Everyone’s eyes fall on me, but it’s the icy-blue gaze I can feel burning through me that hurts the most. He’s furious. I just know he wants to tear my head and limbs from my body and then put them back into their precise locations with no anesthetic. He may be angry right now, but what he doesn’t understand is that I had to do what I did. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Scott is the father of my child. And no matter how much I despise him, I can’t change that fact.
“They stay.” Keir pulls out the seat at the head of the table where Scott usually sits. No one else is allowed to sit in that seat, so when I glance at him, I’m surprised he doesn’t say anything. He’d be stupid to say a word, and I doubt he’s that foolish.
“Sit,” Scott tells me, nodding his head to a seat in front of where he’s standing. I walk over, and he pulls the seat out. I sit, and his hands land on my shoulders, not quite squeezing but holding me in position. A silent and subtle threat.
I can feel Keir’s gaze on me.
“She is beautiful, is she not?” Scott says to him, but Keir says nothing. “To what do I owe this surprise visit?” He looks back to Joey and Lucas. “And to have your men enter my home under false pretenses as well.”
“You have something that is mine,” Keir states.
“I havenothingof yours.”
“You know of the laws of our families, Scott. Let’s not play this game. I guarantee Iwillbeat you.”
“I do know the laws.”
“And you know of the ties between Adora’s family and mine.”
Scott’s fingers dig into my shoulders. “Her father broke that, not me.”
“You were aware of it, Scott. Do not play coy with me.”
“Yes, I was aware.”
“I’ve come to take back what is rightfully ours.”
“You can have her.” There’s no argument from Scott. “I’ll keep her sister and our son.”
Abigail’s eyes go wide.
Keir glances at her, then to Joey. “Joey?” he questions, and my heart picks up pace.
Joey walks over to Abigail and stands directly in front of her. “Would you like to come back with me or stay here?”
“You,” she answers without hesitation.
My hands are sweating, and my leg won’t stop bouncing.I can’t go. I can’t.
“You can,” Keir says to me, his tone cold and expression steadfast. I didn’t even realize I said it out loud. “Would you rather your sister wed Joey?” My eyes find Joey, but he doesn’t even look at me.
“No.”
“So, you either come back and deal with the mess you made, or Abigail is his.”
“I can’t,” I say on a broken whisper. “I can’t.” Tears are now streaming down my face.
This can’t be happening.
He can’t demand this of me.
I can’t leave Jerome here.
“I have to stay. I request to stay,” I quietly state, the words leaving my lips on a breath as I glance at Joey. “Don’t take me. I can’t take another loss.”
He looks straight through me as if he doesn’t even care. No emotions flicker in his eyes, but they’re soulless. How could he do this to me? It's like everything he felt for me never existed.
“Bubble, Joey. Bubble!” I scream, standing abruptly and pushing Scott’s hands off my shoulders with little resistance. As I hurry over to him, I can feel all eyes on me. I reach him before anyone can stop me, gripping his shoulders so tight that I feel like I might break my own fingers.