Chapter 7
Don’t be jealous
brOOKLYN
I could count on one hand the number of times in my life I’d felt like my consciousness was separated from my physical body.
The first time my father had asked me to do his dirty work, sending me to Ocala, Florida to interfere in a horse auction.
I had ended up not only sabotaging the deal but also had gotten tangled up in some illicit drug deal with an addict I had thought was just a trainer.
When I had stepped on a pair of open scissors and sliced open the underside of my foot, causing the most blood loss I’d ever seen from a person.
That made two. Until the pregnancy test had read positive, making that number go from two to three.
All throughout the drive, I had felt like I was floating above ground, taking everything in, but truly unable to process any of it.
My life was going to change.
That was the only thought I carried with me as I mindlessly got myself to Robert’s place in Lenox Hill. Naturally, Robert needed to know. If my life was about to change, then his should too. Although, I had a feeling that wouldn’t exactly be the case.
I walked up to his duplex in a stunning converted Gilded Age mansion on 73rd Street and took the last step before reaching the door. Before I could knock, though, one of his employees opened the door.
“Good afternoon, Miss Briggs. Please, come in.”
I was ushered into the library on the second floor, a place I knew firsthand was where Robert kept those waiting he had no real interest in seeing. Sunlight poured through the room, making it anything but dark and dreary, as I imagined most libraries were.
Even taking in the view, though, I wasn’t so distracted that I missed the woman’s laughter coming from downstairs. That explained why I was put upstairs.
Following the sound, I walked down the red-carpeted steps again and outside to Robert’s private terrace that had a connection to his primary suite.
It was in the lush garden overlooking a tree-lined 73rd that I found the owner of the laughter.
Straddling a bare-assed Robert in a chair.
She also might as well have been bare-assed with how high her skirt was hiked up.
“You better watch out. That’s how he knocked me up,” I said, simultaneously announcing myself and delivering my news.
At my words, Robert immediately stopped stroking her hair and let his hand fall, his head snapping in my direction.
The woman riding him snapped a bubble with her gum but didn’t stop chasing her orgasm. Laughter bubbled up every now and again from her until Robert all but pulled his dick out of her vagina and slapped her thigh to get her up.
“Brooklyn,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Now’s not a good time.”
Rolling my eyes, I brushed him off. “I can see that, and I’d offer to come back, but this is kind of important.
” The blonde was now standing at the side of him, her skirt back in place.
Robert, however, was still sitting there, his deflated erection as pathetic as him.
“Maybe you should get dressed,” I offered graciously, picking up his pants and tossing them at him before I turned around and meandered into his bedroom.
“I’ll be waiting for you inside. Please don’t make it long. ”
After he unceremoniously sent his guest on her way, he met me in his room.
“So, she was cute,” I said sarcastically. “A little younger than I imagined even you’d like your women. I have…what…at least three years on her, right? You must feel good about yourself.” Or disgusted. The choice was his.
“Don’t be jealous, sweetheart. We had a good time.” He walked closer to me, his hand grazing the column of my neck.
My gaze darted to where his hand was dangerously flirting with whether he should try to feel me up. “Too good a time it seems,” I said and intently took a step back.
Trying to appear in control, which he wasn’t, he turned and walked in the opposite direction, pouring himself a glass of scotch from the bottle he kept on a silver tray by his bed.
“Yeah, about that… Are you just looking for my attention? If you give me a little time, I should be good to go again.” He took a sip, then smacked his lips.
“You remember, I don’t have the same problems other men do with getting it up. ”
He sounded so proud. Rightfully so, but it didn’t make it any less unattractive.
He was right, he certainly did not have the same problems other men had.
For his age, Robert had a great dick, and it never had a problem staying firm.
Apparently, he also had great swimmers. Which was suddenly my problem.
“I was serious, Robert. I’m pregnant,” I said again, hoping this time he believed me. “And it’s yours,” I added for the sake of clarity, in case he got any big ideas that maybe it wasn’t his child.
He took another sip, this time sucking the amber liquid between his teeth before looking in the mirror and fixing his hair. “Congratulations.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“It’s a very exciting time for you, I’m sure.” He turned around and offered me a smile that didn’t align with the words he just spoke.
In fact, dare I say his smile looked so incredibly aloof, I wondered what his problem was. “It’s your fucking baby, Robert Lyons. Do you hear me?” I shouted. It was a wonder that blasted art on the walls didn’t shake. What was with my luck lately that I only got entangled with infuriating men?
He pulled on his earlobe. What was his deal?
I happened to be able to confirm from firsthand experience that his hearing wasn’t going, so his infuriating demeanor was definitely nothing more than a personality problem.
“I’m not sure what you want me to do about that, Brooklyn, but I don’t need another kid.
I’ve got my hands full with the two I have, and neither myself nor Reddington needs another one of my bastards trying to claim a piece of Lyons Enterprises.
” He was referring to Nathaniel, Reddington’s brother, who, apparently, was a bastard trying to go after the company again.
Last I checked, he was in Florida and didn’t care about his family anymore.
“Are you for real? I tell you you’re having another child, and the only thing you can think about is a business?” Did all men have their heads up their asses, I was left to wonder.
“I’m not having another child. You’re having this baby if you so choose. If you came here hoping for a different response, then I’m sorry, but that’s all you’re getting.” He walked toward the door of his room like he was about to throw me out if need be.
He wouldn’t have to, though. I’d go, but only after I knew I heard him correctly. “Just so I understand this, you’re saying you want nothing to do with this baby?” Maybe I was a glutton for punishment, but I needed to know.
“Wrong, toots,” he said, catching me by surprise for a second. I drew my brows together, practically cinching them in the middle, as he cleared his throat and continued. “I want nothing to do with you or your baby. You should leave now.”
And that made another time Robert had been right in his miserable life.
I did, in fact, need to leave, especially since there was nothing left for me here.
The thread had long ago been spun, and with every step I took, it felt reminiscent of one of the Fates measuring the length, before the last one determined the finality of any relationship I had—or my child would have—with Robert.