Romance: SPORTS ROMANCE: The First Half (Bad Boy Alpha Male College Football Romance) (New Adult Contemporary Pregnancy Romance)

by Nicole Chance

  “Well, sir, I don’t want to have to explain the entire artistic process to you but—”

  “So don’t,” Anthony growled. “Use the blondes. Lay off Lillian.”

  “But sir, I gave her one simple task—”

  “I don’t care!” Anthony boomed. “You leave her alone or you’re fired. Got it?”

  Leo’s eyes widened.

  “G-got it,” he breathed.

  “Good,” Anthony replied. He shot me a glance. “Next time he gives you trouble, you let me know, alright?”

  I shook my head, my fists balled.

  “No. This isn’t your business.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Are you arguing with me?”

  I took a step forward and gave him one, sure nod.

  “I didn’t do my job the way I was supposed to. Leo’s right. I should be in trouble.”

  Leo raised his red, perfectly plucked brows.

  “I am?”

  I glanced at him and nodded.

  “Yes, you are. I’m sorry. I should’ve gotten you Chloes—like you asked for. I made a mistake. This has nothing to do with who my father is or who—” I glanced at Anthony. “—wants to come to bat for me when I don’t deserve it.”

  “Lilli, I just think he was being a little hard on you—”

  “It doesn’t matter, Anthony!” I shouted. “You don’t get to come to my rescue when you’ve left me—with what you left me with!”

  My blood was boiling. I was light-headed.

  “Look, Lillian, maybe you need to calm down…” Anthony cooed.

  “I will not calm down!”

  That’s when it happened. Suddenly, I felt faint.

  And then it all went black.

  Chapter Seven – The Inhospitable Hospital

  My back ached. My head hurt. I was fatigued. As my eyes fluttered open, I started to take in my surroundings. No longer was I at the photo shoot. Instead, I was surrounded by sterile white walls and the strong smell of rubbing alcohol.

  “I see you’re awake,” a familiar voice murmured. “How are you feeling?”

  I craned my neck over the papery blanket draped over my feet. There was Anthony, legs crossed in the corner visitor’s chair. He didn’t even look up from the business digest he was reading.

  “Not so good,” I admitted, rubbing my head. “What the hell happened?”

  He took a deep breath.

  “Well, you were yelling at me for helping you when you passed out in my arms,” he replied. He raised his brows and added, “I assume you’re mad at me for catching you too.”

  “No,” I murmured, hugging my knees close to my belly. “Have they checked on the baby?”

  My greatest fear was losing my little one.

  “Yes, the baby is fine,” Anthony assured me, putting his magazine down on his lap. “Look, Lillian, I really think you should take some time off work. Now, I know you’re going to hate that idea but—”

  He was interrupted by the door opening. There stood a woman in a lab jacket—and my father.

  “Daddy!” I exclaimed, nervously. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Oh, I’m glad too, pumpkin,” he cooed, hugging me closely. “I flew in from Orlando the second I heard.”

  The Indian-American doctor adjusted her frameless spectacles.

  “Well, luckily it was just a little fainting spell,” she said. “Glad to see you’re finally awake and feeling better, Miss Massey. It’s always good to have the baby’s father here when this kind of thing happens. It helps lessen the stress.”

  My father furrowed his brow. I could see the horror on Anthony’s face.

  “The father?” he asked. “I don’t see the father. Did he go to get snacks or something?”

  The doctor frowned and gestured Anthony.

  “He’s right there.”

  My father laughed and clapped Anthony hard on the shoulder. Anthony and I exchanged nervous glances. Neither of us knew what to say.

  “Oh, this isn’t the father!” he exclaimed. With a chuckle, he added, “If he was, I’d have to kill him!”

  The doctor glanced at us.

  “Right… Well, you’ll be happy to know that both your daughter and your grandchild will be just fine,” she noted. She gave me a dirty look. “And I highly advise you lower your stress levels, Miss Massey.”

  I blushed and nodded.

  “Okay, I get it. I should take some time off work.”

  My father sucked on his teeth.

  “I spent half a mil on schooling for her and she gets pregnant by some idiot,” he whispered to Anthony.

  My face fell. I wasn’t supposed to hear it, but I did.

  I was a disappointment to my father, he wanted to kill the man that fathered my child, and I was going to be forced to take time off work. My life was officially hell.

  Chapter Eight – Nowhere to Go

  After the hospital finally released me, I took a cab straight home to my apartment. It was there that I found a note on my door.

  Assuming that the complex was just repaving the parking lot or repainting the buildings, I didn’t think the note could be serious. As I approached the door, I grabbed it and looked it over. What I read destroyed all the progress I had made lowering my stress levels. I could not believe it.

  “Evicted?!” I exclaimed. “There’s no way.”

  I checked the time on my cell phone’s home-screen. There was still an hour left before the leasing office closed, so if I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, it was likely that I could sort out whatever mess their mistake had made.

  Out of breath, I rushed into the office and slammed the notice on the leasing manager’s desk. She cocked an eyebrow.

  “Yes?” she asked, boredom evident in her tone. “May I help you?”

  “Why am I getting evicted?” I asked. “There must be some kind of mistake—”

  “No mistake, Miss Massey,” she interrupted. “You missed last month’s rent and this month’s rent. Missing two months in a row is grounds for an immediate eviction, which will be taking place—” She looked at the sheet. “—at 8AM tomorrow.”

  “I-I can’t get all of my stuff out that quickly,” I said. “And my rent should be paid! My dad pays—”

  “Daddy didn’t pay it the past two months. Perhaps because of your situation?” she interrupted, glancing at my small baby bump. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call a paying resident.”

  She grabbed the phone and started dialing a number.

  “You can’t just ignore me!” I yelled.

  She shot me a glare.

  “Watch me.”

  Two suitcases. That was all I had. They were full of my favorite outfits, makeup, hair products, and some of my favorite books. I was not used to living on the bare minimum, but my situation was becoming more and more dire by the day. I no longer had the privilege to pretend I could live the same way that I had during my younger years. My father could only support me so much.

  The fully decorated nursery was in my apartment, about to be raided, and it was this that drove me to do what I never wanted to do. I swallowed my pride and I went to Anthony’s.

  I had never been to Anthony’s penthouse apartment, but it was in one of the most glamorous skyscrapers in the city. It glittered from the headlights of passing cars from the outside. A guard stood watch outside, just like at my father’s apartment building in New York City.

  “Excuse me,” I said. “Excuse me! Does Anthony Aliosi live here?”

  “I’m not permitted to say, ma’am,” the guard replied, raising an eyebrow.

  He was so professional. That also reminded me of the guard in front of my dad’s apartment building.

  “That’s a yes,” I replied with a small smile. “Could you maybe buzz him and tell him the mother of his child is here?”

  The guard’s eyes widened.

  “O-oh!” he exclaimed, looking down at
my belly. “Of course, ma’am. It’s rainy. Let me help you with those suitcases.”

  He quickly grabbed my suitcases and led me into the lobby. I smiled. For the first time, being pregnant was working in my favor. As I waited there, he ran to the front desk. They had a short exchange before he rushed back over to me.

  “I’m afraid that Mr. Aliosi has stepped out,” he murmured. “If you don’t mind waiting here, we will see if we can get a hold of him. Is it an emergency regarding your baby?”

  I gulped.

  “Yes.”

  He nodded, understandingly.

  “We’ll do our best to try and get a hold of him, ma’am,” he replied.

  Before he could even turn around, Anthony sauntered through the revolving door. On his arm was none other than the famous, gap-toothed Milani Cazenovia. I sucked on my teeth. Another night, another model. I don’t know what else I expected from Anthony Aliosi, but I had never been angrier.

  “Is this your date?” I spat. “You went from me to her?”

  Milani clutched onto his arm and looked down at my belly. I could see the scorn in her perfect hazel eyes. Part of me was jealous. I would do anything to switch places with her. I would do anything to be a model.

  “Aren’t you a bit fat to be talking so lowly of others?” she purred. “Anthony, who is this trash?”

  He gulped. I put my hand on my hip. I was pregnant with his child and homeless and he was bringing other women home. Perhaps I should have seen this fate from the very moment that I slept with him at the fashion show. Perhaps I should never have made that bet with Mia. I regretted everything.

  “I’m pregnant, thanks,” I retorted. “With his kid.”

  Anthony hung his head lowly and let out a sigh. It was clear that he didn’t intend on me finding out about his fling. Surely, he would send me to live on the streets.

  “Okay, I can’t do this,” he muttered. “Milani, I’ll call you a cab.”

  Her jaw dropped.

  “Are you kidding me? You have a chance to sleep with a supermodel and you’re going to choose this—this cow?” she shouted. “I’ll call myself a cab. I don’t accept money from morons.”

  Her two-thousand dollar wedges click-clacked all the way across the lobby.

  She turned on her heel and added, “And the shoot is off! I will never do business with Hawthorne and Dale ever again!”

  She stormed out, leaving me with the man that left me pregnant.

  “So how did you find out where I lived?” he asked. “You can’t just show up here, Lillian. There are paparazzi! What if your dad found out?”

  “Well, he’s already mad at me,” I muttered. “That’s kind of why I’m here.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “Because your dad is mad? I’m not following. I’m not a therapist, Lilli.”

  “I’m not asking you to fix my relationship with my dad,” I explained. “I-I’m asking for a place to stay.”

  His eyes widened. After a moment, he took a deep breath and shook his head.

  “Lilli… I’m sorry, but this just—this can’t happen. Your dad would kill me if he knew you were staying with me,” he said. “It’s too suspicious. I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  “But I have nowhere else to go!”

  He frowned and asked, “What about your apartment?”

  “My dad stopped paying for it,” I murmured, my arms crossed. “That’s why I’m here. I got evicted.”

  He closed his eyes.

  “I see.”

  “And the nursery is still in my apartment but they’re clearing everything out tomorrow morning. I’m going to lose it all,” I sobbed. “Please, just let me stay here so I can get back on my feet. I’ll keep working. I just—I need to find a place—”

  “Okay, fine. Just stop crying,” he mumbled. “And don’t worry about the nursery. I’ll hire some movers. We’ll give them the keys. They’ll get everything over here tonight.”

  I beamed at him.

  “Really?” I asked. “But, all the moving companies are closed. I checked.”

  He laughed a little.

  “Money can accomplish great things, Lillian.”

  Chapter Nine – A Feeling That Won’t Go Away

  Anthony didn’t let me sleep in his bed. Instead, he opened the door to the guest room and pursed his lips. It was a reminder that we could never be together. It was too risky.

  “Your apartment is beautiful,” I whispered, running my fingers across the velvet duvet. “It would be a nice place to raise a baby.”

  He sucked on his teeth and threw a large shirt at me.

  “Goodnight, Lillian.”

  With those words, he left me alone. He never returned.

  The sun woke me up the next morning. I half-expected to wake up to Anthony, but I didn’t. I was clothed in the same oversized t-shirt he had given me the night before. Apparently, everything I thought had happened was just a dream. I cursed under my breath.

  After a long stretch, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I could smell bacon and eggs sizzling in the kitchen.

  I crossed my arms and walked down the hallway. I expected to see Anthony, but instead, I ran into a plump, middle-aged woman. She looked over at me. She didn’t seem surprised to see me. I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

  “Where’s Anthony?” I asked, curious why there was another woman in the house while I was there. “Did he leave for work?”

  “Mr. Anthony is still in his bedroom. He has big business meeting today. Need big breakfast.”

  I nodded and let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t a mistress. She was the cook.

  After waiting on the couch for awhile, I finally heard Anthony emerge from his bedroom. I sat up and waved.

  “Good morning!” I said, cheerily. “How’d you sleep?”

  He looked me up and down, warily.

  “Fine. How about you?”

  “Fine,” I purred, getting to my feet. I approached him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “The baby is kicking.”

  “Fascinating,” he murmured in a bored tone. “Look, I really have to eat and get to this meeting. Could you—”

  “Take the day off!” I exclaimed. “Please?”

  He sighed and shook his head. I knew that I had unrealistic expectations, but I needed to get to know the father of my child. Deep down, I wanted us to get along. At least my baby could know their father when they were born. That was really all that I wanted.

  “Lillian, I can’t—”

  “But you can,” I whined. “And I want to start thinking about baby names. I’d like you to be here for that.”

  I really had no interest in thinking of baby names. It wasn’t like he was going to get a say in that anyway.

  He looked down at my chest and gulped. I pouted and batted my lashes. If I couldn’t get my way by whining, perhaps I could get it by being cute.

  “Well, I suppose if you’re naming the baby…”

  “Oh, thank you!” I squealed. “We’re going to have the best day together!”

  He smirked, and that was the moment I knew he wanted the same thing that I did.

  “Oh, I’m sure we are.”

  We never talked about baby names. Secretly, I was glad he never brought it up again.

  The master bathroom was like a dream. As the hot water cascaded down my naked frame, I took in my surroundings. The shower was three times the size of any shower I’d ever seen—even in my father’s mansion.

  Then, I heard the door open. My heart pounded as Anthony quietly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. While it should have seemed inappropriate, it didn’t. In fact, it felt right. Even as a modest woman, I was in touch with my sexuality. Deep down, I wanted him.

  “Should you be in here?” I asked, unsurely. He always made me so nervous. “I’m naked. I-I don’t—is this appropriate?”

  “You’re pregnant with my baby,” he muttered, “and
I needed some cologne.”

  My stomach was in knots. I wondered if the cologne was an excuse or if I had completely been imagining his attraction to me.

  “Cologne? Trying to impress someone?”

  “Just you,” he replied. “Towels are—”

  I reached out of the shower and interrupted him.

  “Already found them.”

  I seized the towel and pulled back the curtain to dry my body. I don’t know why I wanted to hide myself, but I was afraid I wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the models he slept with so often.

  Then, he said something that made my heart stop.

  “You’re glowing,” he breathed. He took a step towards me. “Not just from being pregnant—it’s just your skin. Your youth. Your beauty. I guess I never got the chance to appreciate you… I-it was all so rushed before…”

  He caressed my cheek and pulled me closer. When his lips hit mine, I came to the realization that I was not over him at all. I wanted him, and it seemed like he wanted me too.

  “It doesn’t have to be rushed this time,” I whispered against his lips. “We can take it slow.”

  I took his hand and ran it down my still-wet body. His fingers rubbed the edge of my womanhood and I let out a soft groan. We had never had time for the foreplay before. I’d had college boyfriends touch me in such a way, but never did it go any further, and they certainly never did it right.

  “Let’s take it slow this time,” he murmured against my neck. “We’ll do it right.”

  Chapter Ten – Lust

  My eyes rolled back into my head. His mouth was pressed against my lower lips, moving in a way that I had never felt before. His tongue massaged the outer rim, leaving me with my fingers in his hair. I trembled as he brought me closer and closer to my first climax. Anthony was showing me things that I didn’t even know I could feel. It was amazing.

  “I want it,” I whispered, running my fingers through his locks.

  He kept moving his mouth as though he couldn’t feel me tugging.

  I went on. “Can we just—”

  “Of course,” he breathed, interrupting me. He came back up and kissed my lips. “You sure you’re ready again?”