Page 11 of Skye

“I told you I was kept captive. After I left the club, my father’s men found me and dragged me home. The girl I was with… I thought she was my friend, but turns out, she’s in love with… that doesn’t matter, but she was pissed at me, so she helped me to run away only to tell my father where I was.”

Rage doesn’t make any indication he’s fazed by this. Not one single emotion crosses his face. I take that as a sign to continue.

“She was given the role of my jailer, and she took that pretty seriously. I’ve spent the past six weeks confined to my bedroom with an armed guard standing outside the door.”

This time, he can’t hide his reaction. His brows snap together and his eyes flash. “What the fuck?”

“Scarlett knew what we did, and that the condom broke. When I told her I needed the morning after pill, she refused to help me. She wanted to punish me by forcing me to have this baby.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s in love with a guy who has been my friend since we were in nappies, and she think he and I are together.”

I don’t miss the way Rage tenses. “Are you?”

Is that a growl in his voice?

Is he… is hejealous?

That would be ludicrous. What would he have to be jealous of? I’m no one to him, and about ten seconds ago, I was pretty sure he wanted to kill me after I birth our baby.

“No, not that it’s any of your business if we were. You and I fucked one time in a bar, and considering the fallout from that, I don’t think we should repeat it.”

“Right.” He draws the word out in a way that makes it unclear if he agrees or not.

“Anyway, obviously, I did get pregnant thanks to your efficient swimmers, and I was getting scared. Scarlett was becoming crueller and more aggressive.”

“She give you those bruises?”

My fingers skim over the tight skin on my cheek. It’s as if remembering my injury triggers the pain to resurface. “I fought back,” I say more defensively than I intend.

Rage’s tongue darts out, wetting his lips as he tries to control his anger. I can see the struggle waging inside him, and part of me wishes he’d just unleash and deal with his feelings.

“You shouldn’t have to fuckin’ fight. You’re pregnant.”

“Yeah, I am, but I was also in a life and death situation, Rage. I chose to fight and save us both.”

“That ain’t what I mean.”

“I know exactly what you mean, but you weren’t there, and honestly, I had no choice. If they knew who fathered my child…” I break off, closing my eyes for a moment before I reopen them. “My father will never let this baby live. He won’t see it’s a part of me. All he’ll think about is the part that’s you.”

“He won’t fucking touch you.” The vehemence rolling off his every word makes my heart skip a beat. It relieves some anxiety knowing I have someone in my corner.

“I don’t need you to stand in my corner.”

“No, I don’t think you do, but I’m gonna anyway.”

What the hell do I say to that? And why is my stomach fluttering? Get a grip, Skye. He’s never going to want you like that. He’s only being nice because you’re having his baby and he feels responsible for you.

I try to ignore the suffocated feeling that clings to my throat. Rage isn’t mine, and I’m not his. The only thing that joins us together is the little bunch of cells growing inside me.

“I know I shouldn’t want this baby. We’re basically kids ourselves, and our families are at war, but when I was locked in that room, alone, worrying about my future, all I had was her and I’m not willing to give her up.”

“Her?”

I smile. “I don’t know. I just feel weird calling her ‘it’, and I have a fifty-fifty chance of being right so…”

“You want a girl?”