outside but too afraid to come in. Will you please help me convince her to?”
I nod. “Let me go get Emilio.”
Unlike Julian, Emilio doesn’t sit in class while I teach. He either sits in his car out front or in the lobby. He regularly complains about shelter-sitting, as he likes to call it.
She nods, opening the door, but moves in the opposite direction of where Emilio is.
“Wait,” I say, stopping her.
“She’s out back, and we don’t have much time!” She grabs my hand, using all her power to pull me in the direction of the back door.
A few women and girls stare at us.
One picks up her phone, as if taping the scene.
I’ve gone out the back door numerous times when taking out the trash or accepting a new delivery. It’s where we receive most of our donations as well.
I follow her outside, and she slams the door shut behind us. It’s rainy and gross, and I wish we’d grabbed an umbrella.
But I thought of her sister’s safety first.
That’s what matters most.
“Where’s your sister?” I ask Sage, who turns around and looks at me.
A black van swerves in front of me, blocking me from the door. The door opens, and just as I scream for help, someone grabs me. I kick my feet as they slam their hand over my mouth to muffle me. Their arm wraps around my neck, causing me to choke, and I fight as they drag me toward the van.
The man throws me inside, pins me down, and smacks tape over my mouth. I attempt to crawl away from him and jump out of the van, but he slides the door shut and backhands me in the face.
“Stay there, you dumb fucking bitch, before I break your leg so you can’t try to run,” a man snarls.
I curl forward at his Russian accent, and a tear slips down my cheek. Glancing over, I see Sage balled in a corner, her knees to her chest and crying.
“He said she might be a fighter,” the man in the driver’s seat says, but I can’t see him. “Put her ass to sleep.”
“No!” I scream, attempting to crawl away in panic.
The man smacks me again, harder this time, and as I fall back, he grabs me by my hair and shoves a rag against my face.
My eyes grow heavy.
My shoulders slump.
And everything turns black.