24. Ivory
CHAPTER 24
IVORY
“Ivory, some big mean-looking guy is at the counter looking for you.”
My head snaps up to see Jackie standing in the doorway. Megan unlocks the side drawer in her desk and pulls out her gun, clicking off the safety. We both know how to shoot and handle guns, and Megan even has her concealed carry permit. She’s been begging me to get mine, but I always refuse. I kinda wish I didn’t, but I never thought I’d need a weapon at work.
Megan stands. “What’s he look like?”
“Shoulder-length dirty blonde hair, beard, and tattoos and muscles everywhere,” Jackie informs us, her eyes wide. “Jeremy’s threatening to call the cops if he doesn’t leave. I came back here to warn you. He doesn’t look like someone who should be messed with.”
“I told Skye to leave it alone,” I mumble, rising to my feet. “I’ll take care of it.”
“You sure, Ivory?” Jackie asks. “Jeremy was handling it.”
Megan smirks, putting her gun away. “I don’t think cops would scare Spike away.”
“I’ll handle him.” I gesture to the chair in the corner. “Take a break for a few minutes.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Megan asks.
I wave her off. “No, I need to deal with this once and for all.”
“Yell if you need me,” she calls.
Spike and Jeremy are in a standoff when I come around the corner into the waiting area.
“Look, pal, I don’t know who you are, but you have five seconds to leave before I call the cops,” Jeremy states firmly. “There’s no one named Ivory here.”
Spike points to the wall. “Then why the fuck is there a picture of her right there?”
“She… uh… that’s a friend of the owner,” Jeremy stutters.
Spike crosses his arms, making his muscles bulge. His Henley tightens around his arms. I have to give Jeremy credit, he’s not backing down. My ninja skills must not be up to par because both of their heads jerk in my direction.
“Not here, huh?” Spike says smugly.
Jeremy puffs out his chest. “You want her, you’ll have to go through me.”
I rush forward as fast as my pregnancy allows, putting myself between them. The last thing I need is Jeremy getting beat to a bloody pulp. Laying my hand on Jeremy’s chest, I gently push him back.
“I got this, Jeremy,” I say. “Why don’t you go back with Megan and Jackie?”
“I’ll stand over there.” He jerks his chin to the counter. “I won’t leave you out here alone.”
“I’m not gonna fucking hurt her,” Spike roars. “For fuck’s sake, she’s carrying m?—”
“Outside!” I scream, poking Spike in the chest. “Right now!”
I glance over my shoulder when I hear feet shuffling behind me. Megan and Jackie head toward us. but I mouth, ‘I’m okay’ before following Spike out the door. Once we’re outside, I see all of them standing by the counter to watch the soap opera unfolding.
Great. My life’s become a Jerry Springer episode. Now we just need the envelope… You are the father!
“What’re you doing here, Spike?” I question. “More importantly, how’d you find me?”
Spike glares at the window behind me. “We need to talk.”
“The time for talking was yesterday when I told you I was pregnant with your son.”
“Seriously, Ivory? You owe me this much.”
Laughter bubbles up and escapes. The tension from the past few months breaks free, and I can’t stop. I’m sure I look hysterical. And my ribs hurt from laughing so hard.
“I-I-I owe you? That’s rich.” I gasp for breath and straighten my spine as I narrow my eyes, all traces of humor gone. “I owe you fucking nothing . Every time I try talking to you, you throw a goddamn hissy fit and disappear. Fuck you, Spike. Get the hell outta here before Jeremy calls the police, or Megan shoots your ass. At this point, I’m fine with either of those outcomes.”
I spin on my heel to head back inside when Spike grabs my bicep.
“Let. Me. Go,” I say with deadly calm and turn around slowly to face him.
He immediately drops my arm. “Please, Ivory.” Spike rubs his hand over his face. “I know I don’t deserve it. I’ve been a complete asshole, but please give me one more chance to make this right.”
I stare at him and see hurt, anger, and uncertainty flash across his face.
“Fine, but not here,” I concede. “I don’t need to put on a show for my coworkers.”
“I can meet you at you?—”
“No. Somewhere public.”
“How about Dob’s Diner in an hour?” he suggests.
“I’ll be there,” I promise. “This is the last time, Spike. I’m not doing this anymore with you. I have our son to think about. You might not give a damn, but I sure as hell do.”
Spike rears back as if I slapped him. He doesn’t respond but jerks his chin and swings his leg over his bike. The ground rumbles under my feet as he peels out of our parking lot.
God, don’t make me regret this.
I go back inside, ignoring all the faces staring intently at me, and make my way to the office. Megan follows, shutting the door behind her.
I focus on my computer screen, but I can feel her eyes burning into my skull.
“Just say it,” I spit out.
“You’re gonna meet him, aren’t you?” she says with no judgment.
“I told him we could talk. In public,” I stress.
“Uh-huh,” she mocks. “Afraid to be alone with him? You do realize you can’t get any more pregnant, right?”
I throw a pen at her. “I don’t want him, Megan.”
“Okay,” she draws out. “You can lie to me, but don’t lie to yourself.”
I flinch. “How can you say that after everything he’s put me through?”
A small smile plays on her lips. “Babe, think about it. You’re both to blame for this situation.” I open my mouth to argue, but she continues before I can get a word out. “Yes, you’re pregnant and hormonal, but girl, you two have chemistry. That night at Purgatory when you danced with him, I knew then that something electric was brewing between you both. You’re stubborn when you’re pissed off. I get that. And you have every right to be with all that’s happened, but honey, so does he. You kept this secret at first out of anger, which has had a snowball effect, and after everything that’s happened, he still wants to talk to you.”
I close my mouth as her words sink in. Megan’s right, but I’ll never admit it to her because her head will get bigger than it already is. If I told Spike about the baby the night he came to my house, this might have all been avoided.
Or maybe not because Aubrey is still a factor.
“I’ll be back later.” I give Megan a quick hug.
“Good luck,” she calls out to me as I’m rushing out of the building.
I walk into Dob’s Diner an hour later and spot Spike in a booth. My mouth salivates as the smell of greasy fries hits my nose. The waitress stops at our table after I slide in across from Spike.
She’s holding a pad of paper and a pen. “What can I get you?”
“Double cheeseburger, extra fries, side salad with ranch dressing, double chocolate shake, and an iced tea, please.”
Spike snickers as the waitress writes down my order before she asks him what he wants. “Same thing, but no salad or shake.”
“No problem, I’ll bring your drinks out shortly,” she says.
After she walks away, we stare at each other for a moment before either of us speaks.
“I’m sorry,” we both say at the same time.
“I’ll go first,” I offer, and he waves for me to continue. “I had every intention of telling you I was pregnant the night Skye gave you my number, but when you called… I couldn’t deal with your hatred and the fact that you called me an uptight bitch. When you showed up at my house later, I was so pissed at you for talking to me like I was dirt. I didn’t feel you deserved to know.”
“Ivory, I…”
“Let me finish, please,” I plead. “I went for my first ultrasound and saw the baby’s heartbeat, and all I could think about was him and how unfair it was for me to keep this from you. I vowed right then and there to make it right. Aubrey or Glitter, whoever she is, followed me and told me lies about you being her old man. Then Skye and Cece told me you don’t have an old lady… is that true?”
“That’s true,” he verifies. “I’m not in a committed relationship. If I were, I never would’ve slept with you, I swear.”
“That’s what they said,” I admit. “After I found out the baby needs surgery after he’s born, the guilt ate at me, and even though I promised Aubrey I’d never tell you, I knew you had a right to know.”
Spike’s mouth tightens. “That when she threatened to have you fucking killed?”
I gulp. “Yes. Megan and Eric made me realize that it could all be an elaborate lie fabricated to keep you to herself. I was going to call you that day, but we ran into each other while I was running errands.”
“How’s the baby?”
I tell him everything Dr. Wilde explained to me, and what would happen after he was born and how long he would be in the NICU after. I don’t gloss over any details.
Neither of us speak as our waitress brings us our beverages. I take a long pull of the shake and groan.
Chocolate is better than sex!
“I don’t know about that,” Spike counters. “I happen to think sex is pretty fucking spectacular.”
My cheeks warm. “Said that out loud, didn’t I?”
“Yep,” he says. “My turn?” I nod and take another sip. “I’m sorry for being such a dick and not being someone you could turn to.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know what to believe, Ivory. I look at you and see nothing but sincerity, but Glitter lied to me about being pregnant with my kid, and here you are saying you’re pregnant with my kid, too.”
“Aubrey’s baby isn’t yours?” I ask, shocked.
“She’s not pregnant at all,” he snips. “Fucking lied to trap me.”
I reach across the table and squeeze his hand. “I’m so sorry, Spike. That’s unforgivable. No one should ever play with someone’s emotions like that.” I pause as he stares into my eyes. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I’ll consent to a paternity test after my son is born. We can do it once he’s healed from his surgery to prove to you that he’s yours.”
“Our son,” he states firmly.
“Our son,” I agree.
The waitress delivers our food, and we eat in comfortable silence. Spike’s eyes widen in shock when I finish everything in front of me.
“Damn woman,” he says, pulling out his wallet. “You could put all my brothers to shame.”
“Hey, I’m eating for two,” I whine.
Spike stands and pulls me out of the booth. “Now what do we do?”
“I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. Dr. Wilde is going to do another ultrasound.” I play with the hem of my shirt, not wanting to meet his gaze. “You can come with me if you want, but I’ll warn you, Aubrey works there.”
He tips my chin up. “We don’t have to worry about her,” he assures me. “I want to go with you.”
“Okay,” I say breathlessly. Suddenly, I don’t really feel like being alone. “Do you, uh, wanna come back to stay at my house?”
The corners of his mouth curve up. “Really?”
I smack his chest. “Not for sex, perv. It’s an early appointment, and I don’t feel like being alone after rehashing all of this stuff.” I shrug nonchalantly. “You’ll sleep in the spare room, of course.”
“Of course,” he mocks but not unkindly. “Sure, I’ll stay.” He tugs me into his chest. “Someday babe, you’ll be screaming my name again,” he promises.
I wink. “I know. It’ll be in the delivery room when I’m cussing and damning you to hell.”
Spike throws his head back and laughs.
For the first time in months, things are bright.
I hope, for our son’s sake, Spike will be the dad he’ll need.