Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“You’re still with him? Even after what he did?” she asks.
For a change, my father doesn’t interject.
“You’re still with him even though he had a kid with someone else?”
She gasps at my words. “That is irrelevant. This”—she waves between Whiskey and me—“is wrong. And he will only use you.”
I’ve definitely thought of that, but hearing it come out of her mouth doesn’t make me feel any better either. However, Mother doesn’t know him like I do.
“Let’s hope you are wrong, Mother,” I say, walking up to them.
When I stand in front of them, I look at my father who still hasn’t said a word. “Why are you here?”
“You weren’t answering. We were worried and took a chance you might be here,” my father finally says.
“Now you’re worried? Or are you here to see what else you can get out of Whiskey for your…” I use air quotes, “… charities,” I say, dropping my hands.
“No. I want nothing from him,” he says, eyeing Whiskey then looking back to me. “Apart from you getting as far away from him as possible.”
“He loves me, do you know that?” I say to both of them. My hand covers my mouth as I feel my sickness coming on again. It takes no prisoners and comes on at any time during the day. Who on earth called it morning sickness? It should be all day sickness.
“See, he makes you sick, even your body is telling you that.”
Whiskey steps forward and starts rubbing my back. He’s booked me in to see the doctor tomorrow, and I’m hoping the doctor can give me something for this. When the wave passes, I stand back up and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Whiskey hands me a bottle of water, and I take it greedily.
“Oh, my god.” My mother’s hand flies to her mouth, and my father looks at her, confused. I know she’s just figured it out by the look in her eyes.
“You should leave. Lottie needs to rest.”
My father looks to him with hard eyes.
“You’re pregnant?” my mother asks.
I neither confirm nor deny.
My father looks between Whiskey and me, confused. “You slept with him even knowing he taped and blackmailed you?” he asks, confusion knitting his brows.
“Yes.” I know it sounds dumb. But he’s a weakness of mine. And a man I am falling in love with. Hard and fast.
“Did you intend to tell me?” my mother asks, her hands going to her hips.
“Yes, after the doctor visit tomorrow,” I say.
Whiskey pushes me toward the door. “If you’ll excuse us, she needs to sleep.”
My mother scoffs but lets us walk away.
My father’s hand lands on Whiskey’s shoulder, halting him. “You look after her. I mean it. That shit you pulled to get her isn’t acceptable.” I look to him confused. I haven’t seen this side of him, sure in the fake version of it when he is pleasing people. But I can always tell when he is fake, this seems real. Like he might actually care. Is that even possible?
“I will,” is all Whiskey replies, then pushes me along. Once we’re inside, he lifts me up and carries me to our old bed, laying me on it.
“I didn’t know they were going to be here,” I tell him once the front door is shut.
“I know. I told them.”
Well, that takes me by surprise, but I don’t comment on it.
We aren’t meant to be staying here, but he climbs in behind me anyway, pulling the covers over us and rubs my back until I pass out.
And when I dream with my hand in his, I dream of him.
CHAPTER 36
WHISKEY
“Maybe I will move back into my apartment with Emma,” she says the next day as her leg bounces at the doctor’s office. We went for a blood test earlier and now we are here to find out the results. I would like to say I’ve been giving her space, but it’s impossible. How do you give someone space when its them you want. And I know she wants me, even if she hates the fact that she does.
She pulls away. Then comes straight back. Exactly like she is doing now.
“Is that what you want?” I ask her.
“Stop grinding your jaw.” She says those eyes coming to fall on me. “I mean, we never really had a proper beginning, it’s natural to want that, right?”
“Our beginning is something no other will have.” I tell her.
“Yeah, blackmail.” She pulls her hand away and I reach for it and pull it straight back.
“No, at first. I didn’t intend to blackmail you. It took time. But when I saw the opportunity, I knew I couldn’t resist. We fucked in my gym, which has recordings.”
“Why don’t you live in that house anymore?” she asks.
“It was a rental, I had it for a few years but decided it was best to go back to mine.” The doctor calls our name, and we both stand, gripping her hand which is sweating. I don’t let go as we walk to the door and into the office. The doctor nods to me, he and I have worked together before.