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I took a step, stopping as her thin, frail fingers clutched my jacket.
“You’ve never not argued with me over this. It is a girl.”
“I have to go.”
“It isn’t serious.”
“I said it was nothing.” My glare dropped to her grip. “I have to go.”
“You’ll call me tomorrow. We’ll talk about this.”
“I’ll be gone tomorrow.”
“Edward.”
Giving a tug, I broke the hold she had, taking a step back.
“I’ll see you in a few days. Maybe a week.”
“Do I get to meet her?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Can I at least see a picture of her?”
“I don’t have any.”
She laughed under her breath, all curiosity fading into the callousness that ruled her. “I knew it. You’re rude, selfish, and you can’t even keep dinner dates. No one wants a serious relationship with a man like you. Have fun with your whore. I’m headed home.”
I had her face cupped in my firm hold before I could stop myself. Trembling took me over as I brought her closer, glaring deep into her terrified depths as I did. All I could see was the old Laura. My new one wasn’t like that. Not even close.
“She’s not a whore;she’s my wife. The mother of my child. A child I wouldn’t let around you if you were the last living being on this planet. If you ever, ever—” I shook her hard, just like I’d done with Laura, stopping as I drew in my fingers to squeeze to her perfectly curled gray hair. “Never call her that again. I’m leaving, and you will never mention this moment to me. You won’t taint it like you do with everything else. My wife doesn’t exist to you. Neither does my child. Don’t speak of them. Not a single fucking time. Is that understood?”
Seconds went by before she nodded in stunned silence. To touch her was unheard of. To curse in her presence was to face the ultimate punishment, but I’d just done so much more. She had to see I wasn’t a little boy anymore. I was a man, aMaster,and I could be a father if I wanted. I was conflicted as hell, but the only way I was going to figure any of it out was to go back and face it.Face Laura, and face what I’d done.
* * *
For the middleof the night, the Gardens was just as alive as it always was. From the moment I stepped off the elevator, music and yells from the city ahead filled the large open space. Drunk Masters weaved in the street, and others headed back to the apartment building like me. I paid no one attention as I drew back the door and headed to the main elevators that were off to the side. A slave in a yellow headdress mopped up blood in the corner, and the moans from further down one of the halls had me shaking my head as I pressed the button. More laughter echoed through the space making me question once again if Laura had braved coming out in this mess. Surely, she wouldn’t risk any of the dangers, but what did she really know of them? And risk what? As far as she knew, she wasn’t pregnant. It was just her, and she didn’t give me the impression she’d lock herself inside because she was afraid.
“Comeon.”
I glanced back at the voice. A woman and two men were feet behind me. I didn’t have to study the trio to know the woman was the one in charge. She was a Mistress, a status unheard of where I’d come from. The closest Whitlock had ever gotten to Mistresses was the woman who brought the entire damn thing down, not that I didn’t think there should be any. Hadn’t Whitlock tried at the end to incorporate them? It might have, but I had always stayed in my apartment. Socializing or going out wasn’t my thing. I was here for my needs and convenience. Nothing else.
The door opened, and I walked in, pressing my floor. The trio entered and one of the men pressed level ten while the woman made out with the other guy. My finger traced over the velvet resting in my pocket. It was nothing big. Or maybe that was a lie. Even now, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Maybe being here was the biggest mistake of all. I could have stayed away. I could have walked away from it all and just left them here. But I’d have to come back. I couldn’t be without my needs. Contemplating killing my mother had shown me that. I’d never wanted to murder anyone so much in my life. I really needed to figure that part out because I was barely hanging on.
The trio stepped onto their floor, the Mistress laughing as they piled out. I went up one more level, feeling relief despite the twisting in my stomach. When I pulled out my key card, even more stress faded from my frame. My shoulders relaxed, and my jaw unclenched. Even my scalp seemed to lose tension. Darkness met me, and I eased the door shut, immediately noticing a small glow from the closet light in the bedroom. I saw her before I made it close to the threshold. The bedding wasn’t blue anymore, but white with pastel looking flowers across the bottom. Dark hair was spanned over her pillow, but she held mine, curled around it. My pulse quickened, damn near running a marathon as I entered the room. Soft snores disappeared seeming to sense my presence on some level, but she didn’t wake as I undressed. She didn’t even move.
Putting the box on the bedside table, I eased the blanket back, crawling underneath. My head lowered not inches from hers while I studied the shape of her face. Her lips. Her breathing was deepening again. Slowing. I must have laid there for an hour watching her. She rolled to her back, and it was a jolt of her body that stirred us both. Laura jumped, clutching to her chest, and me, I took in the panic as her eyes shot open to stare at the ceiling.
“It was just a bad dream.”
Again, she jumped, this time her face turning to me.
“You came back?”
“You didn’t think I would?”
“I.” There was hesitation as she turned on her side to face me completely. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t expect you to. You were so mad. And me, I was horrible to you. You couldn’t leave fast enough. I guess after the first week I assumed you didn’t want me anymore. Why would you? I’m unworthy. I couldn’t even give you a baby. I couldn’t even start on time so you could breed me on the day you thought I’d be ready. I’m supposed to be on day fourteen again, but I can’t even get that right. I know I told you my cycles might be irregular, but I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case. I’d hate for you to get mad again, but I’m afraid you might. You came for nothing. I’m sorry.”
