A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,17

saw the little bean in my uterus, confirming what I knew already—I was pregnant, and in a few short months, I'd be a mother myself.

"Thanks." I gratefully accept the glass of cold water from Alli and take long, deep gulps of the liquid. The water clears my head, leaving behind a determination to make things right, and return to Eden Falls and my Father. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead." Alli sits down on the couch cross-legged, pulling a pillow into her lap and beaming at me.

"I want to go back home." I watch her face for a reaction, but her smile remains frozen on her face. "I need to tell Dex what's happening. I need to go back to my father and tell him what Mother tried to do. I need to be somewhere where I can... work on my life."

"And you think going back to your father's house will accomplish that?" Alli's question sends a pang of guilt through me.

"Well, I can still be independent," I try to defend myself.

"In Eden Falls?" She laughs out loud. "Yeah, good luck with that."

I watch in disbelief as she stands up and walks over to the window. She opens the floral curtains and light spills into the dusty room. "No, no, I don't think that's a wise decision at all, my dear Pandora. I think you should stay right where you are and figure out your life, not run back home with your tail between your legs."

"Well..." I bite my lower lip. "Dex would be happy to see me."

"You mean your murderous ex?" she asks, shaking her head. "I don't think so."

"He's not a murderer," I mutter, remembering the newspaper headlines we saw on our way through the Eden Falls train station. Dex has been discharged.

"Just because they don't have enough evidence doesn't mean he didn't kill that Lai guy," Alli insists. "Is that really the kind of person you want in your baby's life?"

"He's the father," I murmur.

"Is he though?" Alli cocks her head to the side before sighing and sitting on the sofa next to me. She pats my knee. "Didn't you tell me yourself he might not be the father? That you have no idea who it is? That there are freaking four other guys who could've fathered this kid?"

"I..." I chew my bottom lip, burning up with shame. "I hope it's Dexter's..."

"Well, hoping for something doesn't change the facts." She smiles patronizingly at me. "Stay here with me, Pandora. I'll help you figure everything out."

"But I could just explain to Dex that-"

"You fucked all those guys and one of them may have knocked you up?" She shakes her head. "And how do you think he'll take that, Pandora? Murderer or not, this Dex guy is volatile and dangerous."

I'm rendered speechless, and I stare at my hands folded on my lap without replying.

"I'm here for you, P," Alli says. "I'm the only one you have now. The only person you can trust. You can't even trust yourself, can you? You get all these silly little ideas in your head. You need me to tell you why they don't work, don't you?"

I shrug noncommittally, and Alli squeezes my hand again.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. And I know you feel like you owe me from protecting your baby. So do this for me. Stay here and let's make sure you give birth without Eden Falls watching every fucking contraction. Stay with me and let me take care of you, so nobody can hurt you or this baby." She puts her hand on my stomach with a sweet smile. "That's all I care about, P. You and this baby. Making sure you're both okay. Then you can go back, I promise."

I look up into her eyes, finding myself nodding just to shut her up. She's annoying me, but I can't disagree with her. And she's been right in the past, so I really should listen to her advice and just do as she says.

"Alright," I finally manage. "We can stay here for a while."

Alli claps her hand with excitement, but I hold a hand up, not quite done with what I wanted to say.

"As long as there's a doctor in the area that will make sure everything's okay."

"Oh, there is." She beams. "There's a doctor in a town close by, and he even does home visits."

"Great," I reply. "Although I have no problem going into town. I'd appreciate the social aspect." I laugh nervously, hoping I haven't