Come morning, and I'm still thinking about Pierce’s words. As I shower, I wonder if I dreamed it up. Maybe exhausted and unsure, my mind had given me something to hold onto. He was gone when I went downstairs, all dressed for my visit with my mom, so I couldn't ask about what his mom and he had discussed."Your sister is not going to join us?" Derek asked conversationally while I fixed my seatbelt. I shook my head quietly. This time I did not even bother reminding her. When we pulled into the first gates of the clinic, I was taken aback by the sight. "Derek?" I called stunned. Had we taken the wrong turn? There were more than a dozen people roaming the grounds, all busy. Derek stopped the car in the spot we had used the last time. Even the lines on the floor was freshly painted. "Are they throwing a party or something?" I asked as three women walked past the car carrying baskets and pushing a wheelbarrow with plants in them. “Nahh, just renovations.” He answered, sounding sure. T
When I stepped out of the car Trevor was waiting for me in the parking lot, scrolling through his phone. I grabbed my bag from the car and hurried to meet him. Trevor, in Trevor style give me a once over, his eyes lingering over my stomach. I was wearing a cute cream blazer and was certain my small bump was practically invisible.“Does he know I’m here?” I asked anxiously as he led me to a private elevator tucked into the corner of the parking lot.“Yeah, I told him.”“Did he ask what for?”“Yes.” Why was Trevor making me beg for every single information.“And?” He turned to me, “and, I told him he would find out when he saw you.”“You still have your job?” The elevator doors opened to reveal the penthouse floor.“Against all odds, yes.”Trevor walked up to the reception is abandoning me to walk down to the doors that lead to Pierce’s office. I let out a breath gripping my back tighter before I continued.When I push the doors open and peered in, Pierce was missing.I moved further i
My legs felt like lead underneath me as I made my way up to the house. Derek was on his phone and I took a wild guess that Pierce was on the other end. I considered waiting outside for till I knew whatever they would decide but knew how ridiculous that would be. I was going to have her grandchild for crying out loud, the only way she could get rid of me was if Pierce denied our child. Avoiding her this way was pointless. I brace myself and left Derek still on the phone. He looked like he wanted to stop me but changed his mind, turning away from me to continue his conversation. Elizabeth was in the living room looking as put together as always. Her hair was held up in a modern French twist. Chin set in a determined position as she sat witty her back straight, her hands stacked on top each other on her elegantly crossed legs. She had not seen me yet, I could still make a quick getaway. I took a small step back, and then another one. Still nothing. Relieved I turned, and went smack
I walked the rest of the way and found Lily leaning on the sink with her phone pressed to her ear“Lily, what the fuck is your problem!” I snapped and snatched the phone from her hand“Hey!” she yelled and followed me out.“Connor!” I yelled into her cell. The man on the other side chuckled, “I can tolerate those stupid messages you sent me but trying to rope my sister into this nonsense? That is crossing a line!”“I can assure you Myra, I have not been texting you or your sister. I am a straightforward man and I preferred to do my business in person. Besides, your sister called me, not the other way around.” There was no hint of a lie in his tone. It was either he was telling the truth, or just really good at lying.“Give me my freaking phone, Myra!”“Shut up!” I yelled back at her. She quieted down but crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. “Now you listen, Connor, I don’t care what you have been telling her, I don’t even give a shit who contacted whom but you ever try to text
“ Where do you think you are going?”Lily rolled her eyes, “not to meet him.”I cross my arms over my chest, my excitement meeting an untimely end. “I can’t take your word for it. Get back to your room.”“No.”I cooked my head to the side, waiting, while Lily eyed me, trying to spot my bluff.“Ughhh! Why are you like this?” She yammered, “ I don’t want to be here anymore and I’ll write those freaking college applications you ask for, okay? I know how much you want to get me out of your hair.”The door slammed in my face before I could process what she had said. Did she actually think I wanted her to go to college so she would be away from me? I raise my hand up to try her door knob and realized Hannah’s call was still going.“You there?” I asked and pressed the phone to my ear. “Kids ammaright?” She said jovially. I groaned. “She’s probably just hormonal, puberty and all that.”I chuckled at that, “I think she’s way past puberty hormones, now it’s just ‘new adult crisis’.”“Look on t
I stumbled out of bed, my legs trembling underneath me and a hand over my mouth. I burst through the bathroom door and made a beeline for the bathroom sink. Barely a second later, the wave of vomit surged up from my stomach, and then, I was retching. Tears dotted my vision as I clung to the bowl. My stomach screamed in protest with each convulsive spasm that shook my body.As they subsided, I rested my head on the edge of the sink, exhausted and drained. I took several ragged breaths in that position before I lifted my head and turned the tap on, studying my face in the mirror as water washed down the contents of my stomach. My face was pale and clammy, and a sheen of sweat coated my forehead. I cupped my hands under the cool water and brought it up to my mouth to wash out the bitter taste of bile, then took some more water and splashed over my face. “First, the nightmare and now, this?” I grumbled as I pat my mouth dry with a towel. “I need a shower.”I got rid of my clothes quickl
“Now I want you to slowly lower your foot to the ground and twist into your warrior III pose again.” Yoga lady continued, clearly not sensing the tension in the roomZ I followed through with her instructions doing my best to breathe, not fall over, while ignoring Pierce’s eyes burning into me. Talk about tripling difficulty.“Derek, I didn’t think yoga instructor was in your job description when I hired you.” Pierce said calmly.“I didn’t think it was either, till Angie summoned me in here.”I craned my neck to the side and spotted Pierce with his suit jacket unbuttoned, arms akimbo as he waited for Angie’s response. His eyes were not on me but my body didn’t seem to understand that.Angie lifted a shoulder nonchalantly, “She looked like she was going to crack her head open on the floor, or pop something that shouldn’t pop. I took authoritative liberties.”“I see.” He turned to me and I looked away quickly. I was beginning to feel lightheaded and blamed it on my terrible breathing te
I blinked in confusion several times and looked at Ruth. She gave me her usual smile and skulked off.“Hey Jeremy, long time no talk.”“Hey hey heyyy! How’s you mini-vacay going?” I sighed and sat back on my heel. “I am tired of sitting on ice. When’s O’Malley gonna call me back?” “I don’t know either. Maybe he wants you to have the baby first? Anyway, we miss youuu. Jace is such a grump without you here.” I heard what I assumed to be Jace speaking and then Jeremy laughed. “So I heard rumors…” he started and my heart dropped into my stomach.“What rumors?” I asked nervously. Did they hear that I was living with Pierce, and if they did, where did they hear it from. I was sure, Jace I could not help but think about Elizabeth and how much of a secret she wanted this to be for a while. “About an interview with Destan, is this true? Spill the beans girl.”I chuckled, my relief leaking into my voice. “Yeah, it’s true. How’d you hear that? Destan’s guest are always a surprise.”“I have my
Pierce was in his office typing away when I woke later that morning. I knew that because I heard the clack of his computer through the open door that connected the room to his office.I strolled to the office and leaned on the connecting doorway. “Heyy.” He looked up from the computer and smiled.I crossed the threshold and climbed in his lap. Melting as he kissed me and caressed my back. “Was wondering when you’d wake up.”I spied an open novel with a red cover hidden among his thing and I reached for it. An instant smile spread across my face when I read the title.“You got your own daddy manual! Did you force Angie to buy one for you?”“No, I forced Trevor to buy three.”I giggled. “Good for you.”Are you up for getting your painting done now?” He rubbed my bare thigh affectionately.“I was wondering when you’d ask.”When I entered the art room, it looked slightly different. There was a pretty looking boudoir chair close to the window and a big easel and stool in front of it.“Whe
I got up quickly, suddenly wide awake, and slipped into my fluffy slippers. “Ready.”“No you’re not.” He said simply.I frowned and looked down at my outfit. I didn’t know there was a dress code for fangirling. “What do you want me to wear?”“Honestly, preferably nothing, but I’m not trying to lose my mind so some yoga clothes will have to do.”“You want me to dress up just to watch you?”“Oh so that’s what you had in mind.” He chuckled. “Let me rephrase it then, would you like to join me in the gym. To workout. I mean you get to watch me but you’ll lift a barbell while you’re at it.”“I’m not really a sports person.” I grumbled.“I’m not asking you to do a long jump, Myra. Just put on some yoga pants and come downstairs.”He left before I could start arguing. My book did say, exercise was good. Plus nothing could be tougher than the poses I had to do during yoga. And, I got to ogle Pierce while at it.Convinced, I switched my pajamas for fitting leggings and a tank top, wore my fluff
“Let go of my sister!” I yelled when I got to them.“She’s a thief. I caught her snooping around Pierce’s office!”“I was looking for Myra!” Lily yelled back. “In Mr Blackwood documents.”“What were YOU doing in their bedroom?” Lily countered.“I came up to find your sister of course, she has meds up take remember?”“Let go of her hand!” I asked again. “My sister is not a thief.”“Of course you’d take her side. You’re sisters afterall.” She said the word ’sisters’ like it was a degoratratory. “I don’t know what Mr Blackwood was thinking, having a child with you.”In a burst of anger I struck her cheek,and I stood frozen, shocked by my own outburst.“You hit me?” Ruth glared at me with disbelief and anger boiling behind her eyes. “I’m sorry I…” I swallowed my apology, “let go of my sister.”With a scathing look, she shoved Lily’s hand away and stomped downstairs in a huff. When I turned to face Lily, she said as rubbing her hand delicately. “What were you doing in Pierce’s office?”
Later that night Pierce curled up against me. I pressed my back into him and shut my eyes. After I left the art room, he had stayed a while before moving into his office where he stayed the rest of the day. I, on the other hand, gathered the snacks Angie had given me, and spent the rest of the day curled up in bed reading- that was until I started drifting off and Pierce joined me. “Finished your book yet?” He asked in my ear. “Not yet. Reading isn’t one of my strong suits. Especially self help books. But I’m pushing through, thanks for asking.” “What have you learnt so far?” I rooted in my mind for a non traumatizing fact I could remember. “It’s better to have the baby squatting than on my back. But most hospitals insist on laying down so…”-I shrugged- “doesn’t really matter.” “We’ll see about that.” “How was your painting?” “Turns out it was a vagina-ish drawing.” I giggled. “I like it anyway, so I added a couple other flowers, painted and called it a day.” “We both did good
It didn’t come as a shock that when I woke up he was gone. I wondered if he was still in the house, or had left for work. I went from hating when he was home to hating when he wasn’t, and I wasn’t sure when that change had happened. I stood up with the intention to look for him but changed my mind and decided to shower and brush instead. When I was through, I curled up in bed cradling my new book with a weird sense of excitement. I was so engrossed in it that I didn’t notice when Pierce entered the room, till he snatched it from my hands.“Hey!” I squealed. “The mama natural... cool.”He was wearing gym shorts and a tank top, and his body glistened with sweat. Pierce had a wonderful physique but his body appeared a little more toned of recent. He gave me back my book and I stopped ogling him.“Is there a dad version of that?” He asked casually, as he moved towards the bathroom. “I donno. Angie gave it to me.” I bragged, “and then she hugged me.” His brows furrowed, “I’m not big
I took my first step forward and felt an arm pull me in the opposite direction. “Hey little lady.” Pierce called. “Let’s not go that way.”“But my mum, she’s calling me.” Why was everywhere so freaking dark??“Open you eyes, love.” Open my- ohI did as I was told. To find Pierce looking at me, white as a ghost. My shoulder’s sagged, “I was sleepwalking again.” I could faintly remember my mum calling me. But she was in a hospital far away, and probably alone. “I have a favor to ask.” I started when Pierce led me back to the room.“Tell me.”“My mum, she’s alone there and I don’t want her to get hurt.”“I know Myra. I assigned security details to her room. She is safe.” I sighed in relief and climbed back into bed. “You in the other hand are a tough nut. I might have to tie a bell around your leg. You were very quiet today.”“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake anyone up?” That’s what was going through my head. “Maybe a house arrest collar would be more dignified-what are you doing?”“
Never was there a doubt in my head that I was anything but a stand in, of course towards the end of our relationship- end meaning when Tami returned-I began to think that he liked me for me.“Jealousy looks good on you.” He answered with a shrug. I furrowed my brows. He had said those exact words that night. But I didn’t pay attention to it because it rivaled everything I knew about him. Pierce didn’t do jealousy, or possessiveness. Not when he was on the receiving end of it.“You like it when I was jealous?”“That’s your fourth question, I think I’ve been charitable.” All I was left with was more questions. If he didn’t date me for Tami, it meant he dated me for me. Which was fucking annoying because I spent the majority of our time together trying to fit whatever mold she’d left in his heart. And it raised more questions on why he still insisted on keeping me around even though he was certain he was getting married to Tami! I took a deep breath, let it out, and when that wasn’t e
“Lily.” I called, going in to comfort her, but then she noticed my bloodied shirt. “What happened to you?”“Someone stabbed me when I went to the studio.”Her eyes widened, “dad?”“No, it was a woman.” She stepped out of the room and clasped me in a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.”“Me too, I don’t want you going out.”“Alright.” She agreed immediately.“I’m sorry dad showed up.”“It was gonna happen sooner or later. I’m sorry about your interview.”“No harm done. Sweetie.”“I’m also sorry I didn’t do more after your nightmare. I didn’t know what to do-“I held her face with my good hand. “It’s not your job to know.” She nodded. “Do you wanna hang out with me? Pierce is ordering pizza.”“No, I think I’m gonna take a nap.”I understood she still needed time alone to process. “I’m over there. If you need me.”Pierce was back in the room when I returned, he was arranging two boxes of sweet smelling pizza and a sealed cup with mango smoothie. My heart softened at the gesture. I didn’t thi
The sound of sirens started and panic really spread among the crowd. The group scattered in different directions pushing me from side to side. While I followed with my injured arm pinned to my side and the other clutching my wound to stop the bleeding. In the chaos I saw Derek ripping people out of the way to get to me.“Shit!” He cursed when he saw all the blood. “It’s not a big wound, I just bleed a lot.” I assured him as men in uniform jogged to the area, and tackled some of the reporters. There were grunts and the sound of bodies hitting the ground around me, not to mention the moans of people who got trampled on, while trying to make their escape.I grabbed Derek with my bloodied hand to draw his attention to me. “I want to go home.” He eyed my arm again. “Please.” He nodded reluctantly and led me to the car, which was parked at the back of the building for some reason. The drive home was the most tense and quickest ride of my life, and I did not mind it one bit.“We’ll have