Pleasing Mr Sloan [18+]

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

"What's this?" Her mum said, confronting her as soon as she entered the front door.

Candice's face fell and all the pleasurable distraction evaporated. Reality hit her as she looked at one of the plastic tests that she'd thrown in the trash. She gulped and tried to reach for it but it was thrown at her instead. She flinched as it hit her head and ricoted off. It landed loudly on the floor and skittered to lie to rest under the fridge. Bending over, she dished it out. Staring at the double lines, she dropped her hand to her stomach as if to protect the little nugget from the harsh glares her mum was giving her. Her mum surveyed her up and down, making her shuffle and cover herself. Sloan had made her feel beautiful and sexy but she felt cheap the way her mum snidely was surveying her. She wanted to say she'd been swimming, which was the truth - her hair was even still wet - but the words stuck in her throat. She'd never felt more judged and it hurt that it was her own mother. Her mother, who was far from a good role model.

"Get out," her mum shouted and her head snapped up. It was the most conversation she'd said in years and she was impressed that she wasn't slurring. Her words sank in and her grip tightened on the plastic.

"What?" She gasped, not understanding the demand. Surely she didn't mean...

"Get out of this house. You don't live here anymore," her mum pronounced, thrusting her hand out and pointing towards the door. Candice couldn't believe what she was hearing. Candice had put up with a lot when it came to her mother but this seemed unbelievable. Surely she wouldnt kick her out. Her mum's eyes were focused though and Candice couldn't help look at the time, surprised she was even vertical.

"Mum," she began but was cut off.

"I want you out in thirty minutes," her mum demanded. "Or I'll call someone to remove you and they'll probably fuck you in payment," she called out as she headed into the lounge.

Candice recoiled and then stared after her retreating back, unable to comprehend what she had just said. What she had just threatened. When she came to, she realised five minutes had already gone past. Shakily, making her way up the stairs, she trailed her fingers over her belly. The nickname Mr Sloan had given it had stuck. She had to protect her little nugget. It was as she reached numbly for her to-go bag that it got too much and she barely managed to find the right contact through her sobs. She needed him.

"Hey, baby? Miss me already?" He joked but then became alarmed when he just heard sobbing. "Baby! What's happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is..is it the nugget?" He asked carefully, heart constricting in his chest for a baby he had only known for a few hours.

"We're fine," she managed to sputter but he frowned down at his phone on speaker. She was anything but fine. Turning back around, he pressed down on the accelerator.

"I'll be there in five minutes baby. It will be okay. Whatever's happened. I've got you. Just breathe baby. In and out. Do it with me," he encouraged as she started hiccuping around her sobs. "In and out. In and out," he said trying to sound calm when he was freaking out. Before he met her, nothing could really ruffle him but now he felt almost sick with worry. What on earth could make her like this? She'd been happy not even ten minutes ago. Her sobs started to settle, and he heard her breathing with him. "In and out. In and out. That's it baby. In and out," he continued to breathe with her until he screeched to a halt outside her house. "I'm here baby. Are you upstairs?" He asked as he snatched the phone from its hold, and jumped out the car.

"Yes," came her sad, muffled reply, her nose sniffling after.

"I'm coming in," he uttered as he jogged to the front door, thankful when it pushed open. He barely paused to register the cracked, smoke clogged walls and took the stairs two at a time. Sobs signalled her position and he ended the call, shoving his phone into his pocket. Pushing the door open, he found her curled up at the foot of her bed with a half empty bag next to her. Striding towards her, he scooped her up and she clutched at him desperately. Murmuring into her ear, he rubbed up and down her back soothingly. She wouldn't settle and he worried further.