Part 15 (2/2)

The corner of his mouth tugged up. ”Yeah, this new club will be good for us. You can be involved in the startup when the meetings are legit.” He lifted his wrist, checking his Rolex. ”Weve got time, come on.” He rose to his feet as he explained, ”We can go see your coach, let him know you cant fight anymore, and then well go get lunch before we meet with the realtor. My baby needs to eat.”

He was home, he had to be. Hed come into the room hours ago to change, but I had been half asleep.

I was awake now and his side of the bed was still empty. He hadnt left, had he? Sliding out of bed, I walked down the hall, the light from the next room over let me release the breath I was holding. He was in the home office. The door was silent as I pushed it open, my bare feet almost as quiet. But he looked up from his computer as I entered the doorway, eyes soft and hair a mess from the path his fingers ran through it.

”Babe, come here.” He rolled his chair back, extending his arm to me. ”You should be in bed.”

”So should you.” I walked around the desk, into his arm, and he pulled me to sit on his lap. I studied his computer screen. ”Still considering that one?”

”It had the best location of the three, but the rents steep. Wed need to get it up and running quick, and then pray like h.e.l.l it does well. Ms. Wedam said itd go quick though, so I have to make a decision.” He sighed and turned his head towards me. ”You still feeling sick?”

”Not at the moment.” My nausea came and went, without warning. ”Werent there other investors that could help deflect the start up cost? Only the one showed up on Friday.”

”I dont want to pull in more. I want this to be us, our thing. Sanjays the only person I brought in because his only demands are to approve our location, get VIP when he comes to the place-he already would have anyways-and a twenty percent return on his investment. Once he gets that back, its all ours.”

”And he approves of this place?” I nodded to the screen and Gage nodded. ”What about Viktor?”

”Viktors only concerned is that h.e.l.l have a place to filter money through. So as long as we turn a profit, he doesnt care.”

Gages phone vibrated on his desk. He lifted it up to read the text. ”f.u.c.k.” His thumb typed on the screen as he explained, ”I told this s.h.i.+t to Ian before I left a few hours ago, and already hes texting about how to close our accounts at the end of the night.” He tossed the phone onto his desk. ”It can wait till tomorrow, Im not going back in tonight.”

”You mean this morning, youre not going back in this morning. Its nearly five am.”

He groaned as he leaned back in the chair. ”Then I guess I better enjoy what time I have with you before you go to cla.s.s in a couple of hours.”

”Oh wait.” I stopped him before our lips met. ”What about Dexter? He wants to know if he should reserve us seats.”

His head dropped back. ”Its that Friday after thanksgiving right?”

I nodded.

”Even if I sign today, the new club cant open till next month, but Ian should take over the strip club by then...so yeah, that would be a good time to go see them. I cant believe that b.a.s.t.a.r.ds jumped from boxing though.”

I smiled, sliding my hands around his neck. ”Ill let him know today.”

He grabbed my arms. ”But dont tell him about the baby yet. Lets keep that a secret for now. Okay?”

I nodded, meeting my lips with his, tasting the cool sweetness from the energy drink he had been sipping on. But his lips warmed quick, moving with mine, and when his tongue swept into my mouth all I tasted was him.

”Oh. My. G.o.d. Its true. Youre Pregnant,” Kendall spoke from the other side of the stall.

”Shut up.” Her words made my stomach hurt more than throwing up rice did. I took a few breaths, my stomach stabilizing, and braced myself to walk out and face her.

She was frozen in a crazy, wide-eyed smile. ”Sara told me you quit boxing because you were pregnant. I was waiting for you to say something, but...” she glanced at the stall behind me, eyes narrowing. ”Do you need gum or something?”

I walked past her to the sink to wash my hands and rinse my mouth with bottled water. Coach Finnegan was the only person we told, and he promised not to tell, but hed lied.

”Thanks,” I mumbled, taking the gum from her. ”Who knows? I didnt want to tell people yet.”

She paused, letting me walk in front of her as we left the bathroom. ”I dont know. I think the team knows. Hey,” she grabbed my arm, ”dont look so down, this is exciting. Congratulations.”

I gripped my book bag tight, walking down the hall to the exit. ”We just werent telling people yet.”

”All right. I get it.” She b.u.mped shoulders with me, stopping at the front of the building. A smile spread, and then she pulled me in for a hug. ”I wont tell anyone. But Im happy for you.” She stepped away. ”Ill see you tomorrow. I got to get to Psych before Im late again.”

I walked along the tree-lined sidewalk, burnt orange and red leaves swirling everywhere in the wind. It should be pretty, and I tried to focus on the positives. Things were going to be all right. But all I could see was death. Even the prettiest of the leaves were dying and they crunched under my boot.

A car pulled up to the sidewalk and rolled along beside me.

My heart raced as I glanced at the tinted windows. I kept walking, the pressure of the gun in my boot giving me some rea.s.surance. Plus, the campus was busy with people walking by, crossing the lawns to my right. The dark town car meant nothing.

”Regan,” Alessandras voice called from a crack in the window.

I kept walking, picking up my pace.

”Regan,” Her voice was sharp this time. ”Dont be an idiot, I just want to talk.”

I stopped short, turning to the car. ”Ive got cla.s.s. Well have to talk another time.”

”Get in.” The pa.s.senger side door opened and a man got out. He opened the back door for me, and Alessandra spoke from inside, ”Well take you to your next cla.s.s.”

The suited man stood with his hands clasped in front of him, watching me with a slight smile on his lips.

I took a step back and he took a big one forward, grabbing my elbow.

”Stoyt,” She lifted her finger with the command and the man dropped my arm. ”Leave her be. You dont want to talk, fine. I only thought you were interested in stepping up. My mistake.”

I stepped away from the large man at my side, but couldnt walk away. Her words circled me, and her smile held me. She knew something, and she wanted to tell, that much was clear in her eyes.

”Get in.”

17: Under My Skin.

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