My mouth runs dry, and I know my heart skips a few beats.
“Who else?”
Every muscle in my body grows rigid when she looks at Jinx. His jaw clenches, but that’s as far as his reaction goes. His face is blank, emotionless, but I know just like me, he’s freaking out on the inside. We’ve both been adamant about not having children. Hell, we were having a conversation earlier tonight about not even wanting to settle down. We’re both in our early thirties and see commitment as a death sentence.
But… a baby changes everything.
“That night?” Jinx manages to ask. “I was only with you that night.”
“Five weeks ago,” Simone says with a nod. “Neither one of you—”
“Used protection,” Jinx mutters.
We all discussed it after sobering up some. We were frantic that night, fueled by arousal and enough whiskey to give a giant a buzz, but we at least talked it through. Jinx and I knew she was clean before we left her apartment, and we assured her that we were as well. We both confessed that it wasn’t very responsible, but we left with the knowledge that she was on birth control and clean. All three of us weren’t accustomed to giving into desire without being responsible.
“You said you were on birth control,” Jinx says as he takes a step back. He’s angry. Hell, I am too.
“I am,” she says with a rough swallow. “That’s why I didn’t see the point in taking a morning-after pill.”
“Then how are you pregnant,” he bites out.
“Hey, man. Calm down. It fucking happens.” I glare at my best friend before looking back down at Simone. Tears are filling her good eye once again, and this girl has been through enough. I won’t sit back while he upsets her even more.
“Just…” He turns away, forcing his hands over the top of his head like he’s just received the worst news you could tell a man. “Fuck. A baby? Jesus.”
I place my hand on Simone’s shoulder. “We’ll get through this.”
I don’t know if she heard me because her eyes are locked on Jinx’s back as he paces at the foot of her bed.
Chapter 4
Simone
Even though I know I shouldn’t feel this way. It doesn’t stop the shame from heating my already warm face.
We were all three together that night. We made those decisions as adults, and somehow, according to the way Jinx is acting, it’s all my fault.
I’m used to the blame from Jeremy. He was an expert at pointing fingers and assigning accusations on anyone but himself.
For some reason, it’s hitting a little differently coming from him.
“Jinx,” Rocker hisses, but the man doesn’t turn around. He’s standing at the end of the bed, facing away from us as his shoulders heave up and down. “Miles, man. Fuck. Come on.”
“I can’t,” Jinx says without looking back. “I just fucking can’t right now.”
When he leaves, the softly closed door is in direct contradiction to the anger that’s rolling off him in waves so palpable the temperature in the room drops a few degrees when he’s gone.
“Do you plan to raise the baby?”
My tears only multiply when I look over at Rocker. He’s stricken. It’s the best way I can describe the look on his face, but unlike his friend, he’s still here, still looking down at me with eyes void of anger and accusation.
I shake my head. “I’m going to go to prison. They won’t let me keep a baby.”
“You aren’t going to prison,” he whispers before sitting back down in the chair beside the bed as if his legs are no longer strong enough to hold him up.
“I killed a man tonight,” I say as if he needs the reminder.
I haven’t looked at my face in the mirror, but I don’t think he’ll be able to forget what happened tonight for some time.
“You killed an abuser. It was self-defense.”
I bury my hands in the blankets at my waist. My nail beds are still stained from my crime, and I grow increasingly disgusted each time I look down.
“I shouldn’t have gone to the clubhouse. Nothing was gained from showing up there.”
“Having Cerberus on your side is never a bad thing.”
“Will you get in trouble? I didn’t even think about what your boss would say with my showing up there.” My eyes drift to my still flat stomach hiding under the scratchy hospital blanket, but I resist the urge to drop my hands a few inches to cover it.