I can’t bring myself to get off the sofa, but the room has a chill. So I search for a throw, but Seth doesn’t have one. I decide I should hire movers tomorrow as I stare at the flowers on the coffee table that obstruct my view of the fire. The first batch I received are beautiful. The size of the bouquet is ridiculous. But damn are they beautiful. There’s a mix of white and pink flowers but what really makes it are the pale blue velvet leaves. I keep wanting to touch them. They’re soft and feminine and smell divine. They’re the only feminine touch in this place.
I’m busy tallying a list in my head of everything to do tomorrow so I can square it away and make a new list for the baby when I drift off, my hand on my stomach.
Sleep doesn’t last long though, because of my phone ringing. I leave it out in the kitchen so I can sleep easy and of course I’d fall asleep here, early in the morning to be woken up at 7:00 a.m. I hustle to the phone charging on the counter and nearly trip from my sleep-induced gracelessness.
“Hello?” I answer it after taking a deep breath. It’s the hospital. No more waiting. It’s time to move forward.
As she speaks, I keep my eyes closed. “Miss Roth, it’s Doctor Tabor?”
“Yes, I remember,” I say and my voice is even and calm. “I apologize for leaving so abruptly. I—” Before I can spit out an excuse, she stops me.
“This is not my first time, Miss Roth. I understand it can be a lot to take on. I do have to stress though, that decisions need to be made. You are very high on the list and without the transplant, I’m not sure you’d be able to successfully deliver.”
“So I need a C-section?”
“Yes, we can schedule one for eighteen weeks from now, but if a heart becomes available before then—”
“Eighteen weeks? I’m sorry, but no.” I’m suddenly very awake. My hand on my belly, I start pacing and ask, “How could we deliver him so early?” I only catch that I say him after I’ve said it. The baby could be a her, but those semantics aren’t important right now. Eighteen weeks? My baby would die. “I can’t be more than a month along,” I stress, swallowing harshly and waiting for an answer in the silence.
“You are far more than a month along, Miss Roth.” The doctor is so sure of herself and I find myself shaking my head, my eyes closed as I brace myself against the counter.
“Due to the high levels of hormones, we estimate that you’re roughly twenty weeks pregnant given the results from your initial blood taken. We could have confirmed it with an ultrasound, but since you left, we were able to confirm with the additional blood drawn at your last visit. The hormones confirm it. Roughly twenty weeks pregnant. I do need that ultrasound though, Miss Roth.”
“Twenty weeks,” I barely speak.
“I assure you, at thirty-eight weeks pregnant, your baby will be healthy. What I need to know is what the protocol will be if a heart is available before then, and Miss Roth, I need to give you my professional opinion. You should accept the heart.”
The memories come back in a rush, starting with the missed appointment. The phone call from Bethany about her sister. “I was on my way in, but a friend needed me.” That was months ago. Five months ago. I missed my birth control appointment five months ago. Next month I would have gotten the alert for the six-month shot. How could I have been so reckless?
I feel faint. I’ve only been with Seth for a handful of weeks. Almost a month.
“Twenty weeks?” I speak louder and again the doctor keeps talking. She doesn’t understand apparently that I can’t listen, I can’t even think straight, let alone comprehend what she’s saying. Twenty weeks is five months pregnant.
Conception happened before Seth.
Oh my God.
The baby isn’t Seth’s.
“I can’t breathe.”
Seth and Laura’s story isn’t over just yet. Their story concludes with Easy to Fall.
Click HERE to read Easy to Fall.
There are many moving parts in this whole world. If you haven’t read Carter’s saga, starting with Merciless, I highly suggest you do that now. His story is just as intense and a tale that will stay with me forever. I hope these words stay with you as well. Keep reading for a sneak peek!
Here’s to love stories keeping our hearts beating.
The timeline of the Merciless world is as follows:
Sebastian’s story: A Kiss to Tell, A Kiss To Keep (an extended epilogue)
Daniel’s story: Possessive
Carter’s story: The Merciless Series (Merciless, Heartless, Breathless , Endless )
Jase’s story: Irresistible Attraction Trilogy (A Single Glance, A Single Kiss & A Single Touch)
Seth’s story: Hard to Love, Desperate to Touch, Tempted to Kiss & Easy to Fall
Marcus’ story: Coming Summer 2020
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Sneak Peek at Merciless
From USA Today bestselling author W Winters comes a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense.
I should’ve known she would ruin me the moment I saw her.
Women like her are made to destroy men like me.
I couldn’t resist her though.
Given to me to start a war; I was too eager to accept.
But I didn’t know what she’d do to me. That she would change everything.
She sees through me in a way no one else ever has.
Her innocence and vulnerability make me weak for her and I hate it.
I know better than to give in to temptation.
A ruthless man doesn’t let a soul close to him.
A cold-hearted man doesn’t risk anything for anyone.
A powerful man with a beautiful woman at his mercy … he doesn’t fall for her.
Chapter 1
Carter
War is coming.
It’s something I’ve known for over two years.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
My jaw ticks in time with the skin over my knuckles turning white as my fist clenches tighter. The tension in my stiff shoulders rises and I have to remind myself to breathe in deep and let the strain of it all go away.
Tick. Tock. It’s the only sound echoing off the walls of my office and with each passing of the pendulum the anger grows.
It’s always like this before I go to a meet. This one in particular sends a thrill through my blood, the adrenaline pumping harder with each passing minute.