“But Iona isn’t an animal.”
Olivia held up her finger. “Technically, she is. We all are but the same applies to humans. Just her being pregnant might be causing her anxiety—fear of losing the baby all over again. She’s acting irrationally. Don’t take it personally.”
I stood from the desk. “Then what should I do? Act as if nothing happened? Because everyone has seen that article. She’s not stupid. Iona will know that I’ve seen the article.”
Olivia stood from her chair and put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to tell you what to do but you have to promise me you’ll do it exactly as I say. One wrong word and it might spook her.”
Who knew having a fake relationship would be this complicated?
TWENTY-EIGHT
Iona
“YOU CAN’T HIDE IN THERE forever.” Tyler’s voice came through the door.
“Oh, I beg to differ,” I said as I sat on the bed refusing to open the door to the bedroom.
Meeting with the sheriff two days ago confirmed I needed to get out of this town. If what he said was true, just being in Tyler’s life was putting him in danger.
I was glad I told the magazine before him. Now he hated me and wanted me to leave. It would be better for everyone if that happened.
While I was surprised by how fast the article was published, I knew it had to be done. Only two days after the interview and it’s everywhere.
Despite the quick turnaround and not totally thinking this through, I was ready to stand my ground. Or hide behind the bedroom door in this case, if I had to. And right now, I had no desire to face him and witness the disappointment in his eyes.
He wanted to use me, well, his plan backfired. I got knocked up and now the whole world knew he was the father.
Tyler couldn’t get out of it this time. No lost phones and mixed up numbers would save him now, and I had to do my best to push him away.
“Were you going to tell me, Iona?” He sounded hurt and my heart broke a little. But then I remembered how he never wanted me here in the first place. That he was faking this relationship so he could get his precious home. A bunch of wood, cement, and paint were more important to him than me or our future child.
And, of course, what the sheriff had said. As hurt as I was by what Tyler did in high school, it’s the actions of a madman that scared me now.
“That I unplugged your alarm clock. No.”
I heard him sigh. “Not about that. About the baby.”
“Of course. But I thought a better way would be for you to see it in black and white.”
I cringed. That was cold even for me. I only hoped it worked.
“I love you, Iona. I want to be with you. Please, open up.”
I stared at the door and for a moment, I believed him. I stood and made my way over to the door but stopped myself before I opened it. He told me he loved me so soon after I came back. I hadn’t seen him for eleven years and instantly, he’s in love. That’s not normal.
“You lied.”
“About what?” he asked as if he had no idea that his words did things to me. They had the power to lift me up or smash me to the floor.
“You’re just like your father. Telling people what they want to hear just so you can get what you want.”
“What are you talking about? Open this door so we can talk about this.”
“No.” I’d be swayed too easily if I saw him and his perfect smile and especially, his panty-melting blue eyes. He could easily wrap me in his arms, and I’d turn weak.
There was a sigh, and I heard him move around. A moment later, the Hello Kitty key chain slid under the door. I lifted it and wanted to punch it down his throat.
“This is the cause of all our problems,” I said with anger pushing each word out of my mouth.
“There’s a reason I never threw it away.”
“Yeah, I heard.”
“What did you hear?”
I rolled my eyes. Did he believe I’d never find out? Maybe he wasn’t as smart as I thought he was.
“That it was a keepsake from your conquest. That you bragged to the guys at school about how you planned to seduce me, and then you showed it to them to prove that you did.”
“What the hell? Who fed you that crap?”
“I heard it from Cara, actually. The mayor warned her about you.”
“Keaghan? I should have known. He’s just pissed that I stopped him from doing that to you.”
A wave of light-headedness hit me, and I worried I’d faint. I unlocked the door before I stepped back toward the bed to sit.
The door flew open. Tyler took one look at me and raced over, kneeling at my feet. “Are you okay?”
“Just a bit dizzy.”
Tyler stood and helped me lie back. “It’s time for me to play nurse now.” The corner of his lip ticked up and warmth melted from my belly down to between my thighs.
“So, you didn’t boast about taking my virginity to the guys in the locker room?”
“No, that was Keaghan.” He shook his head with a sigh. “I didn’t want to tell you this because it would only hurt you, but I overheard Keaghan tell his friends in the locker room that he was going to have sex with you the night of the dance.”
“That’s why he was being so nice to me on our walk home . . . I can’t believe I didn’t realize he was up to something. The man had never been kind to me. It’s not like I would have had sex with him.”
Tyler frowned. “That didn’t matter to him. One of his friends asked what he would do if you said no. He explained that the word never stopped him before.”
A cold shudder ran down my spine. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Tyler reached for the wastebasket by the bed and held it up for me. I waved it off.
“Thanks, but I didn’t mean literally.”
“It’s hard to tell in your condition.”
There was silence. He stared at my stomach as I watched a range of emotions slide over his features.
“Do you know yet? I mean . . . if it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked with a whisper.
“It’s too early. I think it’s the size of a bean now. Not really baby-like yet.” I slid my hand over my stomach.
“Right, right. I forgot. Um, are you feeling okay? In any pain?” He reached toward my abdomen but stopped.
“You can touch me. The most you’ll feel is gas bubbles.” I laughed to ease the tension. “I’m still in the first trimester. It’ll be another seven weeks until I get to the second.”
I swallowed and tried to control my hands as they began to shake. Tyler crawled into bed beside me and pulled me into his arms.
“I’m here now. We’re in this together. No matter what happens, I’ll love you and our little one.”
Nodding, I squeezed my eyes shut as the tears began to fall. I buried my head into his chest, breathing in his spicy scent. There was something in his touch or maybe hearing the beat of his heart that soothed me.
“I’m so afraid, Tyler,” I whispered.
He kissed the top of my head. “It’s natural to feel that way. But I want you to know that you don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m here this time and we will be together on this journey. I can’t make promises that even medical science can’t keep, but I will swear to love you and be there for you no matter how this pregnancy turns out.”
“I love you. I love you. I love you,” I chanted, and it felt like I was releasing something that weighed me down for so long.
His grip tightened and it felt good. I thought I heard him whisper, “I’ll never let go.”
I tried to pretend it wasn’t true but what I felt for him grew stronger every day. These feelings had grown so intense that I was afraid my heart might burst.
“Whatever love means. This feeling won’t stop. No matter what I do, it only becomes stronger. It’s been embedded in my heart and only for you. I don’t think I can dig it out if I tried,” I said as I lifted my head to reveal my truth.
He shif
ted back and gazed into my eyes. We stared at each other like this for a few moments before he said, “I didn’t think I could love you more but now that you’re carrying my child, I feel like I’m drowning in love and I never want to breathe again.”
He kissed me and it turned from sweet to deep heat in seconds. It was hard, achingly hard, and everything about him was, too. My hand moved down his chest, every muscle tight, and I longed to slide my fingers through his chest hair. I had been used to being with models and actors who remove their chest hair, but it was refreshing and kind of hot to feel every real inch of this sexy man’s body. Tyler’s body was completely unaltered and begging to surround me.
Tyler tore at my clothes and I heard my pink sweater rip, but I didn’t care. He could shred them to tiny pieces, and I’d think it was the sexiest thing in the world. Anything he touched caused a bloom of rapid and unstoppable heat.
When his fingers slid over the zipper of my jean shorts, I broke. Pushing him back, I shimmed off the rest of my clothes.
“Someone’s impatient.” He chuckled and watched me.
“I’m naked, pregnant, and want your cock in my vagina like yesterday. So, let’s get to it.” I snapped my fingers, staring at the tent in his khakis.
The man enjoyed torturing me too much.
“Don’t make me get out my action team.” Both our eyes slid to the location in the closet where said action team hid.
“Maybe later, but for right now, I want to be the one to give my fiancée all the orgasms.”
I liked the sound of that.
He eventually took off his pants and briefs. I helped because he was taking too long. When my fingers curled around his cock, all his restraint broke.
“Fuck. Not too much or I won’t last.” Tyler’s hand cupped my ass as he ground against my stomach.
The man pretended to want to go slow as if he wasn’t as crazy horny as I was. But it was all a lie. I saw how angry his cock looked when he pulled off his briefs. I was surprised he wasn’t squirting on himself just from the friction of the cotton.
He pinned me to the bed by moving on top of me and he played with my tits. My nipples were extra sensitive since I became pregnant, and the light kisses he gave them had me arching off the bed.
“Yeah, do that,” I said, grabbing his hair and holding his head in place.
With his free hand, he pulled my leg back and settled between my thighs. There was no tender moment where he gently fondled me to get me ready.
I was dripping and needed nothing but his massive cock rocking inside me.
“I’m going to fuck you now.” He lifted his head from my chest, and I didn’t have to respond before his cock filled me—it was rough but so good.
Perhaps it was the pregnancy making me super horny or how he had lost control, but I came hard after he pushed inside.
“That’s it, Iona. Come for me.”
I did. And the wave of bliss didn’t end there. It eventually settled but watching him sweat and grunt on top of me was too much. He lowered his hand between our legs as he propped himself on his elbow. One swipe of his finger against my clit and I climaxed again.
“Look at how much you want this. Fuck, you’re so wet. Is that what I do to you?”
The way he spoke was so dirty, but I loved it.
Everything felt great so I was confused when he pulled out. Hovering over me, he said, “On your knees.”
I blinked, and it took a second for me to register what he wanted. But once I figured it out, I quickly did as he requested. “Yes.”
“What do you want, Iona?”
“Please,” I looked back at him as he positioned himself but didn’t push inside, “I want you to fill me.”
I hoped he knew what I meant. Tyler smirked as he rolled his hips and his dick began to make its way inside. And when I felt his thumb slide between my ass cheeks, I smiled. He understood perfectly.
There was a slight push at my puckered hole before he moved in and out. It felt incredible to be completely filled and when Tyler got the rhythm going, I broke . . . hard.
“Tyler,” I groaned as my orgasm broke me.
“Fuck, I’m coming.” He stilled after he slammed into me. I couldn’t tell how long it was before he pulled out and gently laid me on my side—I was lost in the bliss of the aftereffects from the orgasms he gave me.
It wasn’t until he left the bed and I heard the water running in the bathroom before I realized where I was.
When he finally came back to bed, he pulled me into his arms. I curled around his body as if I was made for that spot.
“I can’t wait to find out what our baby looks like.”
I held up my hand. “Slow down there, partner. There’s still seven and a half months to get through.”
I hoped. My hand began to tremble, and he immediately grabbed it in his.
“You’re right. I can wait. What I really look forward to is seeing how cute you’ll look with your belly filled with our baby. I’ll have to start lifting weights if I’m expected to carry you up the stairs when you’re super pregnant.”
Pulling back my hand, I lifted up on my elbow so I could glare down at him. “Super? As in big? Wow, you’re really not good at making a woman feel good about herself.”
His eyes lit up as he smiled. The jerk was totally enjoying this. “I can’t imagine how big your undies will become. I’ll probably have to buy a tent at some point and pass them off as your underwear.” He jumped from the bed faster than I had expected. It was a good thing because I was going to make him pay for that.
“You’re an asshole. I’m pregnant with your child and you’re insulting me and my giant future panties.”
“Did it work?”
My eyes widened as I jerked my head back. “Did what work?”
“You’re not scared and sad anymore. I’ll take all your anger if it means you spend less time worrying about this pregnancy.”
Maybe he was smarter than I thought . . .
“A better plan would be to get me food instead.”
He stood, completely naked as he sliced the air with his arm. “Whatever you desire. I’ll run to the store or get takeout or even get my brother to bake more of his muscle brownies. Anything for the woman I love.”
I bit my lip and gave him the sweetest smile I could muster. “I’d like some pickle juice with raisins. Oh, and some ginger tea, please.”
All the color in his face disappeared, and I feared he might faint.
TWENTY-NINE
Tyler
“I DON’T LIKE THAT SHE agreed to do this,” I said to Cara for probably the twentieth time today.
“She’s a professional and knows how to handle guys like him. If you hadn’t heard, Hollywood isn’t the most female friendly place. Yet, she’s worked her way through that town unscathed. There’s a rare actress who can say that.”
Despite hearing how unsafe Hollywood was for Iona, it warmed my heart to hear the admiration in Cara’s voice as she spoke about her.
“It only takes one man . . .” I reminded her.
“I know, but this idea today was good. I think the mayor’s going to like it when we present him with it, and it will distract him from Iona. Did you tell her this morning?”
I shook my head. “I had to get up early to meet with the sheriff. He needed some clarification on a few things.”
Apparently, this case was bigger than just some stolen furniture. The FBI is now involved, which worried me. What if it affected Iona? I wasn’t just on the lookout for her at the parade, but my brother, too. He needed to beef up his security, as it has only been him. I wanted a whole team here watching her.
“I found the mayor’s assistant, but no one can seem to locate the mayor,” Terrance said as he jogged up to us. We were standing beside the apple float so there would be no way we could miss them.
At the edge of town, near our secluded spot, was where all the floats and people in the parade gathered before it started. After Iona and I made love yest
erday, I was so happy to have her in my life, baby and all, that I called Cara with my idea.
I knew why Iona had her as an assistant—she was thorough and quick. Cara contacted all the right people and made it happen. Babette even contacted me and offered to help finance the thing as an apology for tricking us into living together.
“Perhaps we’ll tell her after the parade,” Terrance said with a shrug.
I knew she wasn’t happy being forced to sit next to the mayor up on a big apple float during the parade. But that’s why I wanted to surprise her with this news—to give her something good to think about.
Ever since we talked with each other yesterday about the pregnancy, I had felt this need to keep her happy.
I hated seeing her so mad when I teased her about a big pregnancy belly. However, she had no idea that the thought of her waddling around with my baby inside her did things to me. I worried there was something wrong with me that it turned me on to think of her filled with our child. And, I was concerned my dick would hurt the baby when she was close to her due date. Mainly because I knew we were going to have lots of sex the bigger she got.
“Has anyone seen Iona?” Jake asked from behind.
I turned to find my brother and Babette coming up to the float.
“You’re her bodyguard,” I said as I fisted my hands.
That’s what I worried about. The mayor was a leech. Iona may be tough when it came to men like that, but she wasn’t immune to danger.
“She could be anywhere. They could be anywhere.” I waved my hand around.
“It’s going to be okay, Dr. Ferguson. Perhaps you should speak with the sheriff? I know Iona spoke to him the other day.”
Why would Iona need to talk to Garrison?
“I noticed him right over there,” she said.
I nodded to thank her and couldn’t help but notice the blush on her cheeks. I glanced at my brother, but he was speaking with Cara. I wondered what my brother and Babette were doing before they showed up.
Living Hell (Lost and Found Book 2) Page 18