The Merger

by Loni Ree

  Between stress and hormones, his anger is the last straw, and I burst into tears. “I didn’t know they would make Madison replace me. I never planned to screw anyone over, especially not you or Madison. You have to believe me. I'm so sorry…”

  The jerk hangs up on me mid-sentence. As overwhelmed as I am, I tell myself to be strong for my baby.

  19

  Lucy

  Drew calls soon after I get home and asks me to meet him at Bradley’s house since he doesn't want anyone to overhear our conversation. He’s waiting in the living room when I arrive and doesn’t even wait for me to sit down before he starts in on me.

  “Blake got back from California last night, and you’re going to have to tell him about the baby right away. He’s been my best friend for many years, and I refuse to keep a secret from him.”

  Drew gets up and pours himself a drink before he continues. “Since he returned to the office this morning, he's been a fucking asshole, and I assume you’re to blame. My staff is begging for me to send him out on another job because of his attitude.”

  Laying my head back on the sofa, I stare at the ceiling. “First of all, you can’t blame me for his personality. Second, I never planned to keep this from him. He broke up with me, and since then, I’ve been dealing with a shit show. I wanted the situation resolved with Lukas and Steele Co. first.”

  I watch as he runs his hand down his face and sighs. “We need this fucking resolved. That kid is coming. I expect you to call him soon.”

  “I’ll try to reach Blake as soon as possible.” I sit up straight so I don’t fall asleep in the middle of our conversation. The exhaustion is starting to catch up with me.

  Drew shakes his head and sighs again. “I’ll let him know that he needs to call you if I talk to him first.” Drew rises, indicating that the conversation’s over. He’s the least sociable person I know.

  “Thanks, Uncle Drew. I know you’ve been thrust into all our problems, and you barely know any of us, but thanks for all your help.”

  Leaning down, he brushes his lips across my temple, and it’s the first sign of affection he’s ever shown me. “Please promise me this is the last fuck-up of yours that I’ll have to clean up. I’m getting too old for this shit.”

  Bradley’s pacing out in the front waiting for me. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, and I never should have hung up on you.”

  “It’s okay,” I go to walk by, but he reaches for my hand and pulls me into the dining room.

  “Look, the baby is great news, and I’ll be here for you no matter what. I hate that Madison has been dragged into this shit, but I realize I should have been just as upset when you were dragged into it first,” he admits honestly and sits down in one of the chairs. The lines around his eyes have deepened since the funerals and he can barely keep his eyes open.

  “The whole thing sucks for all of us. I’m truly sorry for involving Madison, and I hope we can keep these assholes from treating her badly. You look like hell, I think you need to get a little more sleep,” I tell him and I run my fingers over the smooth wood of the table as I think about the situation.

  “Lukas said he’s going to make sure his brother treats her right, so we’re going to have to take him at his word for now,” Bradley sighs, then we continue to discuss the merger until we’re interrupted by a call from Annie, and I decide to head home.

  I call Jessica on the way to my empty apartment and ask where to meet her for our night out. We decide on The Roadhouse since there’s little chance of seeing anyone we know there. After walking in the door, I find Jessica has already gotten us a table in the back of the restaurant. We place our orders and get our drinks, and I fill her in on my news.

  “As soon as Drew told the Ryans I was pregnant, they decided to forget about me and moved on to Madison instead. She’s going to have to marry one of the Ryan brothers, whichever brother Lukas chooses for her. Bradley’s pissed off at me because Madison has been dragged into this mess.”

  Jessica listens to my story then says, “Wow, what a complicated situation. Blake’s been asking about you today. I’m sure he’s heard about this merger by now, and he’s going to flip when he hears you are pregnant and were engaged briefly to Lukas Ryan. Mr. Caveman won’t handle that situation well.”

  The waiter takes that moment to bring our breadsticks, so I grab one and take a bite before I answer, “Well, Blake can fuck off. I’m tired of obsessing over him. If he wants me, he can prove it to me; if not, we’ll be civil to each other for the baby.”

  Jessica finishes her breadstick and agrees. “Eating a little humble pie will be good for Mr. Macho. I truly believe everything is going to work out for you.”

  While we finish our meal, I try to push my troubles to the back of my mind, if only for a few minutes.

  I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in weeks, and these hormones are turning me into a pathetic mess. When I look in the mirror, I want to cry; my hair is lifeless and dull, and there are dark circles under my eyes that no concealer can hide. The five pounds I’ve lost in my arms, legs, and boobs has all gone to my stomach. In tight clothes, I look like a toothpick with an olive stuck on it. After getting home from the restaurant, I spend the rest of the night trying to figure out how I’m going to tell Blake about the baby. Even though I plan on letting Blake make the next move in our romantic relationship, I still need to tell him about the baby, so I decide to call him after work the next day since it’s Friday. I have no idea how he's going to respond to finding out he’s about to become a father.

  The next morning, I decide sitting around the house moping won’t solve anything, so I head into work early. Since I work in the marketing department at Steele Co., we have been insane with the upcoming merger. At least work should take my mind off of my problems for a little while. Shortly after lunch, a gorgeous arrangement of flowers arrives from Blake, and then I get the call that I’ve been dreading. Before answering, I close my office door.

  Not wanting to drop this bombshell over the phone, I ask Blake if he’ll meet me after work to talk, and we decide to meet at his house for privacy. I can tell he’s curious about my request, but I tell him I’ll explain everything later.

  Blake

  When I found out that Christopher Steele and his son died in an accident two weeks ago, I tried to call Lucy, but her number has changed to an unlisted one. I immediately call Jessica and ask for a favor; she’s arranging a replacement for me so I can get back home. Lucy is going to need my support with this situation, and I wonder why Drew never called and told me about their deaths.

  Before Jessica sends a replacement, Drew calls and orders me home, and I come back to a complete cluster fuck. The reason Drew never told me about his brother’s death quickly becomes apparent. Drew has arranged a merger with fucking Lukas Ryan that involves an arranged marriage to Lucy. Fuck no. I will never allow that arrogant asshole to marry my girl. I need to get to Lucy, but first, I’m letting Drew know that this wedding isn’t fucking happening.

  Every time I hear Drew talking about the upcoming merger, I want to smash my fist into a wall. The day I came home, there was a big meeting about the merger, so I never managed to get him alone. I try to talk to Lucy, but she’s nowhere to be found. Her secretary says she hasn't been in the office in a week, and her neighbors won’t tell me anything. After spending that first night back home trying to figure out a way to prevent the impending nuptials without losing my best friend and destroying his brother’s company in the process, my patience is gone.

  The next morning, Drew’s waiting for me as soon as I walk off the elevator. “Get your ass in my office and let's talk.”

  I follow him to his office and sit in one of the large chairs in front of his desk. I take a deep breath and lay it all out for him. “The night I flew home from that job in Canada, I fucking needed to unwind, so I went to the Salty Shore. I saw a woman drowning her sorrows in shots, and rescued her before any of the assholes in there made a move on her. Long story short, I
took her to a room, and you can fucking figure out the rest. I love your niece, so either get the fuck over it or fire me.”

  Drew blinks several times then rubs his chin. He laughs and says, “You’re fucking kidding me. Why didn't you just tell me all of this when I warned you to stay away from Lucy?”

  “Would it have made a difference? At the time, I fucked up royally. I was just like you, a stupid son-of-a-bitch who thought he could forget about the woman he’s been obsessing over. Then I realized I’m in love with Lucy and the threat of losing her scared the shit out of me.”

  He rises from his seat and stalks over to the bar in the corner. After pouring himself a large drink and downing it, he angrily adds. “I just listened to your little tale, now let me tell you a funny story. My niece forced me to break a significant merger yesterday because of her goddamned involvement with you. Luckily for both of you, Lukas Ryan isn’t too keen on marrying her, and Madison is available to marry one of his brothers. This fucking situation is the reason I avoid relationships; you two are going to cause me to have a fucking stroke. Now call my niece and straighten your shit out. You should have fought for her before now. I should make you fight Lukas Ryan for her, but I'm feeling generous because you’re my friend.”

  I want to punch the fucker in the face, but I need to leave to find my girl instead.

  When I get to the door, he calls my name and tells me, “Call me a stupid son-of-a-bitch again, and I’ll forget our friendship and kick your fucking ass.”

  20

  Blake

  What the fuck is going on? Sending flowers is the beginning of my campaign to win Lucy’s forgiveness. When I call Lucy to beg, she tells me we need to talk about something important, but it’ll have to wait until after work. I pace the foyer of my house to combat the curiosity that’s killing me.

  My jaw drops from shock when I see Lucy for the first time in months. She looks absolutely exhausted; there are dark circles under her eyes, and she has lost several pounds.

  “What the fuck have you been doing to yourself?” I demand of her.

  Her eyes flash, and she lets me have it. “Your child is making me puke all day and night, and the stress of telling you and Lukas Ryan that I’m pregnant has been keeping me up for several nights. I’m ready to fall over, and it’s all your fault. You and your big fucking dick.”

  The words “your child” keep spinning around in my mind until I finally grasp that she's pregnant. Now I know for sure that I would have never allowed her to marry Lukas Ryan. Not when she’s having my baby. Over my dead fucking body.

  Before I can have a meaningful discussion with Lucy, she starts swaying on her feet, so I table the conversation for now. Instead, I pick her up and take her upstairs and straight to my room for some much needed rest.

  I place her on my bed and tell her, “Lay your little ass down and rest while I make us dinner. We’ll have plenty of time to talk after I feed you and my baby.”

  “You believe it’s yours without question?” Lucy has the nerve to ask as I reach the door. I turn around, walk back to the bed, stand over her, and count to ten before I reply.

  “I know you’re pissed and trying to get a reaction from me, but I promise you right now isn't the time to pull that shit. I have spent the last several months missing you like crazy, getting no sleep and regretting how I treated you. My exhausted ass came home yesterday to find this cluster fuck of a merger in the works and thought I might have to kidnap you and lose my best friend to get you. My head is fucked right now, so don’t imply you’ve been with another man.” I calmly tell her while I stare intently in her eyes.

  Lucy swallows and then confirms. “The baby is yours. I haven’t been with anyone since I met you.”

  “Thank you, now rest while I get dinner.”

  I walk out of the room while still able to leave her. It hits me as I’m walking back to the kitchen how excited I am about her news. Because my career keeps me busy, I’ve never had long term relationships or thought about children, but the chance to have a relationship and a child with Lucy thrills me. I laugh when I think about her ‘your big fucking dick’ comment.

  When returning to my room to get Lucy for dinner, I find her sound asleep. I don’t have the heart to wake her up, so after removing her shoes and pulling the covers over her, I leave her to rest. Our conversation can wait a few hours. The mother of my child needs rest, badly, and I’ll ensure she gets everything she needs starting now.

  I lie down next to her and wrap myself around her small frame. I fall asleep instantly with her in my arms. The next time I wake up, her ass cheeks are cushioning my painful arousal, waking it up for action. After slowly running my hand under her shirt and searching for her perky tit, I suck on the back of her neck. I feel Lucy slightly stiffen when she wakes up then she sighs quietly and rubs her toned ass against my already swollen member. I unhook her bra and roll her hard, little peaks between my fingers, and she moans loudly.

  “How sensitive are you, baby?” I taste her tight buds while I gently lay her back so that I can nibble my way from her neck down to her throbbing core. “Are you going to answer me?” I gently finger her on my way down her body.

  “You’re distracting me too much; I don’t have the brainpower to answer,” she groans out as I keep going. “Oh god, that feels good. I missed you so much, don’t stop, please don't stop,” she whimpers.

  With no intention of stopping until she’s as addicted to me as I am to her, I get to her wetness and lick her from top to bottom, her taste exploding on my tongue. I don’t know how I’ve lasted for so many weeks without my girl. I feverishly work on lapping at her sensitive bud and fingering the fuck out of her passage until she explodes screaming my name.

  “God, I needed that, my vibrator is no substitute for you,” she breathlessly states.

  “I’m thrilled you’ve only been fucking a fake dick,” I insist as I plunge into her still quivering flesh. Her sex squeezes my sensitive manhood so hard that I know I won’t last long, so I reach between us and rub her clit.

  “Fuck, you feel good,” I groan, and it only takes a few more thrusts before she locks down hard on my masculinity, and we explode together.

  Careful not to put any weight on her stomach, which is already slightly rounded with our child, I roll us to our sides and rub her silky back. I still can’t believe a baby is growing in there. Leaning over to devour her sweet mouth, she pushes me away before my lips touch hers, and she’s racing for the bathroom. I run after her and find her kneeling in front of the toilet throwing up. I feel helpless but proud at that moment because carrying my kid is what is causing her temporary sickness.

  I hold her hair and rub her back for her until she finishes then I find her a toothbrush and help her back to bed.

  “What can I do to help you feel better?” The urge to help her is overwhelming me.

  “You can get me crackers and tea or Sprite. Your baby doesn’t like mornings,” Lucy grumbles.

  “I’m sorry the little one is giving you a rough time in the mornings, but I’m thrilled about our child,” Leaving for a few minutes, I find her her crackers and tea.

  After her snack, Lucy falls asleep, and I immediately start making plans. The first thing I need is an engagement ring. There is no way we won’t be married when our child is born. I won’t budge on that matter. Since Lucy needs her rest, I call Drew. He doesn’t seem shocked to hear from me, and I ask him where the fuck to get an engagement ring. There are twenty-seconds of dead silence before he recovers from his shock over that part and tells me he’ll get back to me soon. An hour later, Drew and an exclusive jeweler arrives at my house with a large selection of rings for me to choose from. Drew shakes his head in disbelief the whole time, but I know he approves of how I’m handling the situation. I decide on a simple three-carat round diamond solitaire set in platinum for Lucy, and I place it on her finger before she even wakes up.

  When she does finally wake up, her eyes go straight to the ring, and I tell
her, “I think I started to fall in love with you the moment I saw you in the Salty Shore. You looked so sad yet determined to finish all those shots. I want you and this baby so much, and I also want you to know that there is no way I would have let you marry Lukas Ryan. I’ve spent all this time knowing I couldn’t live without you. No matter what it took, I was going to force Drew to listen to me, or I was going directly to Lukas Ryan himself. I regretted taking this last assignment before my plane landed. Drew convinced me that I wasn’t good enough for you, then I overheard you telling Jessica you had found a way to escape your father. I twisted that in my mind and thought you were using me. I know I was wrong, and I’ll spend the rest of my life apologizing for doubting you and for putting us both through hell during our time apart. Before Drew called me home, I was looking for someone to take my place, so I could come back and straighten this situation out before it was too late. From now on, you, the baby, and I are a family.”

  As Lucy cries, I wipe the tears from her eyes and climb in bed next to her.

  Through her tears, she sniffles, “I fell hard for you that night, too. I’ve tried so hard to get over you, but no matter what, I found myself thinking about you constantly. That night with you gave me the motivation to move out of my father’s house, and if he had lived, I would have quit Steele Co. too. I wanted a chance with you so bad, and it crushed me when you broke our date. I was terrified when I found out about the baby, but I was also excited to have a part of you. I was convinced you didn’t want me, but I hoped you would want your child. I want a family with you more than anything in the world, but you are going to have to prove to me that you are ready to put our family first.