Page 106 of Deal With The Devil

"Is that all? We're not going to scale Mount Everest or base jump or anything?"

If Dare realizes that I am not being sincere, he doesn’t respond to the sentiment. "Just tell me that you are ready."

Sitting up, I splay my hand out on the couch and look at him, tilting my head. "I’m ready. It feels weird having to lie to anyone, much less a room full of your family. But I’m still prepared. I have made a decision, and now I’m going to commit to it, no matter what."

The smile on his face is icy cold. "That’s good. You’ll need that steel spine when we announce our engagement to my family."

ChapterTwenty-Eight

DARE

The next morning, I stroll into the kitchen, with two white-coated doctors following discreetly. Talia looks up from her breakfast, which appears to be a piece of dry toast. She looks at the doctors flanking me and swallows, wiping away the crumbs and depositing the rest of the toast in the kitchen sink.

"Talia, this is Dr. Smith and Dr. Nathan. These ladies are here to give you an exam."

"What kind of exam?" She asks, pulling at the hem of her tight white dress.

Dr. Nathan sets forward, smiling professionally. She is a very diligent OB/GYN that was recommended to me for her discretion.

She gives Talia a warm smile and extends a hand, ushering Talia toward the formerly empty room. "I’m a gynecologist and obstetrician. So is my colleague. We have brought in all the necessary items to give you your first ultrasound in the privacy of your own home."

Talia’s eyebrows fly up. She glances at me nervously, but Dr. Nathan puts an arm around her, reassuring her. "Don’t worry. We will provide you with not only discretion but also top-quality care. We are just going to take a peek inside and then draw some blood. Talk about what you’re eating, what could help the baby. Just some basic things."

I follow the women to the door of the once-bare room. There is a pause, and Dr. Nathan turns around, looking me up and down.

"Talia, do you mind if Mr. Morgan is in the room?"

“I do, absolutely. He definitely can’t be in the room for any of this."

I cock my head. "What? What about the birth? I need to be there. What will people think?"

Without hesitating, Dr. Nathan’s palm stops at my chest as I stride toward the doorway. She gives me a polite smile. "Mr. Morgan, I think your fiancée would really appreciate some time to herself. We have months until she is due to give birth, so I suggest that you don’t push things today. Is that okay?"

She asks me as if I can say no. But I realize that making a fuss right now will make me look like an asshole. I scrunch up my face and shrug. "How long will you need?"

"It depends. Approximately half an hour. If you want to come back to the doorway around then, we should have some sonogram pictures for you, if you want."

I make a face. "Yeah, all right. I will find somewhere else to be while you’re doing the exam, I guess."

"Thank you." I look past her at Dr. Smith and Talia, who are currently talking quietly while Talia steps onto a scale. Dr. Nathan closes the door, and I clench my fists.

I want to be present for everything, mostly because the only way I can be absolutely sure that no one pulls the wool over my eyes is to see it myself. But seeing as how that is not an option, I turn away and head toward the kitchen. I feel a buzzing in my pocket, and I pull out my cell phone to see that Burn is calling me.

I’m not exactly sure when Burn last contacted me by phone, but I’m certainly curious. I pick up the phone.

"Burn."

"Dare. I am downstairs."

I glance toward the elevator, the phone is still pressed against my ear. "Downstairs where?"

"At your new loft apartment, apparently. The fucking doorman that you’ve installed at your building won’t let me up even though we are twins. Something about how, if you wanted me to visit, you would have put me on a guest list or something."

I purse my lips. Glancing over my shoulder toward the back of the apartment, I weigh the pros and cons of having Burn in the apartment. It’s too risky while Talia is just out of sight with the doctors attending to her. Something cold slides through my gut, and I clench my teeth.

"Dare? Are you going to be a normal human being and let me up?"

"No," I say finally. "I’ll be down in a minute. Don’t go anywhere."

---