by K. I. Lynn
Fucking hormones.
“I have a doctor’s appointment next Wednesday at eleven,” I say as I pull open the door and sit down. Niko’s hand shoots out as I try and close the door.
“We’re not done, Everly.”
“See you Wednesday.”
He lets out a sigh, and I close the door, allowing me to back out and away from him. He doesn’t bother trying to chase me further, and I’m grateful. I can’t do this today.
I blow out an unsteady breath, a tear slipping down my cheek as I make my way out onto the roadway. What the hell is wrong with me? Niko hasn’t missed a doctor’s appointment and has been a doting boyfriend, and at the first possible sign, I look for a reason to push him away.
Why am I doing this to both of us?
The traffic takes me nearly an hour to get home, and I can’t wait to get out of these clothes and relax. I finally popped a few weeks back, and each week since, my stomach gets bigger and bigger. I just want to relax, and I am missing the ability to have a nice glass of wine to unwind. That part of being pregnant sucks. Maybe I’ll take a nice, hot bath with the lights dimmed and some lavender candles.
I drop my keys in the dish, my purse on the table, and hang my coat on the hall tree before I head up the stairs toward my bedroom. Maybe Chinese would make the perfect dinner, or perhaps Italian, or even some Mexican. God, a good burger sounds divine right about now with a side of onion rings.
I wonder if I can get each restaurant to deliver without them all arriving at the same time. I’d much rather they didn’t judge me for wanting food from more than one place, in one night. That’s all I need. The Mexican food delivery driver is showing up while I’m piling moo shu pork into my mouth from the Chinese driver that just left.
After changing into some lounge pants and a T-shirt, I continue debating my dinner options on my way to the kitchen. I turn the corner and stop, my eyes wide as I stare at a figure sitting on one of my island bar stools.
My blood runs cold as I stare into the green eyes that once melted me but now, seeing them so suddenly, frightens me.
“Hey, darling,” he says with a smile so broad that shows all his teeth.
“Tate, what are you doing here?” I ask as the hair on the back of my neck rises. I’m trying not to freak out, but he’s in my house, sitting in my kitchen as if we have done this a million times and like he has a right to be here. Is he serious?
My gaze flits around, trying to find out how he got in when I see the busted-out pane of glass on my backdoor. Which means he somehow climbed the six-foot privacy fence to break in unnoticed.
“You broke into my house?”
He holds out a bouquet of flowers. “Well, I wanted to surprise you, and I didn’t see another way to do that, so yeah. I’ll replace your window, darling.”
“Tate, why did you break into my house?”
“Come on. Don’t be like that. How else was I going to surprise you and give you these?” he says and pulls a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses from the table. “Happy birthday, Evie.”
Birthday? Oh, crap. In all that’s going on with Niko, I’ve forgotten my own birthday.
“You weren’t answering your phone, so I had to find a way for you to talk to me.”
I don’t like the look in his eyes. There’s something off. Maybe Niko and Cam were right.
We were practically living together in California. I didn’t think he was the kind of man that would lie and cheat on me, but now that I know that he’s not the man I thought he was, I can no longer stand to be in the room with him, never mind hear him call me Evie. No. He lost that right the first time he stuck his dick into another woman that wasn’t me.
“Now we can celebrate together.”
“Tate, I don’t know what is going on, but we’re not together. I’m pregnant, if you couldn’t tell.”
His gaze shifts down. “What your brother said was true?” He stares down for a moment, then locks eyes with me. “We’re going to have a baby? I’m going to be a dad?”
“No, we are not having a baby. I’m having a baby. You are not involved in any part of this.”
“What does that mean?” His expression drops and he looks around, jaw locked. “Are you cheating on me?”
“To be cheating on you, we’d have to be together. And not that it matters, but you were the one cheating on me!”
“Evie, listen. I’ve been trying to get you to talk to me for months. To explain. Things were so stressful at work, and I swear it will never happen again.”
“I don’t care. And stop calling me that. I didn’t listen to what you had to say, Tate, because I didn’t—and don’t—care. Screwing around, lying to me, you don’t get another chance. It’s over. It’s been over. The minute you chose to fuck another woman, it was over. The moment you chose to stick your dick in another woman was what sealed our fate as a couple.”
“Everly . . . it’s not that simple. We’re connected now. I won’t let you go. Our child deserves to have both of its parents, and I won’t live away from the two of you any longer. I’ve already started the process of transferring here. It’s probably going to take a few months, but that’s okay. I can fly back and forth for a while, but I will not walk away from our child, and I’m not walking away from you.”
“Tate . . .”
“No, Everly. No more. I know you were upset, but I told you, I made a mistake. I’m human. I won’t do it again. Enough of this ignoring me. It’s time for you to grow up and start thinking about more than yourself. There is another person involved now.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I yell at him, snapping because I’ve heard enough. “You manipulating son of a bitch!”
“Everly, watch it,” he growls out at me.
“No, Tate. You watch it! I’m not yours to push around. This isn’t your baby. Thank fucking God for that one!”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t really care what you believe. The baby I’m carrying doesn’t share a goddamn thing with you, and I’d appreciate it if you’d leave.”
“Everly . . .”
“Now!”
He slams his hand down on the counter, making me jump. My mouth pops open as I watch his face redden, the skin contorting into a mask of pure anger.
“That should be my child!” he says, grabbing my arm.
“Calm down.”
It’s like a flip is switched, the anger suddenly gone, replaced by a sad smile. “It’s okay. I’ll raise it like it’s my own, but the next one will be mine. I can’t help it if someone took advantage of you.”
“Took advantage?” What is he talking about?
“I know that I hurt you, darling, but I swear to God that is all behind us now. You were hurt, and you wanted to hurt me back. Done. We’re even now. I’m not mad. I understand why you did it, but it’s over. I wasn’t ready, but I’m ready now, Everly.”
I hate it when Cam is right.
The baby spins inside me as I begin to shake. I don’t know what happened to the Tate I spent two years with, but the man in front of me, this manipulating sociopath, was never even a glimpse of his personality.
“You can come back if you want. I know how much you love Cali. I can stop the transfer.”
“No, I can’t. I don’t even want to go back.”
“Okay, then I’ll let the transfer happen, I’ll move here. We’ll be a family.”
“We will be nothing, Tate. Nothing. We are over, and there is no getting back together. What part of that don’t you understand?” I say and start to move toward the door. His hand snaps up and grabs hold of my forearm, pulling it up as he yanks me closer. I arch away, cringing from the sting in my arm.
“Don’t say that! Don’t you fucking say that! You’re mine. Ever since that day we met at the museum.”
Museum? “That’s when I thought you were someone different than you are now! Or someone I guess you’ve always been, but you hid it well the entire time we were together. Tell me, Tate, how
many other women were there?” I ask, trying to sound strong, but my voice wavers.
I don’t want him to think I still care, but what he did still hurts no matter the fact that I’ve moved on. He broke something that I don’t think I’ll ever get back.
I’m sure he can feel me shaking. “Tate, you’re hurting me. Let go.”
“I would never hurt you. I didn’t mean to hurt you before. I just need you to hear me out, darling. Just . . . let’s sit down and talk. We can fix th—” He doesn’t finish what he’s saying and I look up, hoping he’ll just go.
Tate’s face contorts, and he lets out a groan, his grip loosening. In my periphery, I can see the hand wrapped around his arm, squeezing. The energy radiating from behind me can only be one person because it’s nothing but a crackling heat. Nothing but the overwhelming presence of Niko.
The fear falls from me, relief rushing in.
“Take your fucking hand off my girl,” he says as he steps out from behind me. Tate’s fingers let me go, and Niko crosses his other arm in front of me, sweeping me behind him. “And get the fuck away from my son.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, a shiver zipping down my back. Niko all primal and protective and projecting so much strength is a heady combination. I’ve never seen him this way. His jaw is locked, lip curled up into a snarl as he sends a death glare to Tate.
“What the fuck are you talking about? Who the hell are you?” Tate asks as he rips his hand away.
“No, you don’t fucking get to ask any questions. You need to be answering some, like how the hell you got in here.”
“How did you?” Tate counters.
“With my fucking key. Now answer the question before I lose all patience and beat the breath from your body.”
Just as I start to move away from Niko and toward my phone, Tate tries to grab my hand. “Evie, don’t do this. He’s not me. You will never be happy with anyone but—” He doesn’t finish his words, and suddenly I’m pulled back behind Niko again.
There is a crunch as Niko’s fist meets Tate’s face. “I told you to take your fucking hands off my girl.”
There is a multitude of emotions from excitement, fear, and swooning that are running through my already messed-up emotional system.
Tate is bent over, his hands covering his face. “What the fuck! You broke my fucking nose!”
“You’re fucking lucky I didn’t bring my fire ax with me, asshole! I’ve got plenty of friends who would help me hide chopped-up parts of your body.”
Tate’s eyes widen. “This is who you are involved with? He’s a lunatic!”
Niko steps in front of me again, blocking me from Tate’s view. “Leave. Now. Before I call the cops.”
“You don’t know me!”
“I know enough. She told you to leave her alone. That means you don’t call. You don’t text, and you don’t fucking come to her house. You show up here again, and I’ll do more than just break your fucking nose. Now leave!” Niko yells, causing me to jump. I’ve never seen him this angry before.
Tate stands up. Blood is pouring from his nose, but he’s stopped holding it. Instead, he brushes his pants off as if the floor soiling his suit pants is worse than the blood that has now stained his white shirt.
“I’ll be in touch, Everly. I’m going to demand a paternity test. I have rights.”
Niko starts laughing, and for a minute I forget that Niko just punched my cheating ex in the face. He’s smiling as if Tate just told him the earth was flat and not round.
“That’s fucking funny?” Tate says, causing Niko to stop laughing.
“It is,” Niko says as he stalks toward Tate, who finally decides to show some fear at the fact that Niko is in his face and that he’s a threat. “It’s funny because if you think for one fucking second that the baby she’s carrying is yours, you’re even more out of your fucking mind than I thought.”
“I’m not out of my mind. You’re delusional if you think that I’m just going to walk away without knowing for sure that the baby she’s carrying isn’t mine.”
“You are if you believe that I’m going to let you stress out the mother of my child. Now get out before I break more than your face and then call the cops.”
Tate doesn’t say anything right away. He just looks at Niko and then over to me before he turns and walks to my front door. “I’ll be in touch, Everly. You can count on it,” he says before closing the door.
Niko stands there for a minute, and I see that even though his back is to me, he’s flexing his hands almost like he’s fighting the urge to go after Tate or to calm himself down after the confrontation they just had.
“Are you all right?” I ask, and he turns to look at me. The anger on his face is quickly switching to one of concern and anxiety. He stalks toward me, pulling me into his warm body, and I can’t help it, I bury my face into his chest, and a sob escapes me; the fear finally allowed an outlet.
“Shhh, he’s gone, baby. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he says in a soothing tone. “Either of you. You hear me, Ev? He will never put his fucking hands on you again. I’ll kill him before I let him touch you.” He pulls back, searching me from the head down. “Did he hurt you? All I saw was his hands grabbing you and you telling him to let go, and I almost lost it.” I can’t help it and laugh. “What’s so funny?” I’m sure he thinks I’ve lost my mind after what just happened.
“You did lose it, Niko. Pretty sure he’s going to try and press charges. You probably broke his nose.”
“He broke into your fucking house, Everly. I don’t give a fuck what he does, but I doubt he’d go to the police after the breaking and entering he just did. He deserves more than a damn broken nose.”
I nod my head because I forgot about that. The adrenaline that I felt run through my body now has me crashing. I begin to shake uncontrollably, and I feel ridiculous that I can’t stop myself.
“Hey, why don’t you sit for a few minutes, okay? Maybe we should go to the hospital and get you checked out? None of this is good for you and the baby.” He walks me over to the sofa and we sit, Niko’s arms around me, and I tremble in his arms.
“No. I’m okay. I just need to sit for a few minutes. I didn’t realize how scared and angry I was until you got here and told him to let me go. I honestly didn’t expect to see him again.”
“We knew, Ev. I don’t know why you didn’t see it, but your brother and me and your father all knew he wasn’t going to walk away. Not after hearing about all the text messages and phone calls he was making to you.”
I don’t say anything to that because he’s right. I don’t know why I buried my head in the sand when it came to my breakup with Tate, but I just didn’t want to think about him anymore. It’s the main reason I left California, my job, and my house and moved back here.
“I’m just glad that I showed up when he was here. I don’t want to think about what that asshole would have done had I not been here to throw his ass out.”
“He thinks the baby is his,” I say as I rub my hand on my belly and think back on everything Tate just said to Niko and me before he left. “He’s going to come back. Probably try and force me into a paternity test.”
“Like hell he is. If he wants proof, we can get something from your doctor stating how far along you are. He knows the baby isn’t his. He’s just looking for an excuse to stay in contact with you. The timing is way off unless there is something else I don’t know?” He looks down at me, and I shake my head no, eyes wide.
“Of course not!” I say. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that. I know I fucked up in the beginning, but Niko, I would never lie about being with Tate and you, and I would never lie about who fathered a baby. He’s yours. I’ve only been with you since coming back home, and before that, it had been a good month since I was last with Tate and that was when I lived in California. Tonight is the first time I’ve seen him since I left there and moved home.”
He pulls me back in and holds me tight. �
�I believe you, baby. I just wanted to make sure.”
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“For what?”
“For making it so that you have to question my trust when I’m the one who keeps questioning yours. I’m going to make it up to you. I promise that I won’t lie to you again.”
“I already trust you, Ev. It’s not that. I just needed to ask,” he says, but he asked, so I know there is still that small doubt. I meant what I said. I’m going to earn his trust. Our child deserves two parents that respect and trust each other. But first, we need to figure out how to make Tate leave me alone. My head’s a mess. Finally, my shaking subsides. I just want to lay down and sleep until tomorrow. I’m emotionally drained to the point that I just want my bed and Niko’s arms around me. I wonder if Niko would stay with me tonight. At least until I fall asleep.
I WANTED TO KILL that fucker!
I still want to break him. I would have done more than punching him in his face had Ev not been there. I felt myself lose it when I saw his hands on her, and I snapped. I don’t remember ever feeling that kind of rage go through me.
I hold Everly closer to me and make the decision I know needs to be made. Cameron has to know that this bastard is here in town. I won’t leave her now, and if that means Cam finds out, then so be it. I can’t worry about that shit right now. Everly and the baby are what is essential. My friendship with Cam will have to wait until I know she and the baby are safe from that fucker
“Ev, I need to call Cam.”
“What, why?”
“Because, baby. You can’t stay here.”
“But this is where I live. It’s my home. I’m not letting Tate force me from my home again.”
“Everly, you cannot stay here alone. I have to work, and so does your brother. Tate doesn’t know where Cam or I live. Worst case scenario, you can go to your parents’ house, but I’m sure they’d be easier to find than Cam’s.” I look down into her red, tear-filled eyes, and my chest aches. “It’s not forever, Ev. Just long enough for us to fix your window and get some kind of reliable security system installed here. Then you can come back.”