1

ATHENA

You know there is a saying that a person’s life falls apart at least once before they die

Well, they are not wrong.

I am living in hell.

One would think that a one night stand would be fun and free of consequences.

I mean that is why it is called a one night stand… so it happens and we never think of it again.

Whatever could go wrong?

Allow me to tell you!

You could get pregnant and locked up in a penthouse to bear a child you do not want while the bastard who has knocked you up is gallivanting half way around the world with other women on his arms.

He claims he will not allow you abort the child and you must give birth under his care.

How stupid could I be?

The one time I decide to do it… my very first time and I get pregnant?

…

I glared at the man on the TV, my eyes watering which forced me to look somewhere else.

One hand reached for my belly, patting the bump slightly. I could not feel any movement yet but then again, the doctors said it was too early to feel anything and much too early to decide whether the baby lives or dies.

I did not care either ways, I was never cut out to be a pregnant woman much less a mother and I wanted out of this skin as soon as possible.

I recalled the conversation that had led to this dreadful moment as clear as day.

The bastard had kidnapped me!

According to him, he wanted another night of sex… unbridled passion but that was before we both found out that I was pregnant and the child might as well be his.

“You will stay here until you are due and have delivered and then I will take the baby and you can go wherever you want to go” He had said.

“I am not keeping this child. Have you lost your fucking mind?”

I had shivered then as his eyes went cold and they pinned me with fury.

He was so unlike the man who had winked at me at the bar and had devoured me as soon as we got to the hotel room.

This man in front of me could snap my neck without blinking and he would not think twice about it.

“I am sorry if you thought I was asking you. You will do nothing to my heir in your belly”

And that ladies and gentlemen, is how I became stuck here with a lunatic.

I sighed, rising to my feet with my head spinning.

“Are you okay, miss?” I heard Ella’s voice ask.

She was a sweet girl who had been asked to watch over me for the duration of this pregnancy and to top it all off, he had also assigned guards to me. They were manning the doors, no doubt waiting for me to try to escape so they could tie me up.

“I am fine, I just need to lay down” I smiled in her direction.

If I was going to be here, without so much as a phone, then I might as well make friends with her.

I walked away, up the stairs with Ella trailing behind me.

He had insisted that we both sleep together.

I scoffed at this

Who the fuck knocks a woman up, refuses her an abortion and still insists on them being together in a fucking room?

Rafael Hall… that’s who.

“You do not need to follow me around” I said, turning to Ella. “I have no plans to kill myself”

She nodded her head but when I took another step, she did too.

I closed the room door in her face, bounding up to the bed and sinking into it.

I yelped as strong hands grabbed me from behind circling around my waist.

“What the fuck!” I screamed, trashing with as much strength as I could muster.

“Calm the fuck down, woman” I heard the voice then.

He released me, pulling the blanket away from his face.

My breath hitched in my throat as I beheld the sight of Rafael’s morning face with his hair tousled and his lips pink.

He looked like an absolute angel… or a scheming devil.

“What are you doing here?” I asked

“Sleeping in” He responded promptly, his eyes roaming my body to settle on my stomach.

Of course!

“Shouldn’t you be at work?”

He moved and I yelped for the second time that morning, rising immediately and glaring at him.

“What? You were sitting on it” He had a smug look on his face.

“And you should not be this hard in the freaking morning”

“I had dreams, Athena” He breathed.

Dreams, I gulped.

If his dreams were anything like the ones I had the previous night then…

“A penny for your thoughts?”

“Do not act like we are friends, Mr Hall. You kidnapped me, forced me to sign some agreement that I would remain here until I have birthed your baby and now you are poking me with your dick”

The smug look disappeared from his face.

“Excuse me” He muttered, rising to his feet.

I tried not to look… I swear I did but boy was he freaking built!

My eyes trailed his perfectly sculpted butt hungrily.

“Eyes up when you are done ogling me, Athena” I heard him say.

His hands were folded across his chest and his eyes were amused.

“What?” I snapped, glaring at him.

“I understand that this is a lot for you and…”

“You think?” I interrupted.

“But you are going to have the baby and I am going to make it worth your while. You signed the contract remember? And you pored over it for days until you were sure it was worth it”

“Yes but…”

“There are no buts. We did not get into this situation because we wanted to and honestly, there is nothing I want more than to see you out of here”

My heart jumped at this.

There is no way I am feeling hurt, I reassured myself. I am probably gaseous due to the pregnancy.

“I was wondering however if you would like to eat breakfast out with me today” He concluded.

“I do not think so”

“You will have breakfast with me this morning” He said. “There… that is the right phrase”

I glared at him and he smiled.

I annoyingly loved his smile.

It always found a way to lighten up his face in that sexy godlike way and drove the butterflies in my belly on full rampage.

“I will leave you to freshen up and I shall be in the other room”

I nodded while he walked away, the door closing abruptly behind him.

It wasn’t long before I was done. I had chosen a dress, flowery printed which accentuated my curves and the blue in my eyes.

And No, I did not think of him while doing this so do not even have that thought in your head!.

I slid the door open, coming face to face with him.

His eyes darkened as he stared at me, gobbling me up.

“Done ogling me?” I teased, stepping out to the hallway.

“Not even in the slightest” He grinned.

He helped me down the stairs and then into his car.

“You know you haven’t told me the real reason you want a child so bad” I started a conversation.

“I do not want a child so bad. I just want this child badly”

“Why?” I shot.

“I am against abortion” He responded quickly… much too quickly.

“Oh come on, you do not really expect that I will believe that crap”

“You are one very difficult woman, do you know that? Many ladies would jump at the opportunity of having a child for me and…”

“I am not many lady” I cut him short. “And I did not know who you were when we had sex”

I blushed at this, avoiding his gaze.

I did not want to think about that night or the feelings of pleasure he had evoked in me.

“You never did tell me why you were at the bar that day” He prompted

“And I have no plans of telling you”

Telling him would be admitting that I had been heartbroken and decided to be reckless. I had just returned from the wedding ceremony of my fiance. The man who had claimed to love me with every inch of his soul and the asshole I had given my all.

He sent me an invitation in the mail to his own wedding with a hand written apology of how sorry he was that things did not work out between us.

“But you could tell me the reason you were there” I asked, turning to observe his side profile.

“I followed you”

“Excuse me?” I chuckled.

“I saw you in your pretty little dress with tears streaming down your face and I followed you, watched you dry them up and enter the bar so I did too because I wanted to know you”

I was staring at him now, unable to breathe another word.

He turned then, his eyes meeting mine.

“I want to know the asshole who made you cry and I want to make him bleed”