The Games We Play (Sizzle & Burn Book 2)

by Linda Verji

  She slumped down onto the couch and covered her face with her hands. “How could this happen? We used protection every time.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Vina said. When April pulled her hands from her face to stare at her, she reminded, “At the hotel.”

  “Oh!” April slapped her hand over her forehead as she exhaled loudly.

  “Really?” Snow’s eyes widened. Though she was well aware of what had happened between April and Roman after her wedding, she didn’t know all the details. She asked, “Didn’t you take the morning-after pill.”

  April sighed. “I did.”

  “Shoot!” Vina whistled. “Roman must’ve some really dangerous soldiers.”

  “There’s no point ruminating over what you did or didn’t do. April - ” Snow picked the box from the coffee table and held it out. “Go take the test.”

  “I don’t want to.” April immediately scooted away from the box like it was carrying explosive.

  “Don’t force us to make you pee on this stick,” Vina threatened.

  “Guys, I need some more time.” April bargained, “I’ll… I’ll test next week.”

  “That’s what you said last week.” Vina guffawed while Snow’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

  April said nothing to that. As early as two weeks ago, she’d known that something wasn’t right. Her breasts had become a little too sensitive and for some reason she couldn’t even go near Tellers kitchen anymore. The cornucopia of smells in there left her nauseous and dizzy.

  “April, let’s not jump to conclusions. Maybe you’re not even pregnant,” Snow cajoled. “Your cycle might just be off. It’s happened before, hasn’t it?”

  “She wasn’t having sex before,” Vina cut in before April could answer.

  Snow shot Vina a sharp look “You’re not helping.”

  “I’m just saying.” Vina shrugged. “There’s a good chance she’s got Roman’s bun in her oven, and the sooner she confirms it the sooner she can decide what she’s going to do about it.”

  Sometimes April appreciated Vina’s straightforwardness. This wasn’t one of those times. She wanted someone to tell her that she was worrying for nothing. That there was no baby – even if it was a lie.

  “What will I do if I’m pregnant?” she murmured more to herself than to her friends.

  “We’ll deal with that when we know.” Snow opened the box then took out the stick insider and held out to April. “Go take the test.”

  When April hesitated, Vina piped in, “You know you have to. Just go take the test and we’ll sort out the rest after we know.”

  April knew her friends were right, but that didn’t make it any easier to take the box or to stand up. On shaky limbs, she made her way to the bathroom. Moments later, she came back out with the stick and set it atop its box.

  “Two lines means negative, right?” April asked as she stared at the stick while nervously tapping her foot on the floor.

  “No,” Vina said, her eyes on the stick too. “It’s the other way. Two lines means you are.”

  “Ugh! I’m too nervous. I can’t look.” Snow closed her eyes and flopped back into the sofa.

  If she was that nervous, then how was April supposed to feel. She was the one whose head was in the guillotine right now. Wringing her hands nervously, she asked, “How much longer?”

  “About a minute,” Vina said.

  April stood. “Call me when it’s done.”

  “Hey, where are you going?” Vina called out after her.

  “Anywhere but here.” April strode towards her bedroom. Once in there, she plopped on the bed. She rubbed her arms to dispel the sudden chill running rampant through her body. What was she going to do if she was pregnant? She stood up to pace the length of floor between each end of her bed. Should she tell him? Should she not tell him? What if he asked for an abortion? Her footsteps stilled.

  He wouldn’t, right?

  But what if he did?

  She pulled in a deep breath. Then screw him. She’d take her baby and move to another state. She wasn’t getting rid of it. But what if he said that he wanted to raise the baby on his own? What if he took her baby from her? April collapsed on the bed. He certainly had the money and connections to do it. Oh my God. Oh my God. What if that’s what he wanted to do?

  The courts would never let him take the baby though, right? Courts preferred babies to be raised by their mothers, unless she was mentally or financially incapable of it. In that case, Roman could simply fire her. With a snap of his fingers, he could make her financially incapable. Oh, God.

  “April,” Snow’s voice broke into her thoughts. April turned her head to find both her friends standing by the door. Snow was holding the death stick.

  Immediately, April’s stomach clenched and pulse stuttered to a stop. It took all her effort to push out the words, “Am I pregnant?”

  Her friends traded looks before they both nodded. “You’re pregnant.”

  April breathed in. Then out. Breathed in deeply, then exhaled. When that wasn’t enough to ease the pressure that had suddenly ballooned in her chest, she stood up. “I’m pregnant. Okay. I’m pregnant.”

  Her friends watched her as she gulped in deep breaths and exhaled them with just as much force. She strode to the window and stared out it, yet she saw nothing. Her vision and thoughts were too clouded with her current dilemma. She was pregnant. She was having a baby. Roman’s baby.

  Vina broke the tense silence that had eclipsed the room. “What will you do?”

  “What will I do?” April asked, the question more for herself then it was for her friends. She turned to face her friends. “I won’t tell him.”

  Their eyes widened with shock. Snow gasped. “You have to tell him.”

  Did she? Did she really have to tell him?

  CHAPTER 27

  The very same day, Roman received a surprise phone call while he was at work.

  “Someone is about to tell you some very important news today,” Snow said when he picked up the phone.

  “What kind of news?” he asked.

  “Important news,” she retorted. “Now, I know that sometimes when you’re caught unawares you can be really insensitive-”

  “Me? Insensitive?” he cut her off mid-sentence. “What are you talking about? I’m always sensitive.”

  “You’re never sensitive.” Snow drew in a deep breath. “This person is in a vulnerable state right now and I need you not to say something stupid like you usually do.”

  Vulnerable state? Who in the world was Snow talking about? Roman frowned. “Are we talking about April here?”

  “What? Who said anything about April?” Snow rushed on. “I never said anything about April.”

  Damn, she was awful at lying. The fact that both she and April had their day off today and had probably spent the day together increased Roman’s certainty that this was about April.

  This was about April? His heart lurched and a knot started at the base of his belly. “Is something wrong with her?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with her.” Snow sounded panicked as she insisted, “I told you this wasn’t about April.”

  The knot in Roman’s belly tightened. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “Nothing is wrong.”

  Frustration nipping at him, he asked, “Then why are you calling to warn me?”

  “Oh. My. God. You’re so annoying,” Snow said, a bite to her tone. “Just shut up and listen.”

  “Yeesh. Fine.”

  “April’s fine, but she’s going to tell you something today and I need you to react nicely.”

  “What if it’s bad news?”

  “It’s not bad news… Okay, maybe it’s bad news to her.” Snow’s voice took on a threatening note. “But it better not be bad news to you.”

  Roman’s frown deepened as confusion roiled within him. “What?”

  “Please, just be loving and supportive. Okay?”

  “Okay?” His response was laced with question
s because he had absolutely no idea what Snow was trying to tell him.

  “Good.” Snow paused a moment before adding, “Don’t disappoint me, Roman.”

  With that, she ended the phone call, leaving him more confused and worried than before she’d called him. What the hell was going on? What kind of bad news was April about to drop on him? Did she want to break up?

  No, he shook his head vigorously. They’d been doing too well this last month to be headed for a breakup. Sure, they’d had a couple of fights but it was just typical couple stuff; like him coming at her for buying a two hundred dollar purse when she was supposed to be saving for a TV, or her pouting because he’d refused to give her an advance on her salary. But it was nothing that would cause a breakup. Besides, Snow had said he was supposed to think the news was good so that probably meant that it wasn’t a break up.

  Was April leaving Tellers? A fist closed around Roman’s lungs, squeezed until it was an effort to breathe. She’d recently been looking into colleges so she could pursue further studies in hotel and restaurant management. Sure, he didn’t expect her to stay as a hostess forever but he’d assumed that even if she left Tellers it would be to go somewhere close so they could be together. But what if she was moving further away, out-of-state?

  Damn! That would be good and bad news. He wanted to pursue her dreams but he didn’t want her to leave. Some couples could do long-distance, but he didn’t want to be one of them. He was already dissatisfied with having to part from her most evenings after work and was thinking of how to ask her to move in with him. To that end, he’d even moved to a two-bedroom condo so that she wouldn’t refuse because of lack of space. Now she was leaving? How the hell was he supposed to survive being so far from her?

  God, he hoped the news wasn’t about her leaving.

  But what if it was? Then… then… then… then he’d leave with her.

  The moment the solution hit him, the tightness in his muscles eased. Yeah, why not? He and Greyson could always hire someone else to manage the second Tellers, and it wasn’t like Roman was itching for money. There was no rule that said a man couldn’t move for his woman. Yup, he’d move with her.

  Roman smiled. Whatever April’s news was, he was ready for it.

  When she called him at around four in the afternoon, he answered with a grin, “Hey, baby.”

  “Hey.” Her greeting was more muted, almost sad. “Are you still at work?”

  Her gloominess dampened his enthusiasm. He hated when she was sad, even if it was about something they could fix. His voice gentle, he said, “Yeah, I’m at work. Are you okay?”

  “Mm,” she offered vaguely. “Can I see you after you’re done with work? We need to talk.”

  “Of course.” He tilted his wrist to check his watch. “I can drop by your place when we close.”

  “No, I’ll wait for you at your place.” She asked, “That’s okay, right?”

  “That’s okay.” He paused then called, “April?”

  “Yeah?”

  He said, “I love you.”

  April was quiet for a long while then she said, “Okay, I’ll see you later.”

  He wasn’t surprised that he didn’t get an ‘I love you too’ back. He was used to it. Even after a month of dating, she still hadn’t said it. But he didn’t need words to know that she loved him. It was in the way she looked at him, the way she took care of him, the way she touched him. Yet, she refused to say the words.

  He wasn’t sure why she was holding back, but he suspected that it was about trust. She didn’t trust him with her heart yet. As frustrating as that was, he could understand it. He’d put her through enough that hesitation on her part was a given. But this last month, he’d been working overtime to show her that he was there for the long run. Hopefully, it would pay dividends soon, and he’d finally get to hear her say those three magic words.

  As soon as Tellers closed, Roman headed home. The moment he stepped into his new condo, the spicy scent of baked chicken hit his senses. He grinned. April was here. Though he’d brought home some leftovers from Tellers, he much preferred her cooking. Almost as if she knew he was thinking about her, she emerged from the kitchen.

  His pulse immediately sped up at the sight of her. How she managed to look sexy even when she was just wearing shorts and t-shirt never ceased to surprise him. Dropping the bag with the leftovers on the floor and kicking off his shoes, he grinned. “Honey, I’m home.”

  “Hey.” She smiled, but her smile was a lot dimmer than his, almost sad. Coming towards him, she asked, “How was work?”

  “It was okay.” He drew her into his embrace then lowered his head for a taste of her. After a long day, she was exactly what she needed, and he took his fill of her. His lips smoothed over hers in a gentle yet needy kiss. When he eventually pulled back, he asked, “How was your day?”

  “So so.” She shrugged. When he started to take off his jacket, she reached for the garment’s sides and circled him to help take it off. “Let me help you with that.”

  It was just a small action, but it was one of the little things she did that left him sure that she loved him. Only a woman in love would take care of a man the way she took care of him. His heart swelling with warm emotion, he twisted his head to touch his lips to hers, to show her that he loved her too.

  April pulled away from him to pick the bag by his shoes. She peeked into it. “You brought food?”

  “Yeah. I didn’t know if you were up to cooking.”

  “I cooked.” She started towards the kitchen. “I’ll just store it in the fridge then you can eat it tomorrow or something.”

  Now that he was here, he wanted to get to the issue that was bothering her so he could see her bright smile again. He followed her into the kitchen then waited until she was done stocking the fridge before asking, “You wanted to talk about something?”

  Immediate panic glinted in her eyes. “I… yeah… I… Why don’t you shower first then we can talk while we’re eating?”

  Her obvious nervousness was enough to give Roman pause. What if he was wrong about this being something to do with her studies? What if it was about something else? His muscles tensed as a cold shiver raced down his spine. Without conscious thought, he moved towards her.

  Winding his arms around her waist, he brought her closer. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  April’s gaze lowered to a spot on his chest. “Nothing.”

  He tipped her chin up so he could see her eyes. In their brown depths swam sadness and fear. His heart seized as his own nervousness increased. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I’m… I…” Worrying her bottom lip, she looked down again. “Can’t we – can’t we just talk after you shower and we eat?”

  He wanted to push her to tell him now, but something about her bearing told him that if he pushed too hard, she might break. He tipped her face up again so he could kiss her. When their lips parted, he said, “Okay. After dinner.”

  He didn’t take long in the shower but by the time he was done, April had already set the coffee table. Once he sat down on the sectional couch, she brought out the food. She settled at her usual spot – on the carpeted floor beside the armchair – with her own plate.

  Dinner was a tension-filled affair. Roman tried to draw her into conversation several times but all he got were one word responses. Though the food was delicious, he found himself unable to swallow it because he was way too worried.

  When April stood up to take her half-full plate back to the kitchen, he rose too. “Let me take it for you.”

  Her eyes flew to his plate. “But you haven’t finished eating.”

  “You haven’t either,” he countered, and before she could answer, he took their plates to the kitchen. When he came back to the living room, she was still seated on the floor but she’d moved so she was leaning against the couch he’d been seated on.

  He settled beside her on the floor, drew her closer so her head was on his shoulder and slung his arm around her narr
ow shoulders. As soon as she was close, he felt his nervousness ease a bit. Feeling her warmth seeping into his body soothed his racing pulse until it slowed to just slightly above its normal pace. Breathing in her womanly scent was enough to reassure him that she was his, at least for now.

  For a while, they just sat like that, him holding her to the side, silent except for the low drone of the television. He lowered his gaze to her face, taking in the long lashes that shielded her eyes from him and her soft lips pulled in a downward curve as if she wanted to cry.

  He smoothed his thumb over the corner of her mouth. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  April didn’t say anything for quite some time, then she suddenly pulled apart from him and turned so she was facing him. Her eyes locked on him.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Only two words but they sent a bolt of shock rocketing through Roman. She was what? He blinked, then blinked again. Then swallowed. She was what?

  Without waiting for his response, April went on, “I know what you’re thinking. Yes, it’s yours. But if you want to check, we will. I did some research and it says the best time for a DNA test is after the baby is born, so you can confirm then. And no, I’m not getting rid of it. I don’t care what you say, I’m not getting an abortion.” Her voice was as determined and firm as her gaze. “You don’t have to worry about me hitting you up for child support. I’ll raise the baby on my own, and-”

  Roman moved forward and slanted his mouth over hers, cutting off her tirade.

  THE KISS CAUGHT April unawares, stunned her into silence. Roman caught her shocked gasp with his mouth then stunned her even further by drawing her closer by the neck so he could kiss her properly. Motionless and eyes wide open, she let him kiss her. When he finally pulled back, her lips parted.

  “What-” She swallowed. “What was that?”

  Roman’s brow furrowed and anger streaked through his eyes. “That was me telling you to shut up.”

  He’s angry. His fury shouldn’t have surprised her. She’d expected him not to welcome her news, hadn’t she? Still, a stab of pain lanced through her and tears jumped to the back of her eyes. Pushing through the lump that had suddenly grown at the back of her throat, she started, “I didn’t mean to-”