Loyal

Chapter 89

Colin's POV

            "Pregnant?"

                        "Yeah bro, she's very pregnant. Unless she just put on massive weight in only her midsection, which I highly doubt."

            "Pregnant." The word rolls off my tongue and I can't even comprehend it.

            I can't even hear Russ finish talking because I hang up the phone. Pregnant? Pregnant. Could she be? I play back the past few months in my head. Vera had been sick, nauseous; her appetite had changed so much. I try to do the math and remember all the times we made love without protection. Was she on birth control? The realization passes over me and I feel my face fall.

            I jump up damn near tripping over my own shoes. Pressing through the contact list on my phone I dial Leah. My throat feels so damn dry. Is this real? I can't even think straight.

            "Hello?" She answers right away.   

                        "Leah."

            "Colin?"

                        "Is Vera pregnant?"

            Drop dead fucking silence. My heart beats faster as I hear Leah curse under her breath.

                        "Leah, I'm not fuckin' playin with you. Is Vera pregnant?!"

            "Colin..."

                        "Stop beating around the damn bush, if she's having my fuckin child, I deserve to fuckin know!"

            Leah sighs.

            "Yes, she's pregnant."

            All of a sudden everything around me becomes very still. I become aware of my own breathing, the inhale and exhale of air from my lungs, the constricting of my chest. The pumping of my heart pulses through my ears, and I feel like I can hear the blood pushing through my damn veins.

                        "Why...why didn't she tell me?"

            They're the only words I can manage to choke out. I put Vera through so much bullshit and stress and I had no damn idea our baby was growing inside of her. Flurries of questions erupt violently in my head. How far along is she? Has she been going to the doctor? Why didn't she fuckin tell me?!

            "Well, I mean, she was going to tell you when you got back from Miami but of course your dumbass had to ruin it with your druggie ass," Leah says in her sarcastic tone.

                        "I can't believe this..."

            "Can't believe what? The baby is yours Colin. Whether you like it or not. You're the only other person she's slept with besides that asshole we went to college with, her first boyfriend."

                        "Leah, I know the baby's mine. I have no doubt about that. I know it."

            "Ok well, I wasn't supposed to say anything to you," Leah lets out an exasperated sigh as if she's been dying to let this piece of news out.

                        "How far along is she?"

            "She's five months just about. Probably showing a lot by now. That's going to be one healthy baby girl."

                        "Baby girl?" I rub my palms against my thighs, suddenly anxious.

            "Yup, you guys are expecting a baby girl."

                        "Tell her I'm coming."

            "Huh?"

                        "Tell her I'm coming and I don't give a fuck what she has to say about it."

            I hang up on Leah and quickly dial one of my agents to get me on the next flight to Seattle.

I'm going to be a daddy. A daddy. I smile and stare up to the ceiling, pacing back and forth excitement.

Vera's POV

            Pulling up to the driveway I feel a sudden pain spread up my spine. I pause with the bag of vitamins and teas, trying to catch my breath. All of those damn magazines make pregnancy seem so elegant and perfect. Complete shit. I wish someone woulda told me about the aching sides, back, and inability to hold my pee for the life of me. Baby girl kicks violently and I rub my hands across my stomach.

            "Ooooh, you're active today baby," I smile. I wonder if she can hear me, I wonder if she'll recognize my voice the first time I hold her in my arms. My phone starts to vibrate as I walk into the house, its Leah. I sigh and put my phone back into my pocket, I'm not in the mood to talk with her.

            "Aunty Ray?" I shoulder into the doorway, hanging the keys onto the keyholder. As soon as I close the door behind me I realize something's not right. Several vases are cracked across the hall leading into the living room. I drop the bag from my hand.

            "Aunty Ray!?" I scream out, running as fast as I can down the hall. I find her sprawled out face first in front of the nursery. I fall to my knees trying desperately to turn her over. She's completely motionless.

                        "I was trying to figure out when you'd get here," a cold voice comes from behind me. Every limb in my body becomes immobile as a chill runs through me. Slowly turning, I see Cam standing over me. Before I can scream he roughly covers my mouth, and then I'm in total blackness.