Page 26 of Forbidden Surrogate
I stick my hand out, trying not to display any of my own uncertainties. I glance at the stick, which says in bold, blue lettering:Pregnant.
After four days. My timingwasright. Maybetoo right.
I don’t know what emotional reaction I expected this news to provoke in me, but it wasn’t this. Insane protectiveness. The strong craving to be with her gets stronger. My dick presses up against my pants. I want her so badly that it hurts.
“Hate me all you want, this is good news for both of us.”
“Why?” she says. “Because you want a captive for the next 39 weeks to fulfill your sick fantasies?”
“No,” I respond coldly. “Because I no longer have any reason whatsoever to touch you at all.”
Delphine flinches angrily. She might act all tough and impenetrable in my presence, but she still has an ego, just like anyone else.
“I still hate you.”
“That doesn’t matter now. What matters is I send the first deposit to your bank account, return some of your cell phone privileges, and continue to keep you and my seed safe.”
“You are disgusting.”
“For returning privileges?”
“Your seed?”
“Our seed,” I respond sharply, expecting my response to piss her off. I watch her consider slapping me, but she wisely makes a better choice and just clenches and unclenches her fists. My dick wants attention so badly.
“Delphine…”
Angela’s voice interrupts. “Lunch time!”
Delphine’s eyes flicker with gratitude, more hurtful than her initial disappointment over the pregnancy. This woman resents me, even if I didn’t hurt her at all. I followed my instincts just like she did, but in her mind, I’m worse than the woman who drugged her and removed her faculties.
Angela’s cooking remains competent, but I seethe with frustration at everything she says throughout our lunch together, almost regretful that I returned without coming up with some plan to stash Angela somewhere else. To make matters worse, I’ll have to bring both of them to the nightclub tonight. I eat in silence while they chatter together like old friends, only furthering my annoyance.
Delphine and I shared a bed together. We currently share the news of her pregnancy. But instead of feeling any closer to me, she giggles with my sister like they’re the ones with a real friendship. I find the entire situation very frustrating, especially since this must have all been a part of Angela’s plan.
I interrupt their giggling over one of Angela’s party girl stories from dance school. I’ve heard more than enough over the years about the adventures of Adderall-abusing ballerinas.
“Angela, I’m leaving you in Mikey’s custody tonight. We’re working at the 9th Circle club and I have no one to watch you here so… you’re both coming with me.”
“I don’t have any clothes here,” Angela protests. I smirk, because I saw that protest coming.
“CC will drop some clothes off in about an hour.”
“That’s my cousin,” Angela says to Delphine, though it would take more than a few months for anyone to catch up on all the intricacies of the mob family drama.
“What about clothes for Delphine?” Angela asks me, as if it’s her role to function as Delphine’s representative after dragging her into our family situation.
“It’s my job to worry about Delphine and your job to stay out of trouble for the next 48 hours.”
“What the fuck, Luigi? I make your favorite lunch and you’re still pissed off.”
“You drugged an innocent woman, Angela. You also chose to disobey my implicit rules and drag this goddamn problem into my life at the worst possible time.”
“What, do you have your period?”
“No, you insufferable brat. Carmine Corsini, the leader of the Pittsburgh mob is dead and his sons and other members of his family are on their way to Buffalo to conduct surveillance on ours.”
She casts a sidelong glance at Delphine, quietly suggesting that her existence in the presence of my “family business” talk presents a unique threat. She’s right. The more Delphine hears, the more difficult it will be to set her free once this 39 week contract ends. Angela should have thought of that beforedrugging this poor woman and manipulating signatures out of us both.
