Free Stolen Fate by S. Nelson Page B

No.
    All three tests are staring back at me, taunting me with my new reality. They’re laughing at me, mocking me.
    Frightening me.
    I’m pregnant.
    Shit! There isn’t a damn thing I can do about it, either. If I was on the outside, I would find the money to take care of it. I’m realistic enough to know bringing a child into this fucked-up world is, by all rights, child abuse. I never want a child to grow up the way I did. To have those horrible things happen to him or her is unthinkable. Plus the fact I’m in no position to ever take care of a child. But here, behind these enclosed walls, I have no choice. He’s never going to let me go now. Once he finds out for sure it’s his child, and it is because I haven’t slept with anyone in quite some time, he’ll never release me. Not until after I give birth, anyway.
    I saw the look in his eyes last night when he was confessing to me about not being able to have children. There was a look of quiet desperation, as if he dared not even dream about the possibility. That the hope of something so unreachable was nothing but a waste of time.
    I know in my heart he’ll want this child, at any cost.
    My sporadic thought process is interrupted when the door opens and in steps crew-cut guy. While I still don’t know his name, I know exactly why he’s here, so I run to the bathroom to hide the evidence, even though I know it’s no use. I can’t flush them down the toilet.
    Can I?
    I think he knows exactly where my head is because he beats me to it. He crosses the threshold of the private room, collects the evidence and leaves, locking the door on his way out.
    He must pay his employees a lot to keep their mouths shut. Damn him. It’s the first time I despise the fact that he has money at his disposal.
    I pace back and forth all day, extending my nervousness well into the evening. I’m about to retire for the night when the door flings open, a pissed-off Drayden standing in the doorway.
    “Well, well, well. Look at what the all-wonderful Essie pulled off that no one else could. She went and caught herself the biggest prize of all.” He doesn’t move from the doorway; I don’t think he trusts himself enough to come in closer. “Are you satisfied?”
    Is he for real? How can he think I want this? Well, I can see how he would think it in all honesty, but still. This is the last thing I wanted to happen. “No!” I shout. “I never wanted this to happen. Ever!” I’m getting all worked up again, feeling my flesh start to heat. He must see it, too, because he comes right at me.
    “Calm the hell down, Essie,” he says curtly. “No dramatics are needed anymore. You got what you wanted.” He starts pacing back and forth, wearing a hole in the carpet. His hands are tucked into his suit pants, clenching to try and relieve some of his anger. His shirt sleeves are unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. Taking a better look at him, he seems all-over disheveled. I’m sure this news throws a wrench in his plans for me. I’m sure he was expecting all three tests to come back negative, only leaving him with the simple decision of what to do with me next. How to get me out of his life for good. Now, he’s stuck with me for at least the next nine months.
    “I don’t care if you believe me or not. But I didn’t want this. And besides, I didn’t force you to fuck me without a condom. You act like I’m the only one responsible here.”
    Well, that little statement gets quite the reaction from him. He stops pacing and shoots me some fierce daggers. “You tricked me, you bitch .” His blue eyes darken and his nostrils flare while the ticks of his jaw remind me of an uncontrollable spasm. The rapid expansion of his chest heaving in and out is also a clear indicator he’s beyond upset with me.
    Giving it a quick thought, I realize he had every right to say that. I did trick him. I tricked him into thinking I wanted him to force himself on me.