Page 179 of Pregnant By A Rich Demon 2

The surrogate.

I stood and walked to the window, looking out over the manicured lawn and the wrought-iron gate that separated thisproperty from the rest of the Garden District. Everything about this house screamed wealth and control. But it was all a lie.

Amai didn’t live here. He existed here when forced to. And lately, he didn’t even do that.

I heard footsteps on the stairs and turned just as Syx appeared in the doorway, shirtless and wearing gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. His locs were pulled back, and there was a faint crease on his face from the pillow.

He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “You good?”

“Do I look good?”

Syx’s mouth twitched. “You look like you about to burn this house down.”

“I’m considering it.”

He walked into the room and dropped onto the armchair near the window, sprawling out like he owned the place. That was Syx—comfortable everywhere, unbothered by everything.

“Where the fuck is Amai?” he asked, pulling out his phone and scrolling through it. “I’ve been texting him for two days. He’s not answering.”

“Join the club.”

Syx looked up, his brow furrowed. “He’s ignoring you too?”

“He’s blocked me on four different numbers.”

“Damn.” Syx let out a low whistle. “That’s cold even for him.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the window frame. “He’s probably off fucking his surrogate with his obsessed ass.”

Syx snorted. “Nah. Amai don’t move like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like he’s pussy-whipped.” Syx shook his head, still scrolling through his phone. “He don’t take nobody too serious for too long. This is probably just a phase. He’ll get bored and come back.”

I studied him for a moment, weighing whether to argue.

Syx didn’t know Amai the way I did. He saw the surface—the control, the detachment, the cold efficiency. He didn’t see the obsession underneath. The way Amai fixated on things he wanted and refused to let go until he’d consumed them completely.

I’d seen it before. With business deals. With territory. With revenge.

And now, with her.

“We’ll see,” I said finally, my voice quiet.

Syx glanced up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means this one’s different.”

“Different how?”

I turned back to the window, watching a bird land on the gate and then take off again. “He’s never disappeared like this before. Not for days. Not without telling anyone where he is.”

“Maybe he’s handling business.”

“Then why isn’t he answering you?” I looked back at Syx. “You’re his cousin. You work for him. If this was business, he’d at least respond to you.”

Syx frowned, his thumb pausing over his phone screen. “Yeah. That’s true.”