Page 135 of Mine to Worship

My brows almost reach my hairline. “What? No, it’s Kian’s.”

She stomps over to me and smacks me in the face. My head reels to the side, the echo of skin meeting skin reverberating through the walls. My hand flies to my cheek to ease the sting, while I blink, frozen in shock.

“How could you let yourself be tainted by the spawn of a bastard? You are a disgrace!”

Tears blur my vision and I say, “Just go, you’re making this worse…”

My hand darts to open the door and call for the guard when she pushes me and puts herself in front of the door.

“I’m not leaving. You and your bastard are the one who should go. No one can take what I earned after years of tolerating Richard. I am staying right where I am.”

I move past her to get Brandon, but she intercepts me there too. I make to go up the stairs to my room, to pick up my phone when she grabs my elbow. A cry of surprise escapes my lips and I try to jerk my arm from her, but her grip only intensifies. Pregnant or not, if she touches me one more time, I will lose my shit. How can Brandon sleep through this?

“You’re hurting me.” I finally manage to tear my elbow from her grasp and take the stairs two at a time.

“I am hurting, too,” Jillian wails. “Who will make it better for me?” She is shouting now.

I rub the reddening skin on my arm where her fingers gripped me hard. “I am calling security,” I say and I use her startled expression to climb two more stairs when she yanks my hair, pulling me back.

I lose my balance, the air rushing out of my lungs as my back hits the stairs. I whimper and try to breathe through the pain paralyzing me.

I place my hand on my belly and I’m reassured when I feel my baby press back against my hand. Through blurry eyes, I see Brandon stumbling, his hands rushing to his head. His eyes widen, looking from me to Jillian, when he takes in the scene.

“What have you done?”

I hear fear in his voice and anger, too.

“She pushed herself off the stairs, baby,” Jillian pipes up. “I did nothing.” Tears appear in the corners of her eyes, her voice lacking any animosity now, just flowing honey.

I stare at her, and all I can feel is pity toward a mentally ill woman, and compassion for Brandon. His life has completely changed in less than a day. He drops down next to me and takes my hand.

“Are you okay?”

I nod, adrenaline flowing through me. My back is killing me, but I am calmer now that I felt Kira kick.

“And the baby?” he asks.

“Yes, I think so,” I say through my tears, remembering how I almost lost her months ago, and my hands cover my face. I sob, losing the grip on my emotions.

“Shh, I got you.”

“Why are you comforting her? You should be comforting me,” Jillian whines.

“How could you? She’s pregnant!” His voice raises an octave, and she has the decency to look guilty.

“I told you what happened, baby.”

“Do you hear yourself? I can’t fucking believe this.”

Brandon turns back to me, he takes my hand and gently helps me up. I hiss as pain shoots down my leg. He scans me from head to toe, worry etched in his eyes. “I need to sit.”

He helps me to the couch and asks, “Shall we go to the doctor?”

“I’ll call Dr. Lopez, but Kira kicked me, so she must be fine, too.” She has to be…

He turns a steely glare on Jillian. “We’re leaving.” He grabs her arm, and she stops him with a hand on his chest.

“No, I want to stay here with you and your wife and baby. It will be such a handsome boy, just like you.”

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