Page 22 of The Sacrifice
“See you later, baby.”
Baby?My eyes widen as I gnaw on my bottom lip.
He kisses the top of Hadley’s head, turns on his heel, and retreats the same way he came into the room.
Without turning back around, he says, “I’ll be back later.”
Tears sting my eyes. What’s wrong with me? Why am I riding his ass and drooling over him simultaneously? I’m never this mixed up in the head. I’m calm, cool, and collected. But with Jackson, I’m anything but.
And why am I acting like a petulant child bringing up his past sins? He graduated from high school and college, and he has a kickass, high-paying job. I’m an idiot.
The door to the garage snaps shut with a bang. Hadley stirs in my arms as her fingers brush against my T-shirt. I’m pissed because he got a one-night stand pregnant without trying, and I will never have a baby.
My thighs ache from the tension. I need to sit down. I pull out a kitchen chair and slump onto the wooden seat. Jealousy. It boils down to jealousy and hurt.
A single tear slips down my cheek. It’s not his fault life isn’t fair. He has nothing to do with my medical problems. An engine roars to life in the garage, vibrating off the cement. The urge to rush after him and apologize is overwhelming.
But at this point, he’d tell me to fuck off.
Chapter Thirteen
Two Days Later
Jackson
The loud clanking of weights drones around me as I hold the bar above my head, counting to twenty and lower it to my chest. When I’m upset, the only thing that relieves the tension is working out. Or sex. And sex is out of the question at this point.
I raise the bar again, and the repetitive cadence soothes my ragged nerves. Mia’s opinion shouldn’t bother me. It shouldn’t matter what she thinks. The only way I’d impress her was if I became the President of the United States or something equally illustrious.
Hell, even then, she’d think the country had gone mad. She’d never think I’d changed and done something deserving enough to be labeled as a mature adult.
My biceps and forearms ripple as I fight through the strain. For fuck’s sake, I was a freshman in high school when Andrew and I pulled the mannequin stunt. It’s not like I haven’t matured in nine years. Not to mention, I volunteer at the school as a sport and student mentor. Principal Lawson and I hang out during the high school football games. If he can forgive me, why can’t she?
Shit.I toss the bar onto the bracket and lunge upright.Who the fuck cares?My chest heaves up and down as I attempt to catch my breath. I’ve got enough problems. My parents are going to snap when they find out about Hadley. As soon as the DNA results come in, I will have to eat that humble pie and share the news with them.
“Dude?” Gunner Sinclair gives me the stink eye. “What’s up with you? Pace yourself.”
“Yeah.” I nod and slowly breathe in and out to disguise my struggle. I increased my lifting speed in frustration, and now suffer the consequences.
He rests his hands on his hips. “What’s gotten into you today? You’ve been off the last couple of days, but today is worse.”
“A lot is going on with me.” I rake a hand through my hair. The urge to unload my shit is more than I can stomach.
Once I stand, I motion for him to follow me to the edge of the gym. The team is a big family, and once word gets out, everyone will know anyway. But I want it on my terms–not the tabloids or the grapevine.
“Last year, I knocked up Roxanne Torres when I was screwing my way through the phone book.”
“Roxanne Torres?” His eyebrows arch upward. “The waitress?”
“Yes.” I cringe. “I know. Bad decisions have consequences. And this one certainly does. Roxanne had a baby three months ago and dropped her off at my place three days ago along with the paternity bombshell and nothing else.”
“Wow.” Gunner’s eyes are round as he takes in the information. “Are you sure that the baby is yours? She’s known for being promiscuous with a capital P.”
“I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure. Like 95% sure.” My heart skips a beat. “I hope she is. I’ve grown attached to the little pipsqueak. Not that I know what I’m doing, but we’ve settled into a routine. My nanny watches her during the day, and I have her during the afternoon and night until midnight, so I can sleep.” At this point, we’re two ships passing off a baby and avoiding each other.
“You’ve got to get a DNA test. You can’t take her word for it. She’s as manipulative as the day is long. There isn’t a guy on the team she hasn’t tried to screw for this very reason. She’s the type who’s looking for an easy mark and a paycheck.”
“Thanks.” I’d be offended if it weren’t true. My only excuse for being with her was I was angry at the world and hellbent on self-destructing. The only thing he’s not right about was her not being on the lookout for money. My system is still in shock that she left Hadley and didn’t ask for a dime.