Chapter 6
AVA REYNOLDS
The next day was family dinner at the Cartier estate.
These dinners still happened, just not as regularly as it used to. The family had gotten too big with kids, wives, business, and too many moving parts. But every now and then, everybody still managed to come together under one roof.
Dinner had already ended, and everybody was spread through the den, living room, and kitchen in little clusters.
The kids were everywhere. There was a cartoon on the TV in the living room.
The football game was playing in the den.
Aria’s kids were in full chaos mode, and even with the nanny helping, it still looked like a lot.
Sire and Truth were arguing over toys loud enough for everybody to hear them, Reign was into something every five seconds, the twins, Faith and Joy, stayed getting into everything as one year old’s do that just started walking, and Major was being passed around like a cute little football from lap to lap.
There were toddlers everywhere, it was noisy, and a kid always needed something.
Royal was amongst them, adding to the chaos.
Watching Aria and Legend handle all of that made me nervous. Because if it looked this overwhelming with a husband, help, and a whole family around, what the hell was it going to look like for me doing this alone?
To add to my anxiety, Reek was there.
That alone was enough to make the whole room feel too hot and small.
I sat on the couch trying to act normal, but it was harder after last night, after feeling him all over again, after being reminded how good his dick was.
If I wasn’t pregnant, I probably would’ve taken the dick in whatever little doses he chose to give me. But thank God I was pregnant and too aware now to keep making that kind of mistake with an emotionless man. Reek gave pleasure too easily and feelings never. I knew what it was and what it wasn’t.
After last night, I vowed to never sleep with him again. I needed to focus on figuring out how to be a single mother and finding the courage to tell him sooner than later.
And once he found out about the baby, he was going to be so pissed he probably wouldn’t want to touch me again anyway.
Distance was best for us, until I told him about the baby. So, I had been avoiding him as much as I could, and there was no way I would allow us to be in a room alone together again.
Just then, Livia sat down beside me and looked over at me a little too knowingly.
Then, low enough that nobody else could hear, she said, “Ava, I know you missed Chicago food and all, but that ain’t why you’ve been eating like crazy. You had two plates at dinner. You’ve never eaten that much.”
I froze a bit before I gathered myself and acted natural. “And? I missed Chef Eddie’s food. Why are you paying so much attention to me anyway?”
Her eyes narrowed as she smirked into my eyes. “Don’t play with me. And that little glow you got ain’t from the Thailand sun.”
I just stared at her, so she leaned in a little closer. “I saw you killing those garlic pickles Legend got from the pickle lady.”
“Why are you watching me so much?” I muttered. “Obsessed much, bitch?”
Livia gave me a dry look. “Ava, please. I’m a mother. And I know pregnancy when I see it.”
That made my stomach begin to flip. “Did Zahra tell you?” I blurted before I realized it.
Livia’s face brightened with satisfaction. “I knew it!” she whisper-screamed. “Who’s the father?”
This conversation was happening around too many people, one being Reek. Suddenly, I could no longer breathe and was filled with anxiety.
I stood up before I gave myself away any more than I already had and tried to leave the room as casually as I could. As I headed to my room, I could feel Livia on my heels all the way down the hall. By the time I got into my room and shut the door, my nerves were already all over the place.
Livia folded her arms. “So, who is the father? You about to have some cute, mixed, Thai baby?”
I let out a breath and sat on the edge of my bed. “No.”
Her brows met together. “Then who?”
I rubbed my hands over my face. “Reek.”
“Reek?!” she yelled so loud I had to jump up and shush her.
“Yes! Lower your voice.”
Her eyes were huge. “Reek as in Reek? Since when the hell are you secretly fucking Reek?”
“It was one-time secret sex.”
She just looked at me.
I cringed. “Well… twice. But that’s it. And it won’t happen again.”
Livia put her hand over her mouth and started pacing. “Oh my God. Ava!”
“Be quiet!”
“I can’t! I’m processing!” She stopped and looked at me again. “Does he know?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Why not?”
“I’m scared. He’s very adamant about not wanting kids, and I kept this from him for so long that it’s too late for me to get rid of it. He’s going to feel so trapped.”
Before Livia could answer, my door opened.
Zahra waddled in with her belly leading the way and one hand on her hip. “I knew y’all was in here talking about something. I saw how both of y’all got up and left all suspicious.”
I groaned. “God. Did anybody else notice?”
Zahra waved off my anxiousness. “No, The guys are too into the game, and Aria’s kids won’t let her focus on anything but them. Rhythm is cheesing all in Sincere’s face. They are wedding planning.”
Livia turned to her. “I knew Ava was pregnant, and she just confessed.”
Shocked, Zahra’s eyes darted at me. “You told her?”
“You knew and didn’t tell me?” Livia asked Zahra while narrowing her eyes at her.
Zahra shrugged with a guilty look. “She didn’t want anyone to know.”
Smacking my lips, I interjected, “I wouldn’t have told Livia, but I didn’t have a choice. This bitch was being Inspector Gadget.”
Then, as if I wasn’t even standing right there, Livia and Zahra started talking to each other.
“She has to tell Reek,” Livia told Zahra.
“ASAP,” Zahra agreed. “Like yesterday.”
“He’s going to lose his shit.”
“He might not.”
“Right. He might think he doesn’t want kids, but things change. Icon didn’t want a relationship when he and I met.”
Zahra sucked in air as her lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t know though. Reek has been pretty adamant. His reasons are different. It’s trauma behind all of that.”
I threw my hands up. “Hello?! I’m right here!”
They both looked at me then.
“How many months are you?” Livia asked.
“Almost five.”
She pretended to pass out, throwing her limp body against my bed. “You have to tell him. You cannot keep dragging this out.”
I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. “I know that.”
“Do you?” Zahra pressed. “Because the longer you wait, the worse it’s going to be.”
Zahra eased herself down on the bed with a groan. “She’s right. You need to tell him. Don’t take this experience away from him, in case he wants to be involved.”
I looked between both of them and nodded with a long sigh. “A’ight, I’ll tell him.”
Livia’s eyes brightened. “Today? Right now?”
I sucked my teeth. “No.”
She pouted. “Aw man. I wanted to see the drama.”
I rolled my eyes again, saying, “That’s why I’m telling him in private. Not today, but… soon.”