The Trouble With Him: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (The Forbidden Love Series Book 3)

by Kat T. Masen

“Hey,” Ava raises her voice in annoyance, then crosses her arms in defiance. “I resent that. Last night I didn’t even take my laptop to bed.”

  “Oh yeah? What did you do then?”

  Ava’s eyes widen, her cheeks turning bright red. She immediately drops her gaze to the floor. “Um, just scrolling my phone, you know, watching videos.”

  “Videos? Work videos?”

  She rubs the back of her neck, still unable to make eye contact with me. “Uh, no. More adult content.”

  Throwing my hands to my face, laughter escapes me. She will be the death of me.

  “You’re killing me, Ava. You know that?”

  Biting her lip with a mischievous grin, she places her hand on her chest. “Me? How about you stop standing there looking like a piece of delicious candy, and I can’t have it because I'm diabetic.”

  “But you don’t have diabetes?” I tease.

  “You know what I mean. It’s off-limits, or the consequences are dire.” The sound of her phone distracts us both. “Saved by the bell.”

  Gritting her teeth, Ava presses her lips tight before answering the call, but I welcome the change in the conversation since my pants start to become tight with my dick falling hard again.

  “Hey, Luna, what’s up? I’ve got you on speaker, and Austin is here.”

  “Oh, hey, Austin!”

  “Hi, Luna, long time no speak. How are you?”

  “Good, frazzled, I don’t know. Did you guys know Andy won this significant award?”

  We both look at each other and shrug our shoulders.

  “I’ll take that silence as a no,” Luna concurs, her breathing unusually heavy over the speaker. “I’m flying out tomorrow but want to organize an intimate dinner for tomorrow night. Just Andy, my parents, Nikki and Rocky, and you guys if you’re free?”

  “We’ll be there,” Ava confirms, then closes her eyes momentarily while scowling. “See you then.”

  She hangs up the call then lifts her eyes to meet mine.

  “Okay, I’m sorry I just assumed you were free or would want to go.”

  “It’s fine,” I assure her. “Andy deserves to celebrate his success.”

  “Are you sure? I mean, it’s not like a date. We’re going as friends of Andy’s. Well, I’m his cousin, but you know what I mean,” she rushes nervously.

  I rub my chin while continuing to lean against the wall. My eyes fixate on her, and notably, she can’t seem to sit still, fidgeting with her jewelry.

  “You seem nervous? Is there something on your mind that you want to share?”

  “No…” Ava shakes her head vigorously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

  “Okay. It just seems like you’re kind of awkward around me.” I lower my gaze, hiding my smirk, waiting for her filter to disappear.

  “Addy thinks I’m falling in love with you.”

  And there it is…

  With a dazed stare, my posture stiffens. At the same time, a tightness inside my chest restricts my ability to breathe at a normal pace.

  Fuck, I didn’t see that coming.

  “And Will thinks we’re going to get married.”

  It’s just one explosion after another, detonating while leaving me speechless. I practice my methods to remain calm, trying to think logically about everything Ava just blurted out.

  When the shock begins to wear off, my eyes narrow as they fall upon Ava with a grimace.

  “That’s a lot of opinions from people who aren’t in our shoes, don’t you think?”

  “Yes,” Ava mutters, then glances sideways. “You asked for the truth. There it is.”

  I expected neither one of those things to come out of Ava’s mouth. But now, I’m presented with a bigger problem.

  Does Ava feel this way?

  Sure, the thought has crossed my mind. There are feelings, though probably clouded because having a child together can evoke so many emotions. Is it love? Who the fuck knows. The last time I claimed to ‘love’ someone, I was severely burnt.

  And I refuse to go through that again, not if I have a say in the matter.

  “So, tell me, Ava. Do you believe them?”

  The question is weighted, but so is having a child together. We can’t keep bending the rules or fooling around like we are fuck buddies or whatever people call them now. The one who will hurt the most from our fleeting actions will be our child.

  “I like being around you,” Ava says faintly like she’s actually careful with her words for once. “It’s just so easy between us. I mean, you know, when we’re not fucking each other’s brains out.”

  Cocking my head, I’m unable to hide my smile. “I feel the same.”

  “I don’t know what love is, but I do know this baby will be incredibly loved.”

  Ava stands up from the rocking chair and moves close to the dresser. She touches the stuffed bunny sitting on top, staring at it wistfully.

  “It’s wrong…to have feelings for you,” she stammers, with her back toward me. “This was always meant to be platonic. But, I guess, the pregnancy is probably stirring things…”

  “It may be the hormones,” I mention in a low voice, moving toward Ava until my body is flush with hers. With her back against my chest, my fingers move on their own accord, carefully moving her hair away from her shoulder to inhale her scent better.

  “Ava, what if I told you I felt the same way?”

  “Austin…” she murmurs.

  Running my nose along her shoulder, her scent instantly heightens everything in my body. Of course, everything standing before me is what I shouldn’t be wanting and desiring, but fuck, she drives me insane.

  My hands wrap around her stomach, desperate to bring us closer. Right now, it is just us, and I don’t give a fuck who has an opinion. Ava releases a sigh as her head falls onto my chest. If she turns around, there is no knowing what I will do, a part of me begging her to stay just as is.

  “There’s no rule book here, Ava. We set the rules. We do what we want, not what other people think we should do.”

  “I’m scared, okay?” I hear it in her voice, the quiet, shaky tone. “There’s just so much going on, and the last thing I want is to bring this baby into the world with confusion.”

  Placing a kiss on her neck, I understand exactly how she feels. “There’s no rush. But for now, I need to take a step back.”

  I do just that, distancing myself from her. Instantly, she turns around with a pained stare. The emerald orbs make it incredibly difficult to move a limb, but I force myself to gain control of the situation.

  “If I leave now, I can’t be held accountable for my actions,” I say, struggling to control my urges. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, okay?”

  Without even waiting for an answer, I leave the room to walk down the hall to exit her apartment.

  Some things are best to walk away from, no matter how much it aches in the moment.

  Today is my rostered day off, and I spent all day at the gym killing myself. I’ve done everything to take my mind off last night.

  Yet continue to feel like I’m running in circles.

  The usual trainer, Geoff, who did the rounds, complimented me on my dedication and persistence. He doesn’t know I’m trying to exert my frustrations because I’m starting to go fucking crazy.

  Ava Edwards is all I can think about.

  Everything I’m not supposed to think about in that way.

  And we haven’t even reached the hard part yet.

  “You know, for someone who is a doctor, you scrub up well outside the hospital.”

  Ava is walking beside me, wearing a tight burgundy dress that sits a bit short for my liking. It’s fitted nicely, accentuating her curves, including her protruding stomach. Her hair is tied back into a ponytail, exposing her neck. What the hell is it about her neck which draws you in and makes you want to blow in your god damn pants?

  I bite down, ignoring my weakness.

  “Was that meant to be a pun? But you got too ex
cited, and it came off wrong?”

  Ava knocks into my side. “I need to get better at that, huh?”

  Once again, she breaks the tension between us. It will be a long night, but I need to relax and forget about what happened last night.

  We enter the restaurant to find Julian, Adriana, and Nikki. We say hello to learn Rocky has some stomach flu.

  “He says he’s not lactose intolerant, but then he spends all night on the toilet sounding like he’s having an exorcism,” Nikki complains.

  Adriana cringes. “I’m not sure whether to feel sorry for him or be disgusted.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for him,” Nikki drags, then turns to face me. “It’s good to see you again, Austin. It’s been how long?”

  “Years,” I remind her with a smile, not wanting a reminder of exactly when.

  “And you’re a doctor now?” Adriana smiles fondly, linking her arm into mine as we walk to the table. “If you’ve done one thing right by Lex, it’s that.”

  “Second-year resident, still not entirely there yet.”

  When we reach the table, Julian shakes my hand. I’ve known him since I first started dating Millie, and much like Lex, the man never ages.

  The last time we spoke, he was trying to calm me down after it was confirmed Millie and Romano were fucking behind my back.

  “Buddy, you need to calm down,” Julian holds me back, clutching my shirt with force.

  Standing across the patio is Romano with a satisfied smirk on his god damn face. Lex is beside him, angry as hell but trying to push him further away to create distance between us.

  She’s fucked him. Who the hell knows how many times or how long this has been going on.

  It’s over.

  “Let’s go. I’ll take you back to the city.”

  I turn around, refusing to stay here a second longer and be humiliated by a woman who agreed to marry me. A woman who promised me it would be just us for the rest of our fucking lives.

  Inside the car, the radio plays soft music. I stare out the window, attempting to numb the pain.

  “I’ve been where you’ve been,” Julian mentions, breaking the silence between us. “It’ll sting for a long while before you begin to heal. Don’t let this ruin everything you have going for you. That, out of everything, was the biggest mistake I made.”

  I wasn’t like him. I refused to let Amelia Edwards destroy me. She can have her happily ever after with her prince charming.

  I don’t need her or her family.

  As far as I’m concerned, they’re dead to me.

  The memory disappears the moment Andy walks through the door. He stops mid-step with a dazed look, his eyes widening at the sight of everyone.

  “Surprise!” Luna shouts, running toward where he stands and throwing her arms around him.

  After a brief hug, Andy appears surprised, but something else seems to be on his mind. He’s dressed rather casually in a pair of jeans and black tee, never one to dress formally. His focus shifts onto Ava and me with a forced smile. “Oh, look, it’s everyone.”

  “Well, of course, it’s everyone in Manhattan,” Luna sneers, rolling her eyes at her brother. “We have to celebrate your achievement. You didn’t think you could go under the radar again, did you?”

  The moment he opens his mouth, the door opens, and my eyes lock onto the eyes of the woman who once owned me.

  Fuck.

  Now I know why Andy appeared surprised to see us. I drop my gaze, then press my lips, not believing my luck.

  Beside me, Ava lets out a small huff followed by, “Great, the jealous brother-in-law is here.”

  In hindsight, I never should have agreed to this. I don’t have the patience to deal with the conniving billionaire right now. But this isn’t about him. It’s Andy’s night. With that thought in my head, I glance up to see a furious man standing beside his wife.

  “Oh, crap,” Luna mouths.

  Adriana pats her on the shoulder. “It’ll be fine. We’re all adults.”

  “Adriana?” Nikki sighs heavily. “Have you met my son?”

  “You know what?” Ava begins, straightening her shoulders, “This is about Andy. I’m sure we can all be in the same room for an hour.”

  The three of them walk around to say hello to everyone until Millie stands in front of me. She hasn’t changed much. Her hair is shorter or lighter. Aside from that, nothing else has changed except this weird feeling when I’m around her.

  Almost like she’s a stranger.

  Millie keeps her distance, and to respect her wishes, I don’t go in for a friendly hug, almost feeling the heat coming off her husband.

  “It’s nice to see you, Austin,” she greets in a formal tone. “I didn’t realize you would be here tonight.”

  “I called Ava last night and spoke to Austin as well,” Luna jumps in, eyeing the both of us. “I had no idea you and Will were coming into the city.”

  Millie keeps her smile fixed. “Andy called us, so Mom and Dad stayed with Ashton.”

  Ava doesn’t go to hug her sister. Instead, they speak with their eyes—something they’ve always done which used to annoy me.

  “Why don’t we all sit down,” Luna suggests, then purposely directs people to sit in certain spots.

  Of course, Romano is across from me, enough that he can’t seem to stop glaring. I don’t know what the fuck his problem is, but I turn away, trying to keep my anger at bay.

  Once we’re all seated, Luna orders wine to celebrate. Andy, who is humble as ever, briefly talks about the award. His parents watch on proudly, with Julian being his number one supporter. I’ve always admired their bond, and it’s easy to see where Andy gets his drive and ambition from.

  “So proud of you, Andy,” Millie cheers, raising her glass.

  “All those photos I took of you and Ava during your teen years have paid off. I remember Ava wanted me to convince the school to swap her yearbook photo.”

  “The photo they took of me looked hideous.” Ava scowls with an exaggerated sigh.

  “Of course, they didn’t allow me to swap it.”

  Everyone but Romano laughs. He toys with the edge of his glass, then drinks it in one sitting. A tightness forms in his eyes until he tilts his chin, keeping his gaze downward.

  “Didn’t get what you want for once?” Romano utters from across the table, placing his arm around Millie like he’s trying to fucking prove a point. “That’s surprising.”

  Ava crosses her arms beside me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Well, you’re always one to get what you want, right? Even if it means you have to ruin people around you.”

  “Will, don’t,” Millie mumbles beside him.

  Turning to look at Ava, I grab her hand beneath the table and squeeze it tight. The last thing she needs right now is a raised blood pressure from stress. Then, leaning in, I whisper, “Don’t let him get to you. You know what he is like.”

  The moment I pull away, Will shakes his head with a smug expression. “Does your boyfriend make it all better? It’s all very convenient, right? The two of you making love, having a baby, playing happy families.”

  “Will,” Nikki snaps, crossing her arms just like Ava. “Get a grip on yourself.”

  Ava stands up, throwing her napkin on the table.

  “You are a god damn jerk, Will Romano. The world doesn’t revolve around you.” Ava’s face turns bright red, and I stand up with her, no longer wanting to be subjected to his childish behavior. “I’m sorry, Andy. Congratulations on your award. We can celebrate another time.”

  She storms off as I drop my head, keeping my hands on the back of the chair. With anger slowly seeping into every crevice, my gaze shifts until I’m staring into the eyes of the man I once loathed more than anything.

  The same man who disregarded my intentions to marry Millie, then went in for what he selfishly wanted.

  “It takes a man to admit his mistakes,” I begin in a controlled voice, trying to suppress my anger. “I
’m not perfect, and neither is Ava. And from memory, you once ruined my life to get what you wanted. So, before you judge Ava or me, perhaps you should stop throwing stones in your glass house.”

  I quickly nod goodbye to everyone, then exit the restaurant to an empty sidewalk.

  With my fists clenched tight, I scan the area around me. Ava is nowhere to be found.

  Suddenly, my eyes fall upon the concrete sidewalk to see the bracelet she wore on the ground. I pick it up, remembering on the walk over here how she said she loved it so much that if she ever lost it, she’d be so upset, which is why she never wore it.

  Placing it safely in my pocket, I then extend my hand to hail a cab.

  Romano may have ruined the night, but my concern is Ava.

  “Addy thinks I’m falling in love with you.”

  Her words repeat inside my head.

  And like a wind knocking the air out of me, I can’t deny it any longer.

  I think I’m falling in love with her too.

  Twenty

  Ava

  The anger tearing through me is like a hurricane making landfall, destroying everything in its path.

  My muscles continue to quiver, and the speed of my pulse rises as I stand here on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.

  A cab is not too far in the distance, so I stretch my arm, and it pulls over to the curb.

  Desperate to escape, I hop inside and quickly give the driver my address without a second thought.

  The anger begins to shift as I stare out the window, riddled with humiliation. How dare he say those things to me in front of my family. What gave him the right to voice his opinion thinking he has the slightest clue what I’ve gone through.

  He couldn’t be further from the truth.

  Will Romano is a selfish man. The irony is he always gets what he wants.

  It only takes ten minutes to get home, and during that time, my phone rings non-stop.

  When I exit the cab, I move quickly, eager to be alone inside my apartment and not deal with the human race.

  As my steps quicken, a pain strikes my lower body. I flinch, clutching my stomach while being forced to stop momentarily. The sensation is different from the baby's usual kicks, sharper and spreading across my entire abdomen.