Page 95 of Give You Up

My hand goes to my belly. My period hasn’t come yet, and looking at my packet of birth control pills, I’ve missed days. One on the night I stayed over at Dare’s after that party where I returned the jersey Riley stole. The second missing day is from when Taron and I were in Alexandria.

I am ready to knock on the door, but it opens, and Jordan nearly plows me over in his rush to leave the house.

“Hey, I thought you’d be in McMillan with Gwen.”

“Gwen left her cell phone in my room.”

“Ah, gotcha. Say hi to her for me. Have her text me as soon as your niece or nephew is born. I want a pic of you guys with the baby.”

“Will do. See you, Syn.”

He hurries by me. I call out to him. “Is Taron around?”

“Upstairs, I believe.”

“Thanks, Jordan.” I take the stairs two at a time. Soon, I won’t be so coordinated or limber.

I knock on Taron’s door. Nothing. Maybe he slept in. It’s ten in the morning, and there is no practice. Must be divine. To be able to sleep in after all those early morning practices and getting up super early to make the bus for games in Alexandria and Montgomery.

The division DU is in is small, so we’re primarily playing other private colleges. But . . . a win is still a win. A championship is still bragging rights. Everything Taron promised his teammates and the dean.

When there is no answer, I open the door. What I see is my worst nightmare come true. Taron’s ex-PA, Sydney, is asleep on his bed. Last night was hot. The covers pool around her oversized T-shirt, and it doesn’t hide the obvious. The pretty, willowy brunette is very pregnant, her belly swollen.

My heart beats out of control. Tears burn the back of my eyes. A cry of anger and hurt lodges in my throat. I shove my fist in my mouth and rush down the stairs, not missing the sound of running water from inside the bathroom.

Is Taron washing off the evidence of their lovemaking? How could he do this to me? Did he do it to get back at me for Dare’s comment?

It doesn’t matter.

What I saw is his true color. He’ll never commit to a girl, even one he got pregnant, so how am I any different when I take a pregnancy test later and two lines show up?

Pregnant.

I am pregnant with Taron’s baby, and so is another girl.

The universe is definitely out to get me.

39

Taron

Iam a dick.

I am a serious fucking dick.

But no one can claim I’m an uncaring one. Or protective of what’s mine. It’s Sunday afternoon. After letting Sydney know where I’ll be and reassuring her Blaze will get his ass handed to him should he come near her again, I drove over to Syn’s place, parked my truck across the street, and kept watch over her place.

I wasn’t surprised when she walked out of her place with Gunner. After I told Beau of my suspicion—he and I text back and forth—he insisted I keep an eye on his daughter. He also informed me Gunner would be visiting for the day before Beau came for his kid, using his private jet.

No probs there, old man. I would have done it without him demanding I do so or else he’ll make sure I never play ball again. Translation: he will do to me what I did to Sydney’s stepbrother for fucking with her.

Good luck with that. I have had years of practice beating up on and getting beat by guys twice my size, and I am not small. Tipping my ballcap up, I eye my girl. I’ve been a jerk, not answering her texts or calls, but I am making up for my shitty behavior at this moment.

I’m protecting her from the guy who hurt Natalie. I talked to Andy and asked him about the dude who got his truck rammed by Dare’s. Turns out the guy worked with Syn. Was her manager, though, he was only a few years older than Syn at the time. This was before she worked at Shades.

Tall. Dark-haired. Could pass for a college kid. Andy pointed him out to me at another party we went to. I didn’t give him the four-one-one on my suspicions. One wrong move and the guy could bolt. I followed him around Dumas. Went where he went. I almost rammed my truck into his when I tailed his ass before he pulled up alongside the curb across from her place and parked. I had turned around and took on a side street with an unobstructed view of the guy sitting inside his truck watching Syn’s front door with anticipation on his face.

Thank fuck she was out with her friends that day. Jordan, a.k.a. Gwen Bliss’s best friend, keeps me in the loop.

---