Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 107823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
How could she be so fucking stupid?
That proved the sweet butts were so much smarter than her. They not only were on birth control, but they made the guys use wraps.
Though, most of the brotherhood would use them anyway for other reasons other than preventing babies. No convincing was needed.
“One of the nurses will come prepare you for your cast and once that’s done, I’ll be back with the orthopedic tech to get you squared away. We’ll get you fixed up in no time.”
The orthopedic tech couldn’t fix her biggest problem. And that, apparently, was not a broken arm.
She forced the lump in her throat down.
Trip would kill her if he found out.
Not just Trip.
Hell no. Trip wouldn’t be the only one pissed. But out of everyone, he’d be the most disappointed.
He’d also be the hardest to face.
No, that wasn’t right.
The hardest one to face would be the man whose DNA made up half of the uninvited guest clinging by its fingernails to her uterus.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck!
No, she couldn’t tell anyone. Not yet.
The doctor paused on his way out of her curtained area even though he looked ready to bolt. “Again, I’m sorry for the unexpected news.” He disappeared through the drawn curtains.
Tessa closed her eyes and whispered, “Me, too.”
Fuuuuuuuck.
“If you experience any cramping or any bleeding more than light spotting, immediately come back to the ER. Follow the doctor’s instructions for your arm. Make a follow-up with your OB/GYN as soon as possible and also an orthopedic doctor. If you have any pain, take acetaminophen. Don’t take ibuprofen or anything stronger. Those instructions and how to take care of your cast will be with your discharge papers. Wait here while I get those ready so we can get you out of here. I’m sure you’re ready to go home. It’s been a long night for you and your friend.”
She was more than ready. She wanted to go home, climb into bed and pull the covers over her head.
Once she was there, she was never leaving again.
As the nurse pushed her way out of the closed curtains, someone was pushing their way in.
She expected Trip. She’d only seen him for a few seconds before they wheeled her down for her ultrasound. They hadn’t had a chance to talk at that time but she could see by his expression he had a lot to say.
But the person squeezing through the curtain wasn’t Trip. It was Jemma.
Cage’s ol’ lady had dark half-circles under her eyes and wore a concerned expression. She stepped up to where Tessa sat, now dressed in her dirty clothes, on the edge of the hospital bed. Jem squeezed the shoulder of her unbroken arm. “You okay?”
That was a loaded question. Was she breathing? Yes. Was she okay? Far from it. “Where’s Dyna?”
“In the waiting room with Chris. She’s asleep right now in his arms and we didn’t want to disturb her since we woke her up in the middle of the night.” Jemma bugged her eyes out at Tessa.
“Sorry.”
“Not as much as Easy’s going to be, Tess.”
Tessa hadn’t arrived in Manning Grove yet the day Cage had gone a round with Judge and The Punisher. But Jemma had shown up in time to see the damage. She had also shown Tess a picture of Cage in only boxer shorts with all his bruises afterward.
It had been ugly and she did not wish that on anyone. “It’s not his fault.”
“What, the crash?”
“All of it.”
Jem released her shoulder and took a step back. “Chris said you’ve been sneaking out to meet him. That the two of you have been… hooking up. How did I miss it?”
The disappointment was thick in her voice but it proved Cage had kept her secret. At least until he no longer could.
“He told you that?”
“Did you want him to lie to me? It was bad enough I had to find out because of this. You could’ve died, Tess. Or been paralyzed. Or… hell, lost a damn limb. You don’t know how lucky you are that you only have a mild concussion and a broken arm. Nothing permanent.”
Nothing permanent.
Something potentially permanent was growing inside her.
Maybe Jemma could help her figure things out. Would she be understanding? “Jem…”
Jemma raised a single dark eyebrow in question.
Shit. She couldn’t tell Jem. If she did, it would become real. Right now it wasn’t and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. At least until she got to see Carly and could go over her choices. “Nothing.”
Plus, like the doctor said, the impact from the crash could still cause a miscarriage. She didn’t want everyone to get freaked out over a baby that might never come to be. It would only make everything worse.
Easy’s situation would already be bad enough. Add knocking up the president’s sister?
Trip would go on a rampage like Godzilla in an unsuspecting Japanese city. It would be Easy who suffered the most.