Page 16 of Jasper
“Well, you don’t have to worry about any of that because you’re workin’ for me, right?” I state. I make a mental note to speak to our club lawyer first thing tomorrow and see if he can speed up things.
She swallows hard. “I dream about the baby,” she whispers. “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night crying. I just want her or him to be healthy, you know?”
Her words feel like a gut punch. This sweet, beautiful woman has been fighting hard to keep my baby. And I’ll fuckin’ move heaven and earth to make sure she gets that chance.
“And the worst part?” she whispers. “Mrs. Whitmore called our baby a mistake. Can you believe that? I realized something earlier today. Turning myself into an incubator for rich assholes that don’t care about anything or anyone but themselves was a gigantic mistake. I thought I was doing a good deed and solving my financial problems all at the same time, but the Whitmores were damn near unbearable.”
“Our baby isn’t a mistake because we want it to be born,” I say, voice low. “That clinic fucked up. But what’s growing inside you? That ain’t anything close to a mistake.”
She lets out a shaky breath and nods. “I was fine being the incubator. I really was. But now that it’s mine and yours, it’s going to be hard to let go of the baby once it’s born.”
I come closer and take her hands in mine. “I’m not gonna keep you from comin’ to see this baby once it’s born. You’re welcome to visit anytime you like.”
She glances away, but her hands tighten on mine. “I’m grateful for that. They used my egg, so this little one truly is part of me.”
I can’t help the smile that curves up my lips. “They were gonna pay fifty, right?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
“If ten grand isn’t enough for your gran’s treatment, I can send the full amount.”
She finally looks up at me, her eyes glossy but clear. “Ten’s fine for now. I know neither of us are rich, so all I really want is enough to cover my gran’s medical copays.”
I nod once, tugging the phone from her hand. “Then let’s do this thing. Let’s get your gran the treatment she needs and move forward from there.”
She studies me like I’m something she can’t quite categorize. I’m certain she doesn’t see me as a hero. but hopefully not a thug either. I just want to be seen as the man who showed up for her and my kid when she was in a tight spot.
Goddamn, I hope the rest of the pregnancy goes this well.
Chapter 6
Jasper
I’m still sitting on Tessa’s porch when a fuckin’ white Lexus rolls up slow and smooth. The engine is too damn quiet. There’s a man’s form visible behind the wheel. I don’t have to be half smart to know this is the rich bastard who wants her to get rid of my child to make room for his own. I hate him without ever seeing his face.
The mere fact that he’s driven his fancy fuckin’ car all the way to the run-down part of town like this tells me we’re gonna have a problem on our hands. Both him and that overbearing wife of his are on my shit list. And it looks like today I get a chance to set him straight on the new deal.
When Tessa sees him pull up, she goes ramrod straight on the stoop. Her lips press into a thin line as her head turns towards the driveway. From the looks of things, she’s bracing for a shit storm. She glances at me but doesn’t say anything. I’ve seen enough bad situations walking around in expensive, polished dress shoes to recognize the warning signs when he gets out and straightens his jacket. Everything about him screams money and entitlement.
He moves like he’s expecting the rest of us to be impressed with his shit. I get a better look at him when he walks up. His cufflinks glitter in the sunlight. His navy jacket is pulled over a thousand-dollar shirt. I can almost bet this man hasn’t done an honest day’s work in his entire life. He strolls along like he owns the sidewalk. He’s the kind of man who thinks the rules only apply to other people.
When his eyes land on me, his expression morphs into one of disgust, like breathing the same air as me is offensive.
“Did you get lost? The wine bar is three streets over,” I tell him, gesturing in a useless direction because I lied about the wine bar in the first place.
“What the hell is he doing here?” he barks, marching up the steps like he owns them.
I reach out, grab him by the back of the neck, and haul him back off her steps.
Poor fucker is startled as shit. “Get your hands off me, you thug!”
I casually toss him back onto the sidewalk, with a warning, “Ask before you encroach onto someone’s personal property.”
Tessa shoots to her feet. “What are you doing here? I told you that I needed time to think and would call when I’d made a decision.”
He pulls on the cuffs of his jacket, shooting me an annoyed look, before turning back to Tessa. I don’t like the way his expression turns admiring. “I’m here to enhance our offer. I’m authorized to double our standing offer if you remain our surrogate.”
The implication is clear. Although he doesn’t say it out loud, that offer is contingent on terminating her current pregnancy.
