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I snort, working my neck to the side before I’m back on my toes, eyes tracking him. “Ha, ha. Are you done running around the ring, or are we going to finish this?”
My arms are sore from where he’s landed several hits, my shins aching from both being kicked and kicking. But I don’t let it slow me down, the pain pushing me forward as we go back to sparring. I see his shoulder dip, see the left hook coming my way, and try to counteract it by turning to the side to kick his leg out from under him, but I stumble on the mat, shifting the trajectory of his hit. Donatello’s fist lands into my side with a loud thud, making me double over.
Julian is in the ring before I even realize what’s happening, his hands shoving into Donatello’s chest so that he stumbles backward.
“What the fuck?” Donatello slaps Julian away, stepping up to him. “Do we have a fucking problem,barstardo?”
“Do we?” Julian challenges, and I shove up from where I’d been kneeling on the mat to stand between them.
“Hey! What the hell?” Pressing a hand on each of their chests, I shove them backward and then hiss at the sting that shoots through my ribs. “Stop! It was an accident, Julian!”
Donatello steps back from my hand and I let it drop, cradling my side. Julian stays in place, his scowl now directed toward me. “You’re done. Meet me outside.”
We both watch him stomp angrily through the ropes, Donatello’s hand falling to my arm to get my attention, “You good? What’s going on, Bev?”
I swallow, shifting away from him. “It’s nothing. Julian is just overprotective lately.”
Donatello’s eyes narrow slightly and I know he’s not buying my lie. “Why?”
Shrugging, I work myself out of the ring, Donatello hot on my heels. My hand rises to hold my ribs, and Donatello grabs my arm.
“Let me look. I hit you pretty hard.”
I stop his hand, keeping my shirt down. “I’m fine, Donatello.” I smile to break the tension. “Really, I’m fine. Julian is just making you nervous.”
“Yeah, why is that, Bev?” I can tell he isn’t buying my excuse.
“Ask him, how would I know?” I deflect, grabbing my bag off of the bench near the wall. “Apparently, I have to go talk to him.” I pause, smiling to change the look on Donatello’s face. “We’ll pick this back up again when Julian isn’t here to over, alright?”
Donatello’s palm goes to the back of my head, lightly shaking it. “Yeah, yeah. Go deal with your brother baby, Bev.”
My eyes blink against the sunlight pushing through the gym door, quickly adjusting to my brother as he leans against his dark SUV. He doesn’t even wait for me to get to him before he’s ordering, “get in the car.”
With a heavy sigh, I round the car and climb in, clenching my teeth as I twist to toss my bag into the back. I barely shut my door when Julian turns on me.
“What the hell are you thinking?” He shakes his head, shifting the car into gear to pull out.
“Me? What wereyouthinking? Do you know how suspicious it looks having you jump in like that?”
“Are you kidding me right now, Bev?” He eyes me before looking back at the road. “You’re pregnant. Did you forget? You shouldn’t be up there boxing fucking Donatello. What if he had hit your stomach and not your fucking side?”
“I—” He’s right. Even knowing I was pregnant, I don’t think it has really settled in until now.It’s real.I’m actually having a baby, and the choices I make from here on our matter. “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”
“No, you listen to me—wait, did you say I’m right?” He pauses, his eyes flicking to me. “I mean, yeah, I am right. And you need to be more careful.”
“I guess I thought I was taking this seriously, but I really haven’t been.” I swallow, feeling tears pricking my eyes. “I tried to go on a date with Gavino, and it totally backfired. He hasn’t even talked to me since. I don’t think I can sleep with him, Julian. And even if I did, I don’t think he’d believe the baby was his.”
Julian says nothing, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel.
“Gavino has always been a friend to me. Do you think it would be so bad if I just told him? He’d understand, wouldn’t he? He’s already marrying me, knowing I slept with Remy.”
Julian sighs, “I honestly don’t know, Bev. I’m not close to Gavino. I’ve never been. All I know is that Remycannotfind out.” His eyes find mine at a stoplight. “I still think you should try to stick to the plan, but if you can’t, then—” He pauses, shaking his head. “I don’t know. Maybe you can just tell Gavino, beg for his silence, and hope he listens and understands.”
I chew on my lip a silence spreading over the car until Julian speaks again.
“What will you do if Gavino says you need to end the pregnancy?”
My heart thuds. “He wouldn’t do that.” I swallow, repeating myself. Whether for Julian’s or my benefit, I didn’t know. “He isn’t like that. He wouldn’t do that.”
