Page 53 of Quadruplets for the Vipers

I balk at the suggestion, I have no idea what the medication will do to my body now I’m no longer pregnant. Plus, knowing Tony, there’s no way to know if he’d even do a safe procedure and not some backyard style that could leave me infertile or worse. I have to tell him I lost the baby.

“There is no baby. I found out at the hospital before I saw you that I had a miscarriage,” I admit, my voice breaking along with my heart as the wound freshly opens.

He laughs, enjoying my pain. “Oh yes, of course, you don’t know. The nurse was hired by me. She lied to you. The babies are perfectly fine.”

There’s that word again, babies.

“What? How? Why?” I stutter, struggling to comprehend.

“Because I didn’t want those thugs following you. I figured that they’d knocked you up and the only thing they care about is the pregnancy, a little heir to carry on their legacy. Theywon’t follow if they think you miscarried. You didn’t think you were special to them, did you? he snarls.

His words hit me like knives, but I can’t help but believe him. I’ve brought nothing but trouble to the Steel Vipers. After this there’s no way they’d want me. They’ll probably be pleased that I’m out of their hair.

“I didn’t—”

“Don’t lie. I know you fucked all four of them like the whore you are. Just because the babies aren’t theirs, doesn’t mean I believe you when you say you didn’t fuck them.”

I decide to ignore his accusations, I don’t want the conversation to get sidetracked by his jealousy. I’m far more concerned with why he keeps referring to the baby in the plural and whether or not he’s telling the truth.

Is it really true? Is my baby alive, and what’s more, am I carrying twins?

“Tony, why do you keep saying babies and not baby?” I ask hesitantly.

“Oh yes, like the prize fucking bitch you are, you’re giving birth to a litter. Not one butfourbabies. Like an animal.” His eyes land on my stomach in disgust, no doubt imagining how it will look when my bump pops.

I can’t believe what I’ve just heard.

“I’m sorry, did you say I’m carrying quadruplets?”

My knees feel weak, and the room starts to spin. I sit down on the chair in the middle of the room, with my head in my hands.

“That’s right. It seems that your IVF was almost too successful. Not that the little bastards will be around much longer.”

Can it be true? Have I not lost my baby but gained three more?

Horror dawns on me as I realize he’s still planning to kill my babies now he thinks that he can’t use them as leverage.

“Don’t kill them, please!” I beg, my hand flying to my stomach protectively.

His eyes flash with envy and I realize that he’s jealous of my love for them. A love that’s as natural as breathing that I could never give to him. “Why should I let my woman give birth to four, useless bastard children that aren’t even her own?”

“Because you can still use them as leverage against the Steel Vipers. Knox is the adopted son of Zeus and Donna, these babies are his family, he wants them more than anything, they all do.” My voice is high pitched and pleading. I grab his hand, holding his gaze. My eyes are wide and filled with desperation as I wordlessly implore him to believe me.

He thinks about it for a moment, studying me. He sighs and shakes his head. I stop breathing, my heart plummeting as I think he’s about to refuse me.

“My sweet, innocent girl is still in there, despite what they did to you. I know the truth, you can’t bear to harm these children, even though they’re not yours. You’d rather birth them and return them to the monsters who forced you to carry them. You’re an angel. You’ve been through so much. Those Vipers manipulated you, took you away from me and took advantage. Do you really want to carry their children?”

“Yes… please, don’t kill them,” I beg.

He sighs and shakes his head. I stop breathing, my heart plummeting as I think he’s about to refuse me.

“I can’t say no to you, Leah, even when you have treated me so cruelly. I know that you were under bad influences, and I promise I’ll make them pay for what they’ve done to you. You don’t need to be afraid anymore, you’re home, you’re safe now.” He pulls me into his arms, and it takes all of my self-control not to pull away.

I want to scream at him, but I hold that inside. Psychopathic Tony is terrifying, but when he’s like this, thinking I’m some poor naïve woman at least he doesn’t hurt me. And maybe I can use it to my advantage. His moods are like the wind, though, if I can’t continue to manipulate them, I’m in trouble. Right now, he still sees me as an innocent, mindless doll. If that changes, who knows what might happen.

“You saved me,” I whisper girlishly, hating the sound of my own voice, necessary though it may be.

My life and the lives of four innocent babies are now in the hands of a madman and the only way I can protect us is by playing his game.

---