Grady (The McCade Dragon #3)(8)

 

"Of course you're going to do it, Harper. You will because this is what I want. We want you to carry our child for us. Like I said, it's not like you have anything else to do with your time." Harper had just stared at them. "You will have to have better living arrangements, starting now, of course. Your house is nice enough, but it's in a terrible neighborhood. And we'll ensure that you have the best of care when you finally get pregnant. Eat better too. No more coffee for you. I have a list of things that you're going to have to give up, and I've ordered you some exercise equipment that you'll use on this schedule that I've-"

 

"Wait. I'm not going to have your child. I mean, thanks, but no thanks. I have things I want to do for myself, and being your surrogate isn't going to happen. There is no way I'm going to give up the next year of my life for you to have a kid, Winnie. No way. You can't possibly be serious about this." Winnie asked her what she was talking about, she'd explained it all and Harper would do it. As if her having their child was a done deal. "I'm not going to do this, Winnie. I have no idea why you'd think I'd even consider this. I have things to do as well. I just don't understand why you'd even think...? You know what, I don't fucking care. No, I'm not going to do this for you. You want a child, then you carry it. Or go find some other idiot to do it for you."

 

"I can't have a child." She had been moving to the door and her sister's words stopped her. "I can't have children. Not with the way my life is going right now. I'm on top of the world, Harper. I thought you'd be happy for me … for Jake and me. I don't understand why you'd not think that you're going to do this for us. We'd make sure you have care and money. Is that what this is all about? You need more money?"

 

"No, I have money. Enough for me. But there isn't enough cash in the world for me to get with your idiotic idea. You don't even like me." Winnie didn't even try and deny it, she only shrugged. "Why, Winnie? Why are you doing this? You can't want a baby in your home to mess things up for you. Do you have any idea how much work it is going to be?"

 

"Yes. I've done research. And I don't know what you're so upset about. I practically raised you." Harper just laughed. "Well, I did see that you were put in a good home when Mom died."  

 

"You did at that. And had I not learned a few lessons in protecting myself from Billy Target that lived down the street, I'd be dead by now. So thank you for that." Her sister huffed at her. "I'm not going to do it, Winnie. Go and find someone else to carry your child."

 

As far as she was concerned the matter was closed. Winnie would either find herself another woman to do this for her or she'd do it herself. Then five days later, when she'd been coming out of her home to go to the grocery, Harper had been hit from behind and taken someplace. A hospital, Harper thought, but she was wrong, so very wrong.

 

Her sister had set her up. Winnie had decided that she was going to carry her child no matter what Harper felt about the entire thing. Winnie had not only arranged for her to be hurt, but kidnapped, taken to a remote place, and then tested, monitored, and probed for two months until the timing was right for her to carry their child. Then in no time at all, Harper was impregnated with Jake's kid and getting larger with it every day. That had been almost eight months ago.

 

The knock at the door startled her out of her memories. Harper didn't know anyone here, hadn't ordered any food as yet, and was pretty sure that the guy who had tried to get into her room wouldn't be back. Not to mention, he certainly wouldn't be knocking. Not after what she'd done to him.

 

Going to the door, she looked through the peephole and wasn't surprised to see that not only was it next to impossible to make the man out, there also wasn't any light outside the door where she could see him.

 

They're the men I was telling you about. Harper nearly fell back from the door when the fucking dragon, or whatever he was, spoke to her. Lord Kenton is a doctor, and he can see to you.

 

"See to me? What does that mean? In the event you've not noticed when raping my mind, I'm not really into trusting a doctor right now." He told her that he was a good man. "Yes, I'm sure you might think he is, but I'm still not going to let him in. If it's all the same to you, I've had enough visitors today to last me for the rest of my life." Then she heard laughter on the other side of the door.

 

"Miss Bailey? My name is Kenton McCade. I'm a doctor. My brother, Grady, is here with me. We've been told you've been hurt, and we've come a long way to see if we can help you." She looked at her arm that was still bleeding. "I can smell it, the blood. And it smells like you've lost a lot of it. Can you please let us in? Your neighbors are starting to come out to look at us."