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A lump formed in my throat. I didn’t know what to think when it came to the six men. Those hot, hard bodies, their blue eyes so intense. But I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t bear facing them and seeing the disdain in their eyes, how little regard they had for me. I couldn’t bear seeing their shock and horror once they realized I was pregnant.
“Get rid of it,” one would spit.
“You did WHAT?” another would ask.
“It’s too late,” the last would say, a dead look in his eyes. “She’s past her first trimester. We’re stuck for life.”
Because that was the last thing I wanted. I didn’t want to saddle the alphas with a child they didn’t ask for. A baby who was nothing but a burden, an unwanted extra. After all, how many times did we talk about birth control? How many times did they ask me to go to the doctor to get on the pill? How many times did I dawdle, twiddling my thumbs?
So this was my secret to keep. My greatest burden, and also my great treasure. The child was mine, and I would raise her the best I could, using whatever meager resources on hand.
Money. I needed money. Well, not immediately. The billionaires had paid me plenty, so I was set for the near term. But it wouldn’t last me forever unfortunately. And hunched over at Karen’s small desk, I forced myself to focus. Focus, focus. There was nothing but the story in front of me. The characters. The plot. The emotional development and growth of my heroine.
I was just getting into it when the door swung open with a creak. No worries, we don’t usually lock our doors in the dorms. It’s more of an easy-peasy come and go situation.
“Hey Kar,” I greeted, putting down my pen. “I’ll head to the library now that you’re back. Just give me one sec.”
But my tone disappeared into nothingness. Because it wasn’t Karen at the door. It was my six former lovers, huge and looming. And without a sound, they entered, cramming those massive bodies into the tiny dorm room before shutting the door with a firm click.
“Oh,” I choked. “Oh.”
Oh god, oh god. What should I do now? Instinctively, my body crowded closer to the desk, hiding my bump. I was only showing a little bit, and maybe by keeping my midsection hidden, they’d never know. My hands itched, but I resisted the urge to run them protectively over the curve.
The billionaires took everything in, blue eyes assessing. They didn’t suspect, did they?
“Good to see you Joanie,” drawled Nick. “It’s been a long time.”
I swallowed heavily.
“Good to see you too,” was my stammering reply. “How did you find me?”
Aaron threw his head back and laughed, like this was truly funny.
“Sweetheart, we’ve known where you were since the day you disappeared. In a city with billions of cameras, you think a person can stay hidden? No honey. We’ve known for months you were here. Why’d you pick this place, anyways?” he asked, looking around. “It’s positively tiny.”
I gulped. The room was packed to the rafters with Karen’s stuff. She had a narrow twin, and my sleeping mat with an extra blanket was rolled up tidily at the foot of the bed. I’d been making my home on her floor, which wasn’t ideal for a pregnant lady.
But I pretended nonchalance.
“My friend’s a student at Hudson,” I said casually. “When she offered me a place, I said why not? It’s as good as any.”
The alphas’ eyes surveyed the cramped room, but they didn’t judge.
“Sure,” was Tom’s slow drawl. “Okay.”
That made me gulp again, nerves in a flurry.
“So what’s going on?” was my careless voice. “What brings you here?”
Six sets of blue eyes gleamed.
“Well honey,” began Charlie slowly. “This seems like a tough position to be in. Sleeping on the floor of your friend’s dorm room, eating mess hall provisions. What if I offered you a job? Or do you have a job right now?” he asked, eyeing the scraps of notepaper on the desk.
Embarrassed, I dropped my hand over the scribblings. Because I was writing a romance novel, one that loosely followed my experience working for Elite Air. Of course, there weren’t six guys in the book, but there was an innocent virgin who meets a billionaire. So it wasn’t a hundred percent made up.
But my spine stiffened. Why was I embarrassed? I was dead set on making a living for me and my child, without taking a dime from anyone. Writing was honest and true. Writing was noble, which was more than I could say about working for them.
So my chin lifted.
