To Keep Alive

Chapter Seven

A few hours later... 

He stalked toward me and smirked.

I only ever realized how short I was when I stood next to River.

This guy, was over a foot taller that me. He was probably six foot four, making it almost impossible to see his face when he stood close. He put grabbed my hand looked at me for a reaction. Than he grabbed my bottom. I pursed my lips but said nothing. He grinned and gave me a slight squeeze. And then, he put both hands on my stomach.

I flinched away instinctively placing my arms around my stomach protectively. I watched his gray eyes become bright with realization.

"You don't care about yourself, do you?" he inched closer, "You only care about my child."

"It's MY child," I said, "I don't think she'll like you much."

"It's going to be a boy, Care-bear."

I melted on the inside at the nickname, "EMMY is a girl. It's got to be a girl."

"I like that name. Your mother's name was Emmy?"

"Yes. It's perfect."

"It is," he leaned down and gently placed a hand on my stomach, and this time, I didn't flinch away, "Don't lose, Caroline. I like you, and I don't want the others. They'll use the child against me. They won't care about their 'monster baby'. You care. You love the baby already."

"Destiny loves hers too. She talks about her all the time. She's convinced it's a girl."

"But I like you," he said, "You don't piss me off all the time."

"Why? Because I let you grope me?"

He laughed, "Yes, and because you won't lie to me. Because you have nothing to hide, but everything to lose."

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One more competition and my life would be secured. Only to spend the rest of it in captivity.

The thing that truly scared me was that...

... the idea didn't seem all that bad.

If anything, my life was only more full. I had a baby on the way, and maybe someone I could love... someone who could.... love me?