Page 32 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

The door pushes open, and I look up. It’s not Jason. My heart sinks.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. What are you doing here?”

Richard walks up to me, studying me. He frowns, angling his body away.

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes go wide.

“Are you crying?”

“No. I’m fine. Seriously.”

“You’re not a very good liar, you know?”

He sits beside me on the table.

“Did Jason talk to you? Did he say something mean?”

He lowers his head to study me when I stay quiet but says nothing. Finally, he exhales.

“I’m sorry. I know Jason can be a bit of a moron. A cold one. I honestly don’t know why, but I’m so sorry you have to go through this.”

Wait till you find out how he treats people after fucking them.

He takes my hand and covers them with his, rubbing them.

“I know you’re lonely. You don’t have to go through it alone. I’ll be here too, okay? Count me as your brother for life.”

A smile tugs at my lips, and I rest my head on his shoulder. He lowers his chin, placing it on my head as he holds my hands.

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry I made you come out. All of this wouldn’t have happened if you’d just stayed in.”

I raise my head sharply.

“Don’t say that. I’m glad I got to do something fun.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

His eyes light up.

“I have an idea.”

He jumps off the table and grabs my hand.

“Let’s go play video games.”

He waggles his eyebrows. I want to tell him I’m not in the mood but can’t bring myself to. His presence keeps me grounded just when I think I can’t do it anymore – the way he treats me like he’s known me for years. He’s sweet, kind, and gentle. A stark difference from his older brother.

Summoning the fortitude to confront Jason after the events of the previous night, I find my knees unsteady. Sleep evades me and when it finally does arrive, it is disrupted by a dream in which I am bereft of the child growing inside me. The mere thought of losing the baby causes me to remain awake for the rest of the night. Despite the fact that I never wanted the child, the delicate movements within me each morning elicit a smile on my face. It's as if someone is relying on me to survive, a feeling that borders on enchantment. How is it possible to feel such an intense love for someone who is yet to be born? As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I tenderly caress my belly.

I glance at the clock on the nightstand. 7 am. I have to go talk to Jason before he leaves for work. Throwing on a sweatshirt, I put on a slip-on and head out of my room. In the lobby, I walk toward Jason’s room. When I get to the front of his room, I lift my hand to knock, but the door opens before I do. I blink. Jason exhales when he sees me. He’s shirtless and covered in sweat, with just a pair of boxers on his waist, lowered slightly below his waist. My heart skips a beat. So he works out first thing in the morning.

“W…What do you want?”

I’m tongue-tied as he scowls at me. I practiced the words I wanted to say, over and over, to make sure I didn’t get intimidated, but as I look at him, everything dissipates.

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