The only priority I had these days was Red. She was it for me, and by God, I would protect her with my life.
Now if I could only find a way to get her to let me cover her expenses so she could quit this job. She admitted she didn’t like it, but I knew she was proud and believed in paying her own way. No doubt her parents had drilled that into her head.
But she had me now, and I had plenty of money to share. I wanted to share everything I had with her. Some crazy shit right there since we’d only met three weeks ago.
Was it too soon to ask her to move in? What about telling her I loved her?
Knowing Red as I did, I should probably wait a bit longer. She was so damn practical about everything. I couldn’t fault her for it. Hell, I even loved her for it.
To me, it was practical to have her move in. And I would get Red under my roof. Soon she’d be in my bed every night. I just hadn’t figured out how to do it yet.
17
Scarlett
I OPENED ONE eye, then closed it quickly when the bright sun blinded me. I loved Leo’s wall of windows but not before seven in the morning. My stomach roiled and I stiffened, putting my hand over it.No, no, no. Not again.
Leo had his arm around me like a vice. As if I would be anywhere else than in his bed.
I breathed slowly, ignoring the yucky feelings. Last night could have ended disastrously at Club Rendezvous. Each time I served a table, I’d felt Leo’s burning gaze on me. When I passed his table, he’d stop me for a kiss as if laying claim to me. I loved it, I really did, but I had been on edge all night because he was there. It was true, men tried to grope me nearly every night I worked. Donovan and his brother, Derek, who was head of security, always tossed out the jerks when I complained. Unfortunately, not all the women complained. Some even liked the attention they got.
Club R paid my bills. It was only a job, nothing special and nothing I enjoyed. I would have loved to take Leo up on his offer, but we’d only known each other for a few weeks. His feelings about me could change just as mine could about him.
Not that I thought my feelings would change. I loved Leo. I wanted forever with him. But I knew he didn’t believe in marriage and he didn’t want kids.
My stomach churned again as bile inched up to my throat. This was the second morning I woke up like this. My period was five days late.Shit!
I’d never prayed as much as I had over the last several days. A baby could ruin everything with Leo, or it could make it even more incredible.
You know he doesn’t want kids.A tear rolled down my cheek.
I had to face the facts. I was probably pregnant, and I would lose Leo because of it.
I covered my mouth as my heart split in two. I tried to get out of Leo’s grasp, but he only held me closer.
“Let go!” I held back the vomit in my mouth. He released me and I bolted.
“Red?”
I heaved and gagged, emptying my stomach. Bracing my elbows on the seat, my hands trembled and body shook. Leo flushed the toilet. I heard the water turn on, then he handed me a damp washcloth. As I wiped my mouth and forehead, he collected my hair and tied it back with a scrunchie I kept on the counter for when I washed my face before bed.
“Red?” The agony in his voice gutted me. It was as if he knew.
I shook my head, not wanting to deal with this right now.
“We need to talk about this.”
“No we don’t.” I hung my head and concentrated on my breathing. Not now. This wasn’t the time to talk about this.
“The fuck we don’t. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I have the flu.”
“You don’t have the flu, Red. I know you don’t, and you know you don’t. Shit…”
I eyed him, gripping the back of his neck. My heart hurt as I lifted myself off the floor and went to the sink to brush my teeth, careful to not make myself gag. Leo was white as a sheet. He’d probably be hugging the porcelain next.
He turned around and left the bathroom. Why did I feel like I was trapping him? Like I’d just ruined his life? I blinked back tears. Because it was my fault. I was the one who didn’t want to use a condom my first time. How could I have been so selfish?