Page 118 of See Me

Blue stick.

Swollen belly.

She swallows harshly. “I did. I do.”

I close in on her in the doorway until she has to look up at me. “That little blue stick says you don’t have shit handled.”

Ella flinches, and I take a step back.

She pushes off the doorway, and I turn to her finger pointing at my chest. “You know nothing is one hundred percent. There are always risks. And I don’t remember you putting up much of a fight.”

I spin around on her. “I didn’t put up a fight because you said it was handled.”

“I did everything I was supposed to.” Her chin trembles and she blinks back the pending tears. “I did everything right.”

“Fuck lot of good that means now.”

“This isn’t all on me, Luca. You could’ve taken precautions too. If the thought of this,” she gestures to her stomach, “is that abhorrent to you, you should’ve made sure it was never apossibility. But no, you fucked me on every flat surface in this apartment. Well,” she laughs maniacally, “everywhere except the bed. Never the bed. No, no, that would mean we’re a couple. You bent me over every fucking piece of furniture in here, always bent over. What was that about? So you didn’t have to look me in the eye when you come?”

My fists clench and my heart beats like a gong in my chest. “That’s ridiculous. And I didn't seeyouputting up much of a fight on that.”

“What was I supposed to say?” She mimes air quotes, “Make love to me?It’s all you would give me so, yeah, I took what was offered.”

I take steps toward her until her back hits the wall. “Oh, now I see. I put you up in this nice apartment when you hadnothing.”

She narrows her eyes. “And I tried to refuse, if you remember correctly.”

I laugh right in her face. “All part of the ruse, wasn’t it?No, no, I don’t need anyone, I can do it on my own.”

“Fuck you,” she grits out. “I didn’t ask you for a damn thing. I was perfectly fine.”

“You were living out of your car and sneaking into my bar to shower. Yeah, Princess, you didn’t need me.”

She shrinks back along the wall. “I would’ve figured it out.”

“Oh, I think you did figure it out. You figured it out real good, didn’t you? I gave you a job, a place to live, a way to set up your new life. So why not nail this shit down for good, right? Stop taking your pill so you can trap me forever. Bravo, Princess.” I clap my hands in her face just as a tear escapes and tracks down her cheek. “Fucking bravo.”

She pushes her hands into my chest to try to shove me back. Her weight does nothing to move me, but I take a step back anyway before I punch a hole through the wall next to herhead. Her chest heaves with rapid breaths and her face scrunches when she can’t hold back the tears anymore.

She takes in a ragged breath. “I think you should go.”

“Fuck no.” I pace the room, hands clasped on top of my head. “Not until that test is done.”

Ella wipes her face and then wipes her wet hands on her pants. She disappears into the bathroom. I hear the thud of something hard hitting the bottom of the metal trash can.

She comes out and leans on the doorframe, rage burning in her eyes.

Fuck.

My blood whooshes past my ears and a jagged rock lodges itself in my throat.

“It’s negative.” If she could’ve snarled and spoke at the same time, that’s exactly what it would’ve sounded like.

I bend over, hands braced on my knees and take in a few deep breaths. I laugh and stand upright, rubbing my hands over my face. “Oh, my god. Thank you, baby Jesus.”

“Must just be a bug. But damn,” she laughs, “this was enlightening. I’m so glad I found out now that if itwaspositive, I would be on my fucking own.” She comes at me like a wild animal. “Get the fuck out.”

I hold my hands up in surrender. “Ella, wait.”

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