Page 38 of Ruthless

It’s all simple routine stuff. It’s when he tells me to lie back on the table with my feet in the stir-ups and pulls out a wand-looking thing that we hit a slight problem. He’s rolling a condom over it and standing between my legs when Zane loses it.

He’s pushed off the wall and has his hand wrapped around Dr. Rourke’s wrist in the blink of an eye. “What the fuck are you doing with that?” There’s no mistaking the wrath in his tone.

The doctor freezes with the wand mid-air and level with his mouth hanging open. “Um, well…” His voice trembles. “I’m doing an internal ultrasound. It’s completely routine to do them this early in the pregnancy.” Dr. Rourke visibly swallows, and I’m sure this office visit is anything other than routine for him.

I intervene before he can attempt to kick him out of the room. “Zane, look at me. It’s fine.”

At least Charlee explained to me ahead of time what to expect, so I’m not caught off guard. My mother’s not around to ask, and she’s the only other one I know that has had a kid. Judging by the vibes coming off of Zane, she better be right. My heart pounds in my chest as I hold Zane’s stare willing him to see the truth in my eyes.

I mentally count to five and brace for the storm I know is coming when his posture relaxes and he releases the doctor from his grip.

“Will it hurt her or the baby?” He’s still glaring at my doctor like he wants to rip his arm off.

Dr. Rourke gives him a tight smile and clears his throat a couple of times before answering him. “It will only be minor discomfort for Kennedy, but it won’t hurt either one of them. I promise. This is standard procedure.”

He nods, and Dr. Rourke goes back to what he was doing.

I force myself to relax as he inserts the condom-covered wand inside me, and he’s right. It’s only a minor discomfort. One that is soon worth it.

An underwater thumping sound fills the room, and all previous tension is forgotten when a little bean-shaped-looking thing appears on the screen. It’s grainy, and we can’t make out anything other than the basic shape, but it’s our baby.

Zane shifts closer to me, slipping his hand into mine and giving it a slight squeeze. The move is so swift and natural that I don’t think twice about returning his grip. We both continue to stare in awe at the screen of what we created.

“That’s our baby.” Tears fill my eyes as I tilt my head to meet Zane’s gaze, but his eyes are on the screen. He’s not blinking as he continues to stare at the image. His fingers squeeze tighter around my hand the longer it holds him captive. The more I watch him watch the screen, the more I feel something inside me shift, and I let go of my earlier annoyance with him.

“That’s a nice strong heartbeat,” Dr. Rourke says. He types on the keyboard with the hand that isn’t holding the wand, taking some measurements before speaking again. “And looks like you are eight weeks exactly. Congratulations.” He finishes up a short time later, removing the wand, and allows me to sit up. “Here you go.” He hands me a small black-and-white photo. “You’re all set. I’ll see you in another month for your next appointment. You can schedule that on your way out at the front desk.”

“Thanks.” I stare down at the little bean-shaped blob and sigh as he exits the room. This is really happening. I’m having a baby with the bearded hothead next to me.

Zane’s heat appears at my back as he leans down over my shoulder to look at the image. The fruity smell of his gum immediately invades my senses.

I sniffle as more tears fall. It seems to come at the most random times lately and is driving me nuts. I glance up and meet his warm gaze. “It’s so small.”

He lifts his thumb and wipes away my tears but never looks away from me. His features soften as he takes in my face. “It is.”

Little did I know the effect that small image would have on our lives.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

Zane

My head is still spinning from the time we leave the doctor’s office to when we pull up to the pharmacy to pick Kennedy up some vitamins. I guess pregnant women have to take more than just the regular shit. It’s all new to me. Everything the doctor went over with us is still fresh in my mind, and I made mental notes of it all.

Seeing the image on the screen has changed everything. I knew she was pregnant, but looking at that grainy image on the screen had a tightness spreading across my chest. I glance down to Kennedy’s stomach as she studies the best option of vitamins, and my gut tightens. My kid is really in there. Shit is about to get real, real fucking fast.

“What?” she asks without taking her eyes off the shelves.

“Nothing.” I clear my throat and shake out the shit running through my head. Being out in the open like this has me on edge. Ever since Asher showed me the shit he found in the files, I haven’t been able to think of anything else but getting to Kennedy.

We’re out in the open like this has my body crawling with tension. I don’t like crowds. It leaves too many possibilities for shit to go sideways. Anything can happen at any time. It’s taking everything in me not to toss Kennedy over my shoulder and lock her away in my room, where I know my brothers will be able to help keep them safe. “Are you almost done?”

She grabs the first bottle she initially looked at and shoves it into my gut with a little more force than necessary. “I am now.” She walks off toward the registers, grabbing a bag of black licorice, some chocolates, and a jar of pickles on the way.

I shake my head, knowing this is just the tip of the iceberg of the shit storm ahead of me. She’s been easygoing about all of this, but everyone has their breaking point. I know that when she does lose it and explodes, it’s going to be fucking nuclear.

We stand in the checkout lane with a mound of random shit that has me feeling like I’m back in high school with Axel doing a midnight munchies run. The guy rings our stuff but doesn’t comment on it. It could be the death glare I give him when I catch him staring at Kennedy’s tits. I pay and grab our shit before I grab him by the throat. I’ve already done that once today. It’s a good thing Kennedy’s doctor is on her dad’s payroll, and I won’t have to worry about the cops showing up at my door.

The second we’re back inside the cab of my truck, Kennedy is digging through her bag of snacks. I set my wallet down on my center console and tilt my head to watch her. This woman never does what I expect.

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