Page 83 of Boards & Betrayal

"She's lying," Nick said. "She's?—"

Tom forced his gaze on Nick and grabbed Nick's collar. "Shut up," he said through clenched teeth. "Get the fuck out, Nick."

"Or you'll?—"

"I'll give you an injury so bad, you'll never play again," Tom said. "Test me. Do it."

Nick looked like he was going to argue. He turned to me, almost like he wanted me to defend him, but I refused. He did this. He took this moment from me.

"You're fucked up," he said. "I can't believe a father would do that to his son. Fuck. You're just mad I made it and you didn't." He stumbled away, leaving Tom and me alone.

"Tell me everything," Tom demanded, his voice strained and low. "Now."

I sucked in a breath, feeling the heat of his anger radiate off him. I wasn't afraid of him, but the thought of hurting him twisted my insides.

"I…" My voice faltered. "I found out I was pregnant. After the Masquerade."

A long pause stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.

"Were you going to tell me?" he asked finally, his eyes searching mine.

"Honestly? I don't know," I admitted.

"You weren't going to keep it?" Tom snapped, his eyes filled with accusation.

"I…" I looked down at my fingers, picking at a hangnail. Anything to avoid his gaze.

"Answer me, goddammit, Ally. Tell me the fucking truth!"

"What do you want from me?" I shot back, my voice breaking. "Nick told me you never wanted him. Even you've said you weren't planning on having kids, and even now, you don't want anymore."

"So that gives you the right to take that option away without even letting me know?" he demanded.

"That wasn't… I didn't… I wasn't going to do that," I stammered.

"Then what were you going to do?" he pressed, his voice cutting through my defenses.

"I didn't know what to do," I confessed, my shoulders sagging under the weight of it all. "I was scared and alone. I didn't want to burden you with something you never wanted."

Tom's face softened for a moment before hardening again. "You should have told me," he said quietly. "I had a right to know."

"I know," I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. "But by the time I worked up the courage to tell you… it was too late."

I sucked in a breath. "Because the truth was, I was going to keep it. I even started thinking of names. So stupid. I was so stupid to do that that early. I didn't even think something like that could happen to me, you know? It's selfish, but I'm young.I'm healthy. I don't… I still don't understand. Except, maybe the stress… "

I shook my head, feeling the weight of my words settle between us.

"I was at the clinic because my doctor wouldn't see me. I hadn't even met her. I had an eight-week appointment scheduled to—to listen to the heartbeat. But…" Tears started rolling down my face, unbidden and unstoppable.

"I'm sorry," I managed to choke out. "I don't know why… But I want you to know that I loved our baby. I wanted our baby. And I would have told you. Once I knew more. I only got ten days. Ten days of thinking about and dreaming about it and coming to terms with it."

I looked up at him through blurred vision, his expression a mix of pain and confusion.

"I didn't know I was going to lose it," I whispered, my voice breaking again. "And then I ran into Nick."

I closed my eyes as more tears streamed down my face, wishing he would hold me, but seeing the strain etched across his features made that hope fade.

At least he was listening to me.

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