Baby Trapped by the Billionaire novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Rule Seven

He was already dressed when I came down at six, standing at the marble island with a coffee he wasn't drinking.

I had practiced my face on the stairs.

"Good morning," I said.

"Morning."

He didn't turn around.

"Who is Nate?" I said.

His shoulders tightened.

"You heard that."

"I heard you apologize to somebody in the hall at three in the morning, after you left my bed."

"Your bed."

"Your bed. Whoever's bed. Who is Nate?"

He set the cup down very carefully.

"My brother," he said. "Nathan. He died four years ago."

The kitchen was very quiet.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It's a long time."

"It's not, though."

"I talk to him sometimes," said Gavin. "At night. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid."

"I told him I was sorry."

"For what?"

He finally looked at me.

"For being happy," he said. "For about three hours."

Something in my chest twisted so hard I had to hold the island.

"Gavin."

"It won't happen again."

"Excuse me?"

"It complicates things. It's cleaner if we keep it clinical." His voice had gone cold, a boardroom voice, a plate-glass voice. "You're carrying a child. I'm responsible for that. I shouldn't have let it get confused with anything else."

"Confused."

"Yes."

"You think I'm confused."

"I think you're a woman with a sick sister and a contract, and I took advantage of that."

I laughed, and it came out ugly.

"Let me be clear about one thing," I said. "Last night was mine. I walked into that room on my own two feet. I wasn't thanking you. I wasn't paying you back. You don't get to turn it into a transaction after the fact, because I won't take a cent for it."

"I never said that."

"You just did."

"Vera."

"I'll see you at six," I said. "Your grandfather insists I tour the plant. Wear the suit that makes you look like you've never been wrong."

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