Page 39 of The Price of My Sins

So, why the hell am I the one sitting here in silence?

I threw my phone on the couch and flopped down next to it, arms crossed, and jaw tight. Every minute that passed without a word chipped away at the peace I was trying to hold onto.

“Bestie… just give him time. He’ll come around,” Lexi said gently, settling beside me on the couch like she hadn’t just uttered the most annoying sentence in the world.

“I can’t, Lex. I’m really worried about him.” I let out a long sigh, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. “It’s been three days. No call, no text, no nothing. And I know he’s reading my messages.”

Lexi gave me that patient, big-sister look she was known for. “I know, Liv. I know it’s hard. But give him one more day. One. If he doesn’t say anything by tomorrow, I’ll have Dom track his stubborn ass down, and then we’ll both go jump him for putting you through this.”

That actually made me crack a small smile. But the smile faded just as quickly as it came. “I can’t even eat. My nerves are so bad. Every time I try, I end up throwing it up.” My stomach churned just thinking about food.

From the kitchen, Denim strolled in with a bowl of fruit in one hand and that smug little smirk she always wore when she was about to say something slick.

“That’s because your ass is pregnant.”

I blinked. “Girl, what? I ain’t pregnant.”

Lexi’s head snapped around so fast, I thought she pulled something.

Denim plopped down in the armchair and casually stabbed a piece of melon with her fork. “Don’t what me. Y’all acting surprised like Olivia hasn’t been walking around crying over every damn thing for the past few weeks.”

Lexi’s mouth was wide open now. “Liv, are you pregnant?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out because now that they were saying it, I started counting the days of my missed period. And everything Denim was saying suddenly didn’t sound so far-fetched.

Then I thought about how Bo and I hadn’t used protection in a minute.

Fuck!

“Got you thinking, huh?” Denim stated.

“Oh God! I’m pregnant,” I said more to myself than them.

The next hour was a blur.

Lexi had practically dragged me to the car. My heart pounded the entire ride to the nearest pharmacy. Lexi stayed quiet, her eyes bouncing between the road and me, and I could feel the weight of what we were about to confirm—or rule out—hanging heavy between us.

It wasn’t that I wouldn’t be happy if I was indeed pregnant; it was the fact that Bo and I had just made things official. Was he ready for a baby? Is it too soon? All these questions played back in my head.By the time we got back to the house, I was shaking.

“Breathe, Liv,” Lexi said softly as I stood frozen in the bathroom doorway with the box clutched in my hand.

“I’m okay…” I whispered.

“You sure?” Lexi said, leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed. I nodded, not really sure myself.

Finally, I shut the bathroom door for some privacy. My fingers fumbled with the wrapper as if I was trying to solve a Rubik’s cube while my life was potentially changing forever. When I was done, I set the test down on the sink and backed away like it might explode.Five minutes felt like five years. I paced the bathroom, chewing on my nails, my thoughts spinning so fast I thought I’d pass out from the anxiety alone.

Was I ready for this? Was Bo?

“You good?” Lexi asked through the bathroom door. I cracked it open, and Denim and Lexi walked in.

“No,” I whispered. “I think I’m going to throw up,” I said, feeling nauseous. Then, the alarm on Lexi’s phone buzzed.

The three of us went quiet. Dead silent.

“You want me to check?” Lexi offered gently.

I nodded, unable to speak. She stepped over, looked down, and froze. Her eyes widened just slightly.

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