Page 11 of Dex

“If you tell him, I willneverforgive you. I willneverspeak to you again. I will tell Dex when the time is right for me. For us. I don’t think he is ready for this. I will decide when it is the right time to tell him.Me!” His face is pale and filled with pain. My chest aches but I need to do this.

“You can’t be serious?” His voice is filled with anguish.

“I am,” is all I say. The tears run down my face. I don’t bother trying to stop them. I can’t take my eyes off Liam’s, but I can hear Penny crying softly beside him.

“But-but, this is his baby, Ads. Please, don’t make me keep this from him. It will kill him.” I hear his words loud and clear, but he isn’t hearing mine.

“I can’t face his rejection again. You are right; he may want the baby but not me. I am not sure I am strong enough for that just yet.”

“But this is his baby,” he says again.

“I know. I was there when she was conceived, dude.” Penny chuckles quietly.

“She?” Penny inquires and I shrug.

“I think so. I feel like she is a girl.” I touch my belly and smile down at it. My baby is safe in there, not knowing the heartache that is happening around her and that is the way I will always keep it. She will never know heartache like I did.

“So, what are you going to do? I hate that you are threatening me with this. You are making me choose between you both. I love youboth. You’re like my brother and sister. I am not sure who I would hurt more by keeping this a secret. Shit.” He turns away from me and leans on the bonnet of his Jeep, his shoulders bunched up, making his t-shirt tighten over his tattooed muscles. I turn my head away, not wanting to see the pain that I am causing him. I love Liam like a big brother but I have to put me and the baby first.

Movement catches my eye and I turn to see Penny rubbing Liam’s back, soothing him; their love flowing between them. I want that.

Fuck my life.

“I’m sorry. But you have to understand why I have to do this.” Liam doesn’t look at me, but Penny answers.

“I think he does in a way, Addison, so do I. But you have to see the pain he is in. You are asking him not to tell one of his best friends that he is going to be a father with another of his best friends.” The guilt hits me square in the chest. “How are you going to handle this, Addison?” Penny always says my full name, and she always makes me feel like a child when she does. It isn’t her fault I feel like this, it is just because I am so used to being called ‘Addy’ or ‘Ads’.

“A friend gave me some advice and I am taking her up on it.”

“Friend? Which friend?” Liam’s asks, finally facing me again.

“Her name is Lauren. I met her when she brought her husband Joe into the shop to have his dick pierced. We’ve been friends since.”

“So, she knows that you are pregnant but I don’t. Well, fuck me, just kick me when I’m down, Addison.” Liam saying my full name hurts.

“I am going to phone Dex and we are going to talk over the phone. Build something first before I tell him. I need to know where his head’s at, Li. Please, let me do this my way.” I move towards him and wrap my arms around his waist. He doesn’t waste a second, wrapping me up in his beefy arms.

“Fine. That fucker is going to go ape shit and kick my arse when he finds out I knew all along that his girl is carrying his baby.” Hearing him call me Dex’s girl makes my stomach do girly things. But it could just be the baby right?

“I’m not his girl, Liam.” He rolls his eyes in a ‘what-the-fuck-ever’ way.

“So, how is baby Bradley, today?” I add. A big arse smile spreads across Liam’s face, the dimple in his left cheek showing itself. Penny giggles.

“Baby Bradley is fucking amazing. But it looks like baby Castle will have a baby cousin to keep her company playing with dolls.” He winks at me. Yeah, it didn’t go unnoticed that he called my baby ‘Baby Castle’. Bastard.

I look from Liam to Penny. “Are you hoping for a girl then?” I ask.

“I will be happy with a boy or a girl. As long as the baby is healthy,” Penny says, while lovingly rubbing her tiny baby bump. The love shining through her eyes is heart warming.

“Poor Knox, if the baby is a girl.” I laugh.

“Yeah, he is not going to be happy if it is a girl. But he will take on the big brother role well.” And he will. Knox is an old soul, just like his dad. He takes care of what is his, even at his age.

“He will. Listen, I really have to go. I’m working this afternoon at the studio. I promise I will get in touch with Dex. We will go from there. I am sorry that I threatened you but I didn’t know what else to do. I panicked.” Liam wraps me up in a big hug and kisses the top of my head.

“It will kill me, but I get it. Don’t take too long, okay?” I nod my head and offer a sad smile. “And keep my niece or nephew safe,” he says, as he lays his hands over my bump and kisses the top of my head.

We say our goodbyes and I watch them drive out of the hospital car park. I sit in my car and look at my phone like it will jump up and slap me in the face any second. I know I need to tell Dex. I will tell him face to face.

The ringing scares the shit out of me, but so does the name that flashes on the screen, telling me who is calling.

“Hello, Dex.”

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