Page 93 of Selfless

“Oh, honey, you think he’s gonna raise another man’s child?” she asks still laughing happily.

I take a step closer to her. “Who said it isn’t his?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

RYDER

I’m sitting behind my desk, my phone in my hands texting Ashlyn when she walks right in my door.

“Babe?” I stand, noticing that her cheeks are wet and her blue eyes red. “What’s wrong?” I ask coming around my desk.

She sniffs. “I just spoke to Vicki …” Her chest heaves.

“What?” I ask, coming up to her.

“She said she knew …” She covers her mouth with her hand.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, placing my hands on her upper arms. I can feel her body physically shaking. “Are you hurt?” She seemed fine yesterday from the accident. “Talk to me,” I say, patting her down, looking for bruises and blood.

“She knew all along,” she growls, removing her hands from her mouth. “She knew about the pregnancy.”

“Vicki’s pregnant?” I ask. Fuck, when was the last time I slept with her?

Shaking her head quickly, she then rambles on. “Vicki said Bradley did it.”

“Bradley? What does he have to do with this?” She’s not making any sense.

Her shoulders hunch forward as she lets out another sob, and then she slaps her hand over her mouth. I step to her, and she lifts her free hand, shoving me away before running to my adjoining bathroom.

I enter behind her as she kneels, vomiting into the toilet. “Jesus!” I hiss coming up behind her. I grab her hair and pull it back the best I can. Her body jerks as she does it again and again. I softly rub her back. “It’s okay,” I say although I’m freaking out. She was in a wreck just two days ago, and now, she’s vomiting. Maybe she has a concussion. “We need to go to the hospital,” I tell her, but she just shakes her head before getting sick again.

Five minutes later, she gets up from her knees, and I turn the sink on for her. She splashes her face with cold water before taking some little sips to rinse out her mouth.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice is hoarse.

“Don’t be sorry,” I tell her, pressing my hand to her forehead. She doesn’t really feel hot, but she is clammy. “Come sit down.” I guide her back into my office and have her sit on the couch then run to get her a cold rag. “Here, hold this on your head.”

She complies as she leans her head back against the couch and closes her eyes. “Now tell me again what is going on.”

She opens her eyes to look at me, and they fill with tears again. “I got on your phone the other night and sent Vicki a message to come see you. It was the only way I knew she would show up.”

Show up where? “I don’t understand.”

“I needed her to explain a few things she said to me at the wedding.” I watch her swallow. “She told me that Bradley had been replacing my birth control pills with sugar pills. And I’m pregnant.”

**

I pace back and forth in my office to the point I think I may fall through from putting a hole in the floor. Several minutes have gone by since she told me she was expecting. But it feels like hours. My girlfriend is pregnant, and I wish it to be mine, but it’s her ex fuck-buddy.

“Say something.” I can hear the fear in her voice, but I can’t speak yet.

So I stay silent. Just continue to pace. Sugar pills? He tricked her. I knew the bastard was in love with her, but this? What kind of man is he? How could he do this to her?

“You have to believe me,” she pleads. “I had no idea …”

“I do,” I respond without hesitation.

“Then talk to me. Please,” she begs.

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