Page 27 of Abra's Acquisition
I had forgotten about Cicero and assumed he had returned home after I left with Rey. Knowing he’s with Pirate sparks myinterest, but I don’t want to discuss what they’re up to with Max around, so I keep my questions to myself.
Rey finishes her tea and lets out a long sigh as she places the empty mug on the table. “Okay, let’s get this over with,” she says as she leans against me while focusing on her brother. “Yes, I’m pregnant. I found out a few days ago when I took the pregnancy test. The father is Dontel. He doesn’t know about the baby, and I have no plans on telling him about it. I don’t know if I’m keeping the baby, but I’m leaning toward going through with the pregnancy. It isn’t the baby’s fault that their father is a fucking asshole. But, if I’m being honest, I’m terrified. Not only am I unsure that I’ll make a good mom, but I’m not sure I can do this alone.”
Max blinks at his sister as his mouth opens and closes as he processes the information Rey dumped on him. He finally finds his words. “You wouldn’t be alone.”
Rey wrinkles her nose at him. “Seriously? After what you just said? You told me to get rid of it.”
Max wipes his hand over his face. “I know, and I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I freaked out when I saw the pregnancy test. I guessed that Dontel was the father, and all I could think about was keeping him out of your life. Having a baby together didn’t fit with that plan. I’m terrified of what he would do to you if you were trapped in a marriage with him.”
“I will never marry him. Ever,” Rey says vehemently. “It may seem selfish and bitchy, but I have no plans on telling him about the baby. He’s out of my life. If I keep the baby, I’ll raise them without him.”
“Is that what you’re planning on doing? Having the baby and raising him as a single mom?” Max asks.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Rey admits. “I haven’t had time to wrap my head around it. Hell, I haven’t had time to think it through. After I took the presidency test and saw the result, Iwent to see my doctor. He confirmed I was pregnant. That’s when I took the tour of obstetrics at the hospital, right before those assholes kidnapped me. That was just yesterday! I need some time to consider my options. I would have told you, eventually. I’m sorry you discovered the information the way you did.”
“I’m sorry I jumped all over you,” Max says, reaching across the table so Rey could lean forward and place her hand in his. “These past twenty-four hours have been stressful.”
“For everyone,” Rey agrees. “Give me some time to think about what I’m going to do about the baby.”
“No matter what you decide, I’m here for you. You swear you aren’t planning on telling Dontel?”
“Like I said before, Dontel’s out of my life. He’ll never have to know about the baby,” Rey says.
I stiffen when I see the look on Max’s face. “What?”
“I don’t think Dontel is ready to give up on you,” Max says. “All the evidence we’ve uncovered makes him my prime suspect in the murder and in the break-in. You may be done with him, but he’s not done with you.”
“You think he plans to hurt her?” I ask.
Max shrugs. “I don’t know. He’s hurt her before. I don’t know what he would have done if he had found Rey at home when he broke in. I have a feeling he’s not ready to let her go. A man like Dontel is dangerous to any woman he fixates on, and I think he’s fixated on Rey.”
“Then we’ll make sure he can’t get near her,” I say.
CHAPTER TWENTY: REY
When I see Max gearing up for an argument, I open my mouth to cut him off, but Abra beats me to it.
“We’ve gone over this already,” Abra says, holding his hand up to still Max’s ire. “You can’t hide her as well as we can. Dontel doesn’t know about Rey’s connection to our club. He won’t have any reason to look for her here. Even if he did figure it out, he can’t reach her. We outnumber him and his friends. There is always someone in the clubhouse ready to protect her.”
Max glares at Abra before shifting his eyes around the room. His eyes land on Cleo, and I can practically see his mind working. I know what his following argument will be.
“Are your brothers willing to risk the lives of their women to protect my sister?” Max demands. “There is a strong possibility that Dontel killed a cop because he stood in his way of finding Rey. If he’s that desperate, then he won’t hesitate to kill anyone who stands between him and Rey.”
“We know how to protect our own,” Hex growls in response before Abra can respond. “No one can approach the clubhouse without us knowing about it. We’ll protect Rey.”
“Rey?” Max asks me. “Are you going to let Abra make your decisions for you?”
While I appreciate Max finally realizing that this is my decision, not his, I know I’m too exhausted to argue with him. “I’m staying here. I know you think you can protect me, but I agree with Abra, I’m safer here. Dontel won’t look for me here. He might stake out my apartment, thinking I’ll go back there, but I won’t ever go back there. He knows where you live. I wouldn’t be safe there. I considered checking into a hotel, but to be honest, I wouldn’t feel safe. I feel safe here. I need some time to figure out my next steps. The truth is, I’m exhausted. All I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep.”
Max grumbles, but he finally gives in. “I don’t like it, but I can’t think of a better solution.”
“Can you tell us anything more about what you’ve uncovered?” Abra asks. “Have you found Dontel or know where he is?”
Abra pulls me closer as he rubs his hand up and down my arm. I lean my head against his shoulder as Max updates us. I don’t remember falling asleep. My fuzzy brain barely acknowledges when Abra lifts me and carries me upstairs. My next conscious thought is waking in a dark room.
Abra’s scent surrounds me as I snuggle into a pillow that smells like him. However, I soon realize that his scent isn’t coming from just the pillow. It surrounds me. I roll to my back and glance around the room. With the light off, I can’t see much, but I can tell I’m in Abra’s room. I remember the framed poster on the far wall near the door. It’s a poster from his days performing as Lucifer’s Heir. A soft snore draws my attention to the right, where I find the unmistakable form of Abra sleeping next to me. What the hell?
“Can’t sleep?” a gravelly voice asks me.
