“Fine,” Elli answers and starts to walk back toward the bedroom.
“Did you get sick again?” my sister asks her.
“I’m fine, Kira.” Elli ignores her question.
“Are you pregnant?” Kira asks, and Elli comes to a stop.
She slowly turns around to face my sister. “No.” Shaking her head, she runs a hand through her tangled hair.
“Are you sure? Maybe you should take a test,” my sister offers, her voice so low that she sounds afraid to even put the thought into Elli’s head but also concerned for her friend’s health.
“I’m not pregnant, Kira. I’m on birth control,” Elli argues, getting irritated. Turning, she goes to walk off again when my sister speaks.
“But what if you are?”
Elli’s shoulders fall and she sighs heavily, but she doesn’t respond. Instead, she goes into the master suite and crawls back into bed, pulling the covers up and over her head to block out the world and her best friend.
ELLINGTON
I SIT ATthe restaurant, staring at my water. Kira’s words keep echoing in my head that I might be pregnant.
It’s not possible. But that would be my luck, right? Having Sin’s baby. The universe fucking me one last time. I highly doubt my future husband wants to raise another man’s child. Hell, I’ve already got his name tattooed on me. At least that can be covered up with another one. And my mom said it yesterday that I was lucky a Lord even wants me. Add a child and fuck that shit.
A part of me hopes I am. It’ll give me an out. I’ll tell the Lord that I’m supposed to marry I’m pregnant and maybe he’ll throw me to the side, and I’ll get to go on with my life. Alone. Far away from here where nobody knows me. Sin will be busy with his wife and starting a family with her, he’ll never even think about me, let alone look for me. The thought makes my breath catch and chest tighten.
“Ellington?”
I look up to my mother who sits across from me. “Yeah?”
She sighs, her eyes falling to her phone Checking the time, I’m sure. Counting down the minutes until she gets to leave. I don’t even know why she wanted to go to lunch with me anyway. And I don’t know why I crawled out of bed in the first place today. I didn’t even brush my hair or take a shower. Just threw on a pair of shorts and T-shirt along with some tennis shoes and walked out the door.
Standing, she gets my attention once again and I see her smile. “Darling.”
Lincoln comes up to the table and I roll my eyes. Of course, he’s here. I’m not surprised that she didn’t tell me we were having a guest. Why would she want to eat with me alone?
He kisses her cheek and then looks at me. “Elli, it’s good to see you out of the house.”
I say nothing.
“I hope you ladies don’t mind but I brought company.” He gestures to my right, and I look over, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Of course not,” my mother says excitedly.
The kid leans over and shakes my mother’s hand, and she blushes. His green eyes meet mine and I feel like I’m going to puke again.It’s him.The kid from James’s office, then their reception.
“Ellington.” He nods to me and takes the seat to my right.
I stare at him wide-eyed, unable to speak, trying to hold down the piece of toast I managed to eat for dinner last night.
“Elli, don’t be rude, honey,” my mother scolds me. “I’m sorry, she’s not feeling well.”
She’s right. I was, but not now.
“That’s quite all right.” He gives her a dazzling smile. “We can do this another time.” Pushing up from the chair, he goes to leave but my mother stops him.
“No, please. Sit down. She’ll be okay. She just needs some food in her system.”
“I’ll get the server,” Lincoln says, standing and leaving us alone with the surprise guest he brought.