Page 139 of The Loathing

My stomach rolls and nausea creeps up my throat. I begin to panic. I force my eyes shut and swallow the bile back down.

“How does that sound?” he smiles, his eyes batting over to his brother.

“Sounds like heaven, bet she has a tight little…”

“Enough,” Titus barks from the other side of the room, standing tall and walking over.

“I don’t care what you do with her when I am gone, but you do not speak about her in that way,” he slams his hand down on the table and all I can focus on is I don’t care what you do with her when I am gone.

“Why are you so protective of our little monster? Hm?” Wolfe goads, elbows on the table and a smile like a Cheshire cat spreads across his weasel like face.

“Because it’s my job.”

“Or,” Wolfe stands, walking out from the table and behind my chair so him and Titus are standing toe to toe. “Is it because you have feelings for her?”

Titus says nothing, but I can see his fists balled at his side and I know he is way past angry.

“Is it because you want to know what it is like to be inside of her… oh wait,” Wolfe’s fingers curl round the back of my neck and he tightens his grip, “that’s right, you have been inside of her whilst I was in the room next door.”

I stiffen and I hear a deep, primal growl leave Titus.

“If I knew you were a slut, I would have just shot daddy dead,” Wolfe says with amusement lacing his voice and a shiver dances up and down my spine.

“Get your fucking hands off of her,” Titus barks.

“Or what?” Wolfe continues to goad him, his fingers digging deeper into my neck and I wince.

“She’s still in my protection, let go of her.”

Wolfe hisses, relaxing his fingers and my skin is bruised almost instantly.

“One fucking week,” Wolfe steps back, sitting down at his place at the table, “I hope you spend the rest of your miserable life thinking about me fucking her, or should I say us fucking her,” Wolfe reaches over and takes Hunter’s hand.

“Watch your back Wolfe, because as soon as I’m done here, you’ll have a target on your back,” Titus grunts, reaching for my hand and pulling me from the table.

“Ooo,” he says in a high, sarcastic tone, “I am so scared.”

Titus does well to ignore him because I want to bite back and scream, but I don’t have a chance because Titus drags me out the room, but before the door can shut Wolfe calls out. “You have a dress fitting tomorrow little monster, nine a.m. Don’t be late,” and Titus slams the door behind him.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

SIX DAYS TO GO…

My alarm goes off, but I am already awake. I hardly slept a wink as I replayed the last few days on repeat in my head. The way Titus told me he loved me, then we both broke each other’s hearts. Whether our motives were intentional or not, it still sucked and it still hurt. Rubbing the ache in my chest, my hand wanders down to my stomach and I rest it there. I didn’t want to get rid of this baby, but how could I keep it? Wolfe wouldn’t raise this baby as his own and I didn’t think it was fair to bring a baby who was so loved into a world that was so cruel. They didn’t deserve that. They deserved so much more. I always dreamt of being a mum, but now I am pregnant I feel nothing but dread. Because this was not how I wanted it. I wanted so much more when I finally fell pregnant. Guilt swarms me as I am trying to forget about this baby because thinking of anything other than that kills me a little more inside each time.

Finally dragging myself from my bed, I sigh and look around my room. I pace towards the window and open it, letting the little breeze in and the heat knocks through and it instantly takes me breath away. Summer is in full swing and the days are sticky and humid. I choose a dusty pink tee dress that has loose sleeves but a cinched waist emphasizing my little curves that I have. Slipping on white, high-top platform converse trainers, I pull my hair into a loose ponytail.

I try not to let my emotions get the better of me when I think what this day should entail. I should be excited about going wedding dress shopping with my bridesmaids, Arabella, Hope and Faith and of course my mother and Betty. I should be getting butterflies when I try the one on, knowing full well my husband-to-be will be in tears as I float down the aisle like a vision that he has only ever dreamed about.

But instead, I am going with my bodyguard, Titus. Who is also the man I love, whose baby I am currently pregnant with, to be fitted for a gown that I have no say in, all to marry a man to lift the target from my father’s head.

I sit at my dressing table but I can’t stop my eyes from drifting to my bedroom door behind me. Titus is normally here by now. Fear claws at my throat, my stomach flipping and slowly filling with dread that something has happened to him, especially after the stand-off between him and Wolfe. Pinching my mascara from my make-up bag, I try and let my chaotic mind ease and focus on getting ready for my appointment. The sooner I can get this over with, the better.

I just finish applying a coral lip-gloss when I see Titus standing in the doorway, worry etched over his face.

The lip-gloss rolls from my fingertips as I stand and make my way over to him.

“Where were you?” I whisper because if I speak any louder, he will hear the anxiety that is lacing my voice.

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