Page 46 of She's Mine

Damn. They were determined not to leave me alone, weren’t they? I wondered if David had left instructions in his note to them for Lawrence and Mavis not to let me out of their sight. That would be so like him to do something like that.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like some time alone,” I said, trying to sound as carefree as possible. I didn’t want them to know how desperate I was to sneak away.

Mavis and Lawrence exchanged a glance that made me certain my earlier assumption was correct -- Davidhadleft instructions in his note for them not to let me out of their sight.

“We just want to make sure you’re safe,” Mavis said softly.

“I will be. I won’t go far.” I hated lying to them, but I couldn’t think of another way to get my hands on a pregnancy test without revealing my suspicions, and I just wasn’t ready for that yet.

If Iwaspregnant, I didn’t even know how I felt about it. If the result was positive, I’d need some time to process the news, and I couldn’t do that with Mavis and Lawrence watching me like a pair of hawks.

“I promise, I’ll keep myself safe. I won’t go far, and I’ll be back before dinner. You’ll hardly notice I’m gone.”

Lawrence and Mavis exchanged a glance, and then Mavis shook her head slowly. “David will probably kill us if he finds out we weren’t constantly watching you, but I’m trusting you to do the right thing, Alyssa. Please, stay safe and don’t go far.”

“I promise,” I replied, hating myself for deceiving two of the kindest people I knew.

After breakfast, I packed my backpack for my ‘hike’, which included a disguise (just a cap, sunglasses and change of T-shirt) for when I snuck away, the pistol from David’s safe, and of course, my purse so I could actuallypayfor the pregnancy test.

Lawrence insisted on making a packed lunch for me, so I added that to the backpack, then headed out the patio doors and across the deck to the wilderness surrounding David’s property.

I didn’t actually know where the fence around the property began -- David and I had never hikedthatfar, and I could hardly go out the front entrance, in case Lawrence or Mavis saw me leaving.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before I found a pathway leading in the opposite direction of the brook David and I normally visited, that took me right to the security fence. After that, I had to climb the fence, which waswayharder than the movies made out. When I climbed down -- outside of David’s property -- I was exhausted and had to pause for a brief rest.

From there, I used my limited knowledge of the area to trek into Blue Jay. Honestly, I only knewwhereto go because Mavis had told me so much about her and Lawrence’s home, and how far it was from the cabin. Before I got too close to the small town, I changed my T-shirt, and put on the cap and sunglasses, so that if anyonedidsee me, I wouldn’t be instantly recognizable. I also had the pistol I’d taken from David’s safe holstered to my belt, but I prayed I wouldn’t need to use it.

It didn’t take me long to locate a drugstore and quickly buy a pregnancy test. From there, Ishouldhave headed straight back to the cabin and then taken the test in the privacy of the ensuite bathroom. But I justcouldn’twait. I needed to knownow.

I figured if I hadn’t been recognized yet, I’d be safe for a little while longer, and went to the closest cafe.

I ordered a latte, and then quickly slipped into the restroom to take the test.

The three minutes it took for the results to develop were thelongestthree minutes of my life, and it didn’t help that I was alone in the little cafe restroom. I didn’t even have the space to pace around, and instead, all I could do was watch the minutes tick away on my watch.

Finally, enough time had elapsed, and I shakily picked the test up from where I’d left it on the cistern.

I blinked three times as I stared at the results. There was no way they could be positive. This was some sort of trick, right? But no, there were the two little pink lines. Of course, I wanted to get the test confirmed by a doctor, but I was pretty sure now Iwaspregnant.

I felt like I wanted to throw up, and actually lifted the toilet seat, but nothing came out. Knowing I couldn’t stay in the restroom forever, I blindly stumbled back to my table, where my latte was waiting for me. I barely even registered the drink or the people around me as I tried to process what the hell was going on.

How could I be pregnant? Well, Iknewthe how. Obviously, David and I hadn’t used protection on that first night we’d slept together. I quickly calculated the time in my mind, and yes, that seemed about right.

But Istillcouldn’t believe this was real. That this was actually happening. Was I ready to have a baby? Did David want to be a father? How would my parents react?

Before I even had the chance to processanyof this, someone sat down opposite me.

“Sorry, this seat is taken,” I said, barely giving the guy in his mid-thirties a second glance.

“Hey Sis, long time no see,” came the voice I instantly recognized as my brother’s.

“Joey? How?” Was all I managed to say before my vision went black.

21

DAVID

While the flight from Blue Jay to LA was less than ten minutes, it seemed like an excruciatingly long time that I was on the private chopper Jeffrey had hired. Under different circumstances, I might have enjoyed flying in such luxury and getting an aerial view of the California wilderness below, but all I could think about was what Jeffrey wanted to see me about.

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