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Lacie stops, turning to face me with narrowed eyes, “Did he tell you that? Is that why you’re upset? Because he was a dick about it?”
I laugh because I actually wish that were the reason. Damon thinks there’s no baby. Maybe if I had kept my mouth shut after the awards, he wouldn’t have gone through with acquiring Monroe. Things would or could be different if I had waited until today. Hell, a lot would be different if I had done so many things differently. It’s too late now.
Too. Fucking. Late.
“You’re laughing at least.” Helping me up, Lacie guides me into her bathroom. “I don’t know what’s happened, but I promise we’ll work it out together. You know I’m good at working shit out.”
She pushes me into the walk-in shower, and as I undress, she brings me a bath sheet and some of her bad-day fluffy pajamas.
“I’m going to order food. You take your time.”
* * *
DAMON
Thank God!
I answer the call before she has a chance to change her mind. “Ava?”
The voice on the other end laughs sourly. “I don’t know what you’ve said or done, but I’m going to enjoy hurting you. Every tear you’ve made her cry. Every piece of her you’ve broken…I’m going to hurt you for it. You just had to be a decent guy. Take responsibility.”
She puts the phone down without finishing, and I’m left going over everything.
Take responsibility?
I keep going over her words as I leave Ava’s door and get back in the car. It takes me no time to get Lacie’s address from Warner. When I get there, however, the doorman turns out to be a problem. He’s an old boy, but fuck, he’s not having any of my shit.
In the end he calls Lacie so many times that she comes downstairs, rage coloring her face a deep crimson.
“You!” She practically runs at me. Her hands land on my chest with a hard shove. I’m taken aback by how strong she is. “You need to fuck off. Haven’t you done enough? Haven’t you hurt her enough?”
“Miss Taylor, is this man bothering you?” The old boy tries to get in between us.
“It’s okay, Sam, I’ve handled bigger bastards.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you think you know, but I need to talk to Ava.” I hold her at arm’s length by her shoulders.
“No, you don’t. You’ve done enough damage. How could you turn your back on her…on your child?”
My already twisted stomach tightens around my heart. “What?”
Laughing, Lacie pushes away from me. “You’re something else, you know that? To come here and pretend you’re fucking clueless. Meanwhile, your pregnant girlfriend—” She pauses with a growl. “—Correction. Ex-girlfriend is falling to pieces upstairs. What is wrong with you?”
I’m immobile as her statement sinks in and echoes around my head.
My pregnant girlfriend?
My pregnant girlfriend.
Ava’s pregnant?
Lacie heads back toward the elevators, pressing the button like it’s personally offended her. The doors ding open, but instead of going in, she turns back to me. “I can’t believe I actually admired you for what you did at the game. I can’t believe I was beginning to think you were a decent person…”
“Is she okay?” I ignore her rant. “Is the baby okay?”
“Why do you care now?” she asks venomously, and I really can’t hold back anymore.
“I don’t give a fuck what you know or what you think you know,” I start for her, my long strides knocking her doorman out of the way. “But I would never turn my back on her or our child.”
