I squeeze his hand as tight as humanly possible, knowing damn well that it’s got to hurt. “Shut up, otherwise I'm going to take the damn thing and shove it up your ass so you know exactly what it feels like.”
“Noted,” he says. “Shutting up now.”
The doctor grunts as a sign telling us to shut the fuck up and concentrate on what’s going on. He moves the wand around and just as he promised, I feel pressure but nothing uncomfortable.
I see the small little blob on the monitor and assume that’s the baby, then get a little more certain when the doctor starts taking measurements.
Holy shit. That's my baby. That's a miniature version of Colton inside of me and for some reason, just a bit of the fear begins to fall away. This is real. It's actually happening and it’s time that I get on board and make sure this baby has every chance possible to grow healthy and strong, just like his or her daddy.
It takes a little while but eventually, the doctor pulls the wand out of me and asks Eli to leave the room to give me a chance to get dressed.
I’m going to be a mommy.
Fuck. I’m going to be someone’s mother.
I’m only seventeen. This is insane. I didn’t even picture myself having kids at thirty.
They both walk out and I jump down from the table to make myself decent again, having to clean myself up. I pull my pants back on and then take a seat, calling Eli and letting him know that I'm good for him to come back.
He does just that and explains that the doctor had gone to print out my results. A nervous silence falls through the room as we wait for the doctor to come back. Every few minutes Eli softly murmurs that I’m going to be okay, and even goes as far as offering to be my baby daddy if Colton was to run.
The doctor shows his face again and I take a deep breath. It’s time to get this over and done with so I can go home and work out how I’m going to break the news to Colton.
“Alright,” he says, handing me a small picture of the baby, one that I still struggle to make out. “Everything looked really good. Your baby is developing just as expected for seven weeks.”
Seven weeks?
Eli grins beside me, proud of the news while the doctor continues. “I’m going to need to see you regularly throughout your pregnancy, so on your way out, make sure to book another appointment for next month to check your progress.”
My mouth hangs open as I nod.
“Do you have any questions?”
I just stare at him.
Seven weeks.
“Okaaay,” Eli says slowly, taking my hand and trying to pull me up. “Let’s get out of here so you can go home and tell Carrington the good news.”
I gape at Eli, still struggling to understand what the doctor just told me as I mentally do the math. Seven weeks ago, Colton and I had nearly slept together, but we didn’t. We were interrupted when his father was found dead on his office desk. We were so close, but that only leaves one option, an option that I just can’t fathom.
“Seven weeks,” I breathe. “Colton and I haven’t been screwing for seven weeks.”
Realization dawns on his face. “What are you saying, Ocean?”
I swallow hard, beginning to panic. “Seven weeks ago was the masquerade party. The night that Jude …”
Realization dawns on his face and he instantly begins shaking his head. “No, it couldn’t be his. I was told he didn’t finish. The bastard didn’t fucking come in you. Your fucking rapist isn’t the father of this baby.” Eli shifts his gaze around to the doctor who sits there with his brows raised. “Is it possible? Could she be pregnant to a guy who didn't finish?”
The doctor presses his lips into a hard line, sensing this is a hard topic. “Yes, unfortunately, it’s possible. There is a slim chance that a woman can get pregnant when pre-ejaculation occurs. I’ve seen it happen many times.”
I shake my head, looking to Eli in panic. “I can’t … I can’t have Jude’s baby.”
“I know,” Eli says, pulling me up beside him and holding me close. “It’s okay. We’re going to figure this out. You’ll be okay.”
The doctor hands over some pamphlets and Eli reluctantly takes them. “There are options,” he tells me. “Have a read over these and give it a few days to really think about what you want to do. You don’t want to make any drastic decisions.”
I nod and thank him and within seconds, Eli has whisked me out of the doctor's office. He takes me out to the Audi and doesn’t takes his eyes from me, getting in the driver’s side and patiently waiting for me to make my way around and get in. “You don’t have to do this,” he tells me. “Just say the word and I’ll book the appointment.”
I shake my head. “I … I don't know. I need to think about this. It’s a baby, not leftover dinner that you either put away in the fridge or just throw out. I can't … I need to go home. I need to talk to Colton.”
“Are you sure?” he questions.
I nod, knowing that’s where I need to be.
“Alright,” he tells me, hitting the gas. We get back to his apartment and he jumps out of the Audi then waits as I get back in the driver's seat. “Drive carefully, okay,” he tells me. “You’ve got a lot on your mind and the last thing you want is to be getting in an accident.”
“I know,” I tell him. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“Wouldn't have it any other way,” he says.
I give him a tight smile, trying to forget the fact that I'm currently holding my rapist's baby inside of me. “Please don’t tell the guys. I’ll do it when I’m ready.”
“You have my word.”
With that, I hit the gas and take off up the road.
I’m having Jude’s baby.
How can this happen?
Tears form in my eyes and desperation takes over me. I need to get home. I need to talk to Colton and figure out what the hell I’m going to do. The pamphlets sit beside me on the passenger's seat and I can't help but rake my eyes over them.
There are options but I don’t know if I have it in me to go down that route.
What am I supposed to do? Have Colton raise a baby that isn’t his? No, I can’t ask that of him. I can’t ask anything of him.
I need to handle this myself.
Taking a deep breath, I turn the Audi around and within the space of three minutes, I bring the car to a stop, feeling the desperation completely overtake me.
Tears flow from my eyes and as I get out of the car, I realize just how fucking stupid this is but I can’t stop myself. I have to do this. I can't keep bringing Colton into my problems. He has enough of his own for now.
I step up in front of a heavy metal door and bang my fists against it three times, silently willing myself to stop crying. I hear the familiar sound of a heavy metal lock sliding out of place and chills run down my spine at how similar it sounded to when I unlocked Jude’s dungeon.
The door pulls open and an expectant Mikhail Russo stands before me, watching me through narrowed eyes with his wolves at his back. If he’s surprised to see me, he doesn’t show it. “What do you want, girl?”
I look up at him, hating that I’m here. “I need your help.”