Page 135 of Illicit Heir

He pushes me toward the door.

Annie screams, "Let her go!"

He drags me out the front door.

Annie shouts, "Lauren!"

Caleb shoves me into his car and then gets into the driver's side. He turns on the engine and peels out of the driveway.

I beg, "Caleb, please. Ya don't know what you're doing. There's no reason to take me away from here. It's not your baby."

"We've already established that fact. But you'll tell the world it's my baby. Do ya understand, Lauren?"

"No! I won't!"

His eyes darken. He threatens, "Then I'll cut that baby out of your stomach, and ya will never see it."

Horror fills me. It's worse than I thought. And I curse my mum once again for telling Caleb her lie. Then I wonder again how he knows it's Devin's. Did my mum tell him?

No, that wouldn't make sense.

Then who did?

I try to think about how to escape, but what can I do? The car's moving. I don't want to hurt the baby. And Caleb will follow through on his threat if I try anything.

He lights up a cigarette and barely inches the window open. More nausea fills me. I close my eyes and lean against the window, my heart pounding, wondering how to escape. It's my job to protect my baby, but how can I?

Caleb turns up the music. The darkness deepens the farther away we get from my safe haven. All I can think about is if Dominick's alive. And I curse myself for staying in one place for so long and thinking I could be safe.

Maeve. She must have told him. She's the only one who knew where I was.

Still, I ask, "How did ya find me?"

He glances at me. "Did ya think ya could run and hide and I wouldn't? God, you're stupid. I will always outsmart ya."

I glare at him, firmly repeating, "But how did ya find me?"

He reaches over and smacks my face. The sting erupts over my cheek. I cry out, "Ow. Why are ya hurting me?"

"Ya will be respectful to me at all times. Do ya understand, ya fucking whore?"

I try not to cry, but I can't help it.

"Oh, now you're going to sob. Oh, poor baby Lauren," he mocks.

I try to stop my tears and stare out the window. This can't be happening, but it is.

"Your mum's going to be happy to see you," he states.

I swallow hard, fighting the feelings of hating her and wanting to see her just because she's my mum.

Disgust fills his voice. "Your mum knew the right thing to do. She knows where her loyalty lies. She would never spread her legs for an O'Connor."

I focus on the window, staring into the darkness, trying not to gag from the smoke. If I throw up, Caleb's only going to be angrier. I'll be in another position I don't want to be in.

My insides continue to quiver, and the baby kicks. I put my hand over my stomach, trying to soothe him, wondering if he can sense he's in danger.

Caleb turns up the music and drives faster. More fear fills me. He knows I hate it when he drives crazy. But I refrain from asking him to slow down.

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