He was venting. I tried not to take it personally but screw that. “What the hell did you just say to me?”
“Nothing,” he muttered and walked away from me.
Marching after him, I gave his back a shove. “Turn around and say it to my face. Don’t you dare come in here all hot and wild about something that isn’t my fault?”
“You should have been watching her!”
“I’m sorry that I can’t be all over the house.” I threw my hands up. May as well take what he had to give.
He glared. “How many times have I told them not to go into my office?”
“Stop yelling. You’re scaring them,” I pleaded, giving him my own glare back. “Screaming isn’t going to solve anything.”
“I don’t have time for this. I’ll see you tonight,” he muttered, and I swore I heard him add, “or not.”
Maybe he was about to have a mid-life crisis.
Our fight lasted until he stormed off, and it was far from resolved. Lila wouldn’t tell me why she had done it. Noah didn’t really give a crap about any of it, too busy playing his Nintendo DS in the car to listen to me scolding her about getting into the office and drawing all over his paperwork.
Hopefully, he would be calm when he came home tonight… if ever he came home.
Panic rushed through me as I sat in the car, staring at the building and counting down the time until it was time for me to go inside. Stepping outside as the clock hit 10:45 AM on my watch. I locked the car door and put the keys inside my black leather handbag. Running a hand through my hair, I forced a smile and made my way down the stone footpath.
Looking up, there he stood. I wasn’t going to deny that he was handsome, not that I was paying too much attention to his looks. He’d been my doctor since the first pregnancy. “Steven.” I smiled, greeting him nervously.
“Gabriella, you’re here early, or am I late?” he smiled, his light blue eyes twinkling as he held the front door of the brick building open. “Come in, don’t worry. You’ll relax once we’re inside and you’re on the bed.”
I raised a brow. “You make it sound sordid.”
He laughed, holding the door open for me. “I apologise. I’m an obstetrician. It’s nothing uncommon for me to have women on my work bed.”
“If I didn’t know you so well, I’d be looking for a new OB,” I pointed out.
Taking a deep breath, I blew it out slowly and then took a step forward with shaky legs into the building. After this morning’s fight, I was suddenly anxious and wondering if this was the right thing for us. A baby had been talked about for months, but the way he blew up at the kids, I couldn’t imagine he would be in the paternal mood tonight. Oh, well, it’s a bit too late for that now. I had taken a home test, and it came up positive.
Steven confirmed that I was six weeks along, and I was excited but utterly terrified.
The flutter of the tiny heartbeat on screen made it more real. A baby was in my stomach, growing. Lila wasn’t going to be the youngest anymore, and I could only hope she grew to love her brother or sister. I had a photo printed out to show Brody and booked my next appointment for another follow-up.
When I walked into the house two hours later, I wanted to burst into tears at the sight of him leaning against the bar. “Brody? I didn’t know you were home.”
“Why would you? All I do is work, remember?” he muttered, and then I noticed the alcohol in his glass. He was drinking.
Setting my bag and car keys on the bench, I frowned. “The meeting didn’t go well?” I asked, treading carefully.
“Like you give a shit about anything I do.”
“Don’t say that. I don’t want to fight with you,” I said, walking over to him and went running my hands up and down his back to massage him. “Let me rub your shoulders?”
He shook his head and moved away from me. “Did you fuck him?” he asked.
My heart almost stopped. I think my throat closed over. “What?”
His eyes burned into mine. “I asked if you fucked him.”
“Who?” I was completely confused.
Shaking his head, he slammed his fist against the table, and everything rattled. “You lied to me this morning. Think I wouldn’t use the app on your phone and track you?”
“Brody.” I felt sick as well as betrayed. He followed me? God. “Let me explain.”
“No, I don’t want to hear another one of your lies, Gabriella!” he spat, looking at me with hatred. “I know where you were, and I don’t need to talk about it. Nothing you can say right now will fix this.”
I was confused. He had this all wrong. “Listen to me.”
He scoffed quietly. It wasn’t until I noticed his eyes weren’t red from the alcohol, but from his tears. “I spoke to Scott yesterday.”
My stomach dropped. “What about?” I asked, not wanting to know.
When he looked at me, I knew that he knew. “Do you really need me to tell you,” He stated, staring at me with hatred in his eyes. “You should have told me.”
“I wanted to!” He had to have believed that. “I wanted to. I was going to.”
“But you never did!” he thundered. “You fucking didn’t! You’ve made a fool out of me.”
Wiping my own eyes, I blinked back the tears. “Please, I thought you wouldn’t understand.”
“Understand what? That my wife is a whore.” He turned, refilling his glass again. “I can’t stand the sight of you right now. That’s how much you hurt me.”
His words slapped me. “What did you just say to me?”
“So you and my brother, huh? You sure had me fooled. You had everyone fooled.”
I was either really stupid, or he was having a stroke. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. How have I fooled everyone?”
“You put up the Saint act and have everyone thinking you’re a loving wife and mother when really, I have no idea who you even are anymore,” he muttered, swallowing a mouthful.
Staring at him, I thought maybe he was just having a bad day. Turned out, he was just pissed at me. Scott had gotten to him and told him what I should have done years ago. Instead, I fucked up by keeping this from him, and now, I needed to fix it.
“Brody, let me explain things. I can make this right.” I’d do whatever it took to fix this.
Tossing back his scotch and swallowing hard, he breathed out two words I had never expected to hear today. “Get out.”
My eyes were already watering, vision blurring and heart beginning to race with panic. “No, please don’t do this!”
Shrugging off his black jacket, he laid it neatly over the back of the dining table chair. He began to leave for the door but stopped. “I won’t repeat myself. Pack a bag and get out of my house.”
“Why?” My feet chased after him before he could walk away and lock himself in his office like always. “Tell me why. You can’t throw me out! What about the kids? I won’t leave them.”
He stopped, turning around, and walked back. Stalking back was more like it. The glare he gave sent a shiver throughout my body. He wasn’t fooling around. This was real, and it was serious, more serious than the last time divorce had been brought up. Brody just narrowed his eyes with a cold menacing glare. “You can still see them. I’m not that much of a bastard. You, on the other hand, I don’t want to see you unless it’s with my lawyer.”
“Brody, please, I thought things were getting better.”
He just stared, and his features softened. But his once warm, caring eyes were now cold. “Things change and I finally realised that trying to fix us was nothing but a mistake.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“And how much a week is this?” I asked, glancing around the small three-bedroom apartment. It was nothing compared to the home I had been living in. It was nice, but it was cramped and old. The windows rattled as a gust of wind blew from the outside.
The realtor smiled as she checked her clipboard and looked back up towards me. “It’s three fifty a week.”
I almost fell to the floor in shock. “I’m sorry, what? I’d rather buy a house than pay that much a week in rent, not happening.”
I needed to find somewhere soon and fast. I was so sick of staying in a hotel courtesy of my soon to be ex-husband, eating Chinese or Thai most nights. I was living off a takeaway. Fuck the diet. I was depressed and in need of carbs. Pregnancy cravings kicked in too. I was hungry all the time.
She clicked her tongue and blushed slightly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought…” That I could afford this place considering who I was married to as she knew. Newsflash, I was separated. No, I definitely couldn’t afford it at all.
“That’s okay. Can you call me if something cheaper comes up? I honestly don’t want to be paying this much.” It’s not worth it. I should drain our joint account. No, he knew I’d only ever do that if he cheated on me. He’d be broke within a second.
Walking back to the hotel of dread, that’s what I had called it since moving in, it was all I felt once I walked into that small room and slumped down on the bed. The pillow had seen more tears than a tub full of water.
Brody wasn’t speaking to me. The kids had hated me. They thought I had abandoned them, and that killed me. I would never do such a thing. When Brody sent me custody arrangement papers three days after being kicked out, I wanted to curl up into a ball and scream the pain away. I had actually screamed into my pillow as I cried over and over.
I thought about calling up Richard and seeing if the offer to come back to work was still on the table, but I would only end up disappointing him when I had to finish again. Maternity leave wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms after being away for so long. I needed something to provide for the children on my own without relying on Brody. He didn’t want me, so I had to stop wanting him. Only, I didn’t want him. I needed him.
Going to visit the children didn’t go so well.
Lorraine was staying there, helping. She would throw daggers my way, giving me the evil glare as she’d called out to them. Brody refused to speak to me, and all I could hear was him yelling at the kids, as they wouldn’t come down. I wasn’t allowed back in our house.
Instead, I had to stand outside like a stranger while Noah and Lila told their father how much wanted to come live with me. I wished I could take them, but I had nowhere to go, and there was no way they were going to see the hotel. I was trying to settle somewhere before picking them up. I would go to their school and see them each morning. Lila sobbed every time, and it broke my heart into a million pieces.
She told me how angry Brody was, that he was so mean and always yelling at them. They were eating takeout pizza every night, and he didn’t know how to do her hair the same way I did it. I’d redo it for her and tell her how much I loved her.
Noah was just angry and didn’t say much. They were hurting because of us.
Trying to sleep the day away, to forget about the pain I had caused, I rolled over when I heard my phone beeping, I checked the message — Friday. My office. Sign.
Did he really feel nothing towards me? He wouldn’t let me explain anything. There was so much to tell him. Stupid me should have done it weeks ago. No, I should have done it when it first happened.
This whole mess could have been avoided. I tried telling him the day he told me to get out. I screamed, crying as I chased him. He told me to get the fuck away from him before he really lost it, in other words before he hit me. I’d never seen him so wild before. He was angry, but he could be brought down and calmed. This time, there was no calming.
We were meeting at Brody’s office to settle the arrangement for the children. He wanted it over and done with quickly, and the fight in me was going. I couldn’t deal with this. If we weren’t meant to be, then we weren’t meant to be. But, I was convinced we were.
Entering the large building, I took the elevator and rode to the top floor. Walking out, I spotted her giving me a smirk as I strode past her. I tried to look nice, but who was I kidding? I was feeling anything but putting on a nice dress to show him what he’s losing. Instead, I opted for black leggings and a long thin, white tank with a grey knit over that. The top covered the slight bump I had begun to show.
“You need to have an appointment,” she smiled too sweetly. “Miss.”
I shot her a look. “Fuck off,” I warned, not in the mood for this tart’s drama today. No, today, this bitch was going to meet my fist or foot, whichever lashed out quicker.
“Gabby!” he snapped, stopping me before I could lash out. “Office. Now!”
I didn’t miss her smirk as I turned and stared at the man who was growling my name with a glare.
Brody looked as I felt, like hell. He was unshaven and black suit crinkled. His hair was not even brushed. It was as if he had just rolled out of bed and rocked off to work after having scotch for breakfast. He looked like shit, but damn me if he wasn’t the most handsome man in my eyes. He still took my breath away. Taking a seat, I forced my eyes away from him. It broke my heart too much to see what I had cost myself.
“Let’s get this over with,” he finally muttered, taking a seat opposite me.
His lawyer, intimidating as he oozed power and confidence, began speaking first, “My client wishes to advise Miss Orecchio that her current lovers are not to be around their children.” Nice touch on going with my maiden name, he was here to hurt me. The part about the lovers rattled me like there was anyone in my life right now or would there ever be.
Brody had so gratefully considered hiring a lawyer for me. Clearing his throat as he began his own list of demands, I had nothing I wanted except my children. I wouldn’t give them up without a fight, but I wouldn’t dare take them from him. It would be a shared arrangement. I ignored half of what was being said, unable to really care. I just stared at Brody, wishing he would look at me. He didn’t. “My client wishes to make a couple of adjustments, nothing major but it is unnegotiable.”
Brody’s brows raised. “And what are they? More money?” he asked. Each word dripped with sarcasm.
The power suit beside him cut him off. “I don’t know what else you would want since against my wishes; your client is getting a rather large sum of money. My client has been more than generous.”
“Paying me off won’t work.” I rolled my eyes, sick of this mediation already. He glared.
“As you’re aware by now, your brother’s sexual harassment has landed him with a restraining order. After the first attack, the judge ruled in her favour, and we wish to keep Lila and Noah away from him while this is in place.” Brody’s head snapped up. His eyes were a mixed confusion of shock and rage. “The photographs he has threatened her with must be handed over immediately. Otherwise, my client is advised to take further action that I have advised. It doesn’t matter how long ago the assault happened. She was still a minor.”
“What?” Brody asked, confused. “Photographs? Assault.”
This is what I got for keeping secrets. I brought this on myself.
When I looked up, his lawyer was pushing over the paperwork and a pen. “All right, we will consider what you’ve said, but we’re here to sort the children out, not bring up the past. Brody is handing over full custody of Noah and Lila to Gabriella. He will continue to support them with whatever their needs are.”
“That’s what we need to amend.”
“What she doesn’t want them?” His lawyer cut in, rolling his eyes.
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t be a dick!” I spat, having enough of his smart ass comments.
Brody glared. “Gabriella.”
I shot him a look, warning him to keep pissing me off. “No, I want to make an adjustment. Although you want to give me full custody, I think we should have shared. I don’t have a name yet, but we need to add that on also or are you planning on ignoring the baby as well?”
“Baby?” he now looked completely lost. “Wait. I don’t understand. You were…”
“No, not were, I am.” Tears began to form in my eyes. I looked at h
im. “That’s where you followed me that day after tracking my phone. I get that you’re pissed about me seeing a doctor before telling you, and I am truly sorry. But, I had to be sure before I got all excited and told you that I was pregnant. Well, congratulations, daddy, I am pregnant!”
“We’ll need a DNA test,” his lawyer muttered grimly.
“Avrete bisogno di un test del DNA per il momento ho finito con stronzo!” I hissed back. His eyes were directly on me, angry as I told him that they would need to do a DNA test on him once I finish with his body.
“Excuse me?” his face calm, and I was convinced this wasn’t the first time he had been threatened.
“I’m going to be sick.” Morning sickness had to hit me this moment, and I was jumping up from the table. Running out the doors with a rush, my hand over my mouth, I raced into the nearest bathroom before I hurled all over the table. I didn’t let the tears stop either.
On my knees, crying, I gripped the toilet bowl to stop shaking.
The bathroom door flung open, and his thunderous voice echoed, ringing in my ears. “Everyone, except my wife, get the fuck out now!”
I hadn’t realised there were others in here until their heels were scampering away at record speed.
“This is the women’s bathroom,” I said, taking in a steady breath when I was sure the vomit had finished. “Don’t worry; I’ll be off your property soon.” I sniffled and then threw up again.
Instead of leaving, he just stood there. I could see his black leather shoes standing in front of the stall as I turned to face the door. He wasn’t going anywhere. “Gabby,” he said, almost soft that I didn’t hear it.
“Don’t.” I sat here on my knees, crying. It was a wreck. I didn’t have the fight in me anymore. The tears slowly subsided. My eyes were red and stinging. Opening the stall door, I ignored him by walking to the sink, turning the cold water tap on and tilting my head down so I could get a mouthful and rinse the acidic taste from my mouth. Standing up straighter, I looked at his blurred reflection behind me. “What?”
Forgotten Sweethearts: A Romance Novel Page 22
