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Ouch. That one hurt. I was a single, nineteen-year-old child with no job, no home, and I was about to bring an innocent little human into the world and be totally responsible for her. Sudden dizziness made me sway on my feet. Poor Skylar seemed royally screwed and she wasn't even born yet. With a douchebag for a father and a spoiled, rich cunt for a mother, my baby didn't stand a chance.
But I was still determined give her one. No matter what anyone thought, I would love my girl and I'd find a way to be a damn good mother, if it was the last thing I did.
I squared my shoulders. "Just because I didn't plan on this ever happening, doesn't mean I'm going to brush it aside like a minor inconvenience. I'm keeping my child."
Alec sneered as if he knew a secret. "Well, I can't allow you to do that."
I tried to tug my arm away from him. "Why not? I'm not asking you to do anything. In fact, I don't even want you involved."
Alec jerked me closer. "How stupid do you think I am? I know you'll get the law on your side, and you'll fucking bleed everything from me. You could hold this over me for the rest of my life, suck me dry with some bullshit child support, make me pay for all kinds of shit I want nothing to do with. And I refuse to let you get away with it."
"Alec . . . " I gave a long, tired sigh and even rolled my eyes as dramatically as I could, even though my heart was racing. For some irrational reason, I thought letting him see my fear would cause him to pounce. "Believe me." Please, please believe me. "I will not do that to you. I don't want anything from you. Actually, if I never saw you again, I would be overwhelmed with joy. I'll even sign a piece of paper saying so."
"See, now." Alec shook his head and laughed softly. "I'm having trouble believing that. I know you, remember? I know what a conniving, manipulative bitch you are. And I refuse to let you continue this."
"Well, I've changed." I huffed out a sound of aggravation when I tried to tug my arm free of his grip and he wouldn't release me. "People can change, you know. Now let me go."
"Not until you agree to get rid of it."
Was he on crack? It was way too late for an abortion, even if I'd been on board with the idea. I sniffed and lifted my chin. "Never."
"Then you leave me no other choice."
Oh, shit. I realized I'd made a big mistake by standing up to him, and even egging his temper on, a split second before he shoved me against the wall.
As my back cracked against sheetrock and then my head banged into it, fear seized me. He clutched me by the throat until I was screaming and screaming, and just screaming for all I was worth, hoping I was loud enough to get Mason and Reese's attention.
He was going to try to hurt my baby. I didn't feel the pain at first; I was too scared for Skylar and what Alec was trying to do to her. But then he punched me in the stomach.
I think I kept screaming. I'm not sure. The sound echoed through my ears as I tried to curl my arms around myself and protect my daughter. But he held me by the neck, pinning me in place, loose enough that I could continue to scream, yet tight enough I couldn't get away. I could barely breathe, let alone shield my stomach. My legs flailed, but the splitting feeling inside me was so severe it was hard to concentrate on much of anything past each gushing slice.
Just as abruptly as he attacked, Alec stopped. The pressure on my throat vanished, and I crumpled to the floor. I couldn't stop myself, couldn't catch my fall, could barely gasp for air. It was as if I had no control over my own limbs. I landed with a jarring thud, which hurt even more. But at least the assault was over.
I thought maybe Alec had come to his senses and backed off.
But then he said, "What the—" just before an oof and the thud of something cracking against bone echoed throughout the garage. A choked groan followed.
"You just messed with the wrong girl, pal," someone growled, his voice pissed and male.
From inside my shell of agony, muted sounds of fists against flesh followed, along with shouting and threats. I knew someone was defending me, but at the moment I didn't care. I was too busy trying not to die on the floor. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I cradled my stomach.
Skylar wasn't moving. She always wiggled around or jumped when something startled her.
Why wasn't she moving?
"No," I croaked and rested my cheek on the floor, squeezing my eyes tight as my abdomen felt like it was exploding and tearing apart from the in
side.
More shouting filled the garage. I think I finally heard Mason's voice join the melee, but suddenly Reese was with me, her hand on my shoulder and her panicked voice in my ear. "E.? Eva! Can you hear me?"
I tried to nod, or answer, or even blink, but all I could manage was a pained gasp when another round of horror constricted my abdomen.
"E.?" Reese tried again, her voice trembling. "What happened? Are you okay? Oh my God. Mason. She's hurt bad."
The agony-filled wave passed, leaving a low, aching throb. I drew in a breath and tried to talk again. "I think I'm bleeding." My cramped fingers somehow managed to uncurl enough for me to try to look down between my legs, because I could feel a trickle. I wanted to make sure it wasn't blood, but I couldn't see past the baby bump.
Another lightning bolt of pain arched across my belly. I curled in around my baby.
