“If you don’t pay me back what you owe me, I can’t pay my bills. All I want is you to make your next payment, Rob. Otherwise it’s beyond my control.”
Rob stormed out and got back into his car. I didn’t bother to follow him any farther. I’d learned enough. He was in debt. He owed money to these loan sharks. They’d hurt him if he didn’t make his payments. And he was playing Lacey to get money out of her.
I was overcome with anger. My fist came down on the dials of the monitor hard. The headphones rang out in my ear.
“Fuck,” I said.
What had Lacey ever done to deserve this?
She was a good person, kind and loving and honest and trusting. This fucking prick was trying to play her to get at her money. Hell no. Not on my watch. I’d make him pay for ever even thinking he could try to get away with a thing like that. I’d make him think real hard about his choices in life. And what was more, I’d make sure Lacey never heard a word about any of it.
Rob would have to break off the engagement, that much was certain. But I’d have to make sure Lacey never knew that he’d been trying to rip her off. She didn’t deserve that. She’d been cheated on before. If she found out about this, she’d be devastated. She was the most lovable, beautiful girl in the world, and she kept picking the worst douchebags possible.
“Fuck,” I said again.
I’d make that dirtbag pay.
Chapter 34
Lacey
I SAT IN MY CAR for a full minute before turning the ignition. I was in shock.
Positive. That’s what the doctor said. There was no chance of a mistake. He was one-hundred-percent certain I was pregnant. And it was Grant’s baby. How was I sure? I’ll tell you how. Because no matter what I tried, no matter how I dressed, no matter how much I dolled myself up and tried to make myself beautiful, I still hadn’t managed to get Rob to make love to me. He just straight up didn’t want me.
I was in big trouble. I was pregnant, and it wasn’t with the man I was engaged to.
I called Faith. She was the only person I could think of who would understand.
“Lacey, you sound frantic.”
“I am,” I said.
“What is it? What’s happened?”
“You won’t believe me if I tell you.”
“Lacey. Tell me already.”
“Okay,” I said, catching my breath. “But it’s crazy.”
“Lacey.”
“Okay, okay.” I spilled the beans. “I’m pregnant, Faith.”
“Holy shit.”
“I know.”
“Who’s the father?” she said.
I laughed. “Who do you think?”
“Rob?”
“Nope.”
“What?”
“It’s not Rob’s. I know for a fact it’s not his, because we’ve never actually had intercourse. He’s too busy screwing his secretary, I think.”
“Oh, Lacey.”
“That doesn’t matter. I don’t care about that. I’m used to it. I’ve got bigger issues.”
“A baby.”
“Grant’s baby.”
I could practically feel Faith nodding her head on the other end of the line. She’d seen the tension between me and Grant in the weeks since her wedding. She knew what had happened, or at the very least, she had her suspicions.
“Well, are you happy about it?”
And that’s when I burst out crying. I didn’t know how to answer that. I mean, I knew the baby was a blessing, a gift from God, but these weren’t exactly the best circumstances in which to have it. If I was with Grant, I’d have been over the moon to be having his baby. But I wasn’t with Grant. I was with Rob.
“Lacey, stop crying. It’s not the end of the world.”
“I know,” I said, sobbing.
“It’s not, Lacey. You have people who love you. We’ll help you through this. Grant will help too.”
“Grant hates my guts.”
“No he doesn’t.”
“Well, he doesn’t want to have a child with me, that’s for sure.”
“How did this happen?”
“How do you think it happened?”
“I mean, didn’t you and Grant use protection.”
I took a deep breath and stopped crying. “No, we didn’t. Grant didn’t want to.”
“He didn’t want to?”
“He said, let whatever wants to happen, happen. It would be fate.”
“Well then, he’s going to get what he asked for.”
“I don’t think he meant it quite this literally, Faith.”
“You know what the funny thing is?” Faith said.
“What?”
“Jackson and I were talking today about trying for another baby.”
“Oh,” I said, wiping my tears away. “Faith, that’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”
“Oh, Lacey,” she said. “Where are you? I’m going to come over and look after you. We’ll make this all better.”
“No, no. You’ve got Sam and Jackson. You don’t need to be watching me like a baby. I’ll be fine. Just don’t tell anyone what I told you.”
“I won’t.”
“Especially not Jackson. He’ll have to tell Grant if he finds out, and I want to think of a way to tell him in my own time.”
“You can count on me, Lacey.”
“I know I can, Faith. I love you, you know?”