Page 113 of The Billionaire's Virgin

“He just needs someone to blame right now,” Lily said. “I’m sure once you explain what happened he’ll understand completely. You had no choice; how were you to know that someone would take Jenna?”

I shook my head. “He doesn’t blame me,” I said. “It would be easier if he did.”

“Oh,” Lily said, unsure of what to say next.

“I wanted him to scream at me; I wanted him to yell and rage and fling curse words my way. But he listened to everything and then told me that he didn’t hold me responsible for this at all. He understood completely.”

“And that upsets you?”

“I deserve to be yelled at,” I said. “I deserved to be blamed.”

“Oh, Taylor—”

“Please,” I said, holding up my hands. “Don’t try and make me feel better. Don’t try and comfort me. It’s more than I can handle right now.”

“Okay,” Lily said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Okay.”

I felt more tears slip free and I gasped with pain. “How do I do this?” I sobbed. “How do I continue like this? I need to find her or… or…”

“You need to breathe first, Taylor,” Lily said first. “You’re close to hyperventilating. You need to calm down. I know that sounds impossible right now, but you have to try.”

I nodded and bent down, placing my hands on my knees for support. “I know,” I said. “I know.”

I felt my phone vibrate in my jeans pocket and I straightened up and glanced at the number calling me. It was Reed again, but I couldn’t speak to him now. I knew I couldn’t go back to the apartment just yet and I didn’t want to lie to him again.

I ignored the call and put my phone away. “He could be of comfort to you, you know,” Lily said, having obviously seen who was calling me.

“I don’t need to be comforted,” I said shortly. “I don’t want to be comforted.”

“Maybe it’s not about you then,” Lily said. “Maybe you need to be there for him.”

I shook my head. “I know I’m being selfish. This is his child, and I’m… acting like Jenna’s mine.”

“But… she is, isn’t she?” Lily said pointedly. “Just because you didn’t give birth to her, doesn’t mean she’s not yours. I’ve seen the two of you together; you’re her mother.”

I felt more sobs threaten to break free, but I heard my phone ring again, and I looked at the number on the screen. It was an unknown number, and I felt myself freeze for a moment. Whoever it was that was calling me had something to do with Jenna. I could feel it in my bones.

“Lily… you have to excuse me,” I said.

I didn’t even wait for her to reply before I started walking away so that I could answer the call. “Hello?”

“Taylor.”

I felt a shudder run through my whole body. “Jenna,” I gasped.

“Taylor, I—”

Before she could even finish her sentence, I heard static break up her words, and I was left with nothing. “Jenna,” I gasped. “Jenna!”

“Hello there.”

The voice that spoke was calm and cool and in control. “Sofia,” I said, choking on her name. “Where are you?”

“I’ll tell you in a second,” she replied. “It was nice of you to play along so nicely. I would never have been able to get to Jenna had it not been for your mindless cooperation.”

“You told me you had a gun,” I hissed. “You threatened to open fire on a playground of children and parents.”

“Still, I expected some level of resistance,” Sofia responded. “But you did exactly as you were told. It was really disappointing. I would have thought Reed would want a woman with a little more… spark.”