Page 32 of Baby Me

“Oh!”

“Oh!” I repeated mockingly. “It seems like we both let shit get in our heads that had no need to be there. Fuck, I feel like an idiot.”

“You shouldn’t. You were putting your children first and that is admirable. They’re so lucky to have you as their father.”

I squeezed Vina’s waist and pulled her down so that her upper body wasn’t sitting up and stiff and instead leaned against mine. “No more miscommunications and irrational fears, Vina. I’m here for you, for our daughter, and once she gets better that still won’t change.”

“Okay, Tripp.”

“Promise, sweetheart.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. It didn’t take long for her breaths to even out. My woman was worn the fuck down by the shit hand she’d been dealt and the fact that she had been left to navigate everything practically on her own. That shit was about to change because I couldn’t walk away again without claiming her.

Chapter 14

June

I regretted my reaction to hearing that Tripp may have fathered another child with yet another whore attached to the club. First, it was Kim. Now, some other whore - truly a whore this time - had gotten pregnant by him. Not only that, but apparently the little shit-stain was sick.

It was bad enough I’d have to deal with the grown adult children he had with that pile of ashes he still called his wife, but now, there was a new woman.

I watched them together. Her t-shirt spread tightly across her perky breasts to entice him. “Once a whore, always a whore,” I mumbled out loud to no one.

The blonde hair on her head appeared natural rather than the dye job I had to maintain since my mom pushed me to change it from my original boring brown in high school. I had a better hair stylist these days, but years of chemicals and upkeep made it too course to flow freely around my shoulders in a silky waterfall the way hers did.

Heat bloomed from somewhere deep inside my belly where I stored up all my hate as I watched the way Tripp looked at her. Of course, he thought she was beautiful, the little slut was probably the same age as his daughter. Half our age. Everything was still tight and fresh on her body despite the fact that she’d already spit out a child. Who knew, maybe there were more. Maybe her body was ravaged under her clothing. I could only hope.

Mine was still pristine in that I had no stretch marks or obvious signs of pregnancy that most women my age carried around. Everything I had was still mostly firm, though I’d allowed myself to get a bit doughy over the last couple years in spots. I went for regular Botox to keep the wrinkles at bay, but there were places where they couldn’t be hidden well, no matter how hard I tried.

No matter what I did - there was no way to look like a 20-something buxom blonde club whore. And I couldn’t compete for time with a sick kid either.

I’d just have to make sure the sick kid isn’t part of the equation for much longer. Then, I can be the shoulder he cries on. It wouldn’t take much convincing to have him blame the bitch for keeping his kid from him until she was too sick to live, and I’ll feed right into that for him.

I grinned as I got out of the car and followed them into the hospital. The hat I wore, along with the oversized sunglasses and coat would keep them from noticing me long enough to find out where the kid was being kept.

“Can I help you?”

It startled me to discover the nurse who asked the question was speaking to me. I shook my head, but she stayed there, tapping her foot impatiently at me. “This floor is only for family who are visiting.”

“Just trying to get the nerve up to go see her,” I explained while trying to look as miserable about that as possible.

She eyed me with a look of disbelief, but I didn’t really care. “Who exactly are you here to see?”

I shook my head and sniffled as I bowed my head and pretended to be overwhelmed with emotion. Truthfully, I’d already seen which room that bitch had taken Tripp to. I’d also seen what looked like a tender moment pass between them before that happened. The rage I kept hidden deep inside me flared to life again as he professed that that whore would never be alone again.

I saw history repeating itself.

He was mine.

He would remain mine.

I waited too long to get Kim out of the picture. That wouldn’t be the case this time. This time, I’d start with the kid and make sure the whore followed quickly behind her.

“I just need a restroom to freshen up before I go in,” I told the nosy ass nurse as I walked away. There was no point in me staying there longer. Instead, I headed back down and wait to follow Tripp to wherever he went next. Then again, maybe I should follow the whore instead…

Decisions, Decisions.

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to leave this floor if you can’t tell me who you’re here to see.” When I turned around to tell the nurse to go fuck herself, she had a phone held up and took a picture of me. Unfortunately, I’d had my glasses pulled off my face, and she got the full shot. Damn. At least I hadn’t told her I was there for Tripp or to see the kid - whose name I couldn’t remember.