“I got her pregnant.” Alex took a deep breath. “She’ll lose the baby if any of them…” Then he couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Logan didn’t say anything; he just hugged Alex as he cried. Then when Alex was calm, they walked to the girls’ room. “Who should I be worried about?” Logan asked just before he opened the door.
“Diego crossed the line for the last time.” Alex glanced in the room, too focused to hear the question. Danielle was obviously asleep, so he whispered, “Brian’s brother’s next.”
Logan opened his mouth to warn him of the risks, but Alex shook his head.
“I have to do this. She’s my responsibility now.” Alex nodded at Marie, and then headed down the hall. “Gary!” he shouted as he knocked on his door. “Gary, it’s time!”
Gary opened the door. “I don’t know how you held off so long.” He grabbed his jacket and put it on. “Who’s first?”
Down the hall, Marie looked up at Logan still in the doorway. “Hey,” she softly called to him. “Where’s he going? He wouldn’t tell me.”
“You need plausible deniability,” Logan explained as he watched Gary and Alex head to the stairs. He closed the door, and then sat on Danielle’s bed, near Marie’s feet. “He has shit to do.”
Marie stroked Danielle’s hair. “She cried herself to sleep.”
“It’s gonna be OK.” He ran a hand over her arm. “Alex’s gonna take care of it.”
* * *
Gary parked behind the hardware store. He looked over at Alex. “You sure you wanna do it here?” The Screwballs bowling alley was right next door.
“It’s perfect.” Alex had watched him a few nights from the back parking lot. “He always takes out the trash at 8:00. Alone.”
They sat there and just watched, silently. They wore clothes Alex had purchased with cash days before. There was a clear view of the back door. He had planned the payback for weeks. 8:00 came and went with no Diego. Then, at almost nine, he dragged several bags outside. Gary and Alex got out of the car quietly. They carried no weapons; their faces were hidden behind ski masks and hoods.
“What the fuck?” Diego yelled just as he fell against the dumpster. He looked up at two large shapes in the dark. “I don’t got no money.”
Alex growled and changed his voice a bit. “Don’t want your fucking money.” He swung and connected with Diego’s temple. “I don’t like stalkers.” He waited for Diego to stand up straight again then surprised him with a punch to the other side of his head. “Keep the fuck away from her!”
Diego’s vision blurred. He shook it off and backed up a few steps. “You mean that slut? Brian’s chick? She’s a good lay. Why the fuck do you care?” Then he lunged at Alex and landed a blow on his cheek.
“You’re a fucking bully!” Gary could not believe the anger Diego’s words caused within him. He lashed out and hit Diego in the chest. He knew pieces of what Diego had done to Danielle in the past, but to hear he fucked her was too much.
Alex smiled as Diego gasped on the ground. “Stay the hell away, and you’ll live.”
“Fuck off!” Diego felt he was able to handle anything, which is why Brian trusted him.
With fury in his eyes, Alex jumped on Diego. He mindlessly punched and bellowed. Gary stood back and let Alex get his anger out. He was sure he could end it if need be.
Alex felt better with every strike. He grunted and growled as Diego cried out. A few times, a random fist came at him, but Alex blocked them. He wouldn’t let Diego get in one more lick. The urge to end Diego grew with every second. Every time Diego scared Danielle came to mind. Alex couldn’t stop.
“He got the message,” Gary urged Alex as he pulled on Alex’s jacket. “Time to go.”
Alex let Diego go, who groaned. “Tell anyone, and you’ll be sorry. Touch her again, and you’re dead.” He stood and smirked at the bloody and broken body at his feet.
* * *
On Marie’s bed, Logan sighed. “He’s taking a long time.” He was bored. Marie hadn’t left Danielle’s side the entire time.
“Shh. Let her sleep.” Marie glared at him. “We’ll fuck later.”
Minutes later, Alex knocked on their door. Logan answered and let him in. “She’s been sleeping since you left.” He walked back to the bed and sat down.
Marie looked at Alex’s face as she got to her feet. There was a cut on his cheek. “Who hit you?”
“That dickhead Diego got me with his ring,” Alex growled. “But he won’t be harassing Danielle again.”
Marie furrowed her eyebrows. “What did you do?”
“It’s better you don’t know. He has no idea it was me.” An evil grin spread over his face. “Only one more to take care of.”
He recalled how good it felt to beat the hell out of Diego. It made him feel like he finally did something for Danielle. He and Gary had burned the clothes they wore and dumped them in a canal, far from the scene. Having a lawyer for a mother helped sometimes.
“Hey, babe.” Alex ran the back of a finger down Danielle’s cheek. “How d’ you feel?”
Danielle slowly opened her eyes when she sensed a hand on her back.
Alex smiled and kissed her lips. “You doing OK?”
Her eyelids fluttered. “Yeah.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “Did you go to practice?”
“Um, no.” He debated whether or not to tell her the truth. “I got punched.”
She sat up quick, and then grabbed Alex to steady herself. Fast movements seemed to make her dizzy. “Who hit you?”
He looked away. “Maybe I shouldn’t say.”
“You got in a fight?”
“Kinda.” Alex could still hear Diego begging him to stop. “I won, at least.”
She gave him a half-smile. “I love you.” The words had left her mouth automatically. She closed her eyes for a few seconds. That was not how she planned to tell him. Do I love him? It was impossible to deny at that point. She met his gaze again. “I really do love you, Alex.”
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “Thank you for finally saying it.” He felt her love every time she was near.
Chapter 19
The morning before Thanksgiving, Danielle woke up before her alarm went off. Alex was asleep next to her. They had spent the past night in his bed. She tried to delay getting out of bed, so her stomach wouldn’t lurch, but her bladder didn’t cooperate. She carefully moved Alex’s arm and sighed. Her mornings were long and painful. Within seconds, she had no choice but to get up.
Alex opened his eyes when he felt the bed shake. Danielle ran from the room. He exhaled loudly and got to his feet. Her morning sickness was quite extreme. Several days she had gotten so dehydrated, she passed out. He wished there was something more he could do. Helpless was the worst feeling he could have. As soon as he could see straight, he hurried after her.
“It’s gonna be OK,” he assured her as she leaned over the sink and cleaned her mouth out. “They said it’d be over in a few weeks.” He ignored the hard-on in his pants that ached for her. Morning sex was banned for at least a few more weeks.
She turned and hugged him, the emotional rollercoaster too much to bear. “I wish it would hurry up.”
He caressed her flat belly. “It’ll be worth it in a few months.” Someone came out of a stall, and he quickly moved his hand. Only Logan and Marie knew about the pregnancy. “Come on.”
He lifted her up and carried her back to his room. He did that daily. She was usually too weak to walk for a few minutes. He felt guilty that only she went through the torture. The hallway was practically empty. He was glad most of the students had left for the holiday the day before. They couldn’t, because Danielle had her first prenatal appointment that morning.
Danielle groaned. Her stomach cramped, but there was nothing left to come out. Alex knew what to do. He always had crackers and a drink for her next to the bed. She was appreciative of his efforts. If not for him, she doubted she could get through it.
Alex sat
her down and urged her to eat and drink. Then he sat and watched over her when she lay down. It had become a routine by then. He exhaled loudly when her eyes closed. It had been a challenging month so far. Between Brian’s increasingly bizarre conversations and the effort to hide the pregnancy, the stress was high.
At least they didn’t have anyone else to worry about. He had disabled Brian’s entire network of assistants, which was why Brian was batshit crazy. Alex had taken Jeff out a few days earlier when he caught him swatting Danielle’s bare ass. A bruise on Alex’s chin was his only injury. Jeff was in the hospital with broken ribs and a concussion. Danielle still had not told Alex what Jeff had done to her before he arrived.
Danielle felt somewhat better by the time they had to leave. Then in the car, it came back full force. Alex pulled over several times during the trip. When they walked into the doctor’s office, she had to lean on him for support. She didn’t understand how she could be so weak. Then she realized what her body was going through. Good thing Brian can’t see me now.
“She’s been sick as a dog every morning,” Alex told the female doctor who entered the room.
Dr. Greene smiled. “I’ll give her a prescription. Don’t worry.” She moved around the room. “Anything else I should know?”
“She doesn’t like needles,” Alex replied for Danielle, who was flat on an exam table in a gown already. She almost passed out when they pricked her finger. “Are crackers and sports drinks OK to help the nausea?”
The doctor looked at Danielle’s pale face. “Yes, and they work well. Can you hold down any food?”
Danielle nodded. “Most days.”
“Good.” Dr. Greene adjusted the bed beneath Danielle. “The exam is going to be quite invasive. I’ve been told you have a history of… sexual abuse. Is there anything I can do to make it easier?” The questionnaire Alex filled out only listed severe nausea and the abuse.
Alex clutched Danielle’s offered hand in his. “I’m right here.” He kissed her forehead. “I won’t let go, beautiful.” When it came time to find their baby’s heartbeat, the doctor listened for a long time. Alex started to get nervous when the doctor switched out the listening devices. “Is something wrong?”
“No. It’s just early.” Dr. Greene was not alarmed yet. “How about we just do an ultrasound?” Most of the exam rooms had one, just in case. Soon they saw Danielle’s uterus on a screen. “There he is.” She smiled at the strong heartbeat. “He looks good.”
Alex grinned. “It’s a boy?”
“There’s no way to tell yet,” she explained. “I just didn’t want to say it.” She looked around Danielle’s womb. “You’re about 10 weeks along.” She pulled a due date calculator out of her pocket and set it to Danielle’s last period date. “The baby should come around June 26th. Get dressed and meet me in my office. I’ll give you the prescription.”
* * *
After they stopped at the pharmacy, they were on the road to Alex’s childhood home. Minutes into the trip, he looked over at Danielle. She was sound asleep. The doctor had said a motion sickness patch may help, and it did.
Her peaceful face started movement in his pants. It had been more than a day since they had sex. He ached for relief, although he wouldn’t complain to her. If she fell asleep before him again that night, he would have to take care of himself yet again. He couldn’t wait for her morning sickness to end.
Danielle felt the car stop and opened her eyes. Hours had passed. They were at a red light, and Alex had a hand on her leg. “Where are we?”
Alex turned, startled by the sudden sound. He was glad her face had more color. “Almost at the store. My mom asked us to pick up extra soda and potatoes. How d’ you feel?”
“Better, thanks.”
They picked up what his mom needed, as well as ginger ale, sports drinks, crackers and the flavored water Danielle liked. In the checkout line, Alex held her in his arms. She took deep breaths and tried to quell a new wave of nausea.
He slid his hand down to her belly and rubbed it. “It’ll be over soon.”
“I know.” She rested her head on him. “We’ll get through it.”
Soon after, Alex turned down his block. He was nervous. Danielle didn’t know his family was well to do. He didn’t like anyone to think he was different. He felt like any other student.
“Um, Alex, where are we going?” All she could see were gigantic houses with a lot of property. “This place is from that old show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
He sighed. “I live on this block.”
“Huh?”
He took a deep breath. “My dad’s the CEO of a huge company in New York City, and my mom’s a partner in a law firm in West Palm Beach. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to hate me because I had money.”
“I’m not that shallow. Did you keep anything else from me?” She was a little hurt that he didn’t trust her with the information.
Alex realized he should have known she wouldn’t care. “Nothing important. I should’ve told you weeks ago.”
Danielle closed her eyes and groaned. “Forget it.” She knew he hid something else. Maybe he didn’t see it as important, but she wanted to know everything.
When the car stopped, she looked up. His house was the largest of them all. She suddenly felt like she wasn’t good enough for him. I’m not even in the ballpark. His parents are gonna hate me.
Alex smiled at the familiar site. “My mom’s gonna love you.” He leaned over and kissed Danielle’s cheek. “You can take the patch off now, if you want.”
They soon walked hand in hand to the front door. It opened, and a tall blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman appeared. “Alex!” she cried out.
Alex smiled and hugged his mother. “I missed you too, Mom.” Then he stepped back.
She touched his bruised face. “You’ve been fighting again?” She frowned. “I thought you stopped.”
“I did.” He groaned, annoyed his mom brought up something else he had not told Danielle. He looked at her. “I used to be on the MMA team. I didn’t think you would care.”
Danielle shrugged. “It’s OK.”
“Good.” He turned back to his mother. “Mom, this is Danielle.”
Alex’s mom looked toward her. “You’re even more beautiful than your pictures.” She was taken aback at the girl in front of her. Her son normally chose trashy women. Danielle was what she had always wanted for him. “I’m glad to finally meet you. I’m Mary.” She hugged a startled Danielle. “Alex told me a lot about you.”
“Mom!” Alex protested. “I told you not to say anything.”
Mary smiled. “He’s liked you since he met you. I’m sure you know that.” She looked at her son. They were close enough that they spoke about his “love life” at times. She didn’t realize some of it was made up. “What’s the difference? You’re dating now.” Then she turned to shout inside. “Corey, turn that off, and come meet Alex’s girlfriend.” She pulled them both inside and toward the family room.
Alex’s dad turned off the television reluctantly and walked to his wife. Then he embraced Alex warmly. “We miss you around here.” Then he turned to Danielle. “It’s nice to meet you.” He took her into his arms, also, and then looked at her pale complexion. “You look tired. Are you OK?”
“That’s… uh, kinda something we need to talk about,” Alex said, a bit brokenly. He was nervous about their reaction to the baby.
Corey smiled “Don’t be so dramatic, Alex.” He led the way back to the family room. “You worry too much; like your mother.” He laughed and took a seat at the end of the couch.
Alex held Danielle’s hand as he helped her sit on the loveseat. “I’m not really sure how to tell you guys this.” He squeezed Danielle’s hand.
Mary sat next to her husband. “Are you getting married or something?” It was a joke. She knew he was somewhat of a playboy. She had actually been shocked he stayed with the same girl for so long.
“We’re having a
baby in June.” Alex blurted it out so he couldn’t take it back.
His mom was puzzled. “Wait a minute. You told me a few weeks ago that you just started dating. How is she more than two months pregnant and it’s yours? Danielle, you’re not scamming him for money, are you?”
“Mom, come on!” Alex cried out. “She had no idea until today about that. It’s hard to explain.”
His dad stood up. “Alex, I taught you better than this. I taught you to protect yourself.”
“I know, Dad,” Alex replied. His disappointment in himself showed through. He put an arm around Danielle’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, but I love her, and I love this baby.” He caressed her belly. “I didn’t mean to let you down.”
“Alex, we love you, and we want what’s best for you.” His mom wrung her hands as she tried to understand. “You really just surprised us. I’m sorry if I was callous.” She couldn’t help but think she was wrong about Danielle. “So, you guys started dating after you got her pregnant?”
“Mom, don’t.” Alex didn’t want them to think Danielle was a slut. “It wasn’t planned, but does that really matter?”
Corey couldn’t process his son’s change in attitude about women. Unlike his wife, he knew his son used them and moved on the next day. He hadn’t heard about Danielle until Mary told him they were a couple. The fact that he impregnated her was beyond his comprehension at that point. He felt there had to be a catch, a reason his son was crazy about her.
“So, Danielle what do you think? You haven’t said a word.” Corey stood over her. “Do you love my son or are you just making him pay for his mistake?” He raised his hand up to wave goodbye to Gretchen, the housekeeper, who was in the kitchen.
Danielle put her arms up over her face and screamed, “No! Please! I do love him.”
“Babe, it’s OK.” Alex pulled her to him. “He wasn’t going to hit you. Dad, don’t do that.”
from Pain to Pleasure (Gainesville Book 1) Page 18
