Page 81 of Love Me, I Dare You

Remember when I mentioned my heart stopping as I watched my sister pass out before me? Yeah, well, it’s about to happen again. Only this time, I’m the one who’s about to hit the floor.

“Second trimester? What are you talking about?” I shout out louder than I’d planned.

Dr. Colbrooke suddenly goes just as pale as Monroe and me, stuttering as she tries to regain composure. Her attention falls on Monroe, who’s as white as a ghost. “My apologies Ms. Bishop, I shouldn’t have.”

“It’s fine,” Monroe assures her, refusing to meet my gaze. “He was going to find out at some point, though I didn’t think he’d stay long enough to see me start to show.”

“I’ll give you two a moment,” she mutters under her breath, giving me a not so friendly smile as she exits the room.

“Monroe, what the fuck was she talking about?” I can feel my pulse thrumming in my ears as I fear my sister’s going to confirm what I already suspect.

She sits up in the bed, running a hand through her hair. “Well, there’s no time like the present. I’m pregnant, Nash, it’sprobably why I passed out. I haven’t eaten all day. I'm sick all the time, never have an appetite, and can’t keep anything down.”

My eyes widen in shock as I process what she’s saying. My mind is racing, a whirlwind of anger, fear and confusion flooding my thoughts. Stammering slightly, I finally speak. “What the fuck do you mean, you’re pregnant?”

“What I mean is I had sex, and it ended with me getting pregnant. I’m sure I don’t have to explain to you, of all people, how this works.” I’m aware that the sarcasm in her tone is just a deflection, a coping mechanism, to deal with the uncertainty currently flooding her, but my anger is mine. Her eyes display a mix of fear and nervousness, as she awaits my response and it’s when I realize this is really happening. “Does Monty know?”

She lets out a sharp laugh, rolling her eyes as she avoids meeting my glare. “No, and you are not going to tell him.”

Like that’s going to fucking happen. Monty’s surely already going to chop my fucking balls off for taking her to see Franklin and having her witness what we did. Now, on top of that, this will somehow end up being my fault, too. “Izzy, you can’t be fucking serious?”

Sitting up in the hospital bed, her eyes free of any makeup, since her tears washed it away, she looks so young. If it weren’t for the delicate tattoos painting her skin, you’d think she was in her early twenties, an innocent little girl who’s scared her life is about to turn upside down.

“I will tell him,” she says, though she doesn’t sound so sure.

Now it’s my turn to laugh, although this isn’t funny in the slightest. “When, huh? When you’re nine months pregnant and can no longer hide it? Or are you just planning to sneak a baby into his home and hope he doesn't realize it?”

My sarcasm comes off harshly, but all I’m trying to do is understand where she’s coming from. Dr. Colbrooke said she was approaching her second trimester. I’m not an idiot. I knowwhat that means. “It crossed my mind, but no. I will tell him whenever I want to tell him.”

“Whose is it?”

“What?” she stutters in surprise.

“Who the fuck thought it was okay to get you pregnant? Who the fuck touched you, Monroe?” My anger may be uncalled for, but it doesn’t mean I can shut off the protective nature that came over me watching my little sister suffer so much.

Her wide eyes watch me quizzically. “You never call me Monroe.”

I scoff. “Stop changing the subject and tell me who the fuck…”

“No!” she shouts out, and finally her anger meets mine. This is the girl I’ve come accustomed to seeing. The one who’s always on the attack. The one who calls me out on my bullshit and doesn’t take any of my shit without giving some back. “You don’t get to just demand it because you think someone defiled your little sister. You know why I was never planning on telling you, Nash? Because I didn't think you’d be here long enough to find out. This is temporary, is it not? Just here until you can help Monty with the house or until Franklin?—”

Her voice gets caught in her throat as the memory of what happened earlier today comes back to her.

I feel like a fucking asshole for behaving like this, but I can’t help it. It’s my biggest flaw. I know when I’m doing something wrong, when my reactions are uncalled for, but I can’t stop myself. It’s the reason I’ve stayed away from everyone I’ve cared for. All I do is make shit worse for those around me. It’s why I can’t stay in Crossroads.

“Izzy, it’s not that simple.”

“Bullshit,” she shouts, sitting up straighter. “You want to come at me with, ‘who the fuck did this?’ Let me ask you this. What the fuck is your plan with Bailey? Are you going to swoopher off her feet with this changed man persona you’ve taken on and then break her heart all over again when you ride off on the back of that death trap you love so much?”

Monroe’s questions catch me off guard. I didn’t think she was aware of what was going on between Bailey and me. Bailey doesn't seem like the type to go running off and gossiping about what occurred if she barely even speaks to me about it. Though, despite my initial surprise, I have to assume this is something Bailey confided in Monroe and possibly even Billie, and figure out what it means if she did.

“This isn’t about Bailey and me,” I tell Monroe, not allowing her attempt at deflection to throw me off the problem at hand. “It’s about who’s going to be by your side through all this.” She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, ignoring my probing questions like this isn’t a big deal and she has it all figured out.

“Well, you can rest assured he’s not.”

Oh, there is no fucking way this asshole who got her pregnant is going to walk away from this unscathed. “Like hell he isn’t.”

Her glacial eyes meet mine head on as she attempts to stand to her feet. In an instant, I’m by her side, extending my arm out to her, but she swats it away. “He’s not because I’m not planning on telling you, Monty or anyone who the father is. I’m not even planning on telling him.”

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