Love deserved, p.5
Love Deserved, page 5
“You and Mia wouldn’t have lasted, regardless of Wesley or me. My sister realized that. It’s why she doesn’t want to be with you anymore. But I do, Ayden.” She placed my hand on the left side of her chest. “I love you, despite your faults.”
Her admission made me ill.
“You disgust me. Everything you said proves how warped your mind is.” This time, I used my strength and pulled out of the grip she had on my arm. “I don’t care what you say or do. I will never love you, and you will never replace Mia.”
“You want to bet?”
I had just enough time to hear her when she grabbed the waist of my jeans and dragged me toward her. As I stumbled forward, she stopped me from falling. Then she fumbled with my pants. I didn’t realize she’d unbuttoned and unzipped them until her fingers plunged toward my cock.
“What the fuck?” I tried to push her back, but she sank to her knees. She was like a feral animal attacking me, trying to get to my dick. When I attempted to back away, she wrapped her arms around my legs.
My mind was slow to process what was happening. It was the gasp I heard that caused me to push Izzy back. Someone was standing at my door.
My gut twisted when I gazed up and saw Mia staring back at me.
* * *
~Mia~
* * *
My heart raced as I gripped the handle to the front door of the condo and stared in silence. I didn’t know how to start my impending conversation with Ayden. I couldn’t knock on his door and announce my pregnancy. More than anything, I feared his reaction.
Hearing voices in the distance, I spotted Andi and Stevie standing near the wall surrounding the condo. Part of me worried they had seen me heading this way and were coming to chat. Andi was waving at someone else, but I didn’t see who.
After entering the building, I walked through the hall. The sooner I found Ayden, the quicker I could do this. I didn’t want Andi or Stevie walking in during this conversation. Hopefully, he would invite me in and we could have our discussion in his suite.
When I was a few feet away, I slowed my steps. What was I doing? I wasn’t prepared for this conversation,
Maybe it wasn’t possible to prepare.
Once I approached his door, it appeared to be open. Voices came from inside, and they sounded strained. The instant I made it to the doorway, I froze. My body felt heavy, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. The sight before me caused it to shatter.
Izzy was on her knees in front of Ayden. Her head was in the same spot as his crotch, and she was facing him, pulling at his unfastened jeans. I wasn’t sure if he was pushing her away or pulling her closer. The fact he had no shirt on only convinced me of the worst. So did the wide-eyed look he gave me once he pushed her away.
Footsteps sounded through the hallway. They grew louder just before they stopped. It wasn’t long before I heard Andi say my name. I assumed she saw me enter the building. Maybe she was coming to ask me questions. I didn’t know, didn’t care.
She stood beside me a second later. Regardless of that fact, I couldn’t look at her. I wasn’t sure how long it took her to figure out what held my attention, but I felt her tug my arm.
“Mia, let’s go.”
Ignoring her request, I focused on Ayden. He’d zipped and buttoned his jeans. Then he advanced toward me. My heart slammed in my chest at the thought of talking to him. I couldn’t mention anything about the baby.
Just before he reached me, Bentley cut off his path. I hadn’t realized he was with Andi when she found me, but it didn’t surprise me. Ayden disappeared from my sight as Bentley pushed him back.
I didn’t watch what happened after that. Andi grabbed my arm and guided me down the hallway and out the main door. As soon as we were outside, she helped me into the golf cart, then jumped into the driver’s side. Sand flung from the pavement as she pressed the pedal and sped toward the arena.
Instead of pulling into our usual parking spot in the front, she drove around to the back, near the tour bus parking area. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel. She must have sensed me staring, because she glanced at me.
“Are you okay?”
I tried to answer, but no words came out. I didn’t know what to feel, and I wasn’t sure what I’d witnessed, but every nerve inside of me throbbed. My chest tightened and my breathing slowed. Then I broke into a cold sweat. Would I pass out next?
“Mia, please talk to me. I’m worried about you.”
Tears blurred my vision. My body racked with sobs as I cried. What the hell had I interrupted? I wanted to believe Ayden had been fighting off my sister, but doubt crept into my mind. From where I stood, it appeared as though she was about to give him a blowjob.
Had Ayden been lying to me this entire time? He told me less than an hour ago that he wasn’t giving up on us. Now it appeared he had changed his mind. If he was hooking up with my sister, I had myself to blame. I’m the one who kept rejecting him.
God, what was I going to do? It wouldn’t be long before I was showing. After witnessing what I had, I faced one choice. I had to leave Music Haven. The question was, for how long? Andi would take care of the business, and my father would help if I asked. I trusted him to protect my secret when I told him.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realize Andi had parked the cart or left the driver’s seat until she was standing beside me. “Mia, tell me what to do. How can I help?”
Slumping my shoulders, I shook my head and covered my eyes. There was no help for me. My hopes and dreams just went up in flames. The sinking feeling in my gut said this was everything I feared. Ayden was giving up on us. He had every right, but why was he with the one person he swore he despised?
When I stood up from the cart, Andi moved back. “Where are you heading?”
“Backstage.” My voice cracked when I spoke. “I have to prep for the…” A twinge in my stomach caused me to double over. I cradled my belly and sucked in a deep breath.
“Mia, what’s wrong? Is it the baby?”
“I don’t know.” Fear spiraled through me. I prayed I wasn’t having a miscarriage. Was this my punishment for lying to Ayden and keeping the news from him? Was I losing him and our child at the same time?
Everything spun around me. I stumbled back to the cart and leaned my weight against it. Andi said my name and hovered in front of me, but she sounded far away, even when she yelled for help.
My vision grew darker. Everything around me faded. As my eyes closed, all the surrounding sounds disappeared. So did everything else, except the feel of arms lifting me. A sense of peace washed over me, and I gave in to the darkness.
Chapter 6
~Ayden~
Bentley glared at Izzy before his eyes returned to me. Much like Mia and Andi, he was thinking the worst. Izzy had set me up again. Mia would never believe me when I told her the truth. After what she saw…
Why in the hell had she come to my suite, anyway? When we spoke earlier, I didn’t get the feeling she wanted me around. Of course, I asked her one last time if she had cancer before asking if she was pregnant. I was sure she was tired of my shit.
“Izzy, you need to leave, and you better listen this time.” I clenched my teeth. “Do not test me.”
She huffed as she stood and adjusted her clothing. After she smoothed her shirt, she backed to the door. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
“Get. Out.”
I heard her scoff before walking out of my suite. Once Bentley closed the door, he turned to glare at me. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“Ben, it’s not the way it looks. I swear to you.”
“So you weren’t about to get a blowjob from your crazy ex?”
“No!” I shook my head. “If you had arrived five minutes sooner, you would have seen me telling her to leave. When I tried to shut the door, she pushed her way inside.”
Bentley folded his hands behind his back and paced in front of the door. He stopped after the third pass and faced me again. “So she pushed her way inside. Then what?”
Slumping my shoulders, I rubbed my face as I thought back to the moment Izzy came into my suite. “She tried to convince me that Mia and I aren’t meant to be together. When I told her she was wrong, she unzipped my jeans and reached for my dick. I tried to push her away again, but she dropped to her knees and attacked me.”
“And that’s when Mia showed up?”
“Yes. I heard someone gasp right as I pushed Izzy away from me. I know it made me look guilty, but I swear I’m not.”
Bentley pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “I won’t lie. What just happened looks incriminating.”
“Tell me about it. After talking with Mia earlier, I didn’t expect her to show up at my suite. I want to know why she came.”
“Good luck finding out the answer.”
His words chilled my blood. My relationship with Mia was not ending like this. I refused to let it happen. Izzy wasn’t controlling my life anymore. I would tell Mia the truth before the night ended.
“Where did Andi take her?”
Opening his eyes to look my way, Bentley shrugged his shoulders. “I have no clue.”
“Text her. I want to know where Mia is. I can’t leave things like this. She has to hear my side.”
My friend clenched his phone in his hand and stared at it like he was debating whether to send a text. I needed him on my side in this. If the roles were reversed, I would do what I could to help him.
“Ayden, I want to help you, but—” His phone vibrated. When he glanced at it, he grimaced. After typing a reply to whoever had texted, he looked at me. “Andi just sent me a message. Mia passed out again.”
“What the hell?”
He motioned for me to stop talking. “Chris is with her. Andi is waiting for him to finish his examination. She wants me to join her.”
“Where is she?”
Bentley slipped his phone into his pocket and avoided my gaze. “She’s backstage in one of the dressing rooms.”
I strode toward the door and grabbed the handle. Before I pulled it, Bentley placed his hand at the edge, preventing me from opening it.
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think? I have to see her.”
When I tried opening the door, he shut it back. “Don’t do this, Ayden. Andi won’t allow you in the room. Have you forgotten how protective she was at the hospital?”
“Damn it, Ben. I have a right to be there. I love Mia, and I want to know she’s okay.”
Bentley patted my arm. “I get that, man. I do, but it would be better if you waited. Give Mia some space. She may have to return to the hospital.”
Stepping back from the door, I glared at my friend. “You’re right. She may have to go back. That’s why I need to be with her.”
As Bentley pressed his back against the door, he faced me. “I promise I will call you if it comes to that. For now, let’s diffuse the tension. Stay here until I return.”
“But what if something bad happens?” Had the stress of what Mia saw caused her to faint again? Whatever the issue, it felt like my fault. If something happened because of me…
“Bro, if anything happens, I will call.” Bentley left his spot near the door and approached me. “I give you my word.”
All I did was nod. It was enough to satisfy my friend. He thanked me for my decision and turned to leave. As soon as the door closed, I began counting. It would take Bentley a few minutes to get backstage. Once I was sure he had, I would put the second part of my plan into action.
~Mia~
* * *
Music filtered through the arena as Andi blocked the entrance to the dressing room. I could see Bentley’s shirt and the sleeve he’d rolled up to his elbow. Both had remained in the same position since Chris finished my exam and opened the door.
Their voices were low enough that I couldn’t hear them, but I knew they were discussing me. Why else would they whisper?
Shifting my focus across the room, Chris sat at the vanity, writing notes on my chart. He’d taken care of me since he began working at Music Haven years ago, but my chart was thin. I had no medical issues in the past. Now I’d fainted twice since getting pregnant.
The sound of Andi’s voice caught my attention as I heard her speaking to someone beside her. “Hey. Thanks again for earlier.”
A lower voice replied, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I knew it wasn’t Ayden just by the tone of Andi’s voice. It held no hostility.
She peered in my direction a second later. I noticed Bentley doing the same. Then I saw D.
Relief swept over me as I realized he was the one standing outside the door instead of Ayden. I wasn’t ready to see him. The mere thought made my chest tighten.
Chris placed his pen inside his shirt pocket and closed my chart. He clutched the folder, putting it in the bend of his arm before doing the same with the fetal heart doppler. After he motioned for Andi to shut the door, he walked toward me.
“I found nothing abnormal in your exam, and the fetal heartbeat is perfect.”
“So, what’s wrong? Why do I keep passing out?”
“It’s not unusual for women to have syncope during pregnancy in the first and second trimester, but I want you to swing by my office as soon as possible. I want to do a sonogram.”
Placing my hands on the couch cushions, I pushed myself into a sitting position and lowered my feet to the floor. “Why do you want a sonogram? You said the baby’s heartbeat was perfect.”
He sat beside me as he nodded his head. “That doesn’t mean there isn’t an issue. I want to see what’s happening inside there.” He pointed toward my belly. “It’s possible that your uterus is pressing on blood vessels. It would explain why you’ve fainted twice.”
“Will it harm my baby?” I wrapped my arms around myself as if doing so would protect the child inside me.
“No, it won’t be a problem, but I suggest you sleep on your side as much as possible. Do not lie on your back when you sleep. You can compress a major vein in your body called the vena cava. Doing so makes you sick, and it interferes with blood flow to the baby.”
His explanation alarmed me. I didn’t want to do anything to harm my child. “Okay. I’ll be in tomorrow.”
“Good. I’ll consult with your obstetrician before you arrive. He can tell me if he wants me to do more tests.”
“Can I resume my normal activity?”
“You should be fine. Just don’t push yourself.” Chris gave me a tight-lipped smile as he stood from the couch. “Call if you need me before then.”
“Thank you.”
He turned to leave as I sighed a breath of relief. At least the baby was okay. The news decreased my anxiety. So did hearing the rapid heartbeat of my child.
Chris turned toward me when he was halfway across the room. “I have to tell you, Mia, I was shocked as hell when you confessed you were pregnant. I’m happy for you, but can I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
Chris looked at the door. Then his gaze fell on me. “Ayden’s the father. Right?”
His question had me tensing my shoulders. I wasn’t sure why he wanted to know, but I nodded. “Please don’t tell him.”
I didn’t miss the way he frowned. “As your doctor, I cannot divulge protected medical information, so don’t worry. He won’t hear the news from me. As your friend, I encourage you to tell him. He has a right to know, and the less stress you have, the better your pregnancy will be.”
“I know. Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome.” He walked to the door. “See you tomorrow.”
Andi said goodbye to him as he left, then hurried to my side. “What did Chris say?”
Before I answered, I noticed Bentley hovering near the door. I had a feeling that he was listening to our conversation. I had to choose my words wisely.
“Everything is okay. My exam was normal. Chris wants me to stop by his office for another, uh, test, but he cleared me for the evening.”
“Thank God. I’ve been so worried about you.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. I sensed her worry. This mess with Ayden was affecting my other relationships. I had to stop the madness. Maybe it was time to leave Music Haven. I could find some place where I wouldn’t worry about my safety.
“Mia, you’ve been taking on too much. Don’t worry about the concert tonight. I have everything under control.” Andi’s confidence was evident in her voice and posture. She was in work mode. “I think it’s best for you to go to your suite and rest. Then you can follow up with Chris in the morning.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m not going anywhere. I promised Stevie I would watch her performance and I’m not going back on my word.”
“Stevie will understand.” She hesitated when I shook my head. “Mia, listen to me. Don’t push yourself. You’re in a fragile position right now.”
Standing from the couch, I fisted my hands and placed them on my hips. “I’m not a delicate flower that will fall apart at the first sign of stress. Chris explained to me what he thinks is wrong. If it’s what he suspects, nothing serious will happen.”
“Maybe so.” She left the couch and stood in front of me. “But if you want to avoid Ayden tonight, your best bet is to go to your suite. I have a feeling he’ll come looking for you.”
“Why?”
Andi glanced at the door as she answered. “Bentley said Ayden wanted to check on you. He convinced him to leave you alone. I don’t know how long it will last.”
“Then I’ll stay backstage in the wing. I can watch the performance from there, out of Ayden’s sight. I’m sure he’ll be in the bar soon. He may already be there.”
“You’re so stubborn, Mia.” Andi crossed her arms and observed me. “Fine. I can’t make you leave. I’ll do what I can to keep Ayden from finding you, but I can’t promise anything.”
“Relax and enjoy some time with Bentley. I’ll be all right.”
