by Mj Fields
���Seriously? This is not happening.���
���They care about you.���
���They don���t know, Maddox. I was not ready for anyone to know and now this. Why did you come?���
���To tell you I love you, to tell you I am sorry. I came to win back your heart.���
���Well look at me now, huh?���
���How long have you known?���
���Two months.���
���Why didn���t you call me, Harper?���
She looked away from him, ���I didn���t want you to know. This does not change anything with us, Maddox. When the baby is born it is my responsibility not������
���It is my responsibility. I want to take care of my child, and you, Harper.���
She rolled her eyes and let out a perturbed groan, ���I don���t want you to! I want you to just leave me alone!���
Maddox looked away from her and swallowed hard, ���When you are released I���m driving you back. We will tell our parents together. We���ll move forward from there.���
���Do you not understand what I just said?���
���Harper, do you not understand that things are changing?���
���I don���t want you around me, Maddox. Nothing has to change for you, just go! Go back to the girls, and the drugs, and the stage. I have handled this just fine without you.���
���Have you, Harper?���
���What the hell is that supposed to mean!���
���Let���s get one thing straight. Blake is not my child���s father. He may be the one you have chosen to lean on, and you have no idea how pissed off I am that that fuck knew about this, and I did not.���
���What do you want, Maddox? Let���s see, let me paint you the picture of what I will not allow to happen to my child, growing in my body. The child will NOT be in a house filled with rock stars, getting high and drunk. It will not be waiting in any line to see it���s father after he fucks his fans, it will not be hanging with Uncle T after the show talking about who likes drums and who likes guitars, it will not be exposed to the likes of Jazz who will tell them how much his or her father likes to watch when she brings friends over and then gets her off. It will never be told that he or she is no different from the whores in the lines outside a fucking dressing room and then dismissed! I didn���t tell you because I did not want you to know, Maddox. The very few moments I thought maybe you should know I would pop on the internet and see you with the girls from that band. You make me sick. I make me sick! To think I fell for this shit and now for the rest of my life I���ll have to protect MY child from all of that!���
Maddox was glaring at Harper his chest rose and fell quickly. The doctor walked in with discharge papers just as he was about to open his mouth. He gave instructions and then asked who was taking her home.
���I am,��� Maddox glared at her.
���Blake drove me here.���
Maddox bent down and whispered in her ear, ���I don���t give a fuck.���
When the nurse pushed Harper out of the hospital a black town car and a cab waited outside. ���The cab will take you to get your car Blake,��� Maddox opened the door to the town car, ���Get in Harper.���
Harper looked at Blake, ���She���s riding with me, Hines.���
���No she is not, we have some things to discuss,��� Maddox looked at her, ���Get in.���
���Or what?���
���Or I call our parents and tell them everything I have learned in the past six hours.���
���What are you, two?���
���Whatever you need me to be, Harper. Now get the fuck in the car!���
She sat still, and he picked her up, set her in and shut the door. He started walking around to the other side and Blake stood in front of him, ���You can move and get in that cab or stand here and they���ll be wheeling your ass back inside.���
���She needs to rest!���
���She���ll be fine.���
���She needs me with her.���
���My child has heard your fucking voice enough! Go find someone else to play hero to. She doesn���t need you, she has me.���
���She doesn���t want you.���
���Oh she does Blake, she always has.���
Maddox pushed him out of the way and got in the car, ���Drive.���
���Do you feel better now? Was that necessary? He has been a god send to me Maddox, a true friend.���
���He wants to fuck you Harper, learn the difference.���
���Maybe he already has,��� Harper looked smugly at him.
���Nice try������
���I slept with him, Maddox.���
Maddox laughed, ���You are so full of shit right now, Sweetness.���
They pulled in front of her building, and he jumped out and ran and opened the door for her. He held his hand out to help her, and she refused it. She stood and held her head and the car door steadying herself. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms.
���If you don���t put me down I swear I am going to scream!���
���Shut it Betty bad butt,��� Maddox raised his eyebrow and kept walking. She hid her face in his chest as he carried her through the lobby and got on the elevator.
���Can you please put me down now?���
Maddox stepped off the elevator, and Emma walked up to them, ���Are you okay Harper?���
���I���m fine. Put me down now, Maddox. Emma you really didn���t have to come.���
���You were hurt, and I was closer than your Mom— of course I came,��� Emma hugged her and walked towards the apartment, ���I hope you don���t mind the doorman let me in.���
Maddox held the door for her and followed her in, ���Wow, this is nice. Very white.���
���Yeah, bright, cheerful, like a brand new canvas. And all mine,��� Harper rolled her eyes at him.
���So were you surprised to see Maddox, he has been working really hard������
���Mom, please,��� Maddox looked embarrassed.
���Sorry, I just���.sorry. Have you two had a chance to talk things over?���
���We have been kind of busy. Are you hungry? Harper can I get you anything?��� Maddox opened the refrigerator. ���There is nothing but yogurt and pastries in here, not real healthy.���
Emma looked at him and whispered, ���That���s not helping.���
���Did you get a rental? Can I get the keys? I���m going to grab some food and fill her prescription. Harper, anything I can get for you while I am out?���
���Yogurt and chocolate,��� Harper smiled obnoxiously.
���Do you have a grill?���
���Yep.���
Maddox walked up to Harper, grabbed her hair and pulled it back so she was looking up at him, ���Chicken or beef?���
���Guitar or drums?��� she scowled.
He kissed her quickly and turned and walked away.
Emma watched as she rubbed her fingers across her lips slowly. When Harper saw her smile she wiped them harder and made a disgusted face.
���He���s trying you know. He loves you, Harper.���
���I���m going to bed. It���s been a very long day. The spare room is right down there. I���m sorry I���m not good company.���
���I��
�ll wake you when dinner is ready.���
���I���m really not hungry, it is really late. Do you know where Maddox left the discharge paperwork?���
���No, but when he gets back I���ll ask him.���
���Thanks, I will see you in the morning?���
���I���ll be here all day tomorrow. My flight leaves at nine tomorrow night.���
���Okay, good night.���
Harper walked into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush and brushed her teeth. She brushed her hair and pulled it to the side. She took off her jeans that were now getting too tight, one handed. It was a lot harder than she thought it would be. She grabbed a clean t-shirt and tried to take off her bra. It was impossible. She pulled her t shirt over her head and carefully removed it. She tried to put the new one on but was too tired, emotional, and in pain to continue trying. She pulled back the white duvet and crawled into the middle of the King size bed. She grabbed the body pillow from the top and laid it next to her. She laid down and snuggled into it and fell asleep quickly.
Maddox walked into the apartment with his arms full of bags. Emma laughed and grabbed some of them that he had hung from his arms. ���Do you think you got enough?���
���I don���t know I can go back if I didn���t. Where is she?���
���In bed, she is tired.��� They put away the groceries together, ���She asked where her discharge papers were.���
���Right here,��� Maddox grabbed the folded paper from his back pocket, and one dropped to the ground.
Emma bent down and picked it up, ���Oh Maddox, is this Harpers?���
Maddox looked up from what he was reading and let out a slow forced breath, ���No one knows, well no one except that Fuck Blake. He knows.���
���Is it yours?���
���Yep. You can’t tell anyone Mom okay? She has not even told her parents.���
���When did you find out?���
���Today, right after she got hit. Unbelievable fucking day, what a damn mess and she detests me. The way she looks at me, the way she pushes me away. She told me to leave and forget about this. She told me it was her child, not ours. That her child would not be raised around the crap I am around. I cannot believe she thinks that of me, I would never expose my child to that. Fuck, I let her go so she didn���t have to deal with my shit.���
���Is it really that hard to believe, Maddox? She sees what���s reported, not the truth. You just have to tell her what you have done to change things in your life. She loved you then Maddox; she is going to fall head over heels now.���
���God I hope so. She needs to ice her arm every four hours and she can have a pain pill. I���m going to get her something to eat and take care of her arm.���
���Maddox it���s almost two in the morning, she is exhausted. Let her sleep. I am going to the spare bedroom to sleep myself. Unless you want it.���
���Nope, I���ll take the couch. Thanks so much for coming. Hey are Grandma Caroline and Grandpa Henry back from the States yet?���
���Yes, got in yesterday, why?���
���I want Dad to know when her parents find out. I don���t want him to feel like I did today. Sucked so badly.���
���I���ll call and see if he can get here��� Emma hugged him tightly, ���You are going to be a great Daddy, Maddox.���
���You know what? I am not going to dispute that. It���s so odd. I know I should be worried or nervous but when I think of holding my child, my child with Harper, I feel so at peace.���
Emma smiled, ���You are going to make me cry.���
���I am going to make you proud.���
Maddox sounded so convinced and confident, she hugged him again, ���Goodnight Maddox, I love you more.���
Maddox walked into the bedroom, lighting its darkness with his phone. He shined it to the left and saw a bathroom. He walked in and flipped on its light. He could now see the dimly lit bed and Harper hugging something tightly. He looked at the time, she was past due for her medicine, and he needed to ice her arm. He set everything on the nightstand next to her and pushed the hair out of her face. She whimpered in pain when she moved. ���Hey Sweetness, you need to take some pills and let me ice your elbow,��� Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and she sat up.
���I am tired, so tired. It hurts,��� she cringed.
���I know, take a drink,��� he held up a cup with a straw.
���We have straws?���
He smiled, ���WE do.���
���That���s not what I meant,��� Harper rolled her eyes and took a drink.
���Pills,��� he held them, ���Open your mouth.���
���I think I can handle it.���
���Let me,��� she opened her mouth and he put them on her tongue, ���Now drink. I brought you a sandwich. If you���re not hungry too bad, but the medication says to take with food.���
Harper took a bite, ���Oh my goodness what is this?���
���Nutella, tastes kind of like chocolate and it has sliced strawberries, you like?���
���I love,��� she took the sandwich from him and ate the whole thing.
He smiled as he watched her eat when she was done he handed her a moist cloth and smiled, ���Baby wipes, I could not help myself.���
���You���re ridiculous.���
���But you are smiling finally, and you’re not even high yet.���
���You fed me. I am pregnant and done throwing up every time I eat so yes, of course I smiled.���
���I���ll take it however I can get it. I will feed you chocolate and strawberries every day, if that���s what it takes.���
���I���ll weigh two hundred pounds if you do.���
���Your tits are close to that now,��� Maddox smirked.
Harper looked down and gasped, ���I couldn���t get my bra off and the shirt was winning the battle.��� She pulled the duvet up and blushed.
���I can help you out,��� Maddox bent over her and started to reach behind her.
���Don���t,��� her breath hitched.
���I won’t look, Harper,��� Maddox mouth was inches from her face.
���I���m pregnant.���
���You are, we are.��� Maddox unsnapped her bra and sat back and cleared his throat and looked down, ���God made you so beautiful, Harper.���
She closed her eyes, ���You should leave.���
���After I ice your arm.���
Harper looked down, and his running pants were tented, ���Um you should������
���Should what Harper?���
���Maddox you���re getting������
���You���re showing me your tits, Harper. What did you expect would happen?���
���I am not,��� Harper looked down, ���Holy shit. I am sorry.���
���I���m not,��� he laughed uncomfortably and stood up, ���Where is your night gown?���
She turned, and her eyes immediately went to his pants. She was sitting he was standing, and it was right there in her face, ���Oh damn it,��� she chuckled, ���its Thumper.���
���Yeah, we have missed you, Sweetness,��� Maddox smiled and adjusted himself.
���My shirt is right over there,��� she pointed, and he grabbed it, she snatched it out of his hands. She pulled it over her head, and he chuckl
ed and pulled it off, ���Stop it or I���ll scream.���
���Go ahead scream, you���ll wake up Emma. I am trying to help you,��� Maddox gently put her arm in through the arm hole and pulled the shirt over her head and kissed her head, ���See Harper, I���m just trying to help you out.���
Harper���s eyes started getting heavy and she smiled, ���Thanks, hey I am really tired and I have to go the bathroom, and I need to sleep.���
���I���ll help you.���
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Geneva
Harper woke up with her head on Maddox���s chest. She didn���t move. Like the last time she woke up in his arms, she knew he would be gone soon anyway. She loved him, but it was so wrong. He was incapable of giving her more. She had forced herself to accept that for months, and now here he was. Her first love, kiss, lover, her first everything. She wished she had been smart like Ava. No attachment, just give it away. She closed her eyes and desperately wanted to stay. But it was not going to happen. But today she would have to tell her parents that she was going to have a baby in less than five months. They would have to help her fight like hell to keep this baby safe and loved and away from all the things he would bring into its life. She loved the boy she was about to crush, for a baby she made with him.
���Harper, don���t cry,��� she looked up into his eyes.
���Why are you here?���
���To take care of you.���
���Why are you in my bed?��� Harper whispered.
���I fell asleep. It wasn���t intentional, but to wake up like this������ Harper sat up and scooted off the bed. ���We need to talk, Harper. This anger and distain is not good for our child.���
���I am not talking to you about this.���
���We will have to eventually.���
���No, we can get lawyers and they can������
���What do we need lawyers for Harper?���
���I will not share this child.���
���It won���t be like that.���
���No, it won���t.���
