Making His Baby(115)

“You told me to smear our fake ass pictures all over the city. You don’t get to pretend you’re better than me.”

“I just wanted you to do your job.” Paxton is frustrated and I don’t understand why. “I knew you wouldn’t actually send them out. I know you gave a shit about this girl. But you were going to fuck over the entire firm if you fucked over David in this case.”

“That’s what this is about?” I stare at him, struggling to rectify the man I know versus the man talking. “You think I’m going to fuck over the firm, so you push me to do some dumb shit with the woman I was crazy about?”

“I knew you had a thing for her.”

“This is not the time to gloat, asshole. What do you know?” I narrow my eyes at him. “What have you been hiding from me? We are supposed to be boys, brothers.”

“David would sue the fuck out of us if he found out you were fucking his wife. And he would have a decent case against us. It was self-preservation.”

“You’re a real piece of shit, know that?”

“I think you should go.” Paxton opens his laptop and shuffles around some papers. “I’ve got trial in the morning.”

“I don’t give a shit.” I slam the lid of his laptop closed. “Paxton. Please. How is she?”

Paxton exhales slowly and checks his watch. He’s at war with himself for reasons I still can’t fucking comprehend. All I can think is she’s dying and panic starts to set in.

“David’s been harassing the fuck out of her. Threats, showing up at her place drunk, texting her at odd hours. A few weeks ago, he went over to her place and asked to talk over a drink. She went to get dressed to go out and came back to find him naked. She lost her shit over it, said she’d call the cops.”

David’s story. I knew it was bullshit. I knew it. I was so tied up with shit I didn’t give her enough credit. Christ.

“David showed me pictures of them fucking from that night.”

“That’s disturbing as hell. But different night. She slept with him once before mediation started, some sort of drunken-moment-of-weakness fuck, and he went nuts. I guess he was pissed she wouldn’t fuck him anymore. And then you put him on TV to tell some dumbass story about her wanting his nuts to get money.”

“You fucking told me—”

“I didn’t think you’d do shit. You were so up her ass, I thought you were a better goddamn person than that. I figured you’d just toss around some bullshit, a few harmless pictures she could easily deflect. I took plenty of shots that looked friendly if you ever fucking looked at them. Enough to protect the firm and her. But you were too goddamn busy thinking with your dick that you made a mess of all of it.”

I’m so shocked I don’t think I could come up with a comeback if I he paid me.

“Whatever. She’ll move on, you’ll find another bar whore to bang, and all this mess will end. Kate’s too good for your ass, anyway.”

“Did she really like me?”

“I am not getting involved in your stupid shit. Absolutely not.” Paxton reopen his laptop. “Bro, we can talk this shit out later, but I’ve really got court in the morning.”

“I’m not a monster, you know.” I find myself saying as I stand. “You could have fucking talked to me.”

“Aren’t you, though?” Paxton asks, staring me down. “Look at what you’ve done so far.”

Try as I might, I can’t come up with something to prove him wrong. So I leave.





CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR



KATE



Doctors’ offices are a special place of hell on any normal day, but my first OB appointment feels bigger and more awful. The office is bright and cheery, with home-improvement TV playing in the background and big bright peonies on all the flat surfaces. Bright, cheery and terrible.

Women with huge, bulging bellies surround us on all sides and half a dozen strollers fill all the walking spaces.

I’m hiding in a big hat, a scarf and dark sunglasses. As incognito as I can get in the summer heat. I can feel everyone watching me as I pass through, trying to figure out which LA body I fit.

Thank God I’m not an actress. This would be so much worse. Everyone memorizes their frames so they can easily identify them in the streets.

“This way.” The girl at the front desk motions me to follow her after she sees my license. “Private waiting room is back here.”

Best news I’ve heard all day.

“We’ll show you the private entrance when you leave so you can use it for the rest of your visits.” She smiles brightly and has a swishy ponytail. Everything about her is so cheery and bright, like babies are the best thing in her world. “Congratulations!”