spikes.
I shift and stir and clench my jaw as more nerves prickle in my chest.
He’s still on the phone. Part of me wants him to just hang up so I can get the worst conversation of my life over with, and part of me wishes he would stay on that call forever.
My phone buzzes in my hand, making me jump.
Noah Vice: How you holding up? Have you talked to Dad?
I take a slow, deep breath and stare at the message from the one and only person who knows about my horribly unwanted pregnancy.
My brother Noah, two years older than me, has always been my closest confidant and my ally when the Vice family comes down on me. As soon as those heart-stopping red lines on the pee stick became a reality, he was the first person I called. The only person I’ve called so far.
My fingers shake a little as I type.
Me: Still waiting. He’s on a call. I’m trying not to puke.
Noah Vice: Good. Puking would show weakness. And there’s nothing Christopher Vice detests more than weakness. I got your back, sis.
Me: I know you do. I just really wish you could be here.
Noah Vice: Me, too. But my new position managing the Riders is taking an unbelievable amount of work.
Suddenly, I hear the heavy glass office door click and thud, and my heart leaps out of my chest.
I quickly tap out one more message to my brother.
Me: Going in now.
Noah Vice: Be strong, El.
“Well, if it isn’t my beautiful and brilliant daughter.” My father’s commanding and intimidating voice booms as he walks toward me with his arms stretched wide.
“Hey, Dad.” I try to swallow the quiver in my voice as I accept his cold and stiff embrace. His lean, strong frame towers over me, making me feel smaller than ever, scared shitless to tell him about my latest and greatest screw-up. He’s wearing a suit, as usual.
His office sits on the very top floor of our headquarters building on Brickell, with floor-to-ceiling windows that show off the glitzy city of Miami in all directions.
I take a slow inhale and pace toward the glass wall, letting the height of the building calm me. I love being high up. It makes me feel free and alive and unstoppable. Maybe the height will work to my advantage in this conversation. One can hope.
“So.” Dad sits in his massive chair and pats his palm on the sleek white desk in front of him. “To what do I owe this visit? Aren’t you headed off to Thailand soon? I know you told me about that huge marketing campaign for our Bangkok property. You should probably be doing some prep work for that. Have you planned out—”
“Dad.” The single syllable cuts him off, and as soon as he levels his gaze with mine, I can tell he’s realizing this is something serious.
“What’s the matter? Is there a problem? Did you cancel the Bangkok event? Ellie, I’ve been telling you, you need to be proactive and—”
“Dad,” I say again, louder and more certain this time.
My heart is slamming, and blood pounds in my head. I feel faint. I know in my heart that this…this absolute atomic bomb of news will prevent me from ever again getting approval from my father. And I’m going to just have to accept that, because it happened.
“Ellie, what is it?” He sounds annoyed now. “I have a conference call with Shanghai in twenty minutes.”
“There’s something I need to tell you.” I feel small. Like a mouse. Like I’ve traveled through time, and I’m a little girl again, shaking in fear as I stand in front of my dad, preparing to tell him that I spilled grape juice all over our brand-new fifteen-thousand-dollar rug.
He takes off his thick-framed glasses, the Christopher Vice signature look, and pinches the bridge of his nose. “What’s going on? Please spare me the anticipation, I’m very busy.”
“Dad, I’m…” The word gets caught in my throat, and I almost choke on it.
He narrows his gaze and furrows his thick brows in question and impatience. “You’re what, Elizabeth?”
I squeeze my eyes shut and count down in my head, wishing I could melt into the floor. Three…two…one…
“I’m pregnant.”
I stare down at my hands in my lap, not moving or taking a breath.
He draws back, and the heavy, tense silence becomes suffocating. “Is this some kind of joke? Ellie…you’re kidding. You have to be kidding.”
I force myself to take a slow breath and tilt my head up, meeting the shock