“Hello?”
Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself. “David? I’m in.”
3
SIENNA
Iwoke up with my head in the toilet, my stomach rebelling against what little I had to eat last night. The bathroom tipped around me, nausea rolling through my body. I’ve felt sick before, but nothing like this. Dread slipped down my spine as I came up for air, tucking the sweat-slicked hair from my forehead. I knew before I even decided to go to the store what was wrong.
I had just hoped that I was wrong.
Shuffling down the aisle, I stopped before those small boxes, hesitantly picking a few up. I had no idea what I needed or which one was better. Tucking three boxes beneath my arms, I headed towards the checkout counter. The woman behind the register eyed me, her gaze flicking between the boxes she was scanning to my face. I glared back at her, silently telling her to mind her own fucking business. She got the hint, averting her eyes as she bagged the items.
Back home, I darted to the bathroom, not even bothering to shut the door behind me. The wait was excruciating. I sat there, my knee jiggling as I watched the little sticks on the bathroom sink. After a few minutes, I slowly picked one up, hands shaking.
Those two little lines mocked me as I gazed down at the small thing between my fingers. How something so small could change my entire world was beyond me. I quickly tossed it into the garbage bin. There was no need to take another. I don’t know how, but I could just feel the truth.
I was pregnant. And I had no idea where the father was.
Jumping to my feet, I leaned forward over the sink, trying to catch my breath. My whole body trembled, and I felt sick all over again. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Staring at my reflection, I tried to picture another life where I would be jumping for joy rather than having a panic attack in the bathroom alone. I couldn’t imagine it, no matter how hard I tried.
Children had never been in my plans, even though I knew they would have to be in there somewhere down the line. But I thought it would come later. Much later. I knew I would never have that white picket fence, the pancakes in the morning type of family. But anything had to be better than this—standing here alone when my husband was off doing God knows what. Again.
I couldn’t do this alone. There was no fucking way. I couldn’t run the business, run the families, deal with the Snake hunting us down, and deal with a runaway husband who left his wife to face everything alone. The old anger I’d felt towards Dante suddenly came rushing back mixed with something new—resentment.
How fucking dare he leave me here like this? How dare he go running off on a quest for revenge while leaving me behind to deal with all of our consequences alone. My hands shook as I stalked from the bathroom. I paced across the living room floor, hands twisting together as my mind went blank. I had no idea what I should do.
But someone else might.
Gemma was at my door in minutes. I just thanked God she’d been home. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold back the anxiety and fear if she would have had to drive here from somewhere else. She took one look at me, and somehow she knew.
“Oh no…Sienna.”
I broke down before my name was even out of her mouth. My face buried in her shoulder, her arms wrapping around me. I couldn’t hold the tears back, letting them fall freely against her designer jacket, staining the soft material. Her hand brushed my hair back from my face and over my shoulder.
“How long have you known?” she asked quietly.
“Just this morning, but I’ve been feeling like shit for a few days. I just didn’t realize why until now.” My voice shook. “Gem, what the hell am I supposed to do?”
“What do you want to do?”
I pulled back, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. “I have no idea. Now is the worst possible time for this to happen. I can’t—” I choked on the words.
“I know…” She looked at me with so much pity that my heart nearly broke. “Look, we can sit down with your mother and my father and—”
“No!” She blinked in surprise at how vehemently the word slipped from my mouth. I took a deep breath. “I mean, I don’t want anyone to know about this. Not yet. Not until I figure out a plan.”
“Okay,” she said slowly. “But you know you don’t have to do this alone, Sienna. We’re here for you. We always will be.”
“I know. But this is my problem.”
She glanced at me sharply. “It’s not a problem, Sienna. It’s a child. And it’s a big deal.”
“I know,” I snapped lightly. “I get that. I know what a child is. I just—Please, just don’t tell anyone yet. I want to keep this quiet until Dante comes back.”
She watched me closely. “And if he doesn’t?”
Her words sent shivers down my spine. “He will. Eventually.”