Invidious Betrayal (34 page)

“I told Poppa Morel the
bare basics
of our situation and the part”—his hand touched her belly beneath the table—“that involves us both. I felt it was all right to share.”

Okay. She assumed the way he’d emphasized the ‘bare basics’ that meant he didn’t go into what had actually happened to her that night, but had to have insinuated that they had been together for her to be pregnant. Aria thought about how the news would be accepted as she glanced around the table at all the curious looks she got. They were both so young. Her own mother freaked when she’d heard the news, which was weird because her father took it much better. Although, she had told her dad in public and knew that even if he wanted to strangle Ian then, he wouldn’t because he was on the job.

Aria’s heart pounded. What if his family freaked like Ian had?

But she had to say something.

“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out, as she mentally braced for their judgment.
Oh God, did I really just say that
?

“Congratulations, sweetie,” Mrs. Morel laughed heartily. “The Lord saw it fit to give us Ian, and now we’re gifted with more good fortune.”

Roxanne bent over and gave Aria a hug. “Congrats, how far along are you?”

“I… I don’t really know,” Aria admitted, fumbling over her words. Alexis frowned at her. “I…we just found out a few days ago.”

Alexis smiled, “Well, don’t worry. We have an excellent OB/GYN here in town. Jennifer is a dear friend. She delivered all of our kids. You’ll love her.”

“Yes.” Roxanne squeezed her shoulders. “I can take you to her office after breakfast if you like. She always has a few openings in the mornings.”

“Oh…okay,” Aria said.

Pop Morel lifted his coffee mug as if toasting her and Ian squeezed her hand under the table. She looked over at him and couldn’t help smiling when she saw his grin. It was going to be okay. Things may just be all right.

Again, she felt light-hearted, as if that horrible night at the party had been years ago. Aria relaxed a little. She didn’t know the details, but it seemed her parents were recovering per their simple way of communicating. Ian acted as if they were a real couple and his mother’s family accepted her and the baby. That made her happy beyond belief. She lifted a fork full of eggs to her mouth with a happy sigh.

Aria chewed as she looked around the table. Everyone ate while they engaged in light conversation. Ian talked to Michael about town. Alexis and Roxanne were clearly excited about another baby in the family, so they discussed baby stuff; and Mama Morel was quelling Mandy’s sudden fear about being replaced as the baby of the family. Tanner was engrossed in his cell phone, so Poppa Morel reached over and took it from the boy’s clutching grasp.

“So you think Aria is hot, huh?” Poppa Morel read the cell phone screen.

“Gramps,” Tanner whined, as he glanced at Aria. His cheeks reddened before he looked down at his plate.

“I’m hot too, Tanner”—Mandy frowned—“but Mommy won’t let me take off my socks because she said my feet will smell.”

Tanner’s face literally caught fire as he sunk lower in his chair. Everyone burst out laughing while Mandy and Selene looked at one another, confused. Tanner grumbled something under his breath as his face burned even redder.

Michael, who laughed the hardest, wiped a tear from his eye. After he composed himself, he said to Ian, “Dr. Cartwright is so amazing you might decide to get pregnant twice.”

Ian must have swallowed his juice down the wrong pipe because he actually began to choke. Michael started laughing again as Roxanne tapped Ian on the back until he caught his breath.

“All right, everyone.” Mama Morel chuckled. “Let’s not waste all this food. Eat up.”

For the rest of the morning meal, the women of the house made Aria feel not only welcomed, but more normal than she’d felt in weeks. They didn’t seem to care that she was young, pregnant, or unmarried. All they seemed to care about was family, and she and Ian were included.

The trip to town was pure serenity for Ian. He sat alone in the backseat of Roxanne’s car while she drove and spoke with Aria. He closed off all sound around him, enveloping himself in silence. Ian had nowhere for his mind to retreat other than back to last night. He shifted in his seat as thoughts of the way Aria felt in his arms, the way she tasted, the way she opened herself up to him, and yes…the way she fell limp when she passed out from exhaustion. Any man would take pride in the way a woman as beautiful and as sweet as Aria had melted in his hands.

The knowledge of it all and the way her skin shimmered, the way her hair fell from her braid to caress her neck, made him rock-hard. How on earth do men walk around all wired up like this? He’d never been attracted to or wanted a woman like this before. Never had he had to nurse a hard-on every time he looked at one. Ian had a healthy appetite for women, but he never chased or pursued them. It was always the other way around. He’d merely give a girl a little attention and a smile, and they became putty in his hands.

Usually, Ian’s interest in bedding a woman a second time was rare but that didn’t mean he was done with them. He usually maintained a friendly relationship with most. When some of the more possessive ones wanted more and he didn’t offer, they tended to get a little catty. He made sure they knew going in that he didn’t want more, but still the small number who wanted to get closer couldn’t fathom that they were unable to fix whatever it was that they assumed was broken in him.

For a long time, Ian considered that maybe he
was
broken. No, he wasn’t raised with hugs and kisses but he’d always craved them. Only, he’d never found anyone he wanted to give them to. With Aria, things were somehow different. Surprisingly, he
had
tried to fight what he was feeling for her, but it was a battle he wouldn’t win. Ian was lost the moment he first saw Aria.

While Roxanne pulled the vehicle into a parking lot behind a five-story building, Ian focused his efforts on getting his desires in check. When the fire inside him was extinguished, he got out of the car with the women. He followed Roxanne and Aria into a back entrance of the medical center.

Roxanne led them to an elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. He focused to shut out random sounds in the area with surprising ease, but allowed a normal level of sound to filter through as the elevator climbed. As the doors to the elevator opened, he followed them to Dr. Cartwright’s office, he began to sweat.

The realization that Aria was actually having his child was finally setting in. Ian was nervous. What if he was right about the baby suffering from whatever it was he suffered from; or even worse, what if it was physically deformed? So much could be wrong with this baby.

Ian sat beside a smiling Aria in the waiting room while Roxanne went into the back area after speaking to the receptionist. He looked around the typical office with its colorful chairs, outdated magazines, and wall television that was tuned to a news station. He tried to remember the last time he was in a doctor’s office. It suddenly dawned on him that he had never been to a traditional doctor’s office. All his care was handled by doctors who worked for his uncle. There were ample opportunities to use him as a test dummy and log his progress. All in the guise of treating some rare allergy he’d been told he had, that was being managed by the drug treatment and frequent monitoring.

Those damn injections.

“You don’t look so well,” Aria said. Her hand cupped the side of his face.

He turned to her. “I think we should really think about what we’re about to do Aria,” he said in a hushed tone. “This baby may not be what you think. I’m sure I didn’t get the way I am through evolution. You saw what I can do. I’m an experiment, and if you go through with this pregnancy”—he touched her belly—“this baby will be the product of that experiment.”

The smile that she’d been wearing all morning disappeared, just like that. Ian saw no sign of reflection or thought in her face. She wasn’t thinking over what he’d just said. If she had gotten angry, he would have been able to deal, but what he saw on her face was the look of hurt and betrayal. She didn’t say anything. Aria just looked down at his hand which was gently pressed against her stomach and she not so gently pushed it away.

A few quiet minutes ticked by and just when Ian was about to say something, Roxanne and who he assumed was Dr. Cartwright stepped in the waiting room. He and Aria both stood.

“Hello Ian, Aria. I’m Dr. Cartwright. You can call me Jennifer or Dr. Cartwright, whichever you feel more comfortable with. Roxy tells me you’re expecting to add to the Morel clan.”

Ian watched as Aria transformed back into the happy woman he’d seen throughout the morning as she shook Dr. Cartwright’s hand.

“Yes”—Aria smiled—“are you taking on new patients?”

“I would love to be your obstetrician. If you’ll both follow me, I can do an exam and let you know what to expect in the next few months,” Doctor Cartwright said.

“Excuse me, Dr. Cartwright,” the secretary called from her station.

“If you both will give me a few minutes, please,” Dr. Cartwright said, turning away.

Ian tried to touch Aria’s hand, but she pulled away just as Roxanne walked up to them. “Well, guys”—she gave them each a questioning look then shrugged—“I have an appointment in an hour. My office is on the fourth floor.” She pointed up, then gave both of them a quick embrace. “Michael is going to swing by to get me after work”—she dangled her car keys in front of Ian—“so you can have use of my car today.” When he tried to say no, she grabbed his hand and placed the keys in his palm. “How do you expect to get her home?”

“Thanks, Roxanne.” Ian gave her smile. “I appreciate every—”

She waved his thanks away. “Family,” she said, in a sing song tone. The look she gave him said that she shouldn’t even have had to mention that simple fact. Then she was out the door with a wave.

Ian looked to Aria who had stepped away from him. She looked as if she was waiting patiently for the doctor to finish speaking to someone on the receptionist’s phone but somehow Ian knew she brimmed with anger. When he moved toward her, she held up her hand. He stopped. “Aria—”

“No, Ian.” She narrowed her eyes, looking as if she wanted to slap him. “I don’t know… I thought maybe we”—she paused—“I thought that we’d come to an understanding, but I guess we haven’t. I’m going to go in that exam room and I’m going to learn how
I
can help
my
baby come into this world as healthy as possible. You can wait here or go where ever you want, but you’re not going in that room with me.”

Ian wanted to object but Dr. Cartwright took that moment to show up.

“Are you both ready?” Dr. Cartwright walked up to them.

Aria’s face transformed again, sweet and sugary. “I’m ready, but my friend here has to be somewhere.” The doctor nodded at Ian before leading Aria away. Aria didn’t even look at him when she followed the doctor down the hall.

Ian watched Aria walk away, speechless and also furious. How did she not understand why he was so apprehensive? He was worried about her for fuck’s sake. Only, his anger fizzled away when he conjured the look on her face a few minutes ago. She’d looked defeated, as if he’d broken her.

Being raped hadn’t even done that to her.

Will I always hurt her
? It seemed the case since their very first meeting. He hated the idea of being away from Aria, but maybe his distance was the only solution.