Page 177 of Sinning for Santa

“I could be pregnant.” She reminds me, and the thought has my heart doing a stupid fucking flip.

“Wait… what?” Presley squeaks from her spot by the car, but we both ignore her, our gazes locked on each other.

“Yes, you could be. I do hope so,” I admit and her frown deepens, her anger boiling.

“You make no sense. Why would you want to get me pregnant only to send me away?”

“Because then you’ll both be safe.”

She scoffs. “You forget, I wasn’t safe before you came into my life, Devon. I’ve never been fucking safe.”

Hearing her swear like that is unusual, but warranted. Because she’s right. Her life has been nothing but a series of manipulations, distrust, and abuse.

“I can assure you, that from now on, you will be safe, little mouse. Our child will be looked after financially as a Marx heir, although no one but us will know his or her bloodline, and the little tacker will be loved and raised by you. I think you’ll be an amazing mother.”

Her mouth drops open as more tears spill over, and she bats them away like they are nothing but a nuisance.

“You expect me to be a single mum?”

“Yes,” I answer truthfully, and anger flares in her eyes.

“You’re insufferable,” she snaps and I shrug.

“I know.”

“I hate you,” she seethes, but I shake my head.

“No, you don’t, but maybe you should.”

A loud sob escapes her, and then another before she looks to her sister, who shoots her a sympathetic look and holds out her hand for Jaxcen to join her.

Turning back to me, Jaxcen takes another step closer, leaning towards me, and this time I don’t move.

“Why would you do this to me? I know it’s only been a few days but I really thought… I thought we were happy.”

“Jax. You don’t need me to be happy. You just need to show the world who you really are and don’t for a minute feel ashamed of it.”

My words give her no comfort, her glare chilling as more tears spill down her cheeks.

“Get in the car,” I order her, my tone unforgiving, but she doesn’t move. “Please, Miss Summers. I want you to leave and never come back.”

Sheflinches back like she’s been slapped, my cold tone and words so final, that I know she understands this is it.

Slowly, her head lowers, those blue eyes disappear from my sight as her shoulders slump and she turns away. When Liam goes to put a black bag on her head, she slaps his hand away and snarls at him.

“I already know where this place is, fuckwit. And as if I would ever tell anyone about it. I would never jeopardise the safety of the women and children here.”

Fuck, the fire in her tone tells me she’ll be alright. She’ll stand up for herself from now on.

“Alright. Alright.” Liam holds his hands up and then looks to Presley. “How about you? You gonna be an issue?” She shakes her head, reaching out to Jaxcen and helping her slip into the back seat, where she joins her.

“Good to see you’re still the ice queen.” Warrick’s fucking irritating voice comes from the side, and by the way he’s leaning against the lamp post, I can tell he’s been watching this whole thing go down.

“Get in the fucking car, War.”

My brother rolls his eyes. “You know, Jen and Elise would love her. Hell, maybe even Lily would come out of hiding to meet this one.”

“Fuck off, already,” I snap at my brother, annoyed that he’d bring our sisters into this.

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