Stricken Unveiled (Stricken Rock #2) (10 page)

He shrugs and hangs his head. “She must have
been hoping this would happen or she wouldn’t be pulling this
stunt. It’s sick. Plus we have to draw up paperwork to say what she
will divulge about each doctors visit to us and what she won’t.
It’s contractual and if she doesn’t follow her end of the bargain
it will be a breach of contract. I told them I wanted her to do an
amnio on the baby as soon as it’s allowed to be performed. That way
they can do a DNA test now and we can know for sure it’s his. But
the way her lawyer talked she’s not going to do it and we can’t
force her.” His voice is grim. Poor man!

“First off if Johnathan is paying for her
doctor’s visits she shouldn’t need a contract all for her medical
records. They should be available if he’s fitting the fucking bill.
So she doesn’t do the amnio, then what? We do a DNA in thirty four
more weeks when the baby is born? And what if on the very slight
chance it’s not Johnathan’s what happens then? He’s paid her all
this money and she just gets to keep it and the baby and move
forward in her life? That doesn’t seem right.” I shake my head in
disgust.

I am fucking livid. I can’t believe that
bitch would do this! Why? That’s the question I can’t understand. I
get money drives some people but I guess I can’t see it because I’m
not that type of person. I buy yoga pants from Walmart and shop at
thrift stores. Money is the last thing I am greedy over. Especially
if a child is involved.

“If on the slight chance the baby isn’t his?
Yes, he’ll have forked out thousand’s to her for nothing. We could
sue her but you can’t get blood out of a turnip and she’s a
waitress at a Denny’s. She has no ambition to move forward in life
and she sees this as her chance. I guess.”

Fuck! I’ve been standing around here for the
past ten minutes I’ve got five left to get dressed and head out.
“Well that’s wrong.” I state angrily, and tug on an emerald green
knee length rock-a-billy dress with a square cut neckline and my
silver flats. No heels today. I can tell by the way I’m feeling
I’ll be crying soon. I can’t risk falling with these little passion
fruits in my tummy.

We just pulled into Passages. The damn lineup
outside the black rod iron gate was ridiculous, there were over ten
different news crews, fans and other paparazzi. I’m sitting in the
back of a new bulletproof unmarked black suburban with dark tinted
windows. James picked it up this morning from the dealership Stacy
ordered it from. James is the one driving but next to him is
Johnathan’s new full-time bodyguard that James knows personally.
They served in the military together. His name is Xander Davis but
of course just like James is actually Calvin James. They just call
him Davis. He doesn’t look like James at all, he’s pale in
complexion, a homegrown corn fed farmer boy type with a southern
accent. He’s about six four an inch or two taller than James but
his body is leaner and more on the athletic side. His head is
closely shaven and dark. Not bad looking at all but defiantly not
as scary as James, or Johnathan for that matter. It’s got to be
weird working for a rocker who’s as tall and built as Johnathan
is.

`“You ready?” Stacy asks me offering his hand
across the aisle in the back. I take his hand into mine and he
offers me a gentle loving squeeze.

“No. I’m not.” I reply sadly, staring out the
window in a mental daze. Which is true. I don’t want to go in. I
spent the last ten minutes in the truck reapplying makeup that’s
going to smear off any second now. The closer we got to the
compound to pick up Johnathan the more my eyes would well up with
tears and I’ve been swiping them away so I don’t look like a
blotchy mess once we get inside. I have to be strong because I have
to allow enough time for the men to tell him what’s going on with
Cassandra. It’s hard, and for some reason sitting out front of this
building my heart is in more pain now that it’s ever been. It ached
when he was away and when he tore my heart out. But now it feels
like it’s been torn apart, ran over by a monster truck, ground in a
meat grinder and then tossed into the trash. And if that sounds
good to anybody they need a serious mental evaluation. I made sure
to take my vitamin this morning before we left but I’m afraid I
might throw it up. I wish I could have thought about that before I
took it. Now I might be forcing my babies to go a day without a
pill and I’ve only ever missed once since I found out I was
pregnant.

“Listen Em, you just have to go in with us to
sign him out. We will take care of the whole talk. You just wait in
the reception area or wherever. This is hard enough as it is and we
don’t need to get you the pregnant lady involved with the other
monstrosity that we are dealing with.” Stacy explains sweetly, his
hand still folded into mine.

“I know. But it’s hard enough as it is seeing
him.” I sniffle. Oh damnit! The tears are going to come. Shit!
Breathe Em, Breathe. I suck in a deep breath and hold it.

“I know babe.” He says leaning over the space
between our seats and kisses me on the cheek. His lips are warm and
comforting, just what I need right now.

“I’m going to open the door Emily. We’ll do
this together.” James says and gets out of the truck. Davis follows
and opens Stacy’s opposite mine.

My door opens wide. I can see the front of
Passages better now and I can’t see Johnathan yet but I know he’s
right inside that glassed front door. I haven’t spoken to him since
last Wednesday and I’m so nervous. Between my hearts aching, my
palms are sticky and on the verge of breaking down in a massive
crying spree. My lungs feel like I can’t get enough air. I know I’m
border lining an anxiety attack. Which if you’ve never experienced
one they are the furthest thing from fun.

“Come Emily.” James says offering me a hand.
I take it and step down out of the truck. Now I’m very happy I was
smart enough to wear flats. Being short and getting out of a
suburban in heels while pregnant would have been a disaster in the
making.

Stace and Davis are already on the stone
stairs waiting for us.

“Wait!” I stop right at the first step and
run my fingers through my hair and rub my face. I’m so damn
finicky.

“What’s up sweetie?” Stace comes down and
stands by my side slinging his arm over my shoulder.

“Why don’t you three go in and I’ll wait
right here until you get him into a room to tell him. I can’t look
at him now knowing what I know without losing it. I know as soon as
I see his face I’ll cry. My eyes are already burning with tears. So
please just go inside and send out an employee or somebody to stand
with me if you have to and they can walk me in once you are all
locked into a room.”

Stacy looks to James and then over to Davis.
They all give a manly nod.

“Okay.” Stacy says and kisses my temple. My
hands are shaking already. The pain in my chest is worsening. I can
barely breathe.

I stand on the rocks at the bottom of the
stairs. They all collectively walk up side by side. James holds
open the glass door and all three men duck into the facility.

This is not what I wanted to do with my
Monday. If I’d never started working for the band none of this
would have happened. Not involving me anyhow. Oh shut up Em! Get a
damn grip! I guess if there was no Johnathan then there would be no
baby A and baby B. Which now in my life I couldn’t live without.
They are the only things making me hold on. That and the fact that
I have the best support system on the entire planet. God! I’m
terrible. I have Stacy, my mom, my dad, James, and Claire. And who
does Johnathan have? No one except for us and the guys from the
band. He has no family. That’s not entirely true he has a sister
but apparently they aren’t close or talk at all. I shouldn’t be
this down when the only family Johnathan has is a sister who
doesn’t speak with him. I always wanted a sibling but my parents
tried and I’m the only one they got. Then Stace came along and I
got the brother I never had. But I will never be alone in my life
again. I will be a mom in March. I will have two babies to love and
care for and cherish. I will do the best mom I can to provide for
them and make sure they grow up to have the childhood I did. Not
like Johnathan’s or Stacy’s.

“Miss. Bronwyn they just moved him into a
room. You can come with me now.” I look up and see a dark haired
woman talking to me, dressed in all white scrubs.

“Okay great. Thanks.”

I slowly make my way up the stairs. Each step
is like another center block piled onto my already fragile
shoulders. Forcing myself up the short stairs and into the building
is taking me forever.

“It’s not far.” The woman says opening the
glass door for me to enter. The place is just how I remember it.
Luxury and five-star quality all the way around. Marble floors,
soothing colors and clean enough that I could eat off any surface.
The nurse is escorting me down a small hall that is lined with
doors. Each labeled ‘office’, ‘janitor’s closet’, ‘nurse’ and the
list flows on.

“They are right inside here.” She says waving
her hand towards a door labeled ‘meeting room three.’ “You’re
welcome to stand or there’s sitting area.” She points to a small
space with two beige couches and a few chairs. The coffee table in
the middle is littered with books and a waxy plant with long
waterfall arms that look like tentacles of an octopus.

“I’ll stand thank you.”

“As you wish. If you need anything I will be
down the hall.” She says, eyeing her location should I need
her.

I nod and she dismisses herself back to her
duties.

I lean against the wall next to the door. I
can hear mumbling inside but I can’t make out what’s being said.
Not that I want to.

Oh god! Why is this happening? Right now I
feel worse for him than I do myself. He is going to be stuck with
three damn kids. Going from none to one is enough. But three. Poor
man. I can only imagine the look on his face. He’s going to be hurt
and angry. Shit! He doesn’t need this from anyone, especially not
some one-night stand like me and Cassandra. Maybe I should quit and
move far far away. He wouldn’t have to deal with this at all. He
can go back to being sex god Johnathan Striker who fucks women and
sings for Stricken. I bet by the end of the day he’s going to wish
he could do that. Tell me that everything with me was a big mistake
even though he promised six weeks ago he was going to get clean and
try to be with me. That’s stuck with me a lot. Maybe that’s why the
pain hasn’t been that bad? Maybe I’ve come to realize that I want
that too? Fuck! I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore.
Neither does he, not after today at least. Why didn’t I make him
wear a condom? Why didn’t Cassandra make sure he pulled out or that
the condom was on right if he wore one at all? So many ‘why’s’ and
not a damn thing to show for them.

I rub my face. Tears are just starting to
trickle. I knew this was going to happen. The tightening in my
chest is worse and sweat is starting to form in tiny droplets on
the back of my neck. I should have worn my hair up. I wish I didn’t
have to come at all actually. But I’m the only one who can sign him
out. He should have had Stacy be his P.O.A, not me. I don’t deserve
it. I’ve been lying by omission to him for weeks. And I would
continue to do it forever if Deacon never found out. The rest of
those who know about the babies would never have ratted me out.
They love me too much to do that, even James. He and I have a
special bond. He’s like my attractive older brother.

I turn my head a little closer to the door.
The sounds are getting louder. The conversation inside must be
heating up. He has a temper so that doesn’t surprise me. Nothing
like ruining one of the best days he’s supposed to have. Isn’t
getting clean and leaving rehab supposed to be a jolly celebratory
day? Not today. Today’s the first day of the rest of Johnathan’s
miserable life walking into the unknown with sobriety under his
belt and soon to have three children.

“Fuck this shit.” I think I just hear coming
from the room. Then a “Calm down” somebody barks. “This is fucking
ridiculous Stacy!” I hear Johnathan roar plain as day.

My stomach clinches. I lean against the wall
allowing it to support my weight. My breathing accelerates. This is
not good for a pregnant woman. This is so not good for the babies.
Shit!

The door to the room fly’s open and crashes
into the meeting room. I freeze, holding my breath, warm tears
cascading down my cheeks from my swollen eyes.

“I don’t give a fuck Stacy! I already said
this is bullshit!”

“Johnathan I didn’t do this to you. I’m
trying to help.” I hear Stacy try to reason with him.

“Then make it go away!” Johnathan screeches
so loud it hurts my ears.

Oh fuck! Here it comes. The bawling. Shit! My
face scrunches up. I cover my face with my hands and I lose it into
my palms. Tears pour like a faucet. I pray he doesn’t see me.

Please Johnathan turn the corner and go the
other way.

I choke back a sob.

“Oh fuck!” Johnathan yells and I can feel his
gaze burning into me.

I can’t look. I can’t take my hands away from
my face! Not now. Not ever.

“What?” I hear Stacy say angrily and I can
hear him moving too.

I cough and the tears keep coming, my eyes
burning fiery hot. My chest is fighting for air. This can’t be
happening to me. Not now, not now!

“Oh shit. Emily what are you doing out here.
I thought you were going to wait elsewhere.” Stacy says softly.
He’s close but no one is touching me.

My body starts to quake and I slide down the
wall onto the floor. My heart is gone. My body is hurting. I can’t
believe this! Why me! Why does all this have to happen to me? I
can’t look at him. I can’t face him. Johnathan’s angry I can hear
his breathing over my cries.