The Struggle(94)

“Tell me about it,” Luke said, motioning Colin to follow him. “Let’s go make sure Deacon hasn’t traumatized Cora.”

“More than you all did when you kidnapped her?” Colin clapped a hand down on my shoulder as he passed me by.

“Look, it wasn’t really kidnapping.” Luke opened the door. “It was more like witness relocation against her will. Totally different.”

Their conversation was cut off as the door closed behind them. Alex raised her brows. “How much do you want to bet they’ll have that girl rocking in a corner somewhere?”

“Or marathoning Supernatural. There’s no in-between.”

Alex laughed. “True.” Her eyes squinted as she looked up at the fading sun. “So, what did you need to talk to me about?” Concern briefly flickered across her face. “You haven’t heard from Seth—”

“No. Nothing like that.” My stomach dipped as I glanced at the doors. “Can we walk and talk?”

“Sure.” Curiosity now filled her gaze.

I kept my arms crossed as we walked off the wide steps and started along the incredibly impressive marble walkway. The amount of money they had to have spent just to lay the pathways on the campus could probably have fed a small country.

Several knots had formed in my belly. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to have to say these words. Especially to someone who had more than once made out with the guy who could possibly be my baby’s daddy. Granted, I’d moved way past having a problem with that, but still—awkward. I just didn’t know who else to go to.

“Josie?” Her quiet voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “You’re starting to worry me.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. It’s just that . . .” I took a deep breath and pulled my big-girl undies up. “Do you know where I could get a . . . a pregnancy test?”

Alex tripped over her own feet. Throwing out a hand, she caught my arm before she went face-first into the pathway. Her wide-eyed gaze swung in my direction as she straightened. “Um. I . . . Wait. What?”

Cheeks burning a thousand shades of red, I glanced around. No one was near us. “I think . . . I think I might be pregnant.”

Her lips parted, forming a complete circle. Several seconds passed while she looked like a fish out of water.

I started to get super uncomfortable.

Alex seemed to recover, blinking once and then twice. “I’m sorry. That just totally caught me off-guard. Was not expecting that.”

“You and me both.” Lifting a hand, I pushed the hair out of my face. “I mean, we used protection except for that one time and I . . . Well, I don’t know if I’m just being crazy or what.”

Alex faced me. “I’m assuming you have real reasons to suspect the whole pregnancy thing?”

I nodded, deciding I really didn’t want to get into the whole Cora thing. “I just need to know if I am or not. Do you know if there is any way to get one here?”

“You’d have to go to the infirmary to get one.”

I cringed. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.” A look of sympathy crossed her face. “They don’t sell the tests in the stores here because they like to keep track of who’s getting pregnant. Completely barbaric and an embarrassing violation of privacy, but unless we can leave here—which wouldn’t be smart—you’d have to get one done in the infirmary.”

“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” I murmured under my breath.

Alex squeezed my arm. “Do you want to go now? I’ll go with you.”

What other choice did I have? Resigning myself to what I had to do, I sighed. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

She smiled tightly and then we started walking again, this time back toward the main buildings. “It would make sense.”

I glanced at her.

“You being sick,” she explained. “Maybe it’s not just the bands on your wrists.”

Feeling like I just might pass out, I was silent for a couple of minutes. “I just . . . I don’t know how I could be after what went down with Hyperion.”

Her sharp gaze found mine as we neared the square, one-story building that housed some of the training rooms and several nursing stations.

I looked away, focusing on the bronze-colored double doors ahead. “I fought him,” I said, pushing past the messy knot forming in the back of my throat. “I fought back and I . . . I didn’t win those fights.”

“I get it.” Alex reached down and took my hand, squeezing it. “I get what you’re saying.”

Wetness rushed my eyes and I blinked it away. “So I’m probably just overreacting.”