Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“Not now,” I growled at him, narrowing my eyes at my president. Joey jumped up from his chair, but Alejandro gripped his shoulder, forcing him to stand down. “I need protection to get Jessie to the doctor, and I need it now.”
“I’ll get some of my men together,” Alejandro told me. “And I’ll personally take you two there in my vehicle.”
I nodded at Alejandro in thanks before I looked back at Joey. “Understand this, brother,” I gritted, taking a step closer to him. He clenched his jaw. I jabbed my finger against his chest. “Your sister will always come first for me. I don’t give a shit what my fucking rank is in this club, and right now, she fucking needs me.”
“I could help—”
“You can’t,” I told him. He looked like I’d shot him. I blew out a harsh breath, forcing some of the bitterness out of my tone. “Joey, you can’t. I don’t even know what the fuck to do, man. I’m taking it one step at a time because it’s all I know to do. Just let me figure this shit out.”
With that, I strode from the chapel and headed back down the hall. Jessie looked up when I walked in. Her eyes were tired and bloodshot, and her face was pale. My soul roared for her.
“Come on, baby girl,” I coaxed, leaning down to help her out of bed. She clung to me. “I’ve got you, my girl. Come on.”
I helped her into her jacket and slipped her shoes on her feet before carrying her out of the room. I knew she needed me as close as possible to her. Proving me right, she linked her arms around my neck and buried her face against my shoulder. Alejandro met us in the barroom.
Joey’s eyes were pained as he looked at his sister. Elaina wrapped her arms around him, doing her best to soothe him as I carried his sister outside to Alejandro’s waiting SUV.
Please let this fucking test be negative.
“Where are you taking me?” she finally whispered as we rode into downtown.
“To the doctor,” I told her.
Fear filled her eyes. “What doctor? Why?” she demanded.
I sighed, tightening my arms around her. “Because we need to know if you’re pregnant or not, Jessie.”
She shook her head. “No. No doctor,” she pleaded. The fear in her voice had my fucking heart breaking. I didn’t want to force her into this, but I couldn’t help her if I didn’t cover all our fucking bases.
“Baby, we have to find out.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter because I don’t want it either way!” she screeched, sobs wracking her chest.
I gently shook her. Her eyes snapped up to mine. “Do you want an abortion if you are?” I demanded.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe I had asked her that. I repeated the question when she didn’t answer.
“No,” she finally whispered. “I won’t—I can’t murder a baby, no matter how I feel.”
I pulled her closer to me. “Then stop fighting me, my girl. I’m by your side—always. Nothing will ever change that.” I cupped her cheeks, forcing her tormented eyes to lock on mine. “You want to put this baby up for adoption if you are?”
I wouldn’t ever make her keep a baby she didn’t want, especially not at the expense of her mental health. I knew a lot of the world didn’t agree with me, but I believed in a woman’s right to her own body.
Jessie was all that mattered to me. Nothing else would ever change that—not even a baby.
Did it make me a shitty human being? Yeah, but I was already fucked-up as it was.
Jessie slowly shook her head in answer to her question. Her hands fluttered to her stomach as she rested her head on my shoulder. I blew out a soft breath and tucked her close to me again, resting my chin on the top of her head.
She was confusing the fuck out of me. She didn’t want this baby, didn’t want to be a mom, but she’d just shoved the options of abortion and adoption off the table.
“I’m here, my girl. I’m here.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Just stay with me, and we’ll figure this shit out together.”
The doctor confirmed my worst fears.
“Jessie Dirks, you are pregnant, and according to the date of your last period, you’re four weeks and one day along.”
I wasn’t sure Jessie heard anything past the announcement of her pregnancy. She burst into tears, seeking me out. I wrapped her up in my arms, holding the back of her head, winding my other arm around her shoulders.
The doctor looked at me in alarm. I cleared my throat. “What next, doc?” I asked her.
“I want to do an ultrasound,” she told me. “I just want to make sure everything is fine, and from there, I’ll prescribe her some prenatal vitamins to take every day before bed. You probably won’t see much on the screen, but I’ll be able to make sure that everything is as it’s supposed to be.”