Page 60 of A Deceitful Pact

“You’re not fine, you just got knocked to the fuckin’ ground by that asshole.” I look back over my shoulder at the guy rolling around on the floor. “I’m taking you over to Dr. West.” I start dragging her with me, but she holds firm.

“Sawyer, I’m fine,” she hisses through her teeth, looking around us like she has to remind me that we have an audience. “Hayden, escort these gentlemen to the station. I’ll be there in a minute,” she instructs.

“Sure, boss.” He grabs the one still standing, then reaches down to help the other up. I snarl when the bastard spits blood at the grass as he passes me, and it almost lands on my boot.

He’s a dead man walking.

“I swear I’m gonna kill that fucker.” I look back at Riley, and when I realize how hurt she looks, I can tell it’s not because of the man who knocked her to the ground. It’s because of me.

“Riley, I’m sorry,” I whisper, feeling the eyes of everyone surrounding us watching on as she tries to hold in her tears. I give ‘em all a look that tells them to move on. “I’m sorry, but you weren’t seriously gonna expect me to let you wade into the middle of a fight?”

“It’s my job, Sawyer. I had it handled,” she tells me quietly, as everyone starts to filter back to their business.

“You were on the goddamn floor, Riley. Pregnant women should not be getting shoved to the ground, no matter what their job is.”

A few more gasps come from behind me, and when I see that Jean and Eleanor have stuck around, I try my best to be polite in telling them to fuck off.

“Ladies.” I jerk my head, and when they finally walk away, I turn back to fix things with Riley. “Let me deal with those men.”

“No,” she tells me firmly. “You’ve done enough.” Shaking her head and looking disappointed, she marches back toward the station.

* * *

“Can we talk?” I stand on her doorstep five hours later, hoping that she’s had a chance to calm down and is gonna let me in.

“I don’t feel much like talking, Sawyer.” She shakes her head, looking drained and real fuckin’ angry.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout it out like that, but that guy could have hurt you. At least let me know you're okay.” I hate that she hasn’t opened the door past the chain; it’s a sign that she intends to keep me out here.

“I’m fine, we both are. I went and saw Dr. West this afternoon. He checked me over and listened to the baby’s heartbeat.”

“You heard the heartbeat again?” I smile, wishing I could have been there.

“Yeah, and like I said, everything's fine,” she assures me, making it clear she wants me to leave.

“But you're mad at me.” I drop my head, wishing I’d handled things a little better.

“Yeah, I’m mad, and I’m trying really hard not to be,” she admits.

“Baby, let me inside. I just want to know you’re okay.”

“I told you we’re fine.”

I sigh with relief when she takes the chain off the door and opens it wider. “And you're lucky that guy didn’t press charges,” she informs me as I head inside.

“I’m lucky?That bastard’s the lucky one. Lucky to still be fuckin’ livin’.” I feel that flare of anger all over again. “Riley, you have to promise me that you won’t do that again. You can’t go wading into things the way you used to.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” she snaps back. “Today scared me too, okay?” I can see how much she hates admitting it and decide to hold back on the lecture I was gonna give her

“So, what do we do now that everyone knows you're pregnant? I guess we can stop sneaking around.”

“People know I’m pregnant, but they don’t need to know your the father.” Despite the fact she’s looking at me as if I’m mad, I can’t help smile at the fact that she just called me a father. She’s never done that before. “I’m gonna be honest, tell them I used a donor, at least that way they will see that I’m independent and in control of the situation.” She looks as if she’s trying to convince herself, more than me, as she clears her throat and takes a seat on the couch. I figure she must have just got out of the shower because her hair’s wet, and the tight top she’s wearing over her PJ shorts is doing nothing to hide how round her tummy is getting.

“Why can’t people know the baby’s mine?” I take the seat beside her and can’t resist running my hand over her stomach.

“Because that was never part of the plan, Sawyer.” She looks up at the ceiling and growls in frustration.

“Why do you keep reverting back to the old plan when we both know how much has changed?” I start getting frustrated, myself. “Riley, we like each other, and despite all our differences, I think we’re kinda perfect together. We could be happy.”

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