Page 76 of Trapped
That’s the problem I couldn’t figure out.All the times her hand went to her belly weren’t because of nerves.
“Listen, Em, I have to go.” He held up a finger.
Ashley’s pregnant, and the father is the man we suspect is harassing her.
“I promise.” He never broke eye contact.
Neither of us blinked when he said, “I love you, too.”
He put his phone down and grabbed the back of his neck. “How much did you hear?”
“Is Ashley really pregnant?”
He stood and walked to the front of his desk. Nodding towards the door, he said, “Close it.”
After closing it, I turned to face him again.
“It’s not my place to tell—”
“Sheppard, do not fuck with me.”
To his credit, he didn’t flinch or even blink as he crossed his arms over his chest. He stared at me for a good three seconds before laughing.
I clenched my hands and ground my teeth as I counted to ten.
“Relax. I was laughing at myself, not you. I should’ve known better than to discuss it with my door open, but I’m not used to having secrets in the office.”
I held my tongue and waited impatiently.
“I’m only telling you this because I don’t expect Ashley to, but you should know. Having assigned yourself as her bodyguard and all.” He raised an eyebrow, like the situation amused him.
“Something funny?” I growled out.
“You’re having a hell of a start at SSI.”
It was true, but now wasn’t the time to discuss it. My patience was wearing thin. “Is my job on the line?”
He shook his head. “No, not yet. But you need to stop growling and get comfortable working with a team real quick if you don’t want that to change.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I understand you operated alone a lot at Hawken’s, but much like the SEALs, we work as a team. We let you assign yourself to Ashley because it’s obvious you have feelings for her.”
Before I could deny it, he continued, “Dude, don’t. We’ve all been in your shoes, and we’ve all watched it happen to each other.” When we finished the job, if I was still employed, I needed to buy him a beer and ask about the events behind that statement. “Lucky for you, that means we understand, and we’ll let you call the shots. Unless you show us you can’t.”
That would never happen.
He still hadn’t answered my question, so I repeated it. This time with less attitude. Jamie was right. I needed to remember how to function as part of a team. There was no doubt everyone here loved Ashley, and they’d do everything in their power to protect her.
“Yes, she’s pregnant, and yes, it’s Finn’s.”
“Fucking hell.”
“It’s a mess. Even if we can prove Finn is harassing or threatening Ashley, I’m not sure a judge will refuse him his rights as a father.”
Hence Jamie volunteering to escort her.
I knew she was hiding something, but never in a million years would I have guessed pregnancy. The need to see Ashley, to check on her, to comfort her, hit me like a sucker punch. “I have to go.”
