Page 15 of Merciful Lies

But once I started losing my breakfast, my plans pivoted.

Noise in the hall brings my head up and I brace myself.

“Anna? You better be ready to explain what the hell is going on?—”

Giselle pushes my front door open, and I can see from her expression my bestie is still pissed at me.

Then her gaze drops to my belly, and she gasps.

“Hi,” I whisper, my eyes filling with tears.

“Oh my God! Anna, you’re pregnant!”

“Yeah, I know.” I sniff and roll my eyes.

“Holy fuck! Okay, first,” she says, grabbing my hands, “are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good. Sammy?”

I ask, hoping she’s been able to track him down for me. He hasn’t answered my last few texts, and I’m worried.

Giselle’s face falls, and I know she’s keeping something from me. But I can be patient when I have to be. And I know my bestie won’t be rushed.

So, I sit, and I rub my palms over my belly.

I allow myself a moment to enjoy the cool air coming from the air conditioner. And I wait.

Giselle places a thick black binder held together with rubber bands on the table. She frowns. Then she tucks her dark locks behind her ears.

I don’t know how she has all that hair down in this heat. It’s only the first week of June, and I actually cringe when I think about what it’s going to be like over the next few weeks.

Being pregnant and alone in the hot humid city is going to be hell on me. I just know it.

Sadness fills me as my thoughts strayed back to Sammy. I just can’t take the stress of his problems added to mine.

I have no more savings, and the bakers are trying to push me out of the business entirely.

Not to mention, there’s this whole thing where I have to avoid my baby’s father.

How the hell am I gonna do that?

The research I’ve done on Nico Fury and the Vipers has garnered little information. I know he’s suspected of being the head of a crime syndicate.

But what the heck does that even mean?

Was he like the Godfather or something?

He sure as heck didn’t resemble an old timey mafioso. Not with all those tattoos and muscles.

Stop it.

I remind myself I’m not alone, and now is not the time to go fantasizing about what was probably the best sex I have ever had.

Another thing I didn’t know about pregnancy was how the hormone surges increased a woman’s sex drive at the most inopportune times.

Go figure.

“Before we get into that, I want you to know I have the books from Theresa. She really did a good job filling your shoes as manager for the bakery. But you were right, Anna. They want you out. Javi and the bakers don’t want to pay you a cut anymore. They just want you gone.”

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