Finding Strength: A Club Dark Novel

by Reagan Hollow

  “Okay, sweetheart, first thing, did the hospital do a rape kit? I assume you went, correct?”

  “Yes ma’am, to both.”

  “Then I’m going to be blunt, but kind.” She smiles at me. “How long ago did this take place and why do you feel like either man could be the father?”

  Well, ready or not, I guess I need to talk about it. Here goes.

  “Aaron was my high school sweetheart and we had plans to get married, until I caught him cheating on me. The condensed version to this story, I moved far away from him, hoping he’d never find me and that I could start over. I was doing just that with Cory, though some strange things were going on around us. And then Aaron kidnapped me, held me captive, and... r-r-raped me.” I clear my throat after struggling to get through that last sentence. “When he... did what he did, it hadn’t been long since the last time Cory and I had, you know… had sex. That’s why we don’t know.” I’m sure my cheeks are a bright red. I’m not a prude or anything, but this is my sex life we are talking about here. It’s a bit awkward I guess.

  Dr. Kavanaugh looks down at my chart, her face etched with deep concentration. She looks back up at me, a small smile spread across her face. Umm, okay. I just told this woman some deep secrets and she’s smiling, great.

  She doesn’t miss my scowl, quickly wiping the smile from her face.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I was just looking at your chart to get a better understanding of how far along you are. Based upon what I see here, I may be able to help you with the paternity on your child.”

  What?!

  “You mean when the baby’s born, right? I can have a DNA test done.” I already knew this, so I’m not sure why she’s so excited.

  “Actually, no. I can test you right now and have results in as little as seven business days. There are several tests that can be performed on an unborn child to test paternity. The more invasive ones that carry a bigger risk to both the mama and the child, I don’t do here in my practice and most doctors won’t, unless it’s absolutely needed. But there is another procedure that’s non-invasive and proven to be 99.9% accurate. It’s called a Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity, and I’d only need blood from you and the alleged father.”

  Hmm, that’s a bit confusing, though. How in the world can you get paternity without having the baby’s blood, too? How does my blood tell you if Cory is the father or not?

  “How can you get a paternity from just our blood? Wouldn’t you need blood from the baby as well?” Cory voiced what I was thinking.

  “Not in this case. This test is state of the art. We take a sample from each of you, and thanks to the latest technology, we can check the mother's blood for traces of the father's DNA. If it’s present in the mother’s sample, then the sample we gathered from the alleged father is viable, telling us whether he is the paternal figure.”

  That sounds nice and all, but there’s only one problem, “Do you need DNA from both, or is it safe to say that if one doesn’t show, then the other is the father?”

  “While I would love to have the blood of both potential candidates, it’s not needed. If you’re sure you’re narrowed down to the two potentials, then it’s safe to say that one negative would mean another's positive. But I should warn you Miss Carter, anytime multiple fathers are suspected and one shows up negative, the other potential might order a DNA test, so doing it all in one go would be better on both you, and the child.”

  Seeing as Aaron is dead and that’s not a possibility, I don’t see us having that as a problem, but she doesn’t need to know that.

  “I’m very positive that these two are the ONLY men I’ve ever had sex with, so if Cory doesn’t come back as the father of my child, I know who is.” I say with as much conviction as I can.

  “In that case, if you consent to it, I can have Mary draw up the paperwork and we can get this started today. But before we do that, I need to do a full exam. Maybe that’ll give you a few minutes to give this some thought. I’m going to step out and grab someone who can be present while I examine you,” she says as she makes way for the door.

  Once she’s shut the door behind her, I slump in place.

  “Are you all right?” Concern is laced into his words. I truly feel bad for everything I’ve put him through. He didn’t ask for any of this. He didn’t ask for me to show up at his club, a stranger he felt obligated to help. He never asked for a female to rescue, yet here I sit… thanks to him. I’m only in this room, alive and well, because of him.

  “I’m fine,” I lie.

  “When are you going to realize that I know when you are lying to me? Now tell me what’s going through this pretty head of yours.” Now standing beside me, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

  “I just... you never asked for any of this. I know it’s not fair to you.” I hang my head. FUCK! What a mess the two of us are.

  “Lacey!” He shakes his head, “My world was dead without you in it. You woke me up, and I’ll never be sorry for that, so get this shit out of your head, now.” He’s stern with his words.

  “Look,” he places a finger under my chin and guides my face up until my eyes meet his, “get the test, or don’t. I don’t care. No matter what, you are mine.” His hand comes down lightly on my belly and butterflies immediately erupt, I’m sure my knees would be weak if I were standing. “And so is this baby. I don’t care whose blood runs through its veins.” His words seal my love for him. It’s always been strong, since I first discovered I had those type of feelings, but certain events in life can change your view on the ones you love in your life. With Cory, though, my feelings only grow stronger the more time we spend in each other’s presence.

  When is she going to see, I’m here for the long haul? I guess, considering everything she’s been through, I can see her doubt. I guess I’m just going to have to keep showing her until she finally believes it.

  Dr. Kavanaugh walks back into the room with the receptionist in tow.

  “Miss Carter, I’m going to need to do a full body check since this is your first visit here. I’ll check you for breast cancer, swab you for certain STDs and check your cervix to make sure it’s firm, are you comfortable with an audience?” I know she was referring to me. I know most doctors need a witness in the room for liability when their patient is undressed. I tried to make sure my features were relaxed so she was free to make her own decisions, but fuck if I wasn’t going to be pissed if I was asked to leave.

  My worry went out the door when Lacey shakes nods her head, and I relaxed into the chair a little, letting the doctor do her thing.

  “Your cervix is closed, and everything feels fine,” the doctor says after a few minutes. “Have you decided if you wanted to do a DNA test today?” She directs the questions to Lacey, but Lacey’s eyes are on mine. I hate that she is giving me this control. Would I father this child? Absolutely. No question there. But would I like to know if it’s mine? If I supplied the seed, thus the DNA that fill its veins? Of course, but this is her decision, not mine and she needs to make it.

  “Yes,” she says, but she was barely heard. “Yes, I’d like to know for certain who the father is,” she says, with more conviction.

  “Great. I’ll send Mrs. Mary in here in just a few minutes to collect your samples. I’d also like to test all the normal stuff, like your, HCG, iron, hemoglobin, etc. You can make another appointment for about two weeks to go over all results, and we’ll go from there.” The doctor says before she exits the room.

  Moments later, the nurse, Mary, comes back with a tray full of needles and tubes. She collects one tube of blood from me, and what appears to be Lacey’s full blood supply. We then make an appointment to follow-up in a couple of weeks.

  The fact that I’ll know in such a short amount of time if Lacey is carrying my child, has my excitement skyrocketing and I can’t wait to get my girl home.

  “Come on baby, let’s get out of here.” I encourage as she grabs a card from the receptionist, letting us know when we shou
ld come back.

  There’s much to process after meeting with this doctor. I’m sure Lacey is just as anxious as I am.

  The last week has been a bit of a blur. I feel as if I’m just going through the motions, doing the bare minimum to survive. In just twenty-four hours, I’ll be holding the results that’ll cement my baby’s future. I’m both dreading and looking forward to finding out.

  “What’s up, baby momma?” Amber plops herself down on the sofa beside me. Today, I have chosen to laze around, still in my PJs, hair unbrushed, and no makeup.

  “Why do you insist on calling me that, you know I hate it.” I lightly jab her in the stomach so she knows I’m not upset, not really.

  “Because you make this cute little face when you pout.”

  “No I don’t and I do not pout.” I poke my bottom lip out for added effect.

  “You totally do. Okay, getting serious now.” She makes a show of clearing her face of emotion. “Baby shower, who are we inviting? Any friends back home?” Ugh, shoot me now. I’ve tried talking her out of this, but the girl’s relentless. I figured it was just better to let her do her thing.

  However, “Don’t you think it’s a tad bit too early to be planning a baby shower?” I just barely ten weeks after all.

  “Nope, we both need a distraction, and we’re only planning. Now, friends?”

  Briefly, my thoughts flash back to Allison, that traitorous bitch. Sure, I could invite Rory, but she’ll only report back to her, those two-sure loves to gossip.

  “No, no friends back home. Just you and Cory’s family. So, again, this really isn’t needed.”

  “Then we’ll just have to make it extra special. When did you say your due date was again? Sometime late January? I’d say a Christmas themed shower sounds appropriate.” She laughs.

  I’m going to kill her.

  She shoots up off the couch humming Christmas carols saying she’s got to head to work.

  “Amber! If there’s even so much as a strand of tinsel, you might as well start planning your funeral!” I yell after her. She only replies with more laughter as she walks out the front door.

  That girl! She’s amazing sometimes. She’s effectively pulled me out of my funk with her witty, good-natured self. Following her lead, I head for Cory’s office. I don’t typically bother him when he’s trying to work, but my good moods are rare these days, and so are his. Maybe I can work on that and start making us both happy again. I know his moods are just a reflection of mine, he doesn’t deserve that.

  Barging through his door without knocking, I take delight in the moment of shock that flashes across his face before it’s replaced by a lazy smile.

  “Miss Carter.” My name rolls off his tongue like melted chocolate. Knees suddenly shaking, I will my legs to move, to carry me over to his desk. “To what do I owe this, pleasure?” Again, his tone drips with sex and my stomach clenches with anticipation. Seems my sex drive has exploded since becoming pregnant. I can’t be within walking distance of Cory without wanting to jump him. He hasn’t seemed to mind.

  Walking around his desk, tracing a single finger along the top, my eyes lock with his until I’m standing toe to toe with him. Him still sitting, me standing over him. Exhilaration runs through my veins, this feeling of power taking over me.

  Slowly, he reclines back in his seat, throwing his hands behind his head. He looks relaxed, but there’s no mistaking the heat in his eyes.

  Amped up on adrenaline, I do something I’ve never done before, and start swaying my hips. There’s no music, no sound to fill the room, but still, I rock my hips slowly from side to side deepening just a little before repeating on other side.

  My hands are on the arm rest, caging him in his chair. My lips caress his, a feather light touch of skin before I spin around placing myself nearly in his lap. So close it almost feels like I can feel the heat seeping through his pants. Again, hands braced on the arms of the chair, I begin to move my hips, my ass grazing his thighs with each passing move.

  His hands come down hard on my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh just slightly, stilling my movements. “If you don’t want to be fucked against this desk, you may want to stop teasing me.” He pulls my ear into his mouth, his teeth grazing down the side causing a delicious shiver to roll down my back. I squirm in his grip, throwing my head back to rest on his shoulder.

  “Was that a threat or a promise?” I tease into his ear, running my tongue along the soft, sensitive flesh just underneath. Before I can form another thought, he’s spun me around and out of his chair, planting me firmly on the top of his desk. I watch in stunned silence as Cory makes quick work of clearing the surface, knocking everything within reach to the floor.

  Sensations explode through my body as his mouth claims mine, hunger and passion laced into every swipe of his tongue. Our teeth clash together in our fight to drown each other, each of us fighting for air but neither giving it up.

  Finally, reluctantly, he pulls back. “What are you doing to me woman?” He asks.

  “Hopefully driving you mad.” Like you do me, I add to myself. Though, I’m sure he already knows this.

  He slides me further onto the desk, his hands firmly placed on my hips. Gently, he guides them up, taking my silk kami with them. I feel the sharp bite of his teeth before his warm tongue makes small circles around my nipple to soothe the pain. He repeats his slow tease on the other side before dragging his tongue up the valley between my breast. My back arches off the desk, my breasts pushing into his chest. I’m overly sensitive, my thighs begging to squeeze together to release the pressure. “Cory, please?” I don’t even recognize my own voice.

  My heart beats wildly in my chest at the wicked grin stretched across his face. His eyes twinkle with mischief.

  His soft lips glide over my neck, his tongue darting out to create a path from the base of my throat to the tip of my ear. A violent shiver rolls over my body. “Cory.” A throaty moan escapes my lips.

  Laughing softly, he jumps off the desk. His warm hands grab onto my ankles, pulling until my ass sits at the very edge. His hands slide up to the waistband of my gym shorts and panties, ripping them down my legs in one quick tug. Without any other warning, he slams into me, the impact pushing me a few inches up the desk. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He searches my eyes, pausing above me. “Don’t fucking stop!” I nearly scream at him.

  This was all the confirmation he needed before he hooked one of my legs around his arm and leaned into me, cradling my head in his other arm. “Better hold on,” he instructs. And I do. I hold on like my life depends on it, wrapping both my arms around his neck. He creates a steady rhythm, hard and fast, deep and raw. With each slam of his body, my lower back slides across the desk, an oomph or two coming from his lips; low, steady moans coming from mine.

  One second, I feel the orgasm begin to build, the next, it takes over me. My walls clenching tightly around him. Toes curled, nails digging into his back as I scream out my release. “Oh Cory! Oh God!” It’s almost too much when he stills above me and buries his face into my neck, the throbbing from his release causing little aftershocks to course through me.

  “I love you,” he whispers into my ear.

  “I love you too, Mr. Lewis,” I add playfully.

  The sexy smirk he rewards me with melts me all over again.

  The next day, we set out for our appointment with Dr. Kavanaugh. I didn’t sleep much last night. Too nervous for what the results might be. I love Cory, and I believe he loves me, too, but I can’t stop the doubt that trickles in. A baby changes things with many people. It’s one thing to father your own child, but it’s another to be a father someone else's. I’m not saying he wouldn’t, but his mind might change once he’s slapped with reality.

  It’s a nasty, rainy day in Seattle. Not uncommon, but it kind of gives me this feeling of impending doom. The dark, murky skies make it nearly impossible to be happy.

  Thankfully, Cory opted for his truck over his Harley today. After
some excessive begging, and promises for favors, I earned myself another sexy grin and the keys to the truck. The very one he said he wasn’t likely to let me drive.

  Placing myself behind the wheel, a sense of calm settles over me. This, the feel of leather under my hands, pedals at my feet, this is my happy place. My passion for cars came from my dad, it was one of my favorite pastimes with him and something that I don’t get to indulge in anymore. Wonder if I could talk Cory into letting me take her off-roading. Fat chance of that, I laugh to myself.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Oh, I guess it wasn’t to myself. “Nothing, I was just thinking how cool it would be if you let me take her through some mud.” I can’t keep the smile off my face. I truly enjoy driving, especially something I could play with. But he loves this truck and I know he’d kill me if I so much as dent it.

  “You’re pushing it woman, just keep your eyes on the road.” I can’t help it, I laugh, finding his possessiveness to be hilarious.

  We pull into the quaint little office and I climb out of the truck, tossing him his keys. “She’s a little too clean for my liking,” I say, walking towards the entrance. He catches up quickly, wrapping an arm around my waist. “You think you’re cute!” He states as a fact. “I know I am.” I counter.

  He stops us in the middle of the parking lot, gently grabs my jaw and lowers his head to mine. His kiss is soft and sweet. Just our lips connecting, yet somehow, it manages to be the most sensual kiss I’ve ever had, shooting tingles all the way to my toes.

  “What was that for?” I ask as he pulls away.

  “Because I can, and will, any chance I’ve got. Any objections.”

  Nope, you’ll find no objections from me. “None.”

  I don’t know what’s gotten into her these last couple of days, but I like it. The little fireball she was when we first met has started making an appearance again and it’s been a nice distraction from what we are walking into today.