Romance: SPORTS ROMANCE: The First Half (Bad Boy Alpha Male College Football Romance) (New Adult Contemporary Pregnancy Romance) (14 page)

After the hospital finally released me, I took a cab straight home to my apartment. It was there that I found a note on my door.

Assuming that the complex was just repaving the parking lot or repainting the buildings, I didn’t think the note could be serious. As I approached the door, I grabbed it and looked it over. What I read destroyed all the progress I had made lowering my stress levels. I could not believe it.

“Evicted?!” I exclaimed. “There’s
no
way.”

I checked the time on my cell phone’s home-screen. There was still an hour left before the leasing office closed, so if I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, it was likely that I could sort out whatever mess their mistake had made.

Out of breath, I rushed into the office and slammed the notice on the leasing manager’s desk. She cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes?” she asked, boredom evident in her tone. “May I help you?”

“Why am I getting evicted?” I asked. “There must be some kind of mistake—”

“No mistake, Miss Massey,” she interrupted. “You missed last month’s rent and this month’s rent. Missing two months in a row is grounds for an immediate eviction, which will be taking place—” She looked at the sheet. “—at 8AM tomorrow.”

“I-I can’t get all of my stuff out that quickly,” I said. “And my rent should be paid! My dad pays—”

“Daddy didn’t pay it the past two months. Perhaps because of your
situation?
” she interrupted, glancing at my small baby bump. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call a
paying
resident.”

She grabbed the phone and started dialing a number.

“You can’t just ignore me!” I yelled.

She shot me a glare.

“Watch me.”

Two suitcases. That was all I had. They were full of my favorite outfits, makeup, hair products, and some of my favorite books. I was not used to living on the bare minimum, but my situation was becoming more and more dire by the day. I no longer had the privilege to pretend I could live the same way that I had during my younger years. My father could only support me so much.

The fully decorated nursery was in my apartment, about to be raided, and it was this that drove me to do what I never wanted to do. I swallowed my pride and I went to Anthony’s.

I had never been to Anthony’s penthouse apartment, but it was in one of the most glamorous skyscrapers in the city. It glittered from the headlights of passing cars from the outside. A guard stood watch outside, just like at my father’s apartment building in New York City.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Excuse me! Does Anthony Aliosi live here?”

“I’m not permitted to say, ma’am,” the guard replied, raising an eyebrow.

He was so professional. That also reminded me of the guard in front of my dad’s apartment building.

“That’s a yes,” I replied with a small smile. “Could you maybe buzz him and tell him the mother of his child is here?”

The guard’s eyes widened.

“O-oh!” he exclaimed, looking down at my belly. “Of course, ma’am. It’s rainy. Let me help you with those suitcases.”

He quickly grabbed my suitcases and led me into the lobby. I smiled. For the first time, being pregnant was working in my favor. As I waited there, he ran to the front desk. They had a short exchange before he rushed back over to me.

“I’m afraid that Mr. Aliosi has stepped out,” he murmured. “If you don’t mind waiting here, we will see if we can get a hold of him. Is it an emergency regarding your baby?”

I gulped.

“Yes.”

He nodded, understandingly.

“We’ll do our best to try and get a hold of him, ma’am,” he replied.

Before he could even turn around, Anthony sauntered through the revolving door. On his arm was none other than the famous, gap-toothed Milani Cazenovia. I sucked on my teeth. Another night, another model. I don’t know what else I expected from Anthony Aliosi, but I had never been angrier.

“Is this your date?” I spat. “You went from
me
to
her?
”

Milani clutched onto his arm and looked down at my belly. I could see the scorn in her perfect hazel eyes. Part of me was jealous. I would do anything to switch places with her. I would do anything to be a model.

“Aren’t you a bit fat to be talking so lowly of others?” she purred. “Anthony, who is this trash?”

He gulped. I put my hand on my hip. I was pregnant with his child and homeless and he was bringing other women home. Perhaps I should have seen this fate from the very moment that I slept with him at the fashion show. Perhaps I should never have made that bet with Mia. I regretted everything.

“I’m pregnant, thanks,” I retorted. “With
his
kid.”

Anthony hung his head lowly and let out a sigh. It was clear that he didn’t intend on me finding out about his fling. Surely, he would send me to live on the streets.

“Okay, I can’t do this,” he muttered. “Milani, I’ll call you a cab.”

Her jaw dropped.

“Are you kidding me? You have a chance to sleep with a supermodel and you’re going to choose this—this
cow?
” she shouted. “I’ll call
myself
a cab. I don’t accept money from morons.”

Her two-thousand dollar wedges click-clacked all the way across the lobby.

She turned on her heel and added, “And the shoot is off! I will never do business with Hawthorne and Dale ever again!”

She stormed out, leaving me with the man that left me pregnant.

“So how did you find out where I lived?” he asked. “You can’t just show up here, Lillian. There are paparazzi! What if your dad found out?”

“Well, he’s already mad at me,” I muttered. “That’s kind of why I’m here.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Because your dad is mad? I’m not following. I’m not a therapist, Lilli.”

“I’m not asking you to fix my relationship with my dad,” I explained. “I-I’m asking for a place to stay.”

His eyes widened. After a moment, he took a deep breath and shook his head.

“Lilli… I’m sorry, but this just—this can’t happen. Your dad would
kill
me if he knew you were staying with me,” he said. “It’s too suspicious. I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“But I have nowhere else to go!”

He frowned and asked, “What about your apartment?”

“My dad stopped paying for it,” I murmured, my arms crossed. “That’s why I’m here. I got evicted.”

He closed his eyes.

“I see.”

“And the nursery is still in my apartment but they’re clearing everything out tomorrow morning. I’m going to lose it all,” I sobbed. “Please, just let me stay here so I can get back on my feet. I’ll keep working. I just—I need to find a place—”

“Okay, fine. Just stop crying,” he mumbled. “And don’t worry about the nursery. I’ll hire some movers. We’ll give them the keys. They’ll get everything over here tonight.”

I beamed at him.

“Really?” I asked. “But, all the moving companies are closed. I checked.”

He laughed a little.

“Money can accomplish great things, Lillian.”

Anthony didn’t let me sleep in his bed. Instead, he opened the door to the guest room and pursed his lips. It was a reminder that we could never be together. It was too risky.

“Your apartment is beautiful,” I whispered, running my fingers across the velvet duvet. “It would be a nice place to raise a baby.”

He sucked on his teeth and threw a large shirt at me.

“Goodnight, Lillian.”

With those words, he left me alone. He never returned.

The sun woke me up the next morning. I half-expected to wake up to Anthony, but I didn’t. I was clothed in the same oversized t-shirt he had given me the night before. Apparently, everything I thought had happened was just a dream. I cursed under my breath.

After a long stretch, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I could smell bacon and eggs sizzling in the kitchen.

I crossed my arms and walked down the hallway. I expected to see Anthony, but instead, I ran into a plump, middle-aged woman. She looked over at me. She didn’t seem surprised to see me. I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

“Where’s Anthony?” I asked, curious why there was another woman in the house while I was there. “Did he leave for work?”

“Mr. Anthony is still in his bedroom. He has big business meeting today. Need big breakfast.”

I nodded and let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t a mistress. She was
the
cook
.

After waiting on the couch for awhile, I finally heard Anthony emerge from his bedroom. I sat up and waved.

“Good morning!” I said, cheerily. “How’d you sleep?”

He looked me up and down, warily.

“Fine. How about you?”

“Fine,” I purred, getting to my feet. I approached him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “The baby is kicking.”

“Fascinating,” he murmured in a bored tone. “Look, I really have to eat and get to this meeting. Could you—”

“Take the day off!” I exclaimed. “Please?”

He sighed and shook his head. I knew that I had unrealistic expectations, but I needed to get to know the father of my child. Deep down, I wanted us to get along. At least my baby could know their father when they were born. That was really all that I wanted.

“Lillian, I can’t—”

“But you
can
,” I whined. “And I want to start thinking about baby names. I’d like you to be here for that.”

I really had no interest in thinking of baby names. It wasn’t like he was going to get a say in that anyway.

He looked down at my chest and gulped. I pouted and batted my lashes. If I couldn’t get my way by whining, perhaps I could get it by being cute.

“Well, I suppose if you’re naming the baby…”

“Oh, thank you!” I squealed. “We’re going to have the best day together!”

He smirked, and that was the moment I knew he wanted the same thing that I did.

“Oh, I’m sure we are.”

We never talked about baby names. Secretly, I was glad he never brought it up again.

The master bathroom was like a dream. As the hot water cascaded down my naked frame, I took in my surroundings. The shower was three times the size of any shower I’d ever seen—even in my father’s mansion.

Then, I heard the door open. My heart pounded as Anthony quietly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. While it should have seemed inappropriate, it didn’t. In fact, it felt right. Even as a modest woman, I was in touch with my sexuality. Deep down, I wanted him.

“Should you be in here?” I asked, unsurely. He always made me so nervous. “I’m naked. I-I don’t—is this appropriate?”

“You’re pregnant with my baby,” he muttered, “and I needed some cologne.”

My stomach was in knots. I wondered if the cologne was an excuse or if I had completely been imagining his attraction to me.

“Cologne? Trying to impress someone?”

“Just you,” he replied. “Towels are—”

I reached out of the shower and interrupted him.

“Already found them.”

I seized the towel and pulled back the curtain to dry my body. I don’t know why I wanted to hide myself, but I was afraid I wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the models he slept with so often.

Then, he said something that made my heart stop.

“You’re glowing,” he breathed. He took a step towards me. “Not just from being pregnant—it’s just your skin. Your youth. Your beauty. I guess I never got the chance to appreciate you… I-it was all so rushed before…”

He caressed my cheek and pulled me closer. When his lips hit mine, I came to the realization that I was not over him at all. I wanted him, and it seemed like he wanted me too.

“It doesn’t have to be rushed this time,” I whispered against his lips. “We can take it slow.”

I took his hand and ran it down my still-wet body. His fingers rubbed the edge of my womanhood and I let out a soft groan. We had never had time for the foreplay before. I’d had college boyfriends touch me in such a way, but never did it go any further, and they
certainly
never did it right.

“Let’s take it slow this time,” he murmured against my neck. “We’ll do it right.”

My eyes rolled back into my head. His mouth was pressed against my lower lips, moving in a way that I had never felt before. His tongue massaged the outer rim, leaving me with my fingers in his hair. I trembled as he brought me closer and closer to my first climax. Anthony was showing me things that I didn’t even know I could feel. It was amazing.

“I want it,” I whispered, running my fingers through his locks.

He kept moving his mouth as though he couldn’t feel me tugging.

I went on. “Can we just—”

“Of course,” he breathed, interrupting me. He came back up and kissed my lips. “You sure you’re ready again?”

I nodded and pulled him close to me. With my arms around his neck and him hovering above me, I knew that it was right. I had not made a mistake at the fashion show. Acted irrationally? Sure. But when it came down to it, I belonged with Anthony and he belonged with me.

“You got me pregnant. I think I can handle having sex with you.”

He laughed and rubbed the tip of his manhood against me. The friction between us had my head spinning. We had never had time to take it slow and do it right before. It felt so much better than the first time.

“Fair enough,” he murmured. He pressed it against me harder. “How’s that?”

“Further,” I whispered, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him closer to me. “I’m ready.”

He smiled and pushed it inside of me. His head lolled back as he explored the tightness between my legs. I let out a loud scream. The maid probably heard me from the living room.

“You feel amazing,” he moaned, moving inside of me. “I wish we could’ve done it like this before.”
“Me too. Oh Anthony!”

His hips moved in sync with mine. I groaned in pleasure and he seized my wrists. Usually, I wouldn’t like that kind of thing, but as he pinned me down to the bed and rode me, I suddenly understood. Mia had told me about this kind of sex. She was right. It was the best kind.

I squeezed my legs around his waist as he delved deeper inside of me. My eyes rolled back into my head and I sunk my nails into his back. I tried to pull them out, but the loud moan he let out told me that maybe he didn’t mind. His lips were on my neck and my vision was growing blurry. Every movement he made became sloppier and sloppier.

“I’m getting close,” he whispered in my ear, moving faster inside of me. “Together?”

I nodded and gritted my teeth. He moved faster and faster. Sloppier and sloppier. I could hear the friction between us, but then, I felt it. All of a sudden, my womanhood pulsed around him. My eyes widened as I let out a loud scream.

“That was…” I trailed off, my brain scrambled.

“Magical?” he finished, half-joking.

“Actually, yes,” I replied with a grin. “That’s a good word.”

The cook, whose name I learned was Camila, made us post-coitus lunch. She did not ask any questions about the noises that came from the bedroom, or why Anthony was staying home sick. She simply made us lunch and put it in front of us. The maid was just as courteous. She didn’t even make eye contact as I emerged in an oversized shirt. Anthony was in tow in just his boxers.

“What is this?” I asked, picking at the dish in front of me. “It’s delicious.”

I didn’t realize that food would taste so good after sex.

“No idea,” Anthony admitted, shoveling a spoonful of the ethnic dish into his mouth. “Camila makes it. I eat it. I don’t ask what it is.”

I laughed and took another bite.

“Fair enough.”

He smiled and after a few moments, he asked, “So are you having fun today?”

“Yes,” I replied, giving him a small smile. “I was thinking something, though.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah?” he asked. “What’s that?”

I bit my lip. He was
not
going to like what he was about to hear. I had to be honest, though. He had to know.

“I’m going to tell my dad.”

He furrowed his brow. He didn’t seem to understand.

“Tell him what?”

I raised my eyebrows. It should have been obvious.

“That the baby is yours!” I exclaimed. “Are you kidding, Anthony? Are you really that dense?”

He buried his face in his hands.

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

“Afraid?” I asked. “You
knew
we were going to have to tell him
someday
.”

He sighed and rubbed his temples. He was clearly in denial. I could never keep up the story about it belonging to an ex-boyfriend. Eventually, my father would want me to go looking for the father and we would have quite a mess on our hands. It was better to come clean. Anthony needed to understand that.

“Fine. But we’ll only tell him on one condition,” he finally said.

“And what’s that?”

I was skeptical. Anthony had been avoiding the issue ever since I first told him.

“I get to tell him myself. You can be there if you want, but I think it’s better if it comes from me. Your dad and I have a long history. I respect him enough to at least come clean. Like a man.”

I nodded.

“I can agree to that condition,” I replied. I took a sip of my margarita and added, “So when’re you gonna tell him?”

“Well, I guess I’ll tell him when he gets back from Tokyo. No reason to put it off, eh?”

I bit my lip.

“Good luck.”

Anthony chuckled.

“I just hope he doesn’t kill me.”