25. Chapter Twenty-Five
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ORA
Lore must feel bad because, in the end, he comes and works the grill for me, along with Blade, who tells me he’s the club’s tech guy. They all bring something different to the dynamic.
We sit outside, and the women help me set the table. It’s a perfect balmy evening. A few of the children are playing soccer, and some are in the pool. Daisy walks past and glares, an evil glint in her eyes. Ignoring her, I pour myself some lemonade and sip on it as I walk back inside the clubhouse. When I step up to the bar, Lore suddenly walks over to me, and I can’t place his expression. If I could guess, I would say he looks stressed, the usual humor missing from his gaze. “Ora?—”
“What’s wrong?” I ask, frowning.
He opens his mouth to speak, but then I look behind him and see War.
And he’s not alone.
He’s leaning against one of the pool tables, deep in an argument with a blonde. She’s fit—jeans hugging toned legs, a tight top accentuating the hours she clearly puts in at the gym. When she reaches out, fingers aiming for his chest, he grabs her wrist midair, stopping her cold.
“Who the hell is that?” I ask, having never seen this woman before.
The blonde throws her hands in the air, their conversation obviously becoming heated.
War turns his head and catches me standing there. He pushes off the table and stands to his full height, muttering something to the woman before he beelines straight for me. His face is blank, but I don’t miss the tightness in his jaw. He’s not happy.
“What’s going on?” I ask him when he tugs me into his arms. My palms shove against his chest, resisting.
He cradles my face, searching my eyes. “Let me explain.”
Lore mutters a curse.
The blonde suddenly steps to the side of him, her lips pursed. When she grins at me, it’s not friendly. “You must be Ora.”
“And you are?” I ask, wondering what the fuck is going on.
“I’m Sarah,” she says, smirking.
“Okay,” I reply, confused.
“War didn’t tell you about me?” she asks, looking taken back. Her smug demeanor stops for a moment before she masks it, then says three words I wasn’t expecting to hear.
Three words that make me feel like an utter idiot.
Three words that make me look like one.
“I’m his wife.”
I look up at War, who flinches.
His eyes flash with fear.
Panic.
Regret.
The look on his face devastates me because he doesn’t repudiate her words.
“His wife,” I repeat, blinking slowly.
A cold feeling settles in my bones.
Is this some kind of joke?
No one ever mentioned War being married, even when I asked the table of men about who had an old lady.
Still, I don’t show any emotion. Even though I’m fucking angry and extremely confused, I’m not going to give this woman the satisfaction of knowing that.
“Yes, his wife. We still own a house together. Has he taken you there?” She makes a mocking sound, and I’ve never wanted to punch a woman more in my life.
Honestly, what the fuck! I didn’t even know he had a house.
“Ora, I haven’t even seen her in years,” War says gently like he’s talking to a wild animal. “Just let me explain. Please …”
He’s had all the time in the world to explain. All the deep and meaningful chats we’ve shared, all the times we opened up to each other, and he didn’t think to tell me he was… married ? He made it sound like he’d never felt the way he does with me before—like I am his one and only . He was so incredibly angry when I kept the fact I was Rome’s daughter to myself, and the whole time, he’s had his own secrets to guard.
I hold up my finger, trying to control my breathing. The last thing I need is to throw up in front of everyone.
I might be pregnant.
And War has a wife.
I’m going to hyperventilate.
“Why the fuck are you here?” War snaps at Sarah in a tone I’ve never heard him use with me. “We’ve had no contact for five years.”
“We’re still married,” she says proudly.
“Only because you won’t sign the fucking papers,” he roars, making me jump. Noticing it, he turns to me and touches my shoulder. His voice and eyes are gentle. “I’m sorry, Ora. I should have told you. I’ve been working with Suit to convince her to sign the documents, but she won’t. I haven’t had any contact with her since the start of my prison sentence.”
Fuck! I’m going to be sick.
War takes in my expression, and his eyes flicker before he closes them slowly.
“I can’t deal with this right now,” I state before storming off.
Lore goes to follow behind me, but War grabs his arm.
“She is mine ,” I hear him bark. “ I will fix this, not you .”
“Yes, she’s yours,” Lore replies, his tone more lethal than I’ve ever experienced. “But if you can’t handle her with care, I’d be more than happy to step in and treat her right.”
War laughs without humor, almost maniacal. “You couldn’t stay faithful to a woman if your life depended on it.”
Their voices trail away as I head upstairs, locking the door behind me. I don’t know if the nausea is back or it’s because I feel so sick over what I’ve just learned, but I end up sitting on the floor next to the toilet, my back against the wall and my head in my hands.
I’m overwhelmed.
I’m hurt.
Betrayed.
And the jealousy I feel burns my throat.
Why is it always some damn thing with him?
“Ora?” I hear Lu calling me through the door, so I let her and Xanthe in.
“What happened?” she asks, locking the door behind them. “We heard yelling, and War told us to check on you.”
“What was he doing?” I ask.
“He and Lore got into a fight, and War punched him in the face,” Xanthe says, gently touching my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“War is legally married to that blonde woman, and he never told me. He never even mentioned her or being married.”
Lu’s eyes widen, and Xanthe gasps.
“That motherfucker .” Lu’s fists clench like she wants to go and punch his lights out herself.
“What’s the plan?” Xanthe asks, the normally quiet and sweet woman sounding angry on my behalf.
“I think I’m pregnant,” I whisper, and they go silent.
Lu glances down at my stomach, her blonde curls falling over her forehead. “He didn’t wrap his fucking willy?”
I wince, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m on the pill.”
“Does he know?” Xanthe asks, wringing her hands.
“No. I don’t even know for sure yet. But I’ve been feeling nauseous, and I haven’t got my period since I’ve met him.”
I head to the bathroom to wash my face, and the girls follow behind me. When I’m done, I grip the edge of the countertop and hang my head. “What do I do? We’re in a lockdown, but I don’t want to be here right now.”
It’s too much.
“How would we even get out of here?” Lu whisper-yells before she starts to rub my back. “We can’t even open the damn gates without one of the men doing it for us. And they’re not going to let us out.”
“We could try one of the prospects,” Xanthe suggests, gently playing with my hair. “They’re the weakest links.”
“We need to get you a pregnancy test.”
A knock on the door has all our heads snapping up.
“Ora, let me in.”
I share a look with my girls, and Lu crosses her arms over her chest. “You going to hear him out?”
“He won’t stop until I do,” I grumble.
“Why don’t we sneak out and get the test? You chat with War, then we make a plan,” Xanthe suggests, and we all nod.
“How are you going to sneak out?”
“We’ll find a way.” Lu smirks.
“Ora!”
Here we go.
Unlocking the door, I stare at the man I’ve fallen in love with. The one I pleaded with not to hurt me.
Opening the door wider, he steps inside, and my friends leave, throwing him dirty looks as they go.
“We’ll be back,” Lu calls out, but it sounds more like a threat than anything.
Time to face reality.