Children of Fire (Complete)

seventy-four

Emerson

"Wait, you're pregnant!?" Reg shouted from behind Kya and I on the couch. Fuck. Double fuck. This was not how I wanted anyone to find out. I whipped my head around so fast that I heard it pop and I had to rub the sensitive area to get rid of the throbbing pain that was residing there.

"I..." I couldn't even find the words to say to Reg as he stood there, like a statue frozen in time. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open like a trout. "You can't say anything." I finally told him, my face mirroring his for a moment. He stayed like that for a few more seconds before closing his mouth slowly, his eyes still wide with bewilderment.

"You know I can't keep secrets from the President, Emerson! He's my boss, he's going to be so pissed if I know and he doesn't!" Reg said, running his fingers down the side of his face like a tormented man burning alive from the inside.

"Do you know how pissed he's going to be if he finds out from you and not from me?!" I countered, jumping up quickly and pointing a finger at him. Okay, I could have been a little more calm about the situation, but honestly I was just as afraid as Reg was of Gideon at this moment. I didn't want anyone knowing my secret, and now that they did, I was afraid of it coming out at the wrong time. I needed to tell Gideon myself and I needed it to be perfect. Maybe I would get him a shirt that said 'Daddy' made, or maybe I could just wait until I could get an ultrasound and put that in a box or something? Yeah... that sounded good.

"I have to tell him, Emerson. I can't keep secrets! I'm terrible at keeping secrets!" Reg shouted, flailing his arms around in every direction. Mother fucker, why Reg, of all people? I had to snap some sense into him, and from what I had gathered while watching Gideon interact with him, fear was the thing that worked best with him. I stomped around the couch quickly and grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought his face down level with mine, glaring into his eyes and using the most menacing face I could muster up.

"You listen to me and you listen fucking good, Reginald." I growled, my face only inches away from his now. "If you speak a fucking word of this to Gideon, I swear to God I will burn you alive and the leather from that cut will melt into your skin and you'll be nothing more than a fucking memory to this club. Do you understand me?" I said, my voice was dangerously low and my eyes were narrowed into slits. Reg stared at me for a moment and opened his mouth to argue with me, but I was too quick for him. I reached for the gun in the back of his waistband and pressed it directly to his temple. I heard Kya gasp and felt Reg's body go rigid. Okay... this was probably a little dramatic... and harsh... and extra... but I couldn't risk my secret getting out to Gideon until I was ready, and if I needed to be dramatic, then this would definitely work.

"Do you understand me?" I repeated myself, pressing the gun harder against his temple. Reg didn't utter a word, just simply nodded slowly. I removed the gun from his temple and slowly let go of his shirt. I didn't think it was possible for his eyes to grow any wider than they were, but boy I was wrong. He was visibly frightened, and I had to admit that it was really really hard to stifle the laugh that threatened to spill out of my mouth right now. I wouldn't ever have the capability to do that to someone that I actually liked, but he didn't need to know that. He scurried away from me quickly and retreated back to the garage, no doubt to chain smoke cigarettes and stay out of my way. I slowly turned to Kya, whose face matched every emotion I was currently feeling.

As soon as our eyes locked, we both busted out into uncontrollable laughter, and it felt good to act so carefree with her. "I don't think you'll have to worry about Reg saying anything to anybody, I'm pretty sure he pissed in his pants!" Kya giggled, doubling over and clutching her stomach. I snorted so loudly during the middle of my fit of laughter that it caused us both to laugh even harder, and we spent the rest of our afternoon giggling and talking about anything we could think of.