Page 1 of The SEALs' Single Mom Baby Surprise

1

SLOANE

My phone pings for the umpteenth time as I pull past the guard station and into the parking lot. Another ping has me flinching, my skin growing tight from anxiety and sweat building around my hairline. My eyes burn as I find a spot and park. Head falling into my hands, I can’t decide whether I want to scream or cry.

Ping.

Tears flood my eyes, but I close them to keep them from building any further.

He doesn’t deserve my tears. He deserves absolutely nothing from me.

Not anymore.

And it’s been two days—two days—since I finally packed up my things and rented my own apartment. Keeping it a secret was a feat.

All of the things I had to hide in order to get out of there without tipping him off… It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

It’s only been three days since I went into the federal bank on base and opened my own bank account. One without Alistair’s name on it. Just in time for my paycheck to be deposited into it yesterday, and my money is spread so thin right now…

Ping.

I fled while he was in class because I was a coward. I’m still a coward.

He’s been harassing me since, and I can’t answer the phone.

I can’t block his number, either. He’s still in charge of my account. I can’t afford a new one, so I just have to let those texts and phone calls build up. Let them go unanswered.

It’s fucking hard.

Ping. Ping.

Every one of them gets harder.

Taking some deep, deep breaths, I blow them out as slowly as I can manage, getting my emotions under control before I go into work.

A knock on my window jars me back in my seat, my heartbeat ramping up again as I look into the solemn face of my boss, Warren.

I wipe the sweat from my brow and shut my car off, grabbing my bag as he opens my door.

“Good morning, Montgomery. You alright?” His voice is gruff and uncomfortable, as usual, when he asks me that question. I hate that I’ve given him so many opportunities to ask it lately.

“Fine. Just a few bumps today. Nothing to worry about.” The lie comes easily. It’s the same thing I’ve been saying for years. And although I know he doesn’t believe me, we both appreciate the lie.

It keeps us from having to talk about it.

I’d rather just dive straight into work.

At the door to our office, I turn to my boss. “You know what? I plan on making this a good morning, sir.”

Warren offers me a small smile and a grunt. “You do that, Specialist.”

I will. Because I’m free.

I’m out.

And I don’t have to go back, no matter what my ex says.

My boss taps the side of my desk, pausing just long enough to nod at me, before he marches to his office. He knows my story, if only the obvious signs of how bad my relationship was.

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