“You said she was pregnant with your kid!” She was pointing at me now.

  “She is. I fucked her without a condom a couple of times. Now, she’s pregnant with my kid. What part of that do you not understand?”

  If it wasn’t me he was talking about, then I would have laughed.

  “You fucked her without a condom? Why would you do that?”

  I took a bite of my salad, wishing I were anywhere but here.

  “Because it felt good. Do you seriously want the details?”

  “Saxon, we need to talk. Alone,” she said tightly.

  I reached for my milk and started to stand.

  “Sit down and eat, Haisley.” Saxon’s tone wasn’t so calm now.

  I sat back down and said nothing.

  “I’ve got to shower, change, and head over to Trev’s. I don’t have time for your shit, Declan,” Saxon said to her.

  “You are going to talk to me,” she demanded.

  “Whatever,” he replied. “Talk while I get ready.”

  She followed him into his bedroom, and the door closed behind her. I listened as the lock clicked into place. The fact that my stomach suddenly knotted up wasn’t good. I shouldn’t care that a girl who looked like she belonged in his world—with all her long, wavy brown hair, expensive clothes, designer heels, and perfect nails—was in his bedroom while he was taking a shower.

  But I did. I cared a lot. My chest hurt, and my salad no longer tasted good. I picked up my glass of milk and finished it, then stood and went to clean up the kitchen. Not wanting to see either of them when they exited the room or hear anything going on in there, I worked quickly.

  When I was safely in my room, I sank down on the bed with a groan. This was only day one, and it was already hard. How was I going to survive this for seven more months? His mom clearly hated me. Declan was the girl his mother had invited to the Christmas party, which meant she might be his ex, but she wasn’t out of the picture.

  Had I been a fling while they were on a breakup or something? I closed my eyes and fell back on the bed.

  Voices entered the living room again, and I opened my eyes to stare at the ceiling fan while I listened to them talk. I couldn’t make out their words, but Declan seemed to have calmed down. I was sure Saxon had helped with that.

  There was a knock at my door.

  “I’m heading out,” Saxon told me through the closed door.

  Great, he was going out.

  “Okay,” I replied.

  He said nothing more. He didn’t ask if I wanted to go anywhere. How I was feeling. Nothing. Just footsteps, Declan’s laughter, and the front door closing.

  I missed my family. My sisters and brothers. Even my mom. Tears burned my eyes, and I let them roll down the sides of my face as I continued to watch the ceiling fan turn.

  I wanted to go home.

  Thirteen

  Saxon

  I heard her bedroom door open as I poured my coffee. I hadn’t made her breakfast this morning, but after seeing the baking she had done yesterday, I figured she could handle it on her own. Plus, I wanted to get the fuck out of here so I didn’t have to look at her. The less I was around her, the better.

  But I also wasn’t going to be a complete ass.

  I said, “Good morning,” as I turned to look at her before leaving.

  Joke was on me, it would seem.

  She had on what looked like a red sports bra and a pair of matching leggings. I coughed, unable to cover up the fact that I’d just gotten strangled on my coffee. Fucking hell, did she have to dress like that? Wasn’t it enough that she was so beautiful that it hurt? Did she have to remind me how incredible her body was too? I didn’t need a damn reminder. It was burned in my brain.

  “Good morning. I, uh, wanted to talk to you before you left this morning.”

  Great. She wanted to talk. So, I had to look at her more. Listen to her more. Watch that damn mouth of hers move.

  “Do you need clothes?” I asked her.

  She frowned and shook her head. “No.”

  “Then, where is your shirt? It’s sixty degrees outside.”

  She glanced down at that excuse for a top, then back up at me, and smiled. Jesus, I wished she wouldn’t do that. Her smile was dangerous.

  “This is my shirt. It’s what I wear for yoga.”

  Of course. She had to be basically naked while she bent her body in all those ways meant to taunt a man.

  “Is yoga safe for the baby?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Most moves. There are some that will have to be modified. Where I used to work had a pregnancy yoga class. I taught it several times. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I’d like to call and see if I could get my job back there. I miss it, and staying here alone all day … well, I am going to go crazy. I need human interaction.”

  I shook my head. I wasn’t sure why, but I did it instantly. I didn’t want her going and doing that shit half naked while pregnant with my baby.

  “Are you serious? I can’t just stay here all the time. It’s lonely.”

  The house was so spotless that you could eat off the floor, and she’d also baked. I had noticed all of it. She’d been trying to occupy her time.

  “I don’t want you working.” Although I had no real reason why. Yoga wasn’t cleaning hotel rooms.

  She closed her eyes and sighed, then opened them again. “Please, Saxon. I need to interact with people. It isn’t healthy for me to just stay in this house all day.”

  She was right. It wasn’t. I was trying to stay the fuck away from her, so that left her alone.

  “Okay. Fine.”

  Her eyes lit up, and it was impossible to look away from. This was a good thing. She would be gone during the day. I wouldn’t have to see her face. Those eyes.

  “Really?”

  I nodded.

  “I need to borrow a phone so I can call them and ask.” She paused and bit her bottom lip. “Also, I will need a ride. It’s a bit of a walk.”

  Right. She couldn’t walk there. I’d be in the car with her twice a day.

  “Someone there might be able to give me a lift sometimes,” she said.

  The hopefulness in her voice was more than I could take. I had to get out of here. Away from her.

  “Fine. Make the call.” I handed her my phone. I needed to get her a new phone. “I’ll give you a ride when you need one or find someone who can.”

  I had plenty of guys who worked at the stables who could do it. I just wasn’t sure I wanted any of them in the truck with her. Especially when she was dressed like that.

  She was beaming as she took my phone and dialed the number. I took my coffee and walked to my bedroom, needing some distance from her. That coconut scent that clung to her reminded me of being buried deep inside her. I adjusted my dick in my jeans, frustrated with myself. We were starting day two, and I was already hard from smelling her. Yeah, she needed a damn job, and I needed to fuck someone. Someone who wasn’t Declan.

  “Thank you!”

  I heard her excited tone and sighed. She was going back to the yoga studio. I could tell without her even telling me. It was probably good for her pregnancy and the baby. She’d get her exercise, and I wouldn’t have to see her do it.

  I walked back into the living room, and she held my phone out to me.

  “They want me tomorrow morning at six for the early bird class. Is that okay?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Great. Thanks. Um, do you mind if I move some things around in the living room while I do a refresher on pregnancy yoga? I’ll move it all back.”

  Sure, do all that shit in my living room with your ass in the air and legs wide open. My imagination doesn’t need any fucking help.

  “I’ll move it. You don’t need to move anything heavy,” I replied.

  “Okay,” she said softly. “And, Saxon, thank you. Really. I appreciate it.”

  I made the mistake of looking at her. The emotion in her eyes had me aching to stalk over to her, grab her face, and thrust my tongue into her mouth just to get a taste. I knew how sweet it was. I knew how she made those sounds that drove me crazy.

  I had to get the hell out of here.

  I moved everything back for her, then grabbed my coffee and left without a word. I was afraid she’d say something that would make me crack. I had to remember that she couldn’t be trusted. She was pregnant and vulnerable. When she hadn’t been, she had tossed me aside. She hadn’t wanted me.

  Haisley had made it clear I wasn’t what she wanted. Something I should be fucking used to by now. Declan seemed to be the one girl who wanted me and just me. It was why I’d stayed with her so long. With her, I got the girl. Problem was, I never wanted her.

  No, the girls I wanted always wanted someone else. Haisley had been like the others, except she’d been heartless. Not even giving me a reason why. My attraction to her was my problem. I would deal with it.

  Trev was walking toward the house when I stepped outside.

  “Slacker,” he called out to me. “Look at you, lying up in the house past seven.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I was dealing with shit.”

  “Is that what you’re calling it these days? I much prefer the term fucking.”

  “There is no fucking going on in that house. Trust me.”

  Trev chuckled as he walked beside me to the stables. “Why the hell not? You knocked her up already. You might as well get the benefits of fucking without protection or fear of pregnancy. Besides, aren’t pregnant women, like, horny and shit?”

  Were they horny? Hell, I didn’t know, and why did he?

  “Shut up,” I growled at him.

  He had my thoughts going in directions they didn’t belong.

  “Whatever. You make no sense. You had a thing for her, and now, she’s back, carrying your kid, living in your house. You got her. Enjoy it.”

  He would never understand. He didn’t have to knock up a girl to get her. Gypsi had been fucking in love with him moments after meeting him. It was all over her face. She didn’t care that he was an asshole. She had wanted him anyway. He knew what unconditional love was. The girl he had fallen in love with was crazy about him.

  “Is it because she’s not blonde?” he asked me.

  I glared at him. “What?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “You have a thing for blondes.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Uh, yeah, you do.”

  “Declan isn’t a blonde.”

  Trev laughed. “And you never had a thing for her. She just sucks your dick like a whore.”

  “I don’t care about the hair color.”

  “Okay, cool. I believe you. I saw how messed up you got when Haisley broke things off. She’s nowhere near a blonde. That hair is black.”

  “It’s raven,” I corrected him before I could stop myself.

  “What?”

  “Her hair. It’s raven.”

  “Oh. See, there you go. Being all romantic and shit. It’s not black; it’s raven. Go talk to her with sweet stuff like that, and she’ll be naked and in your lap in seconds.”

  Not an image I needed!

  “Shut up, Trev!”

  He stepped into the office with me. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “You’re not.”

  “She’s gonna have your baby, which is so fucking weird to even say. You having a kid. I mean, I would expect this from me, but you. Never. Anyway, she’s gonna have your kid. She will be your baby momma. She’s hot. I mean, not as hot as Gypsi, but that’s a bar no one can reach. However, I don’t see why you don’t get over her breaking things off with you and fuck the hell out of her. Enjoy it. Let me tell you, once you get a taste of a smoking hot woman you have feelings for and they also happen to be a nympho …” He paused and grinned. “It’s like you’ve died and gone to fucking heaven. And you know we aren’t getting anywhere near the real pearly gates. They’ve got a level of hell for us all.”

  I reached for the paperwork on the newest purchase Dad had made. I was done talking about this with Trev. He meant well, but he had no clue how different the situation was.

  “I’ve got work to do. Did you come here to ask about my sex life, or did you need something else?”

  He smirked. “She’s got you all twisted up.”

  “TREV!” I warned.

  “Fine. Stay angry and horny. It’s your call. The reason I’m here is that Dad is taking Fawn to some Christmas town in Vermont she wants to visit. While they’re gone, Gypsi wants to have a Christmas party. A casual one. Not like the one Dad hosts on Christmas Eve. This one would be more our speed. It’s tonight at seven.”

  Why did everyone have to throw so many fucking parties?

  “Okay,” I replied.

  “She also wants Haisley to come. She wants to meet her.”

  I shook my head. “No. We aren’t a couple. I’m not bringing her. I’ll take her to the main parties, where she’ll be expected, but not to this.”

  “Aspen wants to see her. Levi knows about the party.”

  Fucking hell. I slammed my palm down on the table. “And Levi now wants me to bring her to a party with my friends? Like he didn’t tell me to stay away from her?”

  Trev shrugged. “She’s carrying your kid now. Things are different. Plus, whatever Aspen wants, he gives her.”

  “Dammit!” I shoved off from the desk and stalked for the door. “She won’t want to come. We make her nervous.”

  “Then, all the more reason for her to come. Meet our women. Realize we’re not a bunch of insane, murdering psychos.”

  I stopped and looked at him. “Is Levi gonna be there?”

  He nodded.

  “Are you?”

  He nodded.

  “Is Gage?”

  “Yeah, we’re all gonna be there.”

  I held up a finger. “Insane.” I held up another. “Murderer.” Then, I held up a third one. “Psycho. Seems like all three will be there.”

  Trev frowned at me. “Levi’s the insane one, Gage is the psycho … are you saying I’m a murderer?”

  This time, I shrugged.

  “Sax, the bastard was stalking and terrorizing Gypsi. He had hurt her. Abused her.”

  He had still tortured the man with a knife and enjoyed it.

  “One day, you’ll know what it feels like, and I can’t wait to have a front-row seat to your switch getting flipped. Until then, oh, holy one, bring your baby momma to my house tonight.”

  I said nothing as he turned and walked back out to his Bentayga. Damn him for putting me in a corner. I didn’t want to have her in that part of my life. She’d invaded every other place. I needed something that she hadn’t touched.

  Fourteen

  Haisley

  The door opened as I was holding a dolphin pose. Heavy footsteps vibrated on the floor, but I held still. If Saxon had forgotten something, there was no reason for me to stop or talk to him.

  “Jesus,” he muttered, stopping so that I could see his boots. “Can you get up from that for a minute?”

  Slowly, I stood and turned to look at him. His eyes went to my boobs, then snapped back up to meet my eyes. I watched his jaw tense as the muscles in his neck flexed. Oh, that was not good for me. The area between my legs that had gotten me into this mess tingled. I had to cover a gasp with a cough—it had hit so hard. Lately, I’d been waking up achy, as if I had been having sex dreams.

  “I, uh, didn’t know you would still be doing that,” he said, his eyes glancing back at my chest again before he looked away. “So, anyway, Trev came by, and his girlfriend is having a party tonight. Aspen will be there. They want you to come.” He cut his eyes back at me.

  Trev Hughes. The Mafia boss’s son. Um, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that. Even if it was to see Aspen. Did Levi know and that other guy? I chewed on my bottom lip nervously. This was a bad idea.

  “I don’t think Levi would want me there. Or Blaise.”

  Saxon’s eyes were on my mouth this time. The thing that was doing to my body was not good. It was slightly embarrassing. I needed to cross my legs to get some relief.

  “Yeah, they know. Aspen wants you there, and Levi does whatever she asks. As for Blaise, he has no issue with you.”

  I wanted to laugh. I’d beg to differ. They had a major issue with me.

  “Does Levi do whatever Aspen wants mean I’m in danger if I don’t go?”

  Saxon frowned. “You’re not in danger from Levi or anyone. You’re with me.”

  I didn’t know the Mafia hierarchy, but I was pretty sure Levi outranked Saxon. He was older and terrifying.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  He nodded. “Positive.”

  “But do you want me to go?” Because I doubted he did. It was clear he wanted to stay away from me if he could.

  “Yes.”

  He was lying.

  “You’re a bad liar,” I replied.

  “We can’t all be as talented at it as you.”

  Ouch. He could have slapped me, and it wouldn’t have hurt as bad. I’d thought we had called some truce or something. But he was still taking swings. Maybe I had made that up in my head.

  “I’ll stay here. Thanks for the invite,” I replied and started to walk toward my room.

  I wasn’t sure if I would burst into tears or not. Controlling that was difficult with my hormones going crazy.

  “Haisley, wait.” Saxon moved to stand in my way. “I’m sorry.”

  I took a step to the side to get around him, and his hand wrapped around my arm. I stilled. Why did that simple touch make my body feel like it had been hit by a jolt of electricity?

  “I shouldn’t have said that. Will you forgive me?”

  Crap, this was too much. He was close, the smell of leather and pine was invading my senses, and his hand was on me.

  Do not cry. Do not cry.