WARPED VANITY ( BL)

CHAPTER 26

I set the test down and touched my stomach. It seemed unreal, impossible.

  Pregnant.

  My heart was a war-torn land: two conflicting emotions battling for dominance, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake. Unbridled happiness that a small human was growing inside of me. A small part of vegas that would always remain with me. And raw fear of the future, of my—of our future. Our world was cruel to women who got pregnant out of wedlock; it was even crueler to children born out of wedlock.

  Damned to be called bastards. A child of vegas theerapanyakul couldn’t hope for a kinder name. I’d protect my child, but I wouldn’t always be there to fend off the attacks. It would be strong enough to defend itself, no doubt, but the idea that my baby would have to grow strong out of necessity, because the world forced it into a corner, made me furious. I tried to calm my raging emotions. I was getting ahead of myself. I came from a good family, maybe things would be different for my child, no matter who their father was.

  Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs. My family was gathered in the dining room, and when I entered they all fell silent. Mom. Dad. Valentina. Dante. Samuel. Dante’s kids. Anna, Leonas, my sister Sofia. The room was already decorated for the event, and in the garden a white tent had been set up, which held the dance floor. The caterer would arrive in about two hours, the guests in three. A day of celebration.

  Mom motioned at Sofia, Anna, and Leonas. “Out. Go to your rooms for now.” They did, no protests. In passing Sofia gave me a small smile.

  I looked at Samuel. He got up, slowly, hesitantly, and our eyes met. His expression fell, turning desperate.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Mom covered her mouth with her hand, and Dad closed his eyes. Valentina regarded me with sympathy, and Dante gave a terse nod. No celebrations. No happiness.

  Samuel slowly sank back down onto his chair. From hundreds of miles away and not knowing it, Remo had landed another hit.

  “It’s still early. We can call the doc and he will get rid of it,” Dad said, face pale and worried when he finally met my gaze.

  My stomach tightened and something angry and protective reared its head in my chest. My child.

  Mom nodded slowly. “You don’t have to keep it.”

  Samuel only looked at me. He knew me. Until recently better than anyone else, but vegas had seen parts of me nobody knew, my darkest parts. “You want to keep it,” he said quietly, uncomprehending.

  I touched my stomach. “I will keep this child. I will take care of it and love it and protect it. It’s mine.” And the moment the words left my mouth, I knew it with certainty. This child would be born, and whoever tried to take it from me would see how strong I was.

  Silence greeted me. Then Dante nodded once. “It’s your decision.”

  “It is,” I said firmly.

  Mom got up. It was obvious that she was fighting with herself. I walked up to her because she couldn’t move and touched her shoulders. “We will get through this, right? This baby is innocent. It’s my baby.”

  Mom smiled shakily. “You are right, sweetheart.”

  Dad got up and touched my cheek. “We will stand by your side.” I could see how much these words cost him. I wasn’t sure if my family could get past the fact that my child was  vegas child. Would they love it because it was mine or hate it because it was his?

  PETE

  I sat in front of my vanity and brushed my hair, stroke after stroke, trying to find calm. I could hear the first guests downstairs, could hear laughter and music.