Page 31 of Secret Baby for a Damaged Billionaire

“Dom,” she blurts out as if saying his name is a confession in itself. “He’s been texting her.”

My blood runs cold at the mention of her ex—the one guy who seems to have some inexplicable hold over Emily. The jealousy that courses through me is almost painful, and I struggle to maintain my composure. “How do you know that?” I ask tersely.

“I saw his text last night at the restaurant,” Chloe admits, her voice small. “I didn’t mean to pry, but it just… happened.”

My heart stops and everything goes out of focus. I know I can handle anything Carlo comes at me with, but Emily’s ex? I have no idea where things stand with that.

I feel the jealousy and frustration boil inside me, mixing with possible betrayal. “Why would he be texting her?”

“Beats me.” Chloe shrugs nonchalantly, though I can see the mischief dancing behind her eyes. “But maybe she’s just a little distracted right now.”

My head spins with all this new information, a toxic cocktail of emotions surging through me—anger, jealousy, hurt. I hate the thought of Emily keeping secrets from me, especially involving Dom. But at the same time, she faced down Carlo in my defense, proving her loyalty. My mind swirls with confusion making me dizzy.

I drop back down under the wheel of her car, grab my wrench, and yank out a piece of metal wedged between the brake pads. I toss it aside and stand up, brushing the dust off my knees.

“Thanks for telling me, Chloe,” I say, gritting my teeth. “I’ll… figure it out.”

“Okay. Good luck, Lucas,” she replies, patting me on the arm before getting in her car. “Thanks for the fix!”

I watch her drive away, her disastrous words echoing in my head.

“What the fuck is Emily doing talking to Dom?” I mutter under my breath, my jealousy flaring up once more.

I can’t shake the feeling of unease settling over me, anger and frustration building to almost a breaking point. Returning to the gym, I make a beeline for the punching bags. My fists collide with the bag, each strike releasing a small part of the tension coiling inside me. I hop back and surge forward again, kicking the bag, over and over. The other fighters pause their workouts to watch my unrelenting assault on it.

“Damn, what’s got Lucas so fired up?” I overhear someone mutter under their breath.

My mind races as I continue to pummel the bag, every punch and kick centered on Carlo and Dom, every thought centered on Emily. She’s been keeping secrets from me—not just about Carlo, but about Dom too. Why? Is she trying to protect me, or is there something else going on?

As much as I want to believe in her, I can’t help but feel like she’s slipping away, leaving me grappling with the fear of losing her. My breaths come in ragged gasps, my heart pounding in my chest. I need to get out of here; I need space to think.

“Lucas, man,” Xavier calls out cautiously, “you alright?”

I shoot him a curt nod, though it’s clear neither of us is convinced by the gesture. Unable to control the emotional turmoil swirling inside me, I realize I need to get away from the gym—away from everyone.

“Xavier, you’re in charge,” I bark, not waiting for a response as I storm toward the exit. I need to clear my head and figure out what’s going on with Emily and me before it’s too late.

I grab my keys off my desk and make my way out, desperate for some time alone to process everything. My thoughts are a tangled mess, Emily’s secrets and Dom’s persisting presence in her life gnawing at me from the inside. I know I should give her space, but it’s tearing me apart.

As I climb into my SUV, my phone buzzes with an incoming text. Glancing at the screen, my heart leaps for a moment as I see Emily’s name.

I slide the phone back in my pocket and gun the engine, shooting gravel behind my wheels, as I bomb out of the lot.

Chapter Fifteen (Emily)

I pace back and forth in my living room, biting my nails as I stare at my phone. Lucas wasn’t answering my calls or texts and the silence was very unlike him. And now, with half the day gone by, I have no idea what’s going on. I need to tell him about the whole Carlo thing from last night, particularly before anything else happens between them. My anxiety twists in my stomach, needing to process everything with him.

I tap out a message for Chloe, my fingers trembling. The last thing I want to do is get her involved, but maybe she knows something and can help.

I wait, watching the three dots on my phone as she texts me back. But then my heart jumps into my throat, seeing her cryptic message.

Em, I think you should talk to him.

I toss my phone down and search for my keys. I had to find Lucas and get answers, one way or another.

Driving to the gym, I review every interaction we had the previous day. Everything seemed to check out and it made no sense that he would be mad at me. Plus, ghosting someone when you’re angry is not an option for me and I won’t have it.

Finally, I pull into the lot, no memory of the drive there, and I barrel into the gym. The familiar scent of sweat and metal assaults my senses, heightening my concern. I scan the space for any sign of his tall, broad form, but no luck. He’s nowhere to be seen.

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