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With a look of uncertainty, Julian reaches a hand toward the dog, only for it to snap at his fingers, forcing him to pull back. “Fucking mutt, I saved you!” he hollers, a hint of hurt edging his tone before his eyes fall back to me, a seriousness settling over him. “Bev, enough diverting. What the hell happened?”
Instead of trying to tell him, already feeling my throat growing tight with tears, I shift below the dog, tugging my hand out from under his chest to hold out the test. When it becomes apparent that the dog isn’t going to let Julian come any closer to see what I have in my hand, I toss it to him, watching it slide on the carpet and bump up against his boot.
He doesn’t bend down, his eyes just flick to it and then back to my face. For a moment, it's silent, nothing but the sound of the dog panting in my lap.
“What. The.Fuck, Beverly!” Each word is progressively louder, loud enough that the dog in my lap jumps up, his teeth bared and tail arched as he watches my brother.
I use the opportunity to stand, running my fingers through the dog's coat in a way that I hope tells him that Julian isn’t a threat, and then step around him, allowing him to rest his head against my leg but blocking him from getting to Julian.
“Where did you get this dog? He seems to hate you,” I say, breaking up the tension-filled silence.
“He fucking hates everybody,” Julian mumbles, eyeing the dog in question. “Everyone but you, I guess.” He shakes his head, hazel eyes snapping to mine. “Stop distracting me. What the hell is this test about, Bev? Please, for the love of all things holy, tell me that it isn’t yours.”
I don’t have to say anything, because he already knows. He probably would have guessed from the beginning if he hadn’t been distracted by the dog.
“Porco cane!”Holy shit!His hands rise to scrub against his head, fingers running through the short growth. My eyes fall to his scorpion tattoo, focusing on it to avoid looking at the disappointment and mild panic on his face. “Please, Bev,pleasetell me it’s Gavino’s baby.”
My lips suck between my teeth. “Youknowit’s not.”
I flinch at his angry, “Fuck!” My eyes closing.
I know how he’s feeling because it’s what I am too. The dog at my side barks with warning and I open my eyes, seeing Julian pointing at his face with warning and frustration while taking a step back from me.
“What are we going to do?” I blink, watching him scrub a hand over his face. “What amIgoing to do? If Gavino finds out—” I shake my head, whispering, “If hisfatherfinds out—”
Julian interrupts me, “You should be more worried about ifRemyfinds out.” His jaw flexes, his eyes flicking around the room with thought. “His sanity is hanging on by a thread as it is over the marriage. He can’t handle this. Your baby will be illegitimate just like Gavino. They’ll be looked down their entire life.”
He’s rambling, talking more to himself than me at this point. Until his gaze settles on me once again.
“You need to sleep with Gavino.” I’m shaking my head, a question on my tongue, but he continues, “You need Gavino to think that baby is his, Bev. You needeveryoneto think that baby is his.”
“How will that work?” The question all but whispers from my chest, my body and mind exhausted from everything.
“If that baby is Gavino’s, it’ll be legitimate, Bev. You won’t send Remy spiraling and you’ll avoid a lifetime of torment for your child.” He moves like he’s going to grab my shoulders but then pauses, eyeing the dog currently sitting at my side. “Youhaveto do this, Bev.”
I swallow, knowing he’s right—that thisisthe best option. “I don’t even know how far along I am,” I mutter, more to myself than anything.When was the last time I got a period?I was so convinced I wasn’t pregnant and held on to that doubt until the last minute that I never thought about how far I’d be if I were. I scramble to count the weeks since I last bled. The last few months of my life have been so tremulous that I didn’t question when I was late, chalking it up to stress.
“Seven or eight weeks,” I finally say, my eyes lifting from where they’d wandered to the carpet. “I have to be around that.”
He chews on the inside of his cheek, his hazel eyes flicking over me. “You’ve been engaged to Gavino for, what? Nine weeks?” I nod and he continues, “Then people will talk but they won’t question the kid is his.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. “Gavino might question it. He obviously knows we haven’t been sleeping together,” I finally say, running my fingers over the dog’s head when it bumps into my leg.
“Then we fake the due date. When you deliver, you’re early, that happens often enough that it won’t be questioned.”
“You don’t think people will notice that I delivered a baby that’s full term when I’m supposed to be eight weeks behind?” I scoff, tears pricking at my eyes as panic settles into my bones. The plan was seeming solid, but now the light is shining through the holes, tearing apart our plan.
“Bev, listen.” Julian presses forward, eyeing the dog. “This is the only option we have. Sleep with Gavino, make him think the baby is his, and do whatever you have to do. And we’ll figure out the details when we get there.” His hand reaches out, wiping a tear off my cheek when the dog doesn’t react to his nearness. “It’s going to be fine. We’ll figure it out. Just—just stick to the plan, okay?”
I nod, swallowing the lump down my throat. “Yeah, you’re right. It’ll work. Ithasto work.”
There’s a silence that settles over us and I take a deep breath, my gaze falling on the dog that’s sleeping soundly at my feet.
“Where’d you say you got this dog?”
Julian snorts, looking down at the dog in question. “On a job. He’s been an absolute terror to everyone but you.” His eyes meet mine, a smirk on his freckled cheeks. “You should keep him, he seems to like you.”
Leaning down, I thumb the tag that’s nearly hidden in his fur.Dylan.“Do you want to live with me, Dylan?” His ears flick at the mention of his name, but he otherwise stays asleep and I smile, standing up. “I have always been a dog person.”
