Page 75 of Belle

He raises his hands up in surrender. “Hold up. Hear me out. What if you worked at the construction company with me? I’m gonna need another right-hand now that Chet is dead.”

Is he serious?

“I don’t know anything about working at a construction company.”

“I’ll teach you. You did amazing with the books. That’s just the kind of help I need. If I have someone I trust working on the paperwork, then I’ll be able to go out to more job sites and keep an eye on things out there.”

I’m waiting for him to laugh. I’m waiting for him to say this is all a joke and laugh me out of the house, but it never comes. He’s serious.

“You really want me working in your company?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” He walks over to me, gripping my arms, pulling me closer to him. “I love you. I know you love me; you don’t have to say it. I know we’re fucked up. I know this whole relationship has just been one crazy thing after another, but just do this for me.”

I’m trying to come up with any reason to turn him down, but I can’t. Stripping has never been my end goal for my life, it’s just what made me the most money. My goal has always been to get out of Deadhorse. I’m out. Now I don’t have any more excuses.

“I can’t think of a reason to say no,” I admit.

A smile takes over his entire face, and I can’t help but smile back. “We’re so fucking crazy, Maddox.”

“I know, baby.” He pulls me in for a kiss. Sometimes he kisses me like he’s afraid it will be the last time he gets the chance. It takes my breath away.

He’s turning me into more of a fucking crazy person than I already am.

“Let’s find you a doctor. We can find out where you’re at in this pregnancy and then we can come up with a plan.”

My heart is pounding in my chest. It feels like everything is moving so fast and it’s all caving in around me.

“Maddox,” I warn.

“Don’t. Don’t start pulling away from me. Aren’t you getting tired of it? Isn’t it exhausting to fight your feelings every single day?”

I narrow my eyes. How dare he. How dare he hit me with the truth. He’s over here throwing things in my face that I know are true, but I’m not ready to admit them yet.

“You have to give me a minute. I need to process what’s happening. We just went from talking about me working with you, to going to the doctor.”

“You’ve had enough time, Belle. If you didn’t want to be with me, if you didn’t want to be here, you would have left by now. You don’t need me. I’m not stupid.”

I put my hand on his cheek. He’s not wrong. I don’t need him. Why am I still here? “Calm down. I’ll go to the doctor. Just chill.” I can see him visibly relax.

“You’re so fucking difficult, you know that?”

“You wouldn’t know what to do with a normal girl.” I roll my eyes.

“You’re not wrong.”

“I’m gonna go down to the club. I need to let Natasha know I won’t be back.”

“Want me to come with?”

“No. I’m okay now. There isn’t anything to be scared of anymore.” He looks at me with sympathy that I don’t want.

Thirty minutes later, I find myself standing in Natasha’s office. “You don’t strike me as the settle down and start a family type.” She smirks, twirling the pen in her hand.

“I’m not sure that I am, but here we are.”

“You know, you’re in fantastic shape. You could probably still dance pretty far into your pregnancy.”

“I have a lot to learn at the new place. I don’t know that I’ll have the time.” I watch her get up from her seat and walk over to me.

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