Page 47 of The Stepbrother 2: Noah

I got up and followed the nurse back to the room. Noah was right behind me. The nurse told me to get undressed and handed me a paper gown.

Noah opened his mouth to say something.

“Don’t you dare,” I growled under my breath. I was already dreading having to show a doctor my beaten-up vagina. I think his ass did it on purpose.

Noah slammed his mouth shut as I got undressed. He stared at me the entire time with the goofy grin he only has for me.

A knock on the door signaled the doctor’s arrival. Noah was by my side as I lay on the examination table.

When the door opened, revealing the doctor, I had to exhale. His picture in the lobby hadn’t done him justice, because damn, he was fine. I’m talking tall, dark, and handsome, like Idris Elba and Trevante Rhodes had a baby. Dark-god fine.

“Breathe like that again and I'll embarrass you,” Noah threatened. He was always with the threats to embarrass me.

The Dr. spoke, introducing himself.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Solaris. That accent doesn’t sound like it’s from Atlanta,” I remarked, purposely trying to push Noah’s buttons.

The doctor chuckled. “No, I’m originally from Barbados but moved here when I was young. The accent just stuck.” He let go of my hand before turning to wash his and put on gloves.

“You’re not from Atlanta with that accent,” Noah mocked me, leaning so he could whisper in my ear. I cut my eyes at him. The rest of the appointment he behaved. I was about eight weeks along, and my blood pressure was normal.

We left the office with Noah bitching.

“I’m serious, you’re getting another doctor. He was down there too long, probably smelling it,” he said as we stepped out of the doctor’s office. I didn’t get to respond to Noah’s nonsense.

Then I knew my mind had to be playing tricks on me. I saw Devon, my ex, my nephew’s father, the man I had been engaged to less than four months ago, standing too close to his very pregnant, supposedly best friend Maria. Devon leaned in, kissing her forehead. Then I heard him say, “I love you. I'll be right back after picking up DJ. Shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. I’m sorry times got mixed up,” he said, his voice filled with a warmth I had never heard.

Realization crashed into me like a tidal wave—Devon and Maria. All the late nights at their law office. Sometimes I’d catch Maria looking at me like I stole something from her. I guess I had.

“I can’t believe this fucking shit!” The words erupted from me, startling them both. The way Devon’s face went white should have been impossible.

Maria’s face crumpled. “Creed, it’s not what it seems—" she started, her mousy voice carrying. Everything about Maria was mousy. She was tiny but curvy, with a plain face. A white Cuban, Devon met her in freshman year. She was not his type, so I never thought they’d be messing around behind my back. I guess I was wrong.

I was beyond listening. “It’s exactly what it looks like. He was fucking with you and my sister. Had a whole son I didn’t know was his, and you’re good and pregnant.” I paused to look at her finger. “And you’re wearing the ring he bought me.”

Devon had yet to talk.

My eyes moved to him. “Did you buy two of the same rings or give her mine after I gave it back?”

“It’s like she said. It’s not what it looks like,” he said plainly, though I could see the gears in his head working, trying to come up with a lie to explain the pregnant woman away.

I chuckled, though the situation was messed up. “It’s exactly what it seems.” I shook my head. “You called my family immoral and a bad example, but here you are with not one but two baby mamas, not a single wedding, and lying to me right to my face. Then, on some vendetta crap, you came and took my nephew from my sister.”

I pointed my finger in his direction. “You need to look in the mirror, Devon. You’re a whole cliché wrapped in an expensive suit, hiding behind respectability and a law degree. And you two are fired.”

I had hired them to handle the artist contracts for Compton Ave. Fresh out of law school, they hadn’t done much work before that, but Devon had rich parents to fall back on, so it probably wouldn’t hurt him as much as Maria, who sent money back to Florida for her parents. Still, I guess Devon could beg his parents to support both of them.

Maria grabbed her stomach and started crying, shoving Devon away when he tried to comfort her. A part of me enjoyed watching that.

“When I’m done with your dirty-dick ass, you won’t have enough money to keep DJ. I’m throwing dirt on your name to every company I know, to everybody I know,” I said, practically hysterical.

Noah stepped in. “That’s enough, Creed. Let’s go.” He wrapped an arm around my wrist and nearly dragged me to the car.

I was still cursing as he drove off.

I noticed Noah wasn’t saying anything, and his grip on the steering wheel was tight.

I let him have his silence. There were all kinds of emotions raging in me, and I needed to process them too.

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