Tagged & Ashed(38)

My heart slaps my throat.

“What? What the hell? What happened? Why the fuck didn’t you call me?”

“It’s not like that, sir. She um… it’s a female appointment. We’re at the um… gynecologist’s office.”

I almost want to laugh now. Poor Gary. I’m sure he feels sick to his stomach sitting in a waiting room full of women while he's forced to stared at diagrams of the female’s internal workings.

“Sorry, Gary. I’m just a little on edge right now. How’s she handling things?”

“She’s fine for now, sir. Her friend, Shannon, has been staying with her a great bit.”

“Shannon?” I ask curiously.

That’s a name I haven’t heard before. Who the hell is he?

“Yes, sir. Shannon Pierce. They’re very close. Billy Prize has been around, too. He’s supposed to be at the hotel later today. Should we be expecting a visit from you any time soon?”

I guess Billy got his foot back in the door.

“No. I’ll check in with you in a couple of days, via phone. Call me if anything happens.”

“Of course.”

As I hang up, my gaze turns to Dane briefly before dialing another number. Wren answers on the third ring, and I opt to bypass the hellos.

“Call your brother. I want to know who Shannon Pierce is.”

Dane smirks, seeming pleased with my sudden strike of jealously. I need a drink.



***

Ashiara



I walk out of the doctor’s office with tears in my eyes. This is ridiculous. I don’t know what to say or do right now. A gray and black blob of distorted imagery promises that my worst fears are true. A tiny but fast heartbeat brought me to tears and caused an internal war between my emotions. I'm still in shock. It's real now.

Shannon is the only one who knows I’m pregnant, and now I’m once again staring at a black and gray, almost unreadable picture that proves my life is about to change forever.

My heart thuds up to my throat, and Gary smiles as he walks over to hold the door open for me. I quickly push the picture into my purse, while slipping into the backseat. Gary takes the driver's seat and cranks the car, pulling away like he's my chauffeur.

Tomorrow, I’m supposed to go eat with the Prize family at Melanie's ocean home. I pray Tag isn’t there. Maybe he won’t be. I never saw him any other time before when I went there. Maybe it will just be Melanie, Billy, and me… like old times.

It was hard to forgive Billy, but when you're freaking out about being pregnant, and a crazy psycho is stalking you, then you tend to forget about a simple spat. I need my best friend right now.

Gary’s phone rings, and he tilts his head while looking at the number curiously.

“Hello?”

He pauses for a minute, and then his furious tone rings out as he shouts, “You listen here, you sick son of a bitch, when I find you, I’m going to pull your intestines out through your throat, and then I’m going to drown you in your own blood.”

The very vivid image causes my queasy stomach to churn and I can’t hold back the chunks that spew to the floor. Gary’s eyes widen as he turns to see me - puce and stinking up the car.

He swerves over to the curb, and then he ends the call with my stalker as he rushes around to help me out.

I throw up again, my eyes tearing up, and my heaving worsens on the sidewalk.

“Should I call the doctor back?” he worries.

“No, and don’t tell Tag Masters about this either.”





Chapter Eight



A Baby in Tow



Ashiara



“I hate you,” Shannon gripes as she stares at my protruding belly.

“Why? Because I got knocked up by a guy who doesn’t want to be a dad?” I hiss, my hormones proving uncontrollable as tears fall free from my eyes.

She doesn't acknowledge the waterworks she has become far too accustomed to.

“No. Because you’re seven months pregnant, and you look so frigging hot. It’s not fair. You can’t even tell you’re pregnant in that.”

Flowing material helps, but you can still see the bump if you pay attention.

“Well, I sure as hell feel pregnant. Not to mention, you can definitely tell I’m pregnant when I’m out of my clothes. You sure you don’t want to go to this benefit thing with me?” I ask hopefully.

“I wish I could, but I have to keep the shop together this weekend. You’ll be fine though. Billy will be there for you. Will Tag be there?”

“I sure as hell hope not. I couldn’t tell Melanie no though. With my parents off exploring the world, Melanie has been my savior. You and she are the only ones who know I’m pregnant.”

“Does she know it’s Tag’s little boy in there?” she asks curiously.