Page 25 of The Billionaire's Baby
They were happy and chatty as they stepped out of the store, but the next person they ran into wiped the smile off Favian’s face.
“Favian, fancy seeing you on the streets.” Hillary’s voice soured his mood instantly.
“Hillary,” he acknowledged her coolly.
“Oh, poo, is that how you greet your sister?” she said a little too cheerfully.
He recognized the fakeness in her voice instantly. “That’s how I greet anyone who tries to fuck with my life.”
“Favian that was a mistake…” she began but then stopped abruptly and narrowed her eyes. “Why are the two of you coming out of La Petite? Oh, my God, did this little urchin convince you she’s pregnant with your child? Didn’t you have enough with Kim?”
“Oy, who do you think you’re calling an urchin, you incest-loving slut?” Adira said. The hormones made her sleepy and made her cry easily, but she also got pissed off quickly. “I have no reason to try and fake anything with Favian, while you seem to have no problem dropping your knickers for some cash. He’s your brother. Have some class.”
“Why you little… I’ll scratch your—”
“Hillary, get away from us now, right now,” Favian said between clenched teeth. He was trying so very hard to hold on to his temper and not throttle her in public.
“Favian, I’m sorry, but you have to see she’s playing you just like Kim,” Hillary pleaded.
“The only thing I see is the money you get from me going down the drain. Take care you don’t have to use your foul mouth in another way to make money to survive,” he said coldly.
His implication was clear and she gasped. Hillary’s face turned red and she moved past them quickly, not even looking back as she pushed through the crowd.
Adira looked up at him. “She is completely vile.”
“I agree. Let’s go home, darling. You need to rest,” Favian said.
Adira stopped him with a hand on his arm. “This baby is yours, Favian. I don’t know who Kim is or was, but if you’ve been burned and you need a paternity test I have no problem with that. If it will assure you then that’s fine with me.”
“I don’t want you to do that. I’ve read that amniocentesis can cause fetal injury and premature labor,” Favian said stubbornly. “I refuse to even consider it. I trust and believe in you and that’s final.”
“Do you want to tell me about Kim?” Adira asked quietly.
He pulled her close and kissed her temple as they walked. “Sometime soon, my darling, but not right now.”
“Okay, but I’m here, love, to talk whenever you’re ready.” Adira leaned against his shoulder.
That simple statement meant more to him than she realized. It felt good that Adira wouldn’t push at old wounds to see if the scars had healed. Favian loved her; he’d admitted it to himself long ago. Before, as a younger man, he’d have been impatient and declared his love for her right away. Now, he knew to wait, to make sure she understood how much she’d be cherished by him. She’d given him a precious gift, but more than that she was the biggest treasure of all.
* * * *
Adira looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She was naked and she ran her hands over the roundness of her stomach. She’d felt the little butterfly movements in her stomach and knew the little one was thriving. She couldn’t wait until Favian could feel it too, but for now those tiny little movements were just for her and she treasured them. Her breasts were fuller and her curves more lush.
Adira wondered if Favian would still find her sexy, the way he had on that first night. Which was the reason why she was in the bathroom looking at her nakedness in the mirror. She wanted to be with him again and was unsure of how he’d react. Months had passed since that first night. Had his desire for her waned or was his physical distance because of the baby? Another problem she had was that she had no clue how to read men. Inexperience was still the main aspect of her life.
“Okay, you little wimp. Go get your man. You see the care in his eyes. If he says no you can just move into another bedroom and live in there forever,” she said softly to her reflection. “There’s always London and Lynette. She could create me a whole new identity so I could get past the shame.”
She smiled thinking about her friend and how indignant she would be and how she would probably want to take her cricket bat to Favian’s head. She pulled on her robe and walked out into the master bedroom she shared with Favian. There were papers scattered across his side of the bed, and he was wearing his reading glasses. In her opinion, the glasses seemed to accentuate his good looks.
