by C. A. Harms
“This needed to be said in person,” Ray said. “I think you should sit down.”
My stomach knotted as I took a seat. The room felt like it was closing in around me as they sat down too.
“I actually should have told you this weeks ago.” Sarah spoke softly as she twisted her hands in her lap. “I know my dad thinks I’ve been running around with Greg again, but I haven’t. I also know I’ve screwed up a lot.”
That was an understatement.
“I’ve been trying to, um…” She looked up at me. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” I narrowed my eyes at her, bracing myself for whatever she had to say.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
I stared at her as the words sunk in. A disgusted laugh escaped me. “What, you honestly want me to believe that it’s mine?”
“Unnecessary, Easton.” Ray’s voice boomed through the room.
I had reached my breaking point. “Unnecessary?” Standing up from the couch, I turned to him and pointed at Sarah without taking my eyes off Ray. “She fucked with my life for well over a year. She slept around on me and lied at every turn. Now you show up here and expect me to believe that she’s carrying my child?”
“It’s true,” Sarah whispered. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. “I got this at the doctor two days ago.”
She held the sheet out toward me, and I ripped it from her hands. My stomach dropped as I turned it around. It was a sonogram picture with Sarah’s name and a date at the top.
“This doesn’t prove anything, just that you’re knocked up.” A look of hurt covered her face, and Ray stood and took a step toward me. “We’ve only been together once in the last six months,” I said.
“Yeah, two months ago,” she said.
“I used protection,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Condoms do fail,” she whispered back.
A long pause set in as I sat down on the couch and stared at the picture in my hand.
“I haven’t been with anyone else but you in over three months,” she said. “The timing is right, Easton. The baby can’t be anyone else’s.”
I felt like my chest was caving in and I could barely breathe, like I was going to pass out and throw up at the same time. The mistakes of my past were coming back to haunt me. And even in my moment of agony, all I could see was Harper’s face, her smile, and that look she gets right after I kiss her breathless.
The idea of her pulling back and walking away from me made me feel as if the walls were closing in. Our relationship was still so new, and I was terrified that this would be too much for her to take.
“And before you ask, I’m keeping the baby.”
My eyes locked on Sarah and anger overtook me.
“What the fuck do you think I’d want you to do? The opposite? I’m not a heartless bastard.” I pointed toward her stomach. “If this is true and you are carrying my child, you better fucking back off, Sarah. Because I will not let you terrorize my child the way you’ve fucked with my world.”
I stood up and tossed the sonogram picture at her. “I want proof. That fucking picture and your word will never be enough.”
I spun around and stormed out of my condo. I had to get out of there. I was losing my shit, and I was afraid of where that would lead me.
***
I drove for over an hour, my mind racing, my world crumbling. A kid, with Sarah of all people.
Life could be cruel sometimes.
I’d made a mistake in the heat of the moment because I was lonely, and now I would pay the price. But what would I lose because of that choice? Would Harper be able to handle Sarah carrying my child?
After another hour of aimless driving, I decided to head home.
In my rush to leave, I’d left my phone behind, so I wasn’t surprised to find I had numerous missed calls and texts when I found it on the floor in front of the couch.
Flipping through my messages, I couldn’t help but grin.
I miss you.
So un-Harper-like. But the next one was even better.
I need you.
She had no idea what that meant to me. I needed her more.
I decided in that moment that I wouldn’t say anything about of the possibility of my becoming a father. I would hold on to that information until I knew for sure. I wasn’t willing to lose Harper over a lie Sarah had decided to tell.
Until I had no way of denying the baby was mine, I wouldn’t tell her about it. All I wanted right now was to get lost in Harper and forget about the shitstorm I may be formed to deal with later.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harper
My phone beeped with an incoming text.
I’m here.
I leapt up from the couch. My quick movements alerted Brutus, and he followed closely behind.
I opened the door to find Easton on the other side. He looked unbelievably sexy in a faded pair of jeans and a snug T-shirt. In a flash he was on me and pinning me against the wall. He gripped my waist as he pressed himself against me.
“Mm,” I moaned as he devoured my neck. “Somebody’s excited.”
“I missed you too, baby,” he whispered as he kissed my chest. “I need you so bad.”
My throat tightened at his words, my stomach fluttered, and my core tensed. “Then take me.”
He needed no further coaxing. He lifted me from the floor, and I hooked my legs around his waist. He kicked the door shut and walked toward my bedroom. Brutus was hot on our heels, and I shooed him away with my hand. He stopped just outside my bedroom, and Easton shut the door to keep him from following.
Moments later, I lay naked on the bed as Easton stood at the end, staring at me. Something was different about him. He looked lost, tense, and distracted. He lowered his jeans and boxers in one swift movement, and in seconds he was hovering above me.
I could feel his erection against my thigh as he ground his hips against mine. “You are so beautiful,” he cooed in my ear. “You make me want so much.”
The entire atmosphere felt surreal. Easton looked at me so intensely, more intensely than anyone ever had. It was something I had never seen before. He began kissing down my chest and circling my stomach with his tongue. When he stopped to place a kiss over my tattoo, my throat ached.
Before I could speak, he was on me, teasing and tasting as he held my thighs apart. I arched my back, gripped his hair, and held him close, losing my thoughts in the pleasure he was giving me. He was ruthless and determined, and my mind was on overload as I screamed his name, falling into a state of oblivion.
When I opened my eyes he was hovering above me, rolling on a condom. He smiled as he slid inside me. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in him, and he was relentless as he drove into me over and over.
“This is real. We are so good together,” he whispered next to my ear as he continued to thrust. My eyes rolled back as a second orgasm began to build. “I want this, I need this.”
I was trying to focus on his words, but the pleasure was overwhelming. “I won’t let you go,” he said.
My body tensed and I screamed out his name, grinding against him.
“Fuck me,” he groaned as he slammed into me one last time. He collapsed against me, breathless and exhausted.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but my limbs were beginning to regain feeling as my blood circulated once again. I could now think a little clearer. Lightly trailing my fingers over his back, I looked down at him. His head was lying on my chest, and his eyes were still closed. I watched his eyelids twitch as he burrowed in a little.
“Is everything okay?” I couldn’t help but ask. Something felt different, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“It is now,” he whispered and opened his eyes to meet my gaze. “You make things better.”
I never got emotional, like, ever. Well, at least not in anyone’s presence. But right then I wanted to
crawl inside of him and stay there forever. Easton Black was making me feel things I wasn’t sure I was ready for. He was making me want things I had only allowed myself to envy in others.
I chose to keep silent, because I wasn’t sure I could refrain from breaking the tough exterior I’d spent years building. I couldn’t give in, because then I’d become vulnerable, and that was when everything would fall apart.
***
I hugged Jett close and kissed his cheek. “I’m truly happy for both of you,” I said as I released him to offer Quinn a hug as well.
I hadn’t seen them for a few days, and this was my first chance to be able to congratulate them. We were gathered at my parents’ house for dinner and discussing their recent engagement. Jett couldn’t stop smiling, and Quinn was having a hard time keeping the tears at bay.
“You do realize that Mom is going to be throwing wedding dates at you now. She’ll have you married and pregnant within six months,” I said to Quinn, and her eyes went wide.
Of course, all Jett could do was smile. Something told me having Quinn barefoot and pregnant wouldn’t bother him one bit.
“Well, I would hope that you don’t make me wait too long,” my mother said, her eyes gleaming. “All my grandbabies are hundreds of miles away. It would be nice to have a few little ones running around that I could see more often—and spoil.”
“Don’t look at me, I’m not gonna supply any little ones anytime soon. These two are your only hope.” I jabbed my thumb in the direction of Quinn and Jett.
“What about you and Easton?” Quinn stated, and I arched a brow at her. “Hey, it could happen. You never know. Speaking of Easton, where has he been the last few days?”
“He had some things he had to handle in Miami,” I said. “I actually thought he would be back by now. Last night when I talked to him, he sounded exhausted. I just hope everything is okay.” I looked over at Jett. “Have you noticed lately that he seems a little different? I mean like something is bothering him?”
Jett sat quiet for a moment before he met my gaze. “Yeah, maybe a little. The only thing he mentioned was that he was looking for a new manager for the club. He’s probably just stressed.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I still wasn’t convinced, though. It felt like something else was going on.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Easton
I sat at the end of the bar, watching as Sarah served the two guys on the other end. She kept shifting her gaze in my direction.
“Why do you look so gloomy?” Whitney asked as she nudged my shoulder.
“Just one of those nights,” I replied with very little enthusiasm. I had intended on leaving earlier today to go back to Palm Beach, but the day got away from me, and before I knew it I had drunk too much to drive home. I told Sarah to keep our business private, so as far as I knew, no one in the club knew about the baby. At least not yet.
My phone vibrated on the counter before me, and Whitney looked down at it. Harper’s name lit up the screen. “Girlfriend?’ she asked.
“Yeah.” A grin pulled at the corners of my mouth. I swiped my finger across the screen and lifted the phone to my ear. “Hey baby,” I slurred.
“Have you been drinking?” Her voice was laced with concern.
“A little.”
“Where are you?”
“Ricochet, just having a few drinks.” I looked up to find Sarah watching me closely. “Wishing I was back there with you.”
“How are you getting home?” she asked.
I lifted my drink and finished it off in one gulp. “Let me worry about that.”
“Seriously?” she said, sounding a little more irritated than before. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, remembering that Harper was the last person I should be pissing off. “Don’t pull that shit with me,” she continued. “You’re over an hour and a half away from me, drunk, and I’m supposed to just accept you telling me that you’ll get home safely?”
I hung my head and took in a deep breath.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on with you, but I don’t like the way you’re acting. Actually, you’re really starting to piss me off.”
Before I could say a word, she hung up on me. I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked down at the screen. Yep, the call had been disconnected. I tried to call her back only to have it go to voice mail. Putting the phone down on the counter, I rested my forehead against the coolness of the bar top.
“That didn’t sound like it went well,” Whitney said from my left.
All I could do was shake my head. It sure didn’t.
One of my bouncers walked up to my right, and his words had me lifting my head from the bar. “Hey, I got a woman named Harper on the phone. She wants to talk to whoever is manning the bar.”
I arched an eyebrow at Whitney, because that would be her; she was the shift manager tonight.
She took the phone from Kevin, the bouncer, and placed it against her ear. “This is Whitney.” A look of amusement covered her face as she listened. After a few minutes, she laughed. “You got it.” Another pause, and then her eyes shifted to meet mine. “I think I can make that happen, but you need to make sure you cover me on your end. I’m thinking that may be grounds for termination.”
A few moments later she said a quick good-bye and handed the phone back to Kevin, who turned and walked away.
“What was that all about?” I asked, my curiosity winning out.
“First let me say that your girlfriend is hysterically funny, and I think I may just love her myself.” She shook her head as if remembering something Harper had said.
I reached over the bar and nudged her shoulder. “Speak.”
“Okay, so I’m supposed to cut you off because you have had enough. You need coffee and lots of it.” She paused, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Oh, and she promised me a full day at any local spa, completely covered fully by her, if…” She leaned out of reach and grabbed a pitcher of water from behind the bar.
“Don’t even consider it,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.
“Oh I’ve already considered it, thought it through, and decided that Harper may be right. You definitely need to chill the fuck out. Her words, not mine. And what better way than to be doused with a cold pitcher of water?” She grinned wider. “She guaranteed you wouldn’t fire me.”
“She lied,” I stated with authority.
A few guests nearby were enjoying the show, their laughter flowing around me.
Whitney sat the pitcher of water back down and leaned over, getting in a little closer. “All joking aside, she’s worried about you. I promised her I would get you home safely. Can you let me do that?”
All traces of humor had left her face. I nodded, and she placed her hand over mine and patted it lightly. “Give me a little time to wrap things up, and I’ll drive you home. I’ll get one of the guys to follow me.”
She stepped away, leaving me alone to sober up.
***
I woke up the next morning feeling like shit and regretting every drink I’d had the night before. I couldn’t remember anything after I got into the passenger seat of my car.
I looked down at myself to find I was wearing the same clothing I had on the night before. The entire evening was now slowly coming back to me. Scanning my pockets in search of my phone, I found it inside my suit jacket. Its screen was dim and a red exclamation point lit up the battery-life box.
I tapped out Harper’s number and hit Send, then groaned when it rolled over to voice mail after the first ring.
“Hey, it’s Harper, leave me a message.”
After the beep, I rushed through my apology, fearful of my phone going dead. “Babe, I’m sorry about last night, I’m coming back today and I’m gonna make it up to you. Sorry to worry you.”
A beep followed by a vibration indicated that I had lost the call. I wasn’t sure how much I got out before my phone died, but I hoped I’d said enough.
Chapter Twenty-Five
/> Harper
“Babe, I’m sorry about last night, I’m coming back today and I’m—” That was all I got from the message he’d left.
I already knew Easton had made it home safely because Whitney had texted me after she dropped him off. I slept a little better knowing he was securely tucked inside his huge house on the hill. But my anger and irritation at his evasive behavior was still boiling hot. I was tired of turning the other cheek when it came to his moods. I knew something was bothering him; it was written all over his face every time he was around me.
I wasn’t sure what time he would get back to Palm Beach today, but I had every intention of taking care of this issue as soon as he did. I’d spent enough of my life with jerks that did nothing but lie. It was time he came clean or walked away.
I had to do a lot of convincing, but in the end Jett agreed to call Easton and feel him out. My brother actually thought I wanted to surprise him with something naughty, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. After he complained while covering his ears to drown out the details of my fake plans to seduce Easton, he gave in and made the call.
So now I sat on Easton’s front step with Brutus at my side, waiting for him to pull in. I brought Brutus because he still scared the shit out of Easton, and right now I needed to make sure that Easton kept his distance. There was no way in hell he was pulling any magical seduction moves on me. He was going to man up and tell me the truth.
The sound of a car approaching had my body tensing instantly, but I didn’t look up even when I heard the car door shut. It wasn’t until he said my name that I stood from the step.
“Harper,” he said again in low, deep, soothing voice. And so his seduction began. But I was having none of it.