Page 121 of Rogue Villain

“Would you mind sending the chopper to the helipad on the roof of Elodie’s building? I can’t wait the four-plus hours it will take to drive and then sail to Abrams.”

Once he’s confirmed that the chopper will collect me at midday, I text Vaughn.

ME

I slept terribly.

VAUGHN

I didn’t sleep at all. Your side of the bed was cold.

My heart stalls, torn between wanting to tell him what I’m about to do, and fearful he won’t allow it. Instead, I leave the text unanswered, moving to the ensuite to get ready to leave.

The sight of the pregnancy test on the edge of the sink frustrates me, and I pick it up to toss it in the waste basket, when I freeze, noticing two glaringly obvious bright blue lines, the second of which wasnotthere last night.

A quick internet search tells me it may be something called an evaporation line, and my spirits flag in defeat.

“Fuck this.”

My eyes land on the torn test box, spotting the second unused test inside, and before I know what I’m doing, I’m peeing on a stick for the second time in as many days, feeling more than a little desperate.

Except this time, when my eyes land on the result, there’s no room for doubt.

Two lines stare back at me as my lips lift in a smile, more pumped than ever to see my mother so I can wade through the mess in my head and get home to the man I love.

* * *

VAUGHN

The blonde-haired secretary of Dr. Tyrell gives me the once-over as she leads me toward the empty examination room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Porter will be arriving shortly.” She twists the handle, letting me inside with a smug grin. “You’ll have thirty minutes before my boss arrives. Use your time wisely, because he’s nothing if not punctual.”

The door closes with asnick, and I slide into the doctor’s plush desk chair to await my quarry.

“They’ve pulled up outside.”

Ford’s gravelly voice fills my ears. “You good to go?”

“Just want to get this over with now.”

Ford remains blessedly silent as I straighten myself in the seat and steeple my fingers beneath my chin with my eyes fixed on the door, ready for their arrival.

The door opens inward, admitting Mr. Porter, who’s carrying his daughter’s car seat, as he turns to hold the door for his wife.

The couple smile at one another, sending a pang of longing through my breastbone before they turn to face me, their expressions changing to shock immediately.

“Who the hell are you?”

Lennon Porter places his considerable frame between me and his wife, and internally, I take my hat off to the man as I stand to hold my hand out to him.

“I’m Vaughn Burton. And you’re a hard man to meet with, Mr. Porter.”

He raises a light brown eyebrow. “That’s the way I like it. What Idon’tlike is being ambushed at my daughter’s check-up, Mr. Burton. Now, if you could—”

I drop my hand, stepping around the desk as he steps farther from reach. “I mean you no harm. I’m simply here because I have some questions regarding your brother’s well-being, and I’d hoped—”

His forehead creases heavily. “Elliott? His well-being is none of my concern.”

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