Chapter 2
Gary held up a phone.
“I recorded the last minute,” he said.
Brenda sat against the broken table, one hand pressed to her shoulder, glaring like everyone had betrayed her.
“You recorded me?” she snapped.
Gary did not blink.
“I record every family event Rocco asks me to secure.”
Secure.
That word made my stomach drop.
This was supposed to be a baby shower.
Pastel balloons.
White roses.
A cake with tiny blue shoes on top.
But Rocco had brought guards.
Gary had been recording.
And Brenda had attacked me in front of everyone.
“How long have you known something was wrong?” I asked Rocco.
He helped me into a chair.
“Long enough to regret waiting.”
Preston moved toward me.
“Audrey, I didn’t know she would do that.”
I pulled away before his hand touched my shoulder.
“You stood there.”
His face crumpled.
“I froze.”
“You always freeze when it’s your mother.”
Brenda laughed from the floor.
“She has you trained already, Preston. Look at her. Playing victim.”
Rocco turned his head.
“Say one more word.”
Brenda stopped.
The doctor arrived nine minutes later.
Rocco had one on call.
That frightened me more than the attack.
Dr. Elaine Porter checked my pulse, my blood pressure, then pressed a monitor gently against my stomach.
For three seconds there was only static.
I gripped the chair arms until my nails hurt.
Then the heartbeat filled the room.
Fast.
Strong.
Alive.
I broke.
I cried so hard I could barely breathe.
Rocco put one hand over mine.
Preston reached for me again.
I shook my head.
“No.”
His hand fell.
Dr. Porter looked around the destroyed room.
“She needs the hospital. Now.”
Brenda tried to stand.
“I am going with my son.”
“No,” Rocco said.
“He is my child.”
“And Audrey is his wife.”
Brenda’s eyes cut to Preston.
“Tell him.”
Preston swallowed.
For one fragile second, I thought he might finally choose me.
Then he looked down.
My chest went hollow.
Rocco saw it too.
He gave a bitter little nod.
“Gary, keep Mrs. Marcelli here until the police arrive.”
Brenda’s smile vanished.
“Police?”
“You assaulted a pregnant woman in my home.”
“You would call police on your own wife?”
Rocco looked at the broken gifts on the floor.
“No. I am calling them on the woman who tried to hurt my grandchild.”
At the hospital, they took me straight into a private room.
Machines beeped.
Nurses moved quickly.
Preston paced near the door like a man waiting for permission to exist.
I stared at the ceiling.
Every time I closed my eyes, I felt Brenda’s hand in my hair.
“This child must not be born.”
I heard it again and again.
Finally, Preston whispered, “Audrey, please talk to me.”
I turned my face toward him.
“Did you know she hated the baby?”
“No.”
“Did you know she hated me?”
He did not answer fast enough.
That was my answer.
The door opened.
Rocco entered with Gary behind him.
Gary’s phone was in his hand.
“We found something,” Gary said.
Preston went still.
May you like
Rocco looked at his son.
“Tell her before I do.”
