Chapter 39 Amara
AMARA
“I’m so glad we did this,” I say as I look down at my Fitbit to see how many steps we’ve taken.
Electra and I are jogging around Central Park, something I haven’t done in ages. It’s honestly a little more of a fast walk for me, considering how pregnant I am, but I think it’s the effort that counts.
“Really?” Electra takes a swig of her water bottle. “Because I was about to ask what made us think it was a good idea.”
But I just laugh. I am in a good mood. A very good mood.
Ever since Ransome told me he’s going to divorce Jenica, I’ve been pinching myself wondering if I’m going to wake up.
As it turns out, I am awake and it’s all very much real.
The only catch is it has to remain a secret.
I can’t talk to anyone about it. I can’t talk to Electra about any of it in general.
So instead I smile and power-walk through New York City.
“Well, I think it’s invigorating,” I say. “All this fresh air. I’m so used to being cooped up and—are you really texting and jogging?”
My energy is high enough that I know she can hear me. And yet, Electra is slowing down and her eyebrows are stitched together in concern.
I slow to a walk so she will too. I need a sip of water anyways. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, it’s just Sean.” She stops completely while she types out a text. “He’s been kind of a lot lately.”
“A lot how?”
I bend out to stretch. Speaking of stretching, these maternity leggings are amazing. Comfy and accommodating. They’re a delicious peppermint pink as well and come with a matching strappy sports bra. Clothes like this almost make me sad that I won’t be pregnant much longer.
That, and I don’t hate having Ransome’s baby inside me…
“He’s just always asking me where I am. Who I’m with. Where I’m going next.” She huffs, her fingers still typing up a storm.
“That seems a little overbearing, don’t you think?”
“Says the girl who’s dating her boss. Same boss who crashed a date by literally yanking you away from the table.”
Then she reads a text that makes her swallow and stops teasing me.
I watch her type her answer with growing concern. I’ve never seen Electra like this. For one, I’ve never seen her in a serious relationship. But also, I’ve never seen her under someone’s thumb. Even when she does keep a guy around for longer than three dates, she always calls the shots.
“Ransome and I are a little… unorthodox,” I admit, and she cuts me off hard.
“Yes, you are. I mean, he got you pregnant and sent you away, for fuck’s sake,” she snaps.
“He didn’t know I was pregnant.”
“And he never checked up on you? For six months?”
She’s getting more and more flustered about whatever this Sean guy is saying. I know it’s not about me, and that making excuses for Ransome is ridiculous on my part, but it still unnerves me.
“You don’t have to jump down my throat.”
“And you don’t have to jump down mine,” she snaps.
Jesus. The venom coming from this girl’s fangs is also not characteristic of Electra, at least not with me. Another red flag.
“Look.” I take a deep, calming breath. “All I’m trying to say is I miss you. I feel like between the time I’ve been away and the time that Sean has you tucked neatly in his back pocket, we hardly see each other anymore.”
“I’m not with him that often,” she says as she types again, her face shifting back to anxiousness.
“That’s kind of what I’m worried about. You barely spend actual time with him, but it’s like he’s in control of everything you do.”
“Again. Repeat that back to yourself.”
I know there’s nothing more that I can say. If I keep pushing, we’ll end up fighting, and I don’t want that. I also don’t want to risk Electra losing the closest friend she has when she might need one the most. So, even if I’m worried sick about her, I back off.
She finally lets out a frustrated huff and shoves the phone into the side pocket of her leggings. Hers are a lavender color, and she’s wearing a hoodie, another thing that’s a little odd for her. Now that I think about it, every one of the recent times we’ve hung out, she’s dressed more modestly.
Another red flag.
My resolution to back off crumbles like a day-old cookie.
“If something is going on, you can tell me,” I tell her softly. “We’re best friends. We should be able to tell each other everything.”
Electra looks at me for the first time. “Do you? Tell me everything? Because I feel like I’m in the dark half the time.
I didn’t know you were dating Ransome until after the fact.
I didn’t know you were leaving; you just left.
And then I didn’t know you were pregnant until you came back.
What else are you hiding, Amara? Because I think it’s safe to assume you’re still keeping secrets. ”
I take in a deep breath and let it halfway out. Then I sit down on a bench as a few runners and a girl on roller blades with a dog pass us.
I can’t tell her everything. It’s not safe. Or believable, for that matter.
But I have to tell her something.
“The reason things are complicated is because of Ransome’s family,” I murmur. “They’re… loyal to a fault.”
“They’re also rich and high society,” she says, and I giggle.
“Yeah. That’s definitely true. I mean, he is the CEO of Apex. But that kind of power doesn’t come without enemies.” I rub my belly and choose my next words carefully. “There’s another family that they don’t get along with, and there’s a lot of bad blood there. It’s messy and… complicated.”
“How complicated?” she asks with a glimmer in her eye. Even now, Electra loves gossip.
“Complicated enough that he was forced into an arranged marriage.”
Electra’s mouth drops open enough to draw stares. “Stop. You’re telling me that Ransome, as in your boyfriend or situationship or whatever he is—”
“Yep, him.”
“The man whose child you’re carrying like a fucking bowling ball—”
“Hey! He’s not that heavy.”
“—is married?” Electra is kind enough to whisper the last words.
I bite my lips and nod.
“Holy shit,” she lets out. Then she raises her voice and says it again. “Holy. Fucking. Shit. So like… how does that work? And how are you okay with it? And does she know about you?”
“So, here’s the thing. They don’t love each other. Hell, I don’t think they even like each other. This morning he came into the estate—”
“The one you’re living at. Which I assume is different from the one his wife lives at.”
“Yes.”
“Jesus. Okay, I’m on track. Keep going.”
“He had a stack of papers with him…”
Electra is practically dancing on the park bench. “What kind of papers?”
“Divorce papers.” I mouth the words and Electra nearly hops to her feet.
Then she sits back down. “So he’s leaving his wife for you and your baby?! Oh my fucking God!”
I smile because I can’t help it. I can still hardly believe it myself.
“I have an idea,” I say. “Let’s go to dinner. I feel like every time we’ve gotten together recently it’s been a workout. Let’s do something fun. I could really go for Mexican food, and even a virgin marg sounds pretty good right now.”
Electra opens her mouth to answer but stops. Her phone is vibrating. Again.
“I’d love to, but I can’t,” she says.
“Let me guess. Sean doesn’t approve of you eating food where other people are present?” I ask flatly.
“Actually, he wants to see me,” she says with a smile I can’t quite read. “He’s taking me to dinner.”
“Another hole-in-the-wall bar?”
“A steakhouse,” she says. “It sounds like I’m meeting his family.”
I can’t help my eyes from squinting. “That’s… odd.”
Electra looks hurt. “Why is it odd? We’ve been dating for six months.”
Uh, because he’s been seeing you exclusively away from prying eyes?
I could argue with her more, but I really don’t want to. I miss having friends too much to start fights with them. So I force myself to smile instead. “I guess that’s true.”
“Rain check, though?”
We stand up. I nod and hug her. “Yes. Soon. And!” I point at her. “I want to meet him.”
“Soon enough,” she says as we part ways.
I walk back through the park slowly, enjoying being outside. But as nice as it is, I can’t ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.
I’m genuinely worried about Electra. Whoever this guy is has her on one hell of a short leash.
And I’m really not okay with that.