Page 17 of Piston

I swallow hard before looking him in the eyes, then I scream, and I scream loud, making him flinch back, giving me the opportunity to shove him hard and state, “Your son cannot stand me; I’m not even welcome at the clubhouse, so fuck off!”

He goes to grab me, but I scream again, making him step back before I run as fast as I can to the building. I use the passcode and enter before slamming the door behind me, then look out into the parking lot, only to I see the man gone.

I swallow hard as my heart thunders and quickly go to the stairs, hoping to feel safer in my apartment.

A small part of me thinks I should call Piston, but I ignore it. I go up the four flights, and it's only when I have my apartment door locked and bolted that I sigh with relief.

Shaking my head, I throw my keys on the small table near the door, and take off my coat. Suddenly, a sharp pain shoots through my stomach, like a period cramp, only ten times worse, and I fall to my knees in shock, holding my stomach.

Oh God!

I blink, trying to breathe through the pain. When it subsides and I go to stand, another pain hits me just as I feel wetness between my legs. I touch my inner thigh, only to see blood coating my hand through my jeans. Pure fear fills me as a sob escapes my throat.

All rational thoughts leave me as I grab my phone from my bag and call Piston, needing him as more wetness gushes, and my tears fall faster.

It rings several times, and another sob escapes when I think he won’t answer until he suddenly does, but it isn’t his voice; instead, it's some woman’s.

“Piston’s phone,” she answers with a giggle.

I swallow hard and croak, “Can I-I speak to Piston, please? It’s urgent.”

The woman snorts. “Sorry, toots. He’s currently busy being entertained by Angel and Desiree, his go-to girls when he wants forget that bitch of a wife who trapped him….”

I hear laughter and chatter in the background before she hangs up, and another sharp pain hits. I sob loudly, bringing up Honey’s number, refusing to allow my hurt to take over.

I need to concentrate on my baby, to save it, not on a man I was forced to marry, a man who doesn’t want me.

Honey answers on the first ring and says in a rush, “I know, I know, I’m late for our girl’s night. I’ll be there in two minutes, I promise.”

I sob, “I-I need you, Honey….”

I lost our baby that night while Piston was busy allowing clubwhores to entertain him. I lost our child after being threatened by his father, who thankfully hasn’t come back, and Piston is none the wiser.

In his head, I used him. I faked my pregnancy to gain his cut and his money, and he hasn’t even noticed the untouched bank account.

He seems to think he’s the only one who didn’t want to settle down; Christ, I dated Chris because I thought he would be easy, that he wouldn’t do what my dad does with Christy, and all he did was screw me over by screwing her, proving relationships just aren’t worth it.

Piston is the one who pursued me, wanting a fuck buddy arrangement, not the other way round. He’s the one who showed up at my door, and now I’m the devil in his world, when all I’m trying to do is get by, day by day, feeling so goddamn empty.

I lost our baby because of his father, and yet I protected him despite him treating me like some pest.

Shaking my head, I pull up in the pickup line and smile as my baby brother runs toward my car.

“Hey, Sissy,” he says as he shuts the door and buckles in.

I smile at him and drive off, asking, “How was school today, bud?”

He hums. “All right, I guess. I got a B in my math test, so that was good, but Poppy tried holding my hand, and everyone started shouting ‘eww cooties!’”

He scrunches his nose in distaste, and I try to hold in my snort.

Oh, to be eight again….

I never knew what I was missing not having a relationship with Cooper; he’s kind, smart, and funny to boot, and I'll never know how his mother and my father’s selfish personalities haven’t rubbed off on him.

He showed up at my door six months ago with a split lip and asked if I was his sister.

I messaged my father for the first time, telling him I had Cooper, and to take his wife away before I killed her.