Page 52 of Spike's Perdition
The bell above the deli door rings again, and laughter fills the air. I’m not in the mood to watch happy-go-lucky people go about their business when my life is falling apart, especially after the father of my child walked out on me.
I push away from the table and turn, only to see a familiar face in front of me.
“Hey, Ivory!” Skye greets excitedly. “How’ve you…” Her voice trails off as her eyes roam over my face and body. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I answer quickly, brushing at the lingering tears. “Sorry, I need to go. Nice to see you again.”
I grab my purse when another woman steps up beside Skye. “Who’s this, Skye?” she asks.
“Wait, are you pregnant?” Skye inquires, ignoring the other woman completely and staring at my protruding belly.
I lower my bag in front of my stomach in a poor attempt to conceal the pregnancy. “I’m sorry, Skye,” I apologize. “I’m in a hurry. I’ll see you around.” I scootch around the other woman and head for the door.
“Wait,” Skye calls. I halt a few paces from the door. “Please, stay and talk to me.”
I hang my head and weigh my options.
This could be a trap that Aubrey set up, or Spike could’ve called them to deal with me since Aubrey is probably at work. Don’t be stupid, it's broad daylight in a public place. They can’t do anything here.
I slowly walk back toward the table and sit across from Skye.
“I’m Cece,” the beautiful woman says. She reaches her hand over, and I shake it.
“Ivory,” I reply.
“Okay, woman. Spill,” Skye demands. “I can tell you’ve been crying, and hell, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see you’re pregnant.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I mumble, tears welling in my eyes again.Damn hormones.I bite the inside of my cheek to keep them from tumbling over.
“Bullshit,” Skye spits out.
“Skye, enough,” Cece chastises. “It’s okay. We just want to help. I know you don’t know me, but obviously, you know who Skye is. I can tell she considers you a friend. She’s overly protective, and when she sees a friend hurting, she goes all mama bear.”
“Her opinion of me is about to change then…ifshe considers me a friend,” I say cryptically. “Do you remember that afternoon I came to Purgatory to find Spike?”
Skye nods, and realization dawns in her eyes. “Did you know you were pregnant?”
“Yes,” I admit. “I was looking for him so I could tell him.”
“I gave him your number,” she confirms. “Did he not call?”
“No, he called.” I sigh. “He called and was a royal dick and said some shit that pissed me off. I hung up on him before I could tell him.”
“Lord save us from hot-headed, bruised ego alpha men,” Cece says.
Skye giggles. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll ever change. You, however, get to deal with the worst alpha.”
“Not true!” Cece throws a napkin at her. “Malice is way worse. I feel bad for Apple. Soul’s a puppy dog compared to that man’s temper.”
“You’re right.” Skye holds up her hands in surrender. “I wouldn’t let Soul hear you call him a puppy dog, though.”
“Why not?” Cece wiggles her brows. “The wall sex is worth it. What a punishment!”
“You’re incorrigible.” Skye focuses her attention back on me. “Spike went to see you that night.”
“He did,” I confirm, my head spinning from their back-and-forth banter. “It never came up. After I hung up on him, I decided that I would raise the baby myself. In my defense,” I rush to continue. “I was a hormonal mess, and Spike proved to me exactly what kind of man he is when he was screaming at me. Plus, I was trying to come to terms that I got pregnant after a one-night stand with a biker. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Cece’s eyes soften. “I get it. I was a hot mess the entire time I was pregnant with my daughter. It’s hard to navigate around all those feelings.”
