“You should tell him soon though,” she says as she stands, “These things have a way of being found out sooner than we want, and somehow, I don’t think you want Ax to find out before you tell him.”
“Somehow I don’t think he’ll take it well,” I mutter. Sammi smiles wryly.
“Only one way to find out.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Axle
“Where the hell have you two been?” I demand as Sammi and Ana walk into the tavern. After spending a large part of the day schmoozing with the guards, my skin is crawling, and I’ve been waiting for Ana. I don’t fail to notice the small bag in Sammi’s hand or how pale Ana looks.
“I needed to grab a few things,” Sammi replies. She’s good, but she’s lying. I turn my gaze to Ana who has an expression I haven’t seen on her face before. She looks well other than being pale, but perhaps worried? I can’t read her right now, and that throws me off more than anything. Especially now when I need everything to be smooth.
“Upstairs.”
I see Ana bristle slightly at the command, but she raises her chin a hair and nods, making her way up the stairs. Watching her leave, I don’t move until she’s at the top of the stairs before turning back to Sammi.
“Stay with them,” I tell her, pointing toward Brutus and the others who are sitting in the corner. “They’ll update you on what your next job is.”
She stares at me and for a moment, I think she’s going to say something, but instead she only nods and makes her way across the room.
Fucking woman.
I’ve had it with whatever is going on with Ana. She’s being fucking strange and I am going to find out why. Tonight is the breakout and the start of our plan to take out The Watch. I need my woman on point and ready to go, and whatever is going on is distracting her to the point of uselessness.
“What?” I say without preamble, walking into our room and slamming the door behind me. Ana is sitting on the edge of our bed, hands crossed in her lap. She looks calm outwardly, but I don’t fail to notice the faint tremble in her hands. The whores dress she wears makes her look so unlike herself and her posture is timid.
“What’s going on?” I ask again, this time more gently as I take a seat beside her. Her hands fiddle with the fabric in her lap, her eyes catching mine for a moment before dropping and I frown.
“Ana…”
“I’m pregnant.” She spits out, not even looking at me.
I hear the words, but they don’t register.
I blink once. Twice.
Suddenly I feel cold, the blood rushing out of my head and a few spots dance in my vision. A thousand tiny ants rise beneath my skin, crawling beneath them stronger than all the demons I’ve ever felt. My breath catches and I can’t seem to inhale properly.
Pregnant.
Ana’s pregnant.
The cold makes way for fire, for fear, igniting in my blood. I look up to Ana’s face, worry written across it.
“How the fuck could you let this happen?”
Ana’s eyes widen in shock before narrowing as she stands, slapping me across the face. I don’t move, don’t try to resist.
“Fuck you,” she hisses. “This is not my fucking fault.”
My mind tries to calm me, tell me not to take this further, but the demons inside me won’t listen. Probing and poking me. Goading me on.
“You said it wouldn’t be a problem,” I reply coldly, recalling her telling me about some doctor so long ago. I never paid it any mind after that. Not like babies have ever been in my frame of reference.
Pregnant.
“Fuck!”