Smith’s lack of interruption reveals he’s listening in on our conversation, because the only time he goes quiet is when he’s being proven wrong.
With my mood souring, my words get snappy. “Did the sedative you gave Roxanne have HCG in it?”
It takes Smith a couple of seconds to reply, “Yes, but the amount was small.”
“Enough to make a pregnancy test positive?” When nothing but silence resonates out of my phone for the next several seconds, my last nerve is obliviated. “Smith…”
He huffs, hating that I’m listening to a single thing India has to say. He doesn’t dislike her as much as Rocco, but he isn’t friendly with her either. “I doubt it.”
“Doubt it orknow.Those are two entirely different things.”
He punishes his keyboard long enough to notch my annoyance from a five to an eight before he replies, “Her sedative could havepossiblyresulted in a false positive.”
Disappointment is the last thing I expected to feel, but it isallI’m feeling. I liked the idea of Roxanne being knocked up with my baby, not to mention having the chance to experience all the things I missed with Fien. Her first word, the horrendous teething India harped on about yesterday, her first steps. There are so many things I can’t get back but had planned to replicate with my child with Roxanne.
I guess I’ll just have to get her knocked up again.
I can’t pretend I’m disappointed by the prospect.
“Where are you going?” India asks, shocked.
Smith’s frustration is a thing of the past when he snickers about my reply, “To fix an injustice.”
Since my steps are thumping, India has to shout to ensure I hear her scorn, “You are seriously delusional! Your mistress fakes a pregnancy, then lies about it, but instead of killing her as you would have any other woman, you encourage her lies.”
She should be glad I walked away because if I was within touching distance of her, I would finish what I started only moments ago. “Roxanne didn’t lie about anything. Shethoughtshe was pregnant. She still does.” My last three words don’t come out as irritable as my first couple.
I’m a prick, have always been a prick, and will forever be a prick, but I’m not looking forward to breaking Roxanne’s heart when I tell her she isn’t pregnant with my kid just yet. I’ll make it right. It may just take a couple of attempts.
Once again, I’m not disappointed at the prospect.
India throws her hands into the air, her nostrils flaring as she gets lost in her anger. “She doesn’tthinkshe’s pregnant. Sheknowsshe isn’t. Audrey said she had her period the first night at the ranch.”
When I jackknife back, certain she’s lying, the smugness on her face is almost her undoing. I’ve wanted an excuse to kill her for years, and her self-righteous expression may very well be her undoing.
Clueless as to how close to death she is, India steps closer to me. “Let me guess, she didn’t tell you that either, did she?”
It’s weaselly for me to shake my head, but I’m too stunned to think up another response. Roxanne acted odd when I cupped her stomach last night, but I figured she was still in shock she was about to become a mother.
Now I’m not so sure.
“If you’re lying…” I don’t finalize my threat. I take a deep breath and exhale before letting my glare take care of it on my behalf.
“I’m not lying, Dimi,” India assures, as cool as a cucumber. “And I have the means to prove it if you can’t trust the word of your mistress.”
Ignoring Rocco’s warning glance behind India’s shoulder, I lift my chin, accepting her offer. I’ve only just stopped being fucked in the ass by my enemies. I’m nowhere near ready for round two, so if what India is saying is true, someone is about to die. I just have no clue who it will be. Should I kill the people responsible for unearthing the truth so my reputation remains intact, or the person lying to me? Thirty seconds ago, I would have swayed toward the former. Now I have no fucking clue which way is up.
27
Roxanne
Yesterday, I awoke with exhaustive, tired muscles. Today, I woke in the same manner, except this time, it wasn’t the horrid, my-world-has-been-ripped-out-from-beneath-me feeling. It was filled with euphoria, adrenaline, and a happy little buzz in the bottom of my stomach I assumed I’d never experience again.
Dimitri can be thanked for that.
Last night went above and beyond anything we’ve ever done. He was attentive and sweet. He truly rocked my world. I’ve been on cloud nine for the past two hours, and if the scent mingling in the air is anything to go by, it is onward and upward from here. We still have a lot to discuss and a heap of issues to work through, but the cloud above my head doesn’t seem anywhere near as dense as it did only yesterday.
“Good morning,” I breathe groggily in the direction I sense Dimitri’s presence.
