Broken (Manhattan Ruthless Book 1)
Chapter 56

“Have you eaten today? Taken your vitamins?” Nathan asks.

I roll my eyes, sinking my head into my pillow as I hold my phone to my ear.

“I’m sorry,” he says with a heavy sigh before I can answer. “I’m not checking up on you, more like checking in on you.”

“I know you are.” It’s kind of adorable how he’s called me every morning and night since the scan two weeks ago. And I look forward to our chats way more than I probably should. What started as a check-in about my morning sickness and vitamins has turned into almost hour-long conversations where I run through my entire day. With Tyler out of town and Ash so busy with her studies, it’s nice to have someone to talk to. They’re the only ones who know about my pregnancy, and I won’t tell anyone else until after my sixteen-week scan. “And yes, I’ve eaten and taken all of my vitamins.”

“What did you have for dinner?” His tone has my toes curling with memories of how he would dominate my body. My skin flushes with heat.

“Um.” I press my lips together.

“Tell me you didn’t eat a jelly donut for dinner again, corazón?” That word slices a fresh welt in my heart, and tears prick at my eyes.

I blink them away and force out a laugh. “I did. Look, what baby wants, baby gets.”

“I’m going to start having a chef deliver your meals if you don’t start eating proper dinners.”

I lick my lips. That doesn’t sound at all unpleasant. “Like what type of meals?”

“Something nutritious. Like steak and dauphinoise potatoes, maybe?”

A hysterical laugh bubbles out of my lips, and he laughs too. “I made such a mess of your kitchen.”

“Hmm. You sure did.” His low growl turns my insides to jelly. Is he flirting with me?

I sit up, emboldened by unlocking this playful side of him again. “Hey, you know what I was reading about today?”

“What’s that?”

I take a deep breath. “How some pregnant women get super horny.”

He curses under his breath. “And are you?” The deep timbre of his voice makes heat sear between my thighs, and I clench them together. Well, I am now, Ice.

“Um. Kind of. Although I’m not sure that’s entirely due to the pregnancy or whether it’s remembering the dauphinoise incident.”

He hums, low and sexy. “That was some night, huh?” His tone is softer now, and it’s tinted with regret.

“It sure was.”

His voice drops another octave. “So what exactly are we going to do about this situation, Mel? I mean, as the baby’s father, I’m supposed to take care of all of your needs, aren’t I?”

Damn right. But before I can reply, a soft voice calls out in the background. “Nathan, we need to leave if we’re going to get there on time.” My breath stalls in my lungs like someone just punched me in the solar plexus. He has someone with him? “Who is that?”

He clears his throat. “She’s a colleague. We have a charity event to attend.”

“Together?”

“Yes, together.” He sounds exasperated now.

“Is she at your penthouse?”

“She’s an old family friend, Mel.”

So she is at his penthouse. I swallow down the giant sob that wells in my throat. God, I’m so stupid. Thinking he was flirting with me when he was getting ready for a date with another woman. I’m such an idiot. “Well, have a wonderful night,” I snap, before ending the call and tossing my phone onto the bed.

“Asshole!” I shout, wishing there was someone here to hear me.

“Ow!” I yell, sitting up in bed and clutching my abdomen.

I blink in the dark room, trying to get my bearings, and another sharp stabbing pain lances through me.

No, please not again! I reach between my thighs and feel the warm wet patch on my pajamas. Tears leak from my eyes, and I turn on the lamp to see the blood on my fingers. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. I did everything right. I took my vitamins. I didn’t stretch too high or carry anything heavy.

“I did everything right!” I scream into the darkness. Pain and anguish crash over me in a long, never-ending wave, pulling me under until I can’t breathe. Tears race down my cheeks, and I curl into a ball and sob, wrapping my arms around myself as I will my body not to betray me again.