Page 176 of G.O.D.S Omnibus

“She claims her baby is Jimmie’s,” I admit. “And if that’s even a possibility, no one is going to touch her.”

To say Blayne and Summer are pissed is an understatement. They both storm off, leaving Sinclair and me standing in the foyer, looking at each other. I guess it’s time to talk to Betty and see what that bitch has to say for herself.

Chapter Two

Jolie

The girls all take tests and—surprise—they are all positive. Once Laughn forced Betty to take a test, I asked him to take her to the conference room. She needs to be kept away from everyone at the moment, and that room has a lock we can engage from the outside. We have Marlow and his super genius computer skills to thank for that.

“You can’t go in alone,” Creed argues. “Tenshi, it’s too dangerous. We don’t know what her plans are.”

“She isn’t going to kill me. But regardless, I need to talk to her alone. Has anyone stopped to think that maybe she’s a victim in all of this, just like we are? When did Mr Z ever give any of you a choice? If he wanted something, he got it. Chances are he manipulated her too. I’m just as pissed as all of you, but we need answers, and she knows how or where we can get them. I’m going in alone. End of discussion.”

“I will rip off her body parts and feed them to her family if she so much as hurts one hair on your head,” Chester seethes.

“Awe, that’s the kind of love I want,” Blayne gushes. “Sinclair, do you want to go on a killing spree for me?”

Sinclair’s face drops at the thought. She isn’t a killer, not like almost everyone else currently in the house. Blayne laughs. “Oh bae, I was joking. Well, about you doing the killing... I would send you limbs as presents if that turned you on.”

“Flowers and chocolates work fine for me.” Sinclair blushes and laughs. “And ‘bae’? I think not.”

I leave them all to talk amongst themselves, Laughn following me out of the room.

“Are you sure you want to do this alone?”

“Yes. She won’t risk hurting me, and we need to talk woman-to-woman.”

“Okay, I’ll wait outside. But if I hear anything, I will come in and won’t hesitate to do what it takes to keep you safe.”

“Okay, Killer, calm down. And they say girls are hormonal and unstable. I beg to differ.”

Laughn laughs as we veer off to the hallway that leads to the conference room. Once the door unlocks, Laughn checks the room and then kisses me on the forehead. He pauses, sweeps the room again with his eyes, then closes the door behind me.

Betty is seated at the end of the table, disdain apparent as she watches me move through the room. Closing the gap, I sit midway down, not wanting to be too close to her in case she decides to try something.

“I knew you would come eventually,” she says with a smug look. Betty is like a caged animal with her back against the wall; she wants a fight, but I won’t give her one. She needs to believe I’m on her side.

“What choice do I have? We need to know what’s going on.”

She takes this as her cue to slide her pregnancy test across the table; I don’t need to pick it up to see the two dark lines.

“Why Jimmie?” I wonder aloud. “I know he’s still a virgin.”

“Why do you care? Don’t you have enough men of your own? Just leave mine be.”

“If you are pregnant with Jimmie’s baby, I will not let them kill you. Ever. Besides, I’m not an idiot—I know how Mr Z works. What choice would he have given you?”

“None,” she says with tears in her eyes.

“What did he have over you?”

She fiddles with her fingers. “He was going to remove Jimmie from my team. I love him.”

“You know, you really have a funny way of showing it.”

“I don’t have to show anything to you,” she snaps, tears now gone.

I watch her mannerisms as she talks, looking for any indication of a lie she could be spouting to me. I know this room has cameras, and I can guarantee Davis will watch this back, checking for the same thing as me.

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