AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My eyes narrow, a grim realization dawning on me. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” I say, my heart hammering as all the pieces come together. “The Brotherhood and Invicta are teaming up. They must have shared information about her.”
Edo’s eyes widen, the implication of this revelation clear. “But why?” he presses, his voice tinged with confusion. “What the fuck is so special about this Alexis Hartley that two of our biggest rivals are after her?”
I shake my head, my brow furrowed in deep thought. “I don’t know,” I admit, my frustration evident. “But we’re going to find out.”
Before any of us can say another word, our phones simultaneously chime with new messages. I feel a chill run down my spine as I read the contents, my expression darkening. Nat swears violently.
“Mario Rafa is dead,” I announce, my voice low and grave. “And Scarlett is now the head of The Brotherhood.”
Edo curses in Italian, the gravity of this news weighing heavily on us all. My grip on my phone tightens, my mind racing with the implications of this change of power.
“Shit,” Edo mutters, the word barely audible over the cacophony of sirens in the distance. “This just got a whole lot more complicated.”
“The bitch killed Mario,” Nat whispers, still staring at her phone. “She finally did it.”
I nod, my gaze hardening with a renewed determination. “We need to find out what the hell is going on,” I say, my voice laced with a sense of urgency. “And we need to protect Alexis, no matter the cost.”
25
ALEXIS
Ihurry out of the bathroom, the positive pregnancy test wrapped in toilet paper and buried deep in the depths of my purse. My heart is pounding, my mind racing as I replay the last few minutes over and over again.
How could Damian and I have been so stupid?
I’ve never had to worry about birth control in the past. It just never crossed my mind since I wasn’t having sex with Mark, and I figured that when we got married, I wouldn’t need birth control.
And truthfully, I never thought to ask Damian whether he was being responsible. He probably thought I was on birth control.
Holy fuck. The consequences of our inability to communicate are staring me right in the face.
I hurriedly grab some tampons—although I won’t need these for the next nine months—and quickly make my purchase, my hands shaking. I have to at least make it believable to the guard that I came in here for period products.
Nausea roils in my stomach, but I can’t tell whether it’s from the shock of the positive pregnancy test or the beginnings of morning sickness. I want to throw up, purge my body of this sudden, unwanted development. But I can’t, not here in the middle of this dingy convenience store.
Cold air blasts me in the face as I leave the store and slide into the backseat of the car.
“Did you get everything you needed?” the security guard asks, his face red as he eyes my bag, the blue and green tampon box clearly visible against the plastic grocery bag.
I nod, pasting a weak smile on my face. “All good. Thank you.”
As we drive off, my mind is still racing. What am I going to do? Part of me wants to keep this baby. This child will be the first real family I’ve had in almost two decades. I finally wouldn’t be alone anymore.
But the thought of bringing a child into this world, where they could potentially grow up to be as fucked up as Damian and Nat, fills me with dread.
The idea of getting an abortion, though, makes me feel sick to my stomach. This is my child, a part of me. How could I just get rid of it?
But can I really be a good mother?
My own memories of my mother are so faint, and my experiences with foster mothers have been nothing short of awful. What if I end up just like them, incapable of providing the love and nurturing that a child needs?
Panic seizes me as I think about having to tell Damian. What if he’s furious with me? What if he accuses me of trying to baby trap him? The very thought makes me feel sick to my stomach.
An even more horrible thought hits me then. What if Damian tries to take this baby away from me? He has unlimited funds, connections, and power as a Don. He’s probably paid off numerous judges to get his own criminal convictions thrown out.
Who’s to say he wouldn’t do the same to take my child from me?
I have no home, no job, and a target on my back. Damian, on the other hand, has all the resources in the world. He could bury me in legal battles, use his influence to turn the system against me. I’d never stand a chance.
