Page 47 of Good Girls Like it Dirty
Chapter Fifteen
Zaine dragged himself out of bed. Emma had asked if she could use his pool, since her boyfriend was at work and she had the day off. He’d told her yes, but now, he wished he hadn’t.
He didn’t want to socialize or talk much. In the past weeks, he’d focused on working, but suddenly doing what he loved and drawing a project for the hospital based on the details Lara had given him wasn’t enough. He needed more… He needed Monique.
Ashley had proposed couples therapy and called him every day. He had been adamant about the end of their marriage. Maybe he’d fail his own son or daughter, but he couldn’t stay in a loveless marriage. He’d always done the dutiful thing, and now, although the idea of having a baby gave him hope for the future, the idea of remaining in a failing marriage did not. He’d be the best parent he could be, and if need be, he’d fight for shared custody.
The doorbell rang, and he wrapped himself in a black robe and walked down the stairs. He seriously had to give Emma a spare key sometime. He opened the door to find Ashley holding a couple of reusable bags.
She lifted them up. “Hey. Just thought I’d say hi.”
In the middle of the day?That wasn’t her style. He scratched his head, confused. Hell, when they’d been married she often arrived home later than he did. And she used a service for groceries so she didn’t waste time going to the store.
“I stopped by the farmer’s market and got some fruits and vegetables,” she said, setting the bags on the kitchen counter and removing the items she’d bought.
He thrust his fingers into his hair. Shit. No wonder Monique didn’t want to be a part of this fucking mess. How the hell did he explain to Ashley she shouldn’t be parading around his house and putting crap in his cupboards when she no longer lived there?
“I was thinking we could go for a hike later, if you don’t have any plans,” she offered. During the past weeks, she’d use any excuse to call and invite him to do things. While he had to keep in touch with her because of the baby, he’d been honest from the start about their status quo. She must have sensed his discomfort, for he shrugged and she said, “I need to use the restroom. Be right back.”
She headed to the bathroom, and a second later, her cell phone beeped. He ignored it, but it seemed it was a text message, and it beeped again. And again. Maybe if he swiped the message as read, he’d make that annoying sound stop. It was probably work related, anyway.
Zaine grabbed the phone and when he was about to click on the message, something caught his attention. The last picture looked exactly like the baby sonogram photo she’d shown him. Strange.
He tapped on the screen, zooming on the image, his body tensing up. On the bottom, instead of her name, it said Michaela Williams. The name of her assistant, who happened to be pregnant. Anger filled his chest, knotting his heart for an instant. When his heart beat again, it set a violent pace, and he growled. What the fuck? She’d told him she didn’t have any upcoming doctor’s appointments, and that the next one would be at twenty weeks.
What did he know about pregnancies? Sure, Megan had a baby, but her husband had been the one going with her to appointments, rightfully so. And now… Zaine pinched the bridge of his nose. Realization dawned on him, merciless like a freezing shower in winter. There’s no baby.
Fuck. He’d lost his twin brother, lost Monique, and now lost the baby he always wanted but never had. Somehow, all those three losses connected in his soul. Zachary would have loved Monique, the right woman, to mother his child. And a baby would have been the perfect miracle.
“Are you sure about not coming for a hike?” Ashley said, walking back into the kitchen. “I thought we could go and get a workout then grab a bite to eat.”
He lifted her cell phone with the image of the baby sonogram exposed. “You’re not pregnant,” he said.
Ashley’s smile died on her lips. Her eyebrows reached her hairline, and guilt washed over her expression, her eyes darkening. “Listen, I-I can explain.”
“Explain? You lied to me. What the hell?” You made me lose Monique.
Ashley smoothed her hand over her loose shirt. Why hadn’t he noticed it sooner? He’d imagined the reason why she’d favored larger tops had been because she’d gained weight in her belly and felt self-conscious. Now… His heart throbbed in his throat, his entire body pulsating with resentment.
“Calm down. I’ll explain.” She walked up to him, but he stepped back, sure his angry expression kept her at arm’s length. “I was pregnant when I left. That part isn’t a lie… I can prove it to you if you’d like. I lost the baby after four weeks, but I kept thinking, what if the baby had made it?”
Zaine shook his head, curling his fingers into a ball. Maybe she was telling him the truth now, but it no longer mattered. “Why this entire circus?” he said, pointing at the big reusable bags filled with fruits. “You’re not the domestic type. Why are you trying to be someone you’re not?”
She folded her arms. “Because I thought we were done, then I started to hear about you and that girl. You took her to Hawaii to meet Lara. I knew then she must mean something to you, and I changed my mind. So I thought a little white lie about the baby would get you to see I’m a better fit for you.”
“A little white lie?” he shouted. “You’re insane.” If he hadn’t found out the truth, how much longer would she have pulled this crap? At some point, she’d run out of excuses and he’d wake up and realize he’d been fooled.
Tears streamed from her eyes, and she grabbed a tissue from the counter and wiped them off. Maybe they were real, but at this point, he no longer cared if she regretted her actions or not. Ashley didn’t need his forgiveness; she needed therapy. “I was going to get pregnant again, actually. I mean it. That was my plan, so you didn’t have to find out right away. I’d tell you the truth later, after confirming the pregnancy. But you didn’t want to sleep with me,” she added.
No wonder she’d been trying to warm up to him lately. “I’ve heard enough. Get out.”
She composed herself, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She walked up to him, her lips twisting into a mocking smile. “Don’t forget what’s at stake, Zaine. We can be a good team together again. All you need to do is forget about the help. If you shun me, I can tell Lara…and she won’t like what she’ll hear,” she said, lifting her chin. And the same woman who pouted at him on his balcony several weeks ago returned. He hadn’t completely bought her newfound sweet side, and this confirmed his suspicion. “I happen to have formed a friendship with her.”
So have I. “You really think Lara is going to break a contract with me, after I offered to work for free, because of petty shit? Please. I don’t need your manipulation. Out.” He raised his voice, confident in his decision. “Now.”
…
“Flight 8765 non-stop to Paris?” the ticketing agent asked.
