“And my brother? What’s he doing to piss you off?”
“Drinking.”
“Drinking what? Is he getting drunk again?” Vanessa’s voice hardened. “I swear to God?—”
“No!” I laughed. It felt weird, the sound echoing in my chest. “Water.”
There was a pause.
“Sorry? He’s pissing you off by drinkingwater?”
“I know. It was the noise. Swallowing.” I groaned. “I sound crazy.”
Vanessa snorted. “You sound pregnant.”
“Yeah. He looks awful, Ness.” I put the phone down and tugged my top off, releasing my bra.
My breasts ached immediately, and I winced.
“Yeah, but it’s his own fucking fault.” Vanessa sighed. “He’s home though, so at least you don’t need to worry about paying the bills.”
“Yeah.” I slipped into the water and sighed as the warm water soothed my breasts. “He’s working nights too; did you know that?”
“He is?” Vanessa sounded surprised. “Why?”
“I don’t know, and I didn’t ask. I’m trying not to talk to him.”
“Valid.”
We talked for a while longer, until my eyelids grew heavy and I had to end the call.
I washed myself, noticing my changing body as I did. It was exciting, growing a human in your belly.
But I wished I could share it with the father.
God, I hated Victor Rossi.
38
VICTOR
She hated me. Lila Rossi could not fuckingstandme.
The way she looked at me, like I disgusted her. Which I supposed I did.
I was heading to the bus stop, replaying our interactions over and over. How she’d looked when she’d asked if I was sick, like she’d happily shoot me between the eyes and put me out of my misery if I was.
Or when she’d told me I was basically a fucking lodger.
A lodger in my own home, for fuck’s sake.
But my god, it was so good to be out of that apartment. I’d left everything I’d bought in it—the next poor bastard that moved in could have it.
Not that I could afford it, I just didn’t need to bring it home when I knew there was a decent enough bed there. Plus, it was probably contaminated from where it had been.
I shuddered, checking the road before I crossed it. It was raining again, which was justgreat.Another night walking around in the rain wouldn’t do my cold much good. It wasn’t that bad, just the sniffles really. I wouldn’t put Lila or the baby at risk if I was seriously sick.
The wind whipped around me, and I ducked my head, already counting down the hours until I could be back in bed, in a nice warm house.
