“He’s not home yet,” I replied as I looked down.

As we walked into the house, we heard the front door open. Andre went into the foyer and I followed behind.

“Andre, my friend. What are you doing here? It’s good to see you.” Ian smiled as they hugged.

“I came to visit my favorite couple.”

“Welcome to Malibu.”

Ian looked at me and didn’t say anything. He didn’t even kiss me hello. Andre must’ve picked up on it because he gave me a worried look. I gave him a half smile and turned away.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment, I’m going to run upstairs and change.”

“Sure. Go ahead.” Andre smiled.

As soon as Ian was out of sight, Andre turned to me and lightly took hold of my arm as we walked to the kitchen. “Is something going on between you two?” he asked with concern.

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’m pregnant and Ian isn’t happy about it.”

“Wh—” He stopped as Ian walked in.

“It’s good to see you,” he said as he patted Andre on the back. “Where are you staying?”

“At a hotel nearby.”

“Nonsense, you’ll stay here.” Ian smiled.

I had to take a moment to think about why Ian would want Andre to stay with us when things were so bad right now. Then it hit me. If Andre stayed here, then Ian wouldn’t have to be alone with me and talk about the baby.

“We have a beautiful guest room that was just redecorated,” he said.

“I don’t want to put you out or anything,” Andre said.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Rory and I would love to have you stay with us, right?” he said as he looked at me.

“Of course we would. You’re not staying in a hotel. End of story.” I smiled.

“Well, then I’ll go get my suitcase and be right back.”

“No need. I’ll send Joshua to collect your things and bring them back. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” Ian said as he put his arm around Andre. “Let’s go to dinner. I’ll take you to one of my favorite restaurants.”

“What about Rory?” Andre asked.

“She’ll be joining us. Won’t you?” Ian asked smugly.

“Of course. Just let me go and freshen up.”

I went into the bathroom and shut the door. The tears that filled my eyes wanted to fall down my face. I wasn’t going to cry. Not tonight. I sat on the toilet and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for the tears to dry up. There was a soft knock on the door.

“Rory. I need to speak with you for a moment,” Ian said.

Great. I didn’t want to fucking talk to him. I opened up the door and stood at the sink while I brushed my hair. Ian walked in and stood behind me.

“Well, speak,” I said.

“I don’t want you telling Andre that you’re pregnant. Do you understand?”

I slowly turned my head and looked him straight in the eyes. “Fuck you! Do you understand that?” I said as I stormed out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

“I’m ready to go, Andre.” I smiled as I looped my arm around his.

Ian walked down the stairs with a look in his eye as if he was about to kill me. The anger I saw was consuming him. We climbed in the back of the limo and Andre climbed into the seat opposite of me, leaving Ian to sit next to me. I couldn’t even stomach to look at him anymore. That was how hurt, betrayed, and angry I was. We arrived at the restaurant and were promptly seated, thanks to Ian and his status. Andre and Ian both ordered drinks and I drank water.

“No wine for you, my beautiful American girl?” Andre smiled.

“No. Actually, I can’t have any wine for a while.”

“Why’s that?” he asked.

I looked at Ian and he was giving me a stern look. I didn’t care. Fuck him and his looks. I was done with him at this point.

“Because I’m pregnant.” I smiled.

“That’s wonderful news! Congratulations, my friend.” Andre smiled as he shook Ian’s hand. You will have the most beautiful children.”

Ian partially smiled and then looked at me with anger in his eyes. I raised my eyebrow at him as I smiled. We had a very uncomfortable dinner and then we headed home.

The next week was hard. Ian and I hadn’t spoken one word to each other since the restaurant. He slept in our bed and I slept in the other room. I spent the days with Andre while Ian was at Prim. I kept Adalynn informed of how things were going because she kept texting me and telling me how worried she was about me. I told her that I was fine and to stop worrying. It was Andre’s last night with us and we were taking him out to dinner. Ian was in the bedroom getting changed. He was in the closet in his boxers and nothing else. I missed him. I missed making love to him and I missed feeling loved. He turned and looked at me.

I stepped into my side of the closet and grabbed my black dress. I took off my shirt and shorts and laid my dress on the bed. I glanced in the full-length mirror and noticed my stomach was already swollen. It was too soon to start showing. Ian walked over and looked at me and then down at my stomach. I quickly turned away because I didn’t need him making a remark about it.

“How far along are you?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“How can you not know? Haven’t you been to the doctor?”

“Yeah. I think I’m about six weeks.”

“It looks like you’re already starting to show. Isn’t it a little early for that?”

I turned around and looked at him as I took in a deep breath. “You haven’t spoken two words to me in a week and now you want to carry on a conversation about me showing? I already told you that you’re off the hook, Braxton.”

One…two…three. Here it comes. Fuck…fuck…fuck. I couldn’t hold back. “In fact, I’ll be moving out soon, so you don’t have to look at me or my stomach and be reminded how I fucked up your life. You’re free to go back to the way things used to be. In fact, why don’t you give Andrew a call? Maybe the two of you bastards could rekindle your man-whore relationship.”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” he yelled through gritted teeth as he gently took hold of my arm. “I have heard enough of that smart ass mouth of yours. If you want to move out, then fine. Go. I don’t care anymore, Rory.”

“And I don’t care either! Tell Andre that I’m not feeling well and I won’t be able to go to dinner,” I said with tears in my eyes.

Ian

As Andre and I sat in the booth, we talked about Rory and the baby. I was honest with him and told him that I didn’t want it.

“Ian, my friend. You’re going to be a father. One of the greatest gifts of all. God has given you a gift.”

“I didn’t ask for it and I certainly don’t want it.”

“Why are you scared? Do you know what I’d give to have a woman like Rory and a baby on the way? Family is what life’s all about.”

“Not my life, Andre. Not my life,” I said as I swirled the brown liquid in the glass and downed it like a shot.

“I think you need to go talk to that therapist Rory was seeing. You need to get yourself straightened out. Your judgment is clouded, my friend. For some reason, you can’t see the best thing that’s in front of you. What’s it going to take this time to make you see that Rory and your baby are the most important things in your life?”

I looked down because I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. I just wanted it all to go away. We finished our dinner and went back to the house. It was late. Andre went up to his room and I went to check on Rory. When I opened the door, she wasn’t in bed. I searched the house for her and she wasn’t anywhere to be found. I tried to call her phone and it went straight to voicemail. I walked back upstairs to her room and saw her phone lying on the nightstand. I went to the garage and her car was gone. I immediately flew up the stairs and to our bedroom. I opened the closet doors and let out a sigh of relief when I saw all her clothes hanging there. I grabbed my keys and drove to the Piano Bar. I bet that was where she went. As I walked through the doors, I looked around, but didn’t see her. Jimmy was over by the piano, so I walked over and asked him if Rory was there or had been there tonight. He gave me a worried look and told me no.