Total pages in book: 767
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
“I’m fine.”
Feeling slightly better, I rinse my face and wash my hands.
He touches my arm. “Are you…?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m not sick.”
“I meant are you pregnant?”
My lips part in shock. The blood drops straight from my head to my feet, leaving me feeling dizzy. “No, of course not.”
I’ve never missed my pill. I am however a little late. Oh, God. What if? Gabriel will kill me.
Impossible.
I’ve been careful.
I take another towel from the dispenser and wipe my mouth, noticing how much my hands are shaking. “I think I’ll call it a night.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you. I just need an early night to catch up on sleep.” He watches me leave, not saying a word.
I crawl into bed after a shower, but I don’t close an eye. It’s late when Gabriel returns. He strips naked and climbs into bed beside me. I’m wet for him, but he takes his time to lick and tease my folds. He doesn’t stop until I’ve come twice, and only then does he fuck me. The way he loves my body is incredible, but my mind isn’t there. My mind is searching for solutions to problems I haven’t even confirmed, yet.
“Where are you?” he finally asks, kissing my breasts.
“I’m sorry. I’m just tired.”
He covers my body in kisses, all the way from my stomach to my feet. He’s so gentle, I want to cry.
When he’s kissed his way back up to my neck, he hugs me tightly and says, “Go to sleep.”
* * *
After breakfast, I walk to the staff unit. Rhett is sitting on the porch, sipping his coffee. He gets to his feet when he sees me.
“You look like shit.”
“Thanks.” I give him a wry smile. “I need a favor, please.” “Anything.” He leaves the cup on the rail.
“I need you to go to the pharmacy.”
His look is pitiful. “All right.”
“Gabriel can’t know. Do you hear me?”
“Valentina.”
He walks down the steps and reaches for me, but I pull away.
“He can’t know, Rhett, not until I know for sure.”
He swallows and nods. “I’ll be back soon.”
* * *
A short time later, I sit on the seat of the toilet, staring at the two blue lines on the strip.
Positive.
I’m expecting Gabriel’s baby.
A mixture of feelings rushes through me. I’m faint with wonder. I’m also sick with fear. Will he blame me? He’ll be furious. Worse, he’ll think I did it on purpose to trap him. Gabriel will never want a baby with a woman who’s property. I don’t mind raising a child on my own. Gabriel doesn’t have to give me a cent. I won’t expect support from him, but what if he doesn’t want me to have this baby? What if he forces me to have an abortion? If he drives me to a clinic, there won’t be anything I can do to stop him. He still owns me, and now he owns the baby growing in me, too.
There’s only one thing I can do to save the little life inside me. I quickly pack a bag, my hands trembling so much I drop my phone twice. I wrap the pregnancy kit in a plastic bag, and discard it in the trash outside where no one will look. Only Rhett will guess, but by the time Gabriel confronts him, I’ll be long gone.
In Gabriel’s study, I write a quick note.
I can’t honor my promise. I hope you’ll forgive me.
Leaving it on his desk, I pull the door close, knowing Marie won’t enter his study. Then I call a private taxi. It’s going to cost an arm and a leg, but I can’t afford to take a minivan. I need to disappear fast. Rhett left with Gabriel a short while ago, and Quincy is walking Bruno. I walk past the guards at the gate with a wave, my bag slung over my shoulder, acting as normal as I can. They’ve only seen me leaving the property on foot once, but I’m leaving on a regular enough basis for them not to stop me.
A block from the house, I pause to wait. Two minutes later, the taxi pulls up to the street corner I gave the driver. Looking over my shoulder to make sure no one is following, I jump inside.
“Go, please. Quickly.”
I don’t glance back as the driver speeds away. I cup my hands over my stomach and stare straight ahead.
I have to.
For my baby.