Raking a hand through my hair, I stare down at the small stick in my other hand as I sit on the toilet.
This just couldn't be possible.
We'd only had sex once. Protected.
I get that anything can happen, but hadn't I had enough shit to deal with beforehand?
Why must the bad luck kick in now?
I'd been home back in Florida for almost three weeks and Talon and I had planned for me to move out to New York with him when my team came to help me with the gyms renovations and the parlors new exotic look.
We had sex the night of Lane and Derek's dogs wedding after having too many drinks. Shit way to lose your virginity, I know. But it was still amazing.
I shakily sit the test down on the sink beside me and the other five positive tests.
I moved in three days.
Should I wait until then to tell him or now or get it confirmed by a doctor just to make sure I didn't buy a ton of shitty tests?
"Um, Rose, you okay in there?" English knocked lightly on the bathroom door.
"Yeah. Just sick to my stomach." I told her hurriedly.
"Maybe you should make an appointment, Rose. You've been sick since we got home."
"Yeah, yeah, I will later. Just give me a bit!" I holler back and she mumbles an "okay" before walking off.
The past week she's been helping me pack and that's when the throwing up really got started. It was ridiculous and the more English stuck around at my house, the more suspicious she got with the sickness.
"Fuck!" I whisper harshly just as my phone goes off, flashing Maddox's name.
"What the fuck?" He snaps as soon as I answer.
"I don't fucking know! Maybe I just bought a shitty tests!" I whine out and can hear him pacing around his house.
"Oh! Yeah! Totally! You just happened to buy six shitty ass tests in a row!" He let out with so much sarcasm it had me cringing.
"Did you even have sex protected? For a woman that was a twenty five year old virgin, you sure as hell don't seem to know the saying 'sex makes babies' and 'don't be silly wrap your willy'."
"Maddy! You are not helping my situation!" I snap back and he snorts.
"Of course I'm not! I'm in fucking New York where your tattooed hot shot lives, trying to act like a civil human being as my fiancé rages about how the wedding planner won't get her head out of her ass and understand that fuchsia doesn't look good with teal; only to then get a text from my best friend saying that she's probably pregnant. Probably. There is no probably when you have six fucking pregnancy tests that are all positive! And I can't even be there to help nor can I go beat a motherfucker's ass for knocking up my innocent ass best friend!" He rants.
We're both quiet for a moment before I speak.
"Fuchsia really does not go with teal. Maybe some neutrals. Gray? Maybe even a pink more on the nude side?"
Melissa squeals in the background. "I knew I liked you for a reason! Stupid ass planner is about to get it!"
Maddox groans aloud before a muffled exchange occurs between the two before he turns his attention back to me.
"Rosalind! Don't try to escape the topic! You're fucking pregnant and need to tell Talon before your nosy ass brother finds out and beats the dudes ass to a pulp."
"I don't even talk to Ace-"
"And? Your brother knows everything and whether or not you like it he's going to find a way to be involved in your life."
"And how the fuck is he going to find out that I'm pregnant?"
"You're brother is a scary man, Rose." Is his answer before Melissa screams in the background about how she's about to shove something fuchsia up the planners ass.
He sighs. "I don't know how you convinced me to go on with this marriage." He mutters.
"Look, just tell him soon. Please. I'm going to let you go. I love you. Don't freak out."
I gawk at my phone as the line goes dead.
"Don't freak out? How stupid can he be, telling a fucking person not to freak out?" I grumble to myself as I grab the tests and shove them into my back pocket and cover them with my hoodie before walking out of the bathroom and towards the living room down the hall.
"How's it going, sis?"
I jump with a scream before placing a hand over my heart and trying to calm my breathing as I see Ace casually laying across my couch whilst watching Ghost Adventures.
"You have really got to stop popping up where you are not welcomed." I exclaim and he scoffs.
"Oh please, I'm pretty sure you're warming up to your old brother."
"Doubtful." I state flatly as I look around for English.
"Oh that girl, England or whatever, told me to tell you she was going to her house. A dude named Oliver needed her for something."
"Her name's English." I snap and he raises an eyebrow.
"And it looks like I care?" Ace drawls our causing me to glare at him.
"What? I couldn't care less about who the bitch is. All I know is if she didn't talk so much, I'd screw her brains out. She's a looker."
I scrunch my nose up in disgust. "She's also taken and you're a pig."
He shrugs nonchalantly before he looks me over slowly.
"What?" I snap when he narrows his eyes.
"Are you gaining weight?"
"Excuse me?!" I exclaim and he sighs, shaking his head as he sits up and pats the spot next to him whilst turning off the television.
"Nothing, nothing. Forget I said anything. Just come over and sit."
Rolling my eyes I slowly walk over and sit on the other side of the couch where there's a good long distance between us.
Seeing the distance, Ace rolls his eyes before turning to look my straight in the eyes.
"Look, I wanted to apologize properly." He starts out and I snort, causing him to glare.
"You? Apologize? Properly?" I shake my head with a laugh. "How cute."
"Can I fucking continue?" He snaps and I roll my eyes once again before making a continue motion and he sighs.
"As I was saying before your rude ass interrupted, I'm sorry. I know when you told me that Camille was cheating on me, I didn't take it the lightest. I know I was harsh and I shouldn't have said what I did. I shouldn't have pushed my baby sister away. You always sought out the best for me and you were my best friend, even when we started to grow distant. That night, when you told me, I had already had my suspicions that Camille and Ryan were having that affair, but I didn't want to believe it. I thought that woman was the love of my life and I treated that man like he was a brother. Dad was already giving me shit about the company and mom just kept telling me that you could run it better if you weren't so adamant about pursuing your "useless" dreams. I was angry and being torn apart by everyone except for you. So I lashed out. You were too perfect and you didn't think anything of it nor did you show hate when our parents downgraded you throughout our childhood. I was pissed that I couldn't stop it and I was pissed that what happened to you was happening to me when I had always been portrayed as the perfect child. I acted childish and I hurt the person that meant most to me and every day I am reminded that I pushed you away. The most pure, sweet, caring person in the world. Someone who never gives up. And I tore that person apart in one minute without a single though but a million regrets."
I looked at him steadily as his eyes got glassy and he looked down at his ring covered fingers. "You're the only person that's ever meant something to me and I want you in my life again. I want to be apart of your life. Fucking mom and dad and our other judgmental family members. Together we can build our own families and teach our kids that family is everything and fortune is nothing. We'll be better than our parents and we can make our businesses for the good and loving, not the bad and greedy. Just say we can do this together, Rose. Despite how much of a hard ass I am, I'm nothing without you, baby sis."
A small smile stretched across my lips.
"I don't know, Ace, that's a rather large commitment."
His eyes flicker up to mine and once he sees my smile, he grins.
"I'm willing to make it though." I nod and the next thing I know, I'm being crushed by his big arms.
"Can't breathe." I croak out after a few seconds and he chuckles whilst pulling back before growing quiet.
"What is it?" I ask slowly and he clears his throat before looking up at me.
"Not gonna lie, kinda confused as to why there are sticks in your pocket."
I stiffen and he raises an eyebrow before his eyes narrow.
"Rose," He drawls and I laugh.
"Well, you see, maybe building our own families won't take that long." I shrug and he growls low in his throat.
"That punk ass bitch is dead."
Alarm ceases me as he stands up and starts towards my door with his hand in his pocket.
"Ace, he's not even here! He's in New York!"
"And?!" He tells with wild eyes. "I have a jet for a reason, Rose!"
"He doesn't even know!" I exclaim.
Ace's eyes narrow further. "What do you mean he doesn't know?"
I huff. "I just found out before English left. Please! Don't hunt him down!"
He looks at me for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Fine, but his ass is mine in three days."
I stiffen once again and slowly walk close behind him.
"Three days?" I squeak out and he turns to me with a smirk.
"I have my connections, darling sister."
I nod whilst biting my lip nervously. "Noted."
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
So, Melting Steele officially only has one chapter left and possibly an Epilogue. I have been working on a sequel to this book, however I'm not sure who all wants that.
If you could, comment whether or not you want an epilogue or sequel.
It's so sad to see this book coming to a close, but this is only the beginning of Rose and Talon's journey.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the book❤️
- Camden Stuart