Page 91 of Sebastian's Baby

“Sebastian, tell us about your baby!”

“Who’s the woman you got pregnant?”

I ignore them, along with the stares of other passengers, and I groan internally when an announcement comes over the loudspeaker. “Passengers for DL eight ninety-eight to Chicago are advised that there is a delay in boarding. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

The paparazzi stop asking questions while the announcement is made, but they look positively gleeful when this is announced. I consider heading back to the first-class lounge, but I just want to get on this damn plane, so I ignore their questions.

After about five minutes, they seem to give up on calling out questions, which I’m grateful for, but they keep snapping pictures, and I’m frustrated. Other passengers are doing the same thing.

Another five minutes of this stalemate passes by before one of the paparazzi guys says, “Holy shit.” He laughs and turns his phone to face me as he asks, “Hey, Sebastian, is this the woman who’s having your baby?”

I can’t help but look over, and my heart stops when I look at the phone.

Lita.

It’s a picture I’ve never seen before, but I recognize her clothes and the hotel where I was staying. She’s standing on the steps at the entrance with her phone up to her ear. Her other hand is on her bump, protectively. She’s smiling and looks like the goddess she is. Beautiful, amazing, and pregnant with my child.

There’s no pretending this isn’t happening. They’ve got her picture, and it is averyshort leap from that to her identity. I stride over to the airline staff, and they look up, their eyes widening when they see me.

“Hi. I’m Sebastian Fox, and I’m not going to be on this flight. Neither is Daryl Kelly.” I jerk my head in Daryl’s direction.

“Do you, um, have any luggage on board, Mr. Fox?” the woman asks.

I shake my head, grateful as shit that I didn’t check any luggage for this trip. “No. Just letting you know so that you don’t wait for us.”

“Are you needing a refund?”

“Sure. Our tickets are refundable, but Ineedto leavenow. So if it can’t be done in the next ten seconds, I don’t give a shit.”

“No worries, sir. I can get it organized for you.”

I thank her and turn to Daryl. “Let’s get out of here. We’ll probably need to hire a car.”

He nods and leads the way away from the gate. The paparazzi follow us, calling out questions again, and I look at Daryl.

“I’m going to the first-class lounge to make a call,” I say in an undertone, and he nods.

“I’ll organize the car and meet you back there.”

The second I get to the first-class lounge, I pull out my phone and call Lita.

“Seb?”

She sounds shaken and upset, which worries me, so I ask her, “Are you okay, princess?”

“No. I’m sorry, Seb. I fucked up. I was talking to Becky, and I didn’t even look to see if it was clear. I walked out, and I even fucking said you were having a baby with me,” Lita says, sounding as though she’s crying.

“What the fuck? Why would you tell them that?”

I can’t understand why she would tell the paparazzi that we’re having a baby.

“No, I didn’t tell them. I was on the phone to Becky, and we were talking, and I said it to her as part of our conversation, but they heard, and they knew and…fuck. How do you know?”

“I got shown a picture of you by a reporter about a minute ago by some asshole paparazzi who had it on his phone and asked me if you were having my baby. I’m not going back to Chicago tonight”—I need to see her, and I realize that I don't know where she actually lives—“I can’t believe I don’t know your address, but can you send it to me? I’ll come to your place right now, if that’s okay?”

“Is that a good idea? Don’t you have to get back to Chicago?”

There is nothing in this world that’s more important than making sure that she and the baby are safe right now.

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