The Love Triangle(46)

“You pregnant, yes, definitely. I can’t wait to see how those grow.”



She shook her head, smiling. “You are impossible.”



“I know, but you love me.”



Dahlia paused. There was that word again, though they had never really said it directly to each other before. She wanted to, but was still unsure of it all. It was just too good to be true, but with his child inside of her, it was time to admit her true feelings. “I do.”



“I know. And you know I love you too, right?”



She nodded, her eyes burning with the wave of emotion. It was offhanded, but his eyes spoke louder than his words and she knew it was true. Dahlia had felt his love every day they were together and every night as he held her tight. Charles exuded his love to her in everything that he did and the sweet ways that he thought of her. It could be a flower picked as he walked up the driveway from the flower beds, or a quick text to tell her he missed her, Charles made her feel loved. If he showed their child even a tenth of that love, she knew he would be a good father as well.



Dahlia had teared up, her thoughts racing and his reaction taking away all of her worries and stress that had been weighing on her at work that day. She still hadn’t told anyone else the good news, or for James, the bad news. He had tried to contact her a few times since she got back from Vegas, but she was avoiding him at all costs. When he found out she was pregnant with an heir, he was not going to be happy.



“Do you want to get out of here?”



He nodded, signaling the waiter to bring the check. Charles figured she was having stomach issues, as most pregnant woman did. He just wanted to help her through it, strangely guilty of putting her in that position. She was quiet as they drove home and he let her have her silence. Charles had learned that though Dahlia could be quick to say exactly what was on her mind at times, there were other times that she was more inclined to just sit still and think. He liked that she took her time, but it was also unnerving.



“Are you okay?”



She patted his hand and assured him that she was. “Just a lot. Work is crazy and I am just happy to come home to you. All the rest will work itself out. Are you working tomorrow or do we have a day off to spend together?”



“I have to go in for a while, but I promise I will be home as soon as I can. A few have made comments that I'm always watching the clock.”



“Aww, well that makes me feel bad. What did you say?”



“I told him that if he had a wife like you, he would be rushing home just as quick.”



“You didn’t say that!”



“I did. Let’s just say they really want you to come in for the next office party.”



Dahlia was a little shocked, but also happy that he was proud of her and wanted to show her off. They got home and though she was feeling better, Charles suggested they watch a movie instead of the vigorous lovemaking he had been thinking about all day. He held her against him as they watched her favorite movie. His touch was like fire or Nyquil and she was quickly falling asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear.

***

Charles was distracted the next day. He couldn’t stop thinking about Dahlia and their baby. Every time he said it in his head, it still felt strange and a little jarring. He was going to be a father.



Charles was blank-faced and staring off into the distance, when Stacy walked into his office. She didn’t knock, just barged in and shut the door hard behind her. He came to from his thoughts and looked up at her with startled eyes. “What are you doing here, Stacy? I thought I made it clear that we needed to cool off now. I'm married.”



“Oh, Charles. How long do you really think she is going to keep you busy? It has been what, two or three weeks. You will tire of her and I just wanted to let you know that I may not be there waiting for you if you keep ignoring me.”



He sighed, sitting up as she hovered over him. Her blonde hair was pulled back how he liked it and he knew that she knew. Stacy was a beautiful, but highly manipulative woman. She had been a challenge, much like many of the other women he had dated. There was no love between them, but he did care and did not want to hurt her feelings. But the fact was that he was married changed everything. While he originally thought we would be ok having a mistress since his marriage started out a sham, now that he knew he loved Dahlia there was no way that would happen.



“Look, I just want to make a real go of it, Stacy.”



She pushed the blonde strand back that had escaped her high ponytail. “I don’t get it. When you told me about it, you acted like it wasn’t going to change anything and now you want to make a ‘go’ of it?”



Charles tried to think of a way to say it without offending her. “I hadn’t met her yet and things changed, that’s all, Stacy. You deserve better than just being my side chick when I get unhappy with my marriage.”



“You’re right. I do deserve better, but I wonder what has changed your mind?”



“I love her.”



He spoke the words softly, but it did nothing to temper the reaction in her own face. They had fooled around for over a year and in a couple of weeks, he was in love? That fact hurt more than his refusal to answer her calls anymore. She had gone down to his office with the intentions on fixing things between them. Stacy had never met another man like him and she missed the way he dominated her in the bedroom. He was the best she had ever had and she was not ready to give that up over a silly Vegas wedding.



“Don’t you miss me, Charles?” She bent down and her hands went to his pants, dying to unleash what she missed most.



“Stop, Stacy, we can’t.” He pushed her hands away and she gave him a deadly look.



“What is it, Charles, that you don’t want me anymore? I will do anything you want, anything.”



His noise crinkled at the desperation that laced her voice. She was begging to suck him, her hands battling his to get to her pants. “Stop, Stacy, she’s pregnant and I love her. Shouldn’t that be enough? I’m sorry, but I can’t see you anymore, especially if this is how you're going to act.”



He pushed back from his desk and stood up, walking to the door. “How can she be pregnant already? I bet she was already knocked up before you got married. Seems kind of fishy, doesn’t it?”



“Only in your mind, Stacy. Stay out of my office unless you are called in and don’t call me anymore. If I have any more business with Jacob, I will make sure to have him send out another partner.”



She didn’t say another word, storming towards the door that he held open for her. It was his lack of caring that bothered her most. He honestly didn’t care that she was leaving, nor did he ache for her the way she did for him. Stacy left with a smile on her face, though it was the malicious type that never actually reached her eyes.





Chapter 11





Dahlia had her own worries. A month into the pregnancy, she was still getting morning sickness and though she loved sex in the morning, she wasn’t able to for a time. Charles would whine, but he was more or less understanding. They went to their first doctor’s appointment and though she thought he wouldn’t go, he volunteered. He wanted to do everything together and when she saw his face with the sound of the heartbeat, she almost melted. Her happiness was cut short though by a lawsuit started by her brother James. He wanted to fight the legitimacy of the marriage, as well as the will itself. He was trying to argue that their father was not of sound mind and she was not either, for agreeing to such crazy terms.



She finally called him and he actually seemed surprised to get the call. “Hey, big brother. How are you?”



“I see you got served, but why are you calling instead of old Alfred?”



“I want to talk this out. We can’t keep fighting over it. It's just money, James, and we both have plenty of it. Daddy did what he did for a reason, but I don’t think it was to punish you. He knew that you had to live free. He didn’t understand it, but it is what it is. I don’t want to fight anymore. You're the only family that I have left.”



There was a silence that stretched out for what seemed like forever. She had never addressed the will and Dahlia thought that it was a fine time to. They had been fighting for too long and with the baby growing inside of her, she wanted him/her to know her uncle. With very little of her family left, save for a few distant relatives in other states, James was all she had. There would always be a tension from their past, but Dahlia had convinced herself that it was possible to get past it. If only for the sake of her unborn child, family was important.



“I will meet with you, Dahlia. You sound different. What has changed?”



“I just realized how important family really is and how little we have left. I got married without any family there and now I'm pregnant without any family for my future child.”



She heard him hiss on the other side and she cursed her big mouth. It was like a flood gate, but the pregnancy was something that she had not been ready to discuss and by the sound of him, he wasn’t ready to either.



“You're pregnant?”



“Yeah, about a month.”