“Naw,” he said, grabbing the other cufflink and threading it through. “I’ve got this.”
Johnson nodded as he stood and walked over to the dresser on the far wall. A chime sounded on a phone, but it didn’t sound like his ringtone so Reed paid it no mind. His thoughts were plagued with Lillian. Not much else held his thoughts.
Johnson picked up his phone and studied it. A few seconds later, a newscaster’s voice filled the room.
“That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, I have it on good authority that tonight, Mr. Reed Williamson—Mr. Billionaire Bachelor himself—is getting hitched!”
A cheer rose up.
Reed’s stomach dropped. He zeroed in on Johnson’s phone, reaching out to take it. A woman with a blonde bob was standing in front of a huge crowd just outside of his building. Lights were directed at the front doors where Harold was trying desperately to get them to leave. His bald head was sweating as he waved like a wile man at the cameras.
The reporter took no note of his desperation, instead, approached him and shoved the microphone into his face. “Is Reed here?” she asked, turning to smile back at the camera.
“You must leave. This is private property,” Harold huffed out. He mustered an intimidating look, but the reporter didn’t seem fazed.
“Are you saying that Reed Williamson is not home right now.”
Harold’s face flushed red as he sputtered a few times.
“If he is not here, where is Mr. Williamson?” She turned to the audience who all booed and made sad faces. There were a few muffled sentences before the woman shot her bright white smile back at the camera. “The Williamson estate,” she exclaimed, and the video feed went black.
Reed scrolled down. There had already been over a half a million views of this YouTube video and it had only been live for just under an hour. That was enough time for the reporters to arrive.
Reed shoved Jackson’s phone into his hand and walked over to the windows. Luckily, his room faced the front of the house. Pulling back the drapes, he saw that the front of the estate was lined with reporters. Apparently, the popularity of the view brought the attention of every major newscaster in the state.
Reed swore under his breath. Who had said anything? This wasn’t the small wedding he’d wanted. The last thing he needed was a huge story that mucked up his plans.
He grabbed his tuxedo coat and headed out of the room. There was no time like the present to speed up this wedding. As long as his grandfather witnessed the contract being fulfilled, then he should be in the clear. He’d get the company, and everything would finally be right in the world.
Well, almost right. Without Lillian, Reed was beginning to think that his life was never going to be complete. Then the thought that they’d be married entered his mind. If she didn’t love him now, he’d make a point of getting her to fall in love with him eventually.
Lillian had filled his mind and taken a hold of his heart. She was everything to him. No other women had trusted him so completely like she did. She was honest and kind. He’d never felt as if she’d been after him for his money. She was genuine, and he couldn’t wait to spend more time with her.
He stood outside the room that the ladies were getting ready in. He swallowed as he raised his hand to knock.
After a few seconds, Cassie appeared in a baby pink chiffon dress. Her hair had been pulled up. She looked amazing.
“Wow, Cas. You clean up nice.”
She feigned a modest expression that morphed into a smile. “I know,” she said.
He studied her. “Is Lillian ready?”
She shot him an excited look. “Yes,” she said as she pushed the door open to reveal Lillian standing there.
Reed’s heart picked up speed. It felt as if it was going to leap from his chest. There had been very few times when he’d felt stunned speechless and this was one of them. He parted his lips to say something, but nothing came out.
Lillian’s eyebrows rose.
“You look amazing,” he said. The white lace contrasted against her skin. Her red hair had been curled and fell over her shoulders. The words that he was trying to form in his mind paled in comparison to how she actually looked.
“Thanks,” she said. Then she reached down and pressed on her stomach.
Reed wondered if it was her nerves that made her look flushed.
Suddenly, she wavered, tipping to the side. Reed stepped forward, catching her before she collapsed onto the ground. Worry raced threw him. Scooping her legs up, he held her to his chest.
“Are you okay?” he asked, glancing down at her.
She swallowed and nodded as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I think I just need to lie down for a minute.”
Reed walked her over to the bed and laid her on it. Tamara was right behind him and waved him away.
“Give her some space,” she commanded.
Not wanting to leave her side, but also not wanting to overwhelm her, Reed listened to his grandfather’s nurse who had come into the room and stepped out of the way.
After Lillian’s vitals were taken, Tamara instructed him to get her a glass of water. Reed started to protest, but from the expression on Tamara’s face, he just pinched his lips together and made his way out of the room.
Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, his mother appeared. She was wearing a dark purple sequin dress and an expectant look.
“Well, where is she?” she asked.
Reed shot her a look. Nothing was more important than making sure Lillian was okay. Not the company, not the money. Something was wrong with her. He could feel it and he wasn’t going to let his mother pressure Lillian into walking down the aisle to just please her.
“Not now, Mother.” He walked past her and into the kitchen where he grabbed a few bottles of water from the fridge.
His mother was hot on his heels. “Did you see the reporters?” she asked, walking over to the windows and peering out.
Reed scoffed. “You act so surprised. Weren’t you the one who called them?”
His mother turned around with her eyes wide. “I did not. Sure, I wanted the engagement publicized, but not this.”
Reed stacked the bottles in his arm and moved to head back upstairs. “Is everything a show for you? Don’t you care about what this might do to Lillian? To me?” If anything happened to her, he would never forgive his mother. He cared too much for Lillian to let her suffer.
His mom reached out and rested her hand on his arm. “What are you talking about? Of course I want what’s best for you. Why else do you think I arranged this? It’s not every mother’s dream to marry her son off to a woman she barely knows.”
Reed hesitated and turned to look at his mom. She had a point. Neither of them wanted the situation that they were in right now. He needed to remember that.
Sensing his understanding, his mom reached out and pulled him into a hug. “I love you, Reed. We’re family. We always have each other’s best interest in mind.”
He sighed and nodded, wrapping his mom in a side huge. “You’re right. And, honestly, Lillian feels more like family then Hannah ever did. She needs me. I have to be there for her.”
His mom nodded into his shoulder. “Then go, take care of her. If you need me to, I’ll cancel the wedding. It’s more important to make sure she’s okay.”
Reed leaned down and kissed his mom on the head. “Thanks, ma.” Pulling away, he made his way to the stairs. “I’ll let you know,” he said as he disappeared at the top.
Chapter Seventeen
Something wasn’t right. It wasn’t right at all.
A sharp pain in her lower back had started small and intermittent. But it was building to the point that when it happened, it took her breath away. Memories of going into labor months ago flashed back to her. It was happening again. She could feel it.
Tamara leaned into to whisper, “What’s going on?”
Lillian shot her a pained expression. One that said she was hurting in more ways than
physical. Thankfully, Tamara understood.
“Do you want to go to the hospital?”
Lillian swallowed. She didn’t want to. Bad things happened when she went there. She walked in pregnant with a baby and came out alone. But this pain was starting to radiate down her legs and she knew something was wrong. So she bit her lip and nodded.
Tamara went into nurse mode. She stood and made her way over to Cassie where they talked in hushed tones.
Reed appeared in the doorway with a worried expression. He had half a dozen bottles of water tucked into his arms. When he saw her, his brow creased. She must have looked like a mess from his reaction.
He walked right by Lillian and Cassie and dumped the water onto a chair next to the bed. Then he approached, hesitantly at first but then reached down and grabbed her hand. He sat on the bed and met her gaze.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sweeping his gaze over her.
She nodded then winced another sharp pain squeezed her stomach. She clamped her eyes shut and breathed through it. When the pain passed, she glanced up at him.
“What’s happening? How can I help?” He reached out and rested his hand on her cheek.
“Reed?” Tamara asked.
He turned.
“We need to take her to the hospital.”
Reed sputtered as he stood. Lillian stared at Tamara who had her eyes wide. There was no way she wanted Reed to know about the baby. Not now. Not when she was about to lose it.
“Hospital? Why?” He turned to look at Lillian.
She shot him a comforting smile. “It’s just a precaution. I’m sure I’m fine.” When she moved her gaze to meet Tamara, Tamara pursed her lips and leaned toward her. Lillian knew she wanted her to tell Reed, but she couldn’t. So she steeled her expression, hoping that her best friend read it and knew what it meant.
Thankfully, she sighed and turned to Reed. “I should take her.”
“I’m going,” he said as he started to pace.
“No. It’s okay. Tamara can take me. I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
Reed stopped and whipped around to stare at her. “Inconvenience me? Are you serious? You were about to become my wife.”
Lillian winced at his words. She hated how much her heart swelled at his intensity when he spoke them. And at this moment, that was what she wanted. She wanted to be his wife. She wanted for him to care for her in a way that no man had ever in her past. She wanted him as her family, she just didn’t know how to tell him.
And if he found out that she lied to him, that would be it. Could he ever forgive her?
So she pinched her lips shut and gathered her strength. “Reed, I want to do this alone. Please.” Hoping her emotions didn’t give her away, she met his gaze.
He studied her for a moment and then a hardened expression passed over his face. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
She nodded, and Tamara stepped up to him. “Can we take your helicopter?”
Reed glanced over at her and then nodded. “Of course.”
Lillian let out the breath she’d been holding. Part of her was dreading what was coming and the other part welcomed it. She was ready for answers. So much of her life lately had been spent holding her breath, waiting for this exact moment to happen but not knowing when.
As much as it ached her heart to lose the baby, she welcomed that pain. It was something she was familiar with.
Reed stepped out of the room as Tamara and Cassie helped her change out of her dress and into some comfortable clothes. Lillian tried not to wince as she hobbled to the door. Reed leaning against the wall, staring at into the room when she approached. She met his gaze and her heart squeezed in her chest.
He was hurting. Bad.
How selfish could she be? She allowed herself to do the exact thing she’d told herself she would never do. Lead Reed to believe that something could happen between them. What kind of selfish person did that?
As she took a step toward him, an intense pain shot through her stomach, taking her breath away. She stumbled, grabbing onto the wall for support.
Reed was to her side before she could even blink. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. She opened her lips to protest but saw the ache in his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” he asked. His voice was deep and full of concern.
Lillian chewed her lip as she shrugged.
He scoffed. “Why are you lying to me?” he asked.
Tamara waved for him to follow her out to the hall. Lillian wanted wiggle from his grasp so he could put her down, but from the grip he had on her, he wasn’t going to let her go anytime soon.
So she took a deep breath and let him carry her down the stairs to the front door. He glanced down at her as if he was still waiting on a response.
“Reed, I just think it’s best for us to keep our distance. There are things about me that you don’t know.” Her voice dropped as emotion filled her throat. “That you can’t know.”
She watched as Reed’s jaw muscles twitched. He tightened his grip as he carried her outside. When they stepped out onto the front stoop, a cheer rose up from the reporters that were in the distance. Reed paid them no mind as he stared down at Lillian in an open and unabashed way.
“So you’re saying that everything we’ve gone through. All the feelings I’ve had, are what? A lie?”
Lillian’s heart swelled at his words. Feelings he’s had. Did it mean what she thought it did? But it couldn’t. Not when she wasn’t worthy of his love. So she had to push her feelings away and lie.
She nodded. “Yes.”
She kept her gaze focused on her hands as she felt his gaze on her. But she couldn’t look. She couldn’t acknowledge what her words had done to him. Not now. Another pain passed through her muscles, and she tightened from the pressure. They were coming faster now.
What was she going to do? As much as she wanted to think that she’d prepared for this, she hadn’t. A deep sadness settled in around her as realized what all of this meant. She fought the tears on her lids. Why had she allowed herself to hope? To love? Clearing her throat, she breathed out the tension.
Reed kept her in his arms until they got to the helicopter. Lillian was grateful for the whooshing sound from the blades that would drown out any conversation he would try to have with her. Once she was strapped in, he stepped back.
As she watched him retreat, she fought the urge to call to him. To have him come back and stay by her side. She’d grown accustomed to his presence. What was she going to do when it was gone?
And then she chided herself for sounding so selfish. What was she going to do? What about Reed? He’d entered into a contract with a woman who lied to him. Who kept a deep secret from him. A woman who could never be his family. Who just took and had nothing to give.
He was better off without her.
So, she dropped her gaze as waited as Tamara boarded, and then Bert took off. Once they were far enough away, she glanced down to see Reed had not moved from his spot. She could tell his face was tilted up, watching them leave.
Now alone, a sob escaped her lips. She was losing everything. Reed. The baby. Anyone who would ever think of her as family would be out of her life in moments. And then what was she going to do?
Tamara glanced over at her. Sympathy washed over her countenance.
“It’s not too late,” she said through the headset microphone.
Lillian shook her head. “Yes it is. It’s all too late.” She wiped her tears as another contraction came. Hunching over, she breathed through the pain.
Once it was over, she swallowed. If only she could somehow breathe through the pain of a broken heart, she just might be able to survive this evening.
They landed on the helicopter pad of New York Presbyterian hospital. As soon as Bert opened the door, a stretcher appeared. Before Lillian had time to think, she was strapped to is and wheeled inside.
A nurse was shouting at her and she was trying as hard as she could to answe
r her questions. Thankfully, Tamara was there, spouting all the facts for her. Right now, Lillian hurt so bad, she could barely breathe.
When they got her to Labor and Delivery, the realization of what was happening settled in around her. She was going to lose a baby. Again.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to push out all of her fears and calm her mind.
“How are you feeling?” a deep voice asked.
Lillian glanced up to see that a doctor had come in. He was staring at her chart and then over to her.
“How long until this is all over?” she asked. She needed an ending point, or she just might not make it through the night.
“That’s what we are going to try to avoid.” He grew silent as he studied the clipboard. “It looks like you are only a centimeter dilated, so that’s a good sign. We’ve given you some terbutaline to stop the contracts in your IV. I suspect these started because of dehydration and stress.”
She swallowed. That very well could be. She’d been so overwhelmed with what she was going to do about Reed and the baby, that she’d forgotten to take care of herself.
Another contraction came, this time calmer than the previous ones. She glanced up to see the doctor studying her.
“Are they getting easier?”
She let out a breath and nodded. “Yes.”
He smiled. “Good. The nurse will be back in to do an ultrasound so we can get an accurate due date.” He hesitated. “It says in your chart that this isn’t your first pre-term baby.”
Pain squeezed her chest as she nodded. “Yes. I had one last year.”
A knowing expression passed over his face. “I understand. We will do what we can to make sure that it won’t happen again.”
Lillian nodded as she dropped her gaze. Thankfully, Tamara came in and the doctor excused himself. She smiled over at Lillian.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, walking over and sitting on the chair next to the bed.
Tears welled up in her eyes. “What am I going to do?”
Tamara reached out and grabbed her hand. “Don’t worry. They’ll take care of you and the baby. Plus, if they do have to deliver, babies have survived at twenty-plus weeks.”
Marrying a Billionaire (A Fake Marriage Series Book 3) Page 13
