CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ZANDER
––––––––
This woman is going to be the death of me.
“Come on.” I call through the door. “If you don’t come out in the next ten minutes, I’m ordering dinner and putting on a movie. You can spend the night in there if you want.”
Silence.
“Courtney!” I yell.
“Fine! Give me a minute.”
“A minute? You’ve had ten damn minutes, woman!”
What the hell has she been doing?
“Do you need water?” I ask so we can hurry this along.
“No, I’m just posting the photos of my shopping spree today on IG. Won’t be long.”
“Fucking hell.” I drop my forehead against the wood and start banging it.
“Well, don’t be an asshole. You can’t boss people around,” she sasses.
Yes.
I can.
“Don’t say you won’t marry me if you are with child!” I snap.
“With child? It’s not eighteen thirty-five.” Courtney’s voice is muffled, then I hear her flush.
She runs the water, I assume to wash her hands, and then opens the door with the stick in her hand.
Courtney thrusts it into my hands. “Have fun.”
Then she walks away as I stare at her and then back and the stick.
“Don’t you want to see?” I ask, astounded.
“No.”
“Have you done one already?” I follow her, the test falling to my side. “You could’ve just said.”
I watch her pour a glass of water and stare at me as she drinks it. Pissed.
“No, thanks, I’m fine.” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
She shrugs.
“So, you did the test,” I say, even though it’s a question.
Courtney shakes her head..
I think about how Drew offered to help me bury a body and wonder what time they’ll be finished dinner.
It seems like a lot of work, but the benefits might be worth it.
Weird that he knew he had to change his shoes.
If one of the boys has murdered someone and I’ve been left out of the loop I’ll be pissed as hell.
At a guess, it’s Sebastian.
He has temper issues.
Then again, Mason is a dark horse. Or it could be Dereck...I don’t know him as well as the others.
They are related, so it could be...
I focus back on Courtney, who seems certain the test will be negative. That’s plainly obvious. Women know their bodies, and I respect that.
Oh, wait.
“Are you on your period?”
One bloody message.
That’s all it would’ve taken to put my mind at ease. Unbelievable.
“Just look at the stick, Zander, then go home. I’ll see you next week if the meeting is agreed with Vanguard Locke she’d contributed nothing to the fortune Adam amassed nor done anything to better herself throughout the marriage.
She’d simply lived off his credit cards and enjoyed the fruits of his labor.
I was wrong.
Each week I’ve watched him attempt to destroy her while she held back something. I’ve done this job for long enough to know it’s there lurking despite his cruelty. Whatever it is, she’s not talking. If she wanted his money, she wouldn’t hesitate.
Unless it implicates her...
I can’t see how. Courtney is not involved with the business, and he’s kept her separate from their finances. As her lawyer, Courtney could tell me without any repercussions—within reason.
My instincts now tell me this is just a rag-to-riches situation, and he’s been a bullying spouse. Soon she’ll be independently rich, equal to me, and able to choose any man she desires.
She doesn’t need a man.
Nor sperm, in truth.
What a fucking idiot I am.
Either I’ve offended her, or she knows she’s not pregnant while I stand here demanding to know if she’s carrying my baby.
I need to fucking know.
And as much as I don’t want to admit it, a part of me wants this. I want her. I want the fictitious child.
Fuck.
I lift the white stick and stare.
“Wait, is it one line or two lines? Which one means positive?” I glance at Courtney.
She sighs, leaning her hip against the counter as if I’m a pain in her ass. “One line, Zander. It’s negative.”
I glance back at the test and then back at her.
No, it’s fucking not.
––––––––
COURTNEY
––––––––
HE SHOULD BE leaving. He should be dropping it on the counter, thanking me for my time, and leaving.
Why isn’t he?
Why does....
“Are you sure?” Zander swallows; his face turning red.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I round the marble island and snap it out of his hand. “Look, it’s—”
Oh, my God..
“This is wrong.” I snap, my voice pitchy. “No, this is wrong.”
“It’s not wrong. I knew it. You’re fucking pregnant,” he yells.
“No, I’m not!” I yell back, then run out into the living room.
“Where are you going?” Zander follows.
“To get my purse. I’m going to the store to get another one.” Snapping up my wallet, I run to the elevator and punch the button several times.
“Stop.” Zander continues to follow me and stands between me and the door.
“Get out of the way. I need to take another test. This isn’t possible.” I push his chest.
“Of course it is. My sperm is powerful. We fucked like a dozen times.”
“Oh, my God. You’re making this about your sperm, you damn narcissist.” I shake my head, feeling dizzy. “Unbelievable.”
I can’t believe at a time like this, Zander thinks he needs to point out he has great sperm. To point out that he was right.
He isn’t right. It’s impossible. Trust him to get a faulty test. Now I have to go through this all over again.
“Don’t be so surprised. I’m a man in my prime. You’re acting like you’re a menopausal woman, and this is biologically impossible.” Zander grabs my hips.
“Don’t touch me.” I slap at him, and his hands fall away.
Tears fill my eyes, but I turn away. I can’t believe life is messing with me like this. Zander should be striding down the block, relieved right now.
Tell him.
No.
Just tell him it’s impossible.
No, no, no.
“Hey.” He closes in but doesn’t touch me. “Hey, it’s okay, Court. It’s a shock, I get it. I’m freaking out t—”
“It’s NOT okay, I’m not pregnant. This isn’t happening.” I shake my head.
Tell him.
He tilts my chin up. “Do you not want kids?”
Oh God, oh God, oh God.
Adam’s face appears, his anger, all the threats, and the way his boot landed in my gut. The blood. The shame.
I feel my lip wobbling, my world crashing around me, then suddenly my legs give out from under me.
Blackness saves me from myself.
––––––––
WHEN I BECOME conscious again, I’m on the sofa and Zander is kneeling beside me on the phone.
“Thanks, doc. See you in a minute.”
Doc?
Oh God.
Am I pregnant? No, I can’t be.