Page 19 of Kings
Ella did a double take around the room, noticing the urinals she’d blown past when she came in. Shit.
Once again, she was trapped between Axel and the sink. At least she didn’t have to worry about him kissing her. He yanked a couple of paper towels out of the dispenser and held them underwater for some reason.
“You shouldn’t have followed me.”
Axel grabbed her wrist to push her hand aside and started dabbing at her mouth with the wet towels, to her horror. She tried to shirk away, but he held her fast, keeping her pinned against the sink.
“Hold still and shut up.”
“Axel,” Ella muttered, her skin crawling with humiliation. Axel was the last person she wanted to see her right now.
“Just let me take care of you,” he said, his voice just as firm even though it had taken on a gentler tone.
Ella was too tired to argue even if she wanted to. Now that the sickness had worn into exhaustion, it was hard to fight.
“There,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Feeling better?”
“I’m fine,” she mumbled. “Just humiliated.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said, pulling her into his arms. She was surprised by the tender gesture, but it was too easy to relax into his embrace, especially when he started rubbing her back. She found comfort in his scent, and it always settled her nerves and strengthened her constitution. “Why are you sick, though? Is this the first time you threw up?”
“No,” she admitted, her voice still a bit hoarse. “What about the exam?”
“I was already finished, and they’ll let you do a retake. Stop trying to change the subject,” he scolded, frowning down at her. “How long have you been sick?”
“A few weeks,” she murmured. Lying to him was tricky enough when she had all her faculties about her. This wasn’t one of those times.
The shifts in his expression had her on edge. First, it was the growing concern, then, the confusion. Then, the glimmer of curiosity soon flamed into suspicion as he searched her face.
“Ella,” he finally said, her name sticking in his throat a little for the first time in his life, he wasn’t entirely certain about what he was going to say. “Are you—?”
Before he could finish that thought, the door swung open and another guy strode into the room, already unzipping his fly. He froze when he saw them. “What the…”
“Out,” Axel said, pointing toward the door. He didn’t even raise his voice, but the other guy staggered back like he’d been hit and fled the room while pulling up his half-open zipper.
Ella groaned, running a hand through her hair and leaving her forehead buried in her palm. Her skin felt clammy, even to her.
Axel turned back to her, his arms folded and his jaw set hard enough to flex the muscles in his neck. “Iknewyou were keeping something from me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered, wetting another paper towel to wipe down her face in hopes that the cool water would help her wake up.
Axel grabbed her arm and spun her to face him, his green eyes shining with intensity. “You’re pregnant.”
It wasn’t even a question, just a declaration. It figured that even this one thing wasn’t something she could get the jump on him with.
“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her resolve to keep up the weak lie growing frailer by the moment. All she wanted was to sneak back to her room and hide under the covers for about eight months.
“You’re a shit liar,” he said, sounding more amused than irritated. He took her chin in his hand, forcing her head up so he could study her more closely. “How long have you known?”
“About a week,” she admitted, looking away.
“And you didn’t tell me?” He sounded more hurt than angry, which was far worse, in her estimation. His anger was pretty much a sign she was in the right, but hurting him wasn’t something she was used to, no matter how much he’d done to deserve it over the years.
“I didn’t tellanyone. Except for Avery, but that’s different.”
His gaze lit up triumphantly. “Bishop doesn’t know?”
“No,” she sighed. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep it that way until I can get my head on straight.” She looked around, grimacing. “I really don’t want to talk about this here.”
