Page 69 of The King of Hearts

I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me. Not that I don’t agree with her. How often do you hear about a pregnant virgin? I’m sure it happens, but really, the chances must be slim.

I sit at my vanity with my phone on speaker. The reflection that stares back at me through the mirror is me, but it’s not. My complexion is paler than normal, but it’s probably because I’m still coming to grips with everything, and I didn’t sleep a wink last night. My eyes look listless with dark circles around them. Since yesterday, my energy has been non-existent. My hair, which I’ve always loved, has been irritating me, so I threw it upon top of my head after my shower this morning. I look like utter shit. Like a person who’s being forced to marry a man not of her choosing, and is pregnant by the same man, and she has no clue how it happened.

I feel different. And no, it’s not because I have another human growing inside me. I feel like I’ve aged several decades, and I’m on the verge of a mid-life crisis. I guess maybe I am. Getting married and having a baby is a big deal and changes a person, especially when they’re still technically a teenager.

Nineteen and pregnant.

I feel like I should be on one of the teen pregnancy shows. Lord knows the drama that goes with my situation warrants an appearance.

“Sav? You still there?”

I drop my eyes from the mirror and shake my head. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m just still in a daze, I guess.”

“I can imagine.” Emersyn is quiet for a moment. “You know, I always thought something was off with Ryker. He was so quiet. Intense. Reserved. Mysterious. But I never thought obsession with you was what he was hiding.”

“No kidding.” I laugh, but it’s one of those forced sarcastic ones.

“Did you ever suspect he had any interest in you? Like, did he ever flirt, or did you catch him watching you?”

“No. Nothing.” I release a sigh. “This is just as much of a shock to me as it is to you.”

That’s an understatement. Walking in that room yesterday and seeing Ryker standing there, facing off with Dad and my brothers, it didn’t even occur to me that he was my devil. I thought he was there because of what happened to Brax. Not once did the thought cross my mind, in those moments before the truth came out, that he was the one who had been murderingmen and sending me their bloody hearts, or was the one who did depraved things to my body.

“Do me a favor?” I ask Emersyn.

“Anything.”

“Call Tomas and let him know what’s going on. I don’t think I have the energy to say it again.”

“Yeah. I can do that.” She pauses. “He’s going to flip his shit.”

“I know. Tell him I’ll call him in a couple days. I just need time to come to terms with it all.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes.” I have no idea how, but Iwillbe okay. Ryker will not destroy me.

We hang up, and I drop my forehead to the top of my vanity, my head making a thunking sound when it hits the surface.

Holy shit. Ryker West is my fucking devil.

I’m carrying his child, and if I don’t marry him in a week, he’ll release information that will ensure my whole family goes to prison, along with everyone else associated with The Raven Group. I refuse to let that happen.

Reading the pregnancy test results on that slip of paper yesterday was unfathomable, but I didn’t question it. It had Dr. Bale’s signature at the bottom. I’ve seen it enough to know it wasn’t a forgery. Besides, it would be stupid of Ryker to fake the results when it would be easy enough to have a test done myself. I don’t doubt the test is real and the results are solid.

The question is, did Dr. Bale know it was my blood he was testing? And if so, why didn’t he inform my father of the situation? Or is he in cahoots with Ryker like Marcelo obviously is? That scenario is hard to believe since he and my father have been friends since high school, but apparently, Ryker has tricks up his sleeves. Or maybe he blackmailed Dr. Bale like he did me.

The betrayal of Marcelo still hurts. I trusted him. Put my life in his hands and shared things with him that I haven’t evenshared with Emersyn or Tomas. And the whole time, he was working for Ryker.

I peel my forehead off my vanity and look down toward my lap, laying my hand over my still flat stomach. It’s hard to imagine a person growing inside there. A little being that’s a part of me. I refuse to think about it being part of Ryker.

“How are you even here?” I ask the developing group of cells.

It was a question that came to mind yesterday, but one that I was too afraid to ask because I wasn’t ready for the answers. There were many questions I should have asked, and I’ll be demanding answers as soon as Ryker and I are alone.

The pain in my head that I’ve had since yesterday pulses in my temple, and I rub the offending spot. I can’t believe this is happening.

Pregnant and getting married.

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