Page 58 of Fierce Hearts

The toilet flushed, followed by the tap running, and then Gray was opening the door, his focus on his phone. "So, I'm thinking there's this breakfast place nearby, maybe some eggs benedict?—"

"You have to leave," I said with a sigh, cutting him off. "Ernesto will be here in an hour."

"You really think he'll come inside the house? I can just stay upstairs," he said as he pocketed his phone. "I'd rather be here for you when you get back."

"If he sees you?—"

"It's going to be okay," he said with a certainty I wished I could feel. "My bodyguard and driver are parked down the street. I'm not going anywhere. I want to be right here when you get back, and I'll make sure I have a better idea of what our next steps are." He took the few strides to stand before me, his hands gripping my shoulders gently. "For now, go along with it all. Say nothing about any of this, or the baby. I will figure it out."

"I wouldn't dream of saying a word." The thought of mentioning my pregnancy to Ernesto or Juan made my skin crawl. "And okay."

"I'll make you coffee and some toast if you want to shower or begin getting ready."

I nodded, grateful for his calm demeanor right now. I was doing my best to be the same way, but I didn't feel like it inside. "Thank you."

I turned and headed straight for the bathroom, my thoughts a tangled mess as I turned on the shower. The hot water did little to wash away my worries, but I did my best to steady myself and compartmentalize once more.

Since when had I lost the ability to keep things together easier? Maybe it was the pregnancy. I was going to blame that. I’d always been good at keeping my shit in order, something I’d learned to do long ago. Lately though, it felt like I’d lost the ability to handle anything.

By the time I emerged and wrapped myself in a towel, my mind had settled, focusing on the task at hand. I began curling my hair into soft waves, staring at the oddly composed woman in the mirror. This was me, able to play the part I had, to be who I needed to be in order to survive.

I could do this.

A knock on the door startled me.

"Can I come in?"

"It's open."

Gray appeared in the doorway with a mug and a small plate. "Coffee and toast, as promised."

I took a sip of the coffee, frowning slightly at the taste. "This tastes different."

"It's decaf, thankfully, you had some at the back of your pantry." He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Safer for the baby."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips. "Of course you'd think of that."

Having him care for me like this was foreign territory. Sweet. Comforting. I liked it more than I wanted to admit.

I took another sip and bit into the toast, but my stomach immediately revolted. The nausea hit without warning. I barely made it to the toilet before emptying what little I had in my stomach.

Gray was right there, holding my hair back with one hand and rubbing soothing circles on my back with the other.

"I don't know how I'm going to do this," I groaned, resting my forehead against my arm.

"You've got this," he said firmly. "You're strong, Sofia. Stronger than you realize."

I nodded weakly and stood to rinse my mouth out and finish curling my hair. Somehow, I managed to finish the toast and coffee before brushing my teeth. Gray watched from the doorway the entire time, cocking his head as I applied foundation, trying to hide the dark circles under my eyes. Sleep had not been my friend lately.

The doorbell rang just as I was applying my lipstick. My hand froze, the tube hovering near my mouth.

Gray stepped up behind me, our eyes meeting in the mirror. He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Everything will be okay."

And for some crazy reason, I believed him.

CHAPTER15

SOFIA

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