30. Justine

"Marcus, would you please sit down? You're making me dizzy."

"I can't, baby, I'm… are you sure you're okay? You look pale. Let's get you back to bed." I started to argue until I saw that tic in his jaw again, so I let him lift me and carry me back to bed.

The doctor had left ten minutes ago after confirming through the urine analysis that I was indeed pregnant, but Marcus still wanted the blood test done along with a complete workup to follow if it turned out that I was not with child.

I don't think he slept a wink for the next few nights while we waited for the results. I'd wake up in the middle of the night, and he'd be sitting up, holding me with a body pillow between my thighs.

I don't know who told him about body pillows or pregnancy comfort in the first place, but I can already see that I'm going to have a problem on my hands. I haven't been allowed to go to the office since the first day I threw up, and he watches me like a hawk.

I tried getting Monique to run interference, but all that pain in the ass did was make things worse. She keeps giving me these pitying looks and claiming I should just hang it up now because if I thought Marcus was acting like a caveman before, now that he knows I'm carrying his child, it's only going to get ten times worse.

"I told you about the witness protection, and that's when it was just you. Now his offspring is in there, girl child, please. She kissed her teeth and rolled her eyes. He's about to make all our lives a living hell."

She's not lying, either. I think he told the driver not to go above ten miles per hour because the poor man looks like he's sweating if that speedometer hits eleven. Nuts!

* * *

MARCUS

* * *

I haveeverything ready to take down my enemies, but there's no way I'm leaving her long enough to see to that stuff, it'll have to wait for later. I've been in the midst of guerilla warfare, swam through snake-infested waters, did a hell of a lot more hazardous shit, and none of those things struck fear in my heart, like thinking she was sick.

I thought nothing could beat that fear, but hearing the words, she's pregnant, damn near took me out. I have no idea what I expected to happen when we started making love every night. Maybe because I never imagined this life for myself, these things were afterthoughts.

I was perfectly content to raise our girls as my own and be happy with that. I'd already gained the wife I wasn't expecting, and life has been turned around in ways I never imagined for myself, so I wasn't about to be greedy.

Now, I'm terrified that something might happen to her and our child. I'm not sure if it's a normal fear, and the Doc said it would pass. But the thought of letting her out of my sight scares the hell out of me.

I already went through her closet and bagged up all of those stilts she likes to walk around in and hid them. I had the kitchen staff restock everything, going heavy on the fruits and veggies. No more burgers and fries for a while, something she already bitched me out over.

Now she's behaving worse than the kids, and I have to give her choices for dinner because she never wants what they've made. She's fussy and irritable and adorably cute. She tears around the bedroom at night complaining about being cooped up all day, then wakes up sick every morning; who can stay mad at that?

The one thing I refuse to do, no matter how much she begs and pleads, is fuck her. When I remember how rough I was the last couple of times I had her, I feel like a monster. I was so damn lost in my own damn head that I could've hurt her and our baby, and I wouldn't have known. Now, I have to make it up to her even if she doesn't think I did anything wrong.

* * *

"Marcus, what's all this?"

I looked around at all the stuff I'd had delivered. "I read in a book somewhere that when there's a new baby coming, the older siblings start to feel left out, so I got some stuff for our girls. Is it too much?"

I guess the way she and Monique rolled their eyes and pranced off meant that it was. But there are three of them, and sometimes they don't want to share their shit, so why not get them each their own thing?

"Ah, the ponies, the ponies. Babe, the ponies are being delivered this weekend." I guess she didn't hear me because she kept going. As the days have gone on, I've come to terms with things and have a new outlook on the whole matter.

There's nothing to be afraid of like Doc says. It's a natural occurrence that billions of women have experienced over millennia. Okay, I can hold that stance until the next morning when she wakes up sick as a dog, and I want to hit something, but there's nothing to hit, and that shit isn't going to make her stop from throwing up any damn way.

The doctor suggested ginger candy, and I recalled some things I'd seen and heard in my travels and had sent Carl halfway around the world to get me whatever was needed. But either my kid was fucking with me, or he or she is a menace because none of that shit worked.

* * *

JUSTINE

* * *

‘Girl, bye.'

What? What do you mean? Where are you going?

‘Chick, that man has you locked down tighter than Fort Worth prison. I need to get out and about. Tell me, does he know that women get pregnant every day and don't die a horrible death?'

That's not fair, Justice. He's just a little overprotective right now. He'll get over it soon.

‘It's been weeks already, and he's getting worse, not better. And where did the dick go? Where I ask you. His tongue does a good job, I'll give him that, but this dick famine is for the damn birds.'

I think Justice is nervous, too, and trying to hide it. I don't know what to do to help anyone. They're all coming to me to complain about my husband like they're the ones bedridden without a cause. I guess he's making their lives miserable as well, but it's every man for himself on this ship.

I'm trying to remember if Paul ever took care of me once during any of my pregnancies. Granted, I was never this sick with any of my girls, but I don't recall him doing much more than standing in the bathroom door asking if I was okay.

He certainly never took off from work to hold me all day, even long after the nausea had subsided. And that poor doctor, whew, it's a wonder she hasn't quit. I put my foot down when he was trying to talk the poor woman into moving in here.

That's when I learned that he'd rescued her from her homeland after some asshole tried to burn her alive because of a missing dowry or some such crap. I didn't even know those things still existed, but according to Monique, he'd sent her out of the country to the States, enrolled her in school, and here she is today.

It's hard to believe that someone had tried to harm the beautiful soul that puts up with my husband's craziness while smiling at me reassuringly.

But I don't want her thinking that she has to repay him for the rest of her life, and coming here every morning because I'm throwing up seems a bit excessive. Marcus doesn't give a fuck.

All of that I could deal with, but now my buddy was abandoning me. Justice was the only thing keeping me sane these days, but I guess he, too, had had enough.

* * *

MARCUS

* * *

"Carl,what're we gonna do about this?"

"There isn't much we can do. We have to give it to him."

"I know that, but…."

"What is it?" I stepped into the room where the two of them were so busy whispering they didn't hear me coming.

"Shit, and damn, can you make noise when you walk?"

"What's that you've got there, Monique?"

"Um, it's a summons."

"A what?"

"Paul's mother is suing for grandparents' rights."

"I see! Carl, call the DA and get that woman, her son and whatever lawyer they have working for them down to his office in an hour. Justine does not hear about this Monique, got that?"

"Why are you only telling me? He tells her shit too."

"Yes, I know, because she tricks him, but you're like a leaky faucet."

"Is it because I'm a woman, you prick?"

"That's exactly right. Now, go upstairs and keep her company. No calls for her. If anyone gets to her while I'm gone, I'll take it out of your ass. Carl, let's go."

"Coming!"

* * *

PAUL

* * *

"I don't seewhy I have to be here. This has nothing to do with me. My mother is the one suing her." I was putting up a good front, but inside, I was jumping for joy. Finally, she was going to be taken down a peg or two.

I've been waiting weeks for this, and it's finally here. I didn't like how that bitch was getting too big for her britches, like she forgot where she came from. She was nothing without me, not even with her fancy degree.

I would've left her alone if she'd gone her way and stayed out of my sight, but she had to go and marry my boss, making me a laughing stock at the place where I was once looked up to.

It appears that most people didn't recognize her from that night, or maybe because she didn't use her last name, not many from that night at the party put two and two together. But then someone started spreading rumors, and it was all anyone would talk about for weeks.

People were laughing at me and whispering in the hallways. Some of them didn't even care to hide that I was the butt of their jokes. They openly laughed in my face, and all because she'd implemented a few new rules that I'd vetoed before.

Whoever heard of giving men and women one-year maternity leave? How would anyone get anything done if we went around doing that shit? But she'd made that one of the new policies, and everyone was singing her praises.

Then the talk turned to the fact that she'd married up. Meaning he was better than me? Why? Because of his money, his looks? Or because of his time spent all over the world supposedly helping people?

He still had to settle for my leftovers. I'd like nothing better than to rub that in his face, though I can't for obvious reasons. If I plan to marry his sister or stepsister, then I have to stay on his good side for now.

But once I marry into the family, we'll just see how she's still going to act like she's so high and mighty. I hate the fact that she's doing better than me. That she landed on her feet so easily.

I heard feet heading in our direction and fought to hide the smirk that wanted to break free. Everything changed, though, when instead of Justine, a very pissed-off-looking Marcus Devereaux the fourth walked through the door with that mercenary-looking guy who's never too far from his side.

I bet the pampered prince needs all the protection he can get. It's obvious he's not too tough without that guy behind him. But he looked pissed, so I got myself under control and tried to look as bored as I possibly could, given the situation.

* * *

MARCUS

* * *

"Carl, show him."I waited for Carl to show the DA the little badge that gives me carte blanche in any corner of the world. No, my money didn't get me that privilege. Putting my life on the line three-hundred-sixty-five days of the year did that.

"Do you know what that means?"

"Yes sir, I do, I didn't…."

"Explain it to them."

"Mr. Devereaux has diplomatic immunity."

"What does that mean?" The mother asked. I hadn't even looked at either of them after walking into the DA's office.

I didn't even bother calling my lawyer down here because he wasn't needed. "That means that I can stomp your head into the sidewalk, and no one would touch me. They can't. It means that those children are under my wife's custody, and that makes them mine. The diplomatic immunity extends to them. You cannot have them."

"So you're using your money…"

"Lady, my money is the only thing saving you right now. If I didn't have money, I would've taken my wife and kids and left the state, and you would never see them again. But because I have money, I'm shackled by the laws that force me to be civil to people like you."

She stepped back after looking at her son and the DA for help, neither of whom seemed to be even blinking. "This was your second time going after her that I know of. Okay, you know what, let's do this. You want to see your grandkids? Why don't you come to my home and spend two hours with them there?"

"Why can't they come to my house?"

"Because you raised that." I pointed at her son without looking at him. "After the job you did with him, you're not worthy to raise my dog, let alone my kids; yes, I said mine."

"I was willing to let both of you stay in their lives as they're your blood, but you come after my wife? If you ever come near her again, I will use my considerable wealth to make sure you can never find peace on this planet again. And you, you used your mother to get to my wife? You're fired. Don't even come back onto my property, or I'll have you shot."

"You can't do that; I had nothing to do with this." I leaned in close so only he could hear.

"I know your game, and I know what you're thinking. You're thinking if you lose your job, there's no child support and no alimony. Did you read the fine print in the divorce decree you signed?"

"It says that no matter what is going on in your life, you must pay the agreed-upon amount. I always planned on firing you, you piece of shit. I made you president to raise your pay because, by my calculations, by the time I have sent you to prison for embezzlement, the other half of your assets that she didn't get will just about add up to what you would've paid over the years. Do you understand?"

"You're going to jail, and because of the divorce settlement you signed, she gets everything. That means no money to pay some top-notch lawyer. Once the case is over, I will have your parental rights revoked, seeing as how you're going away for a long-long time. Oh, and by the way, Melanie never stood a chance of having any power in my company. She fucked you in more ways than one."