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Annabelle
Iput Tommy to bed when we got home tonight and promptly threw up again. When Katherine hugged me before we left her house earlier, she slid the number of her ob-gyn into my hand, and I almost choked. She couldn’t possibly be thinking... No.
No way.
I have an IUD.
Jesus. Would that even be safe?
But now in the security of my own home, as I lean my cheek against my folded arms resting on the closed lid of the toilet, I start to consider it.
Because really... do I need to deal with one more thing today?
I’m just getting out of the shower and attempting to towel dry my hair, when I hear the alarm being disarmed and Declan’s heavy footsteps walking up the stairs. When he walks into our bedroom in his fitted black suit and light blue dress shirt, I drink him in momentarily before reality comes crashing back down.
He drops his bag on the floor and leans against the frame of the open bathroom door. “You doing okay, baby?” he asks so sweetly I wish I was able to say yes.
Instead, I walk into his arms and give up any final ounce of strength I had left that was holding me together. “It’s ruined, Dec,” I sob uncontrollably. “I’ve worked so hard for the past few years on the studio, and it’s ruined.” Ugly tears track down my face. “And who’s going to even want to come back now to a studio whose owner the media has dubbed a charity case?”
“Annabelle...”
I pull out of his arms and walk into the bedroom, shaking my head. “Don’t ‘Annabelle’ me, Declan Sinclair. I love you. I know that dealing with the media comes with loving you. But how am I supposed to ignore this? How do I ignore the things they said about my brother? About me? About us?” I grab my cardigan from the back of my chair and slip it over my tank before turning around and taking in the gutted expression on Declan’s beautiful face.
“I know it’s not your fault. I’m not upset with you. But how am I supposed to handle this? What am I supposed to do? To say?” I cross my arms and take a shaky breath as sobs wrack my chest. “Tell me, Dec. Please tell me what I’m supposed to do because I don’t think I can handle anything else today.”
Declan approaches me like he would a scared animal.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He lifts his hands tentatively before wrapping his arms around me. “I’ve been on the phone with Scarlet, Becket, and Max. They’re going to get this handled. I promise we’ll take care of it. I’ll do whatever I have to, baby. Whatever we need. I promise you, Tommy and you are my only priority.”
I back away again, my stomach rolling with nausea. “I just need a little space tonight. Can you please give me some space?”
“What?”
My eyes meet his, and I feel worse than I knew was possible. “Just give me the night. Please?”
“But Belle...” Dec reaches out for me, but I take a step back.
“Declan, in the last twenty-four hours, I’ve been dubbed a charity case, seen the media write horrible things about my brother, had a stranger destroy my studio and call me a whore. I need some space. Please just give me that.”
He nods. “Okay. I’ll sleep in the guest room.” He picks up his bag and walks through the door without looking back.
I know right away asking him to leave was a stupid thing to do. Letting him go is definitely the wrong move. But instead of going after him, I take the coward’s route and drop to the bed so I can cry myself to sleep alone.
