The Billionaire's Call Girl: A BWWM Billionaire Romance (17 page)

He ran his hands over the hangers and clothes, stopping at a blouse that she had worn when they had gone to a private screening recently. He fingered the thin smooth material. He had pulled it off her that night, ravenously hungry for her dark flesh beneath it, and the blouse had fallen to the floor as his hands and mouth had covered her breasts before taking her to their bed.

He pulled the blouse from the closet and lifted it to his face, breathing in the scent. It was her scent. It still smelled like her. He looked down at it in his fingers and wished with all of his heart that there were a way he could undo everything that had been done.

Jake looked around the room again and all he could see and feel was the absence of her everywhere. He walked slowly to the bed and climbed into it, holding the blouse close to his face to breathe in her scent, and he fell asleep there, dreaming of her.

He stayed the whole night alone in their bed, and in the morning he rose up early and left, hanging the blouse back up in the closet. He rode the elevator down to the basement, marveling at the realization that the space that was the penthouse felt wrong to him. It didn't feel like he belonged there at all without her. He went back to his home, and watching David and Mariah with Christopher made him feel as though he did not quite belong there either.

It was as if he was a man out of time and out of place, a man lost alone in a universe where nothing fit, where nothing was right, and where he might never find his way again.

Chapter10 

Felicia's eyes opened slowly and she looked around the room. She had been dreaming of him again, and she felt it in her aching heart. She hoped that as time passed, so too would all of her thoughts about him, her need and desire for him. Her persistent longing for him. Days turned into weeks that turned into months; two months, and her heart would not let go of him. She ached for him and missed him terribly every day.

She rose up out of bed feeling light-headed and not well at all, when suddenly a wave of nausea hit her like a force of nature and she bolted for the bathroom. Luckily, her brother and sister weren't up yet. She flung herself into the room and barely made it to the toilet before her body arced and she let loose everything that was in her.

When she had emptied all of herself that she could into the porcelain bowl, she sat back against the bathtub, trying to catch her breath and make herself steady enough that she could stand up.

Her body finally settled down and her mind cleared enough to allow her to stand. She rinsed out her mouth and brushed her teeth, and then went back to bed. After the second day of throwing up so violently, she suspected she might have the flu. After five days of throwing up so violently and being so constantly tired and sore, she began to suspect that it might be something much worse than the flu.

She lay in bed feeling horrible and the thought came to her in a moment of panic,the realization that it had been since before she left Jake that she had her last period. It was exactly that long since she hadn't quite felt like herself. Her mind went back to their last day of wild love making in the bed, and then in the shower, and she realized they had not used protection.

She groaned at the thought and covered her face in her hands hoping and praying for a miracle; the miracle that her worst suspicions would not be true.

She dressed herself and walked to the grocery store, choosing a couple of over-the-counter pregnancy tests. On each one, the box said they were the most accurate on the market; though different companies made each one.

Felicia didn't say anything to anyone at her house or anywhere else. She locked herself in the bathroom and did the tests. Both of them came out positive, and the next wave of nausea that hit her was mental. She sank to the floor and laid down on it there, weeping with fear and confusion.

She knew how it happened, but she couldn't begin to fathom what to do about it. There was nothing she could do, except to call Mary because Mary was her best friend. And she had to tell her parents. She went downstairs and found them in the kitchen, pouring over a catalogue with various new stoves in it.

"I'm going to buy a new stove for the house!" her father said in excitement as he looked down at all of his options. He was beyond excited.

Felicia sat beside them at the table and said quietly, "Mom, Dad, I have some bad news."

They turned and looked at her with worried eyes. Her mother reached her hand over to her right away. "What is it, baby?"

Felicia felt emotion rising up in her, choking her as tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm pregnant," she said in a hushed voice, feeling as though those two words could somehow destroy the entire world and that it would all end in a blaze of smoke and fire in an instant because she had breathed them into existence.

Her father didn't move, but his lower lip quivered for a moment, and her mother's eyes grew wide. Maryanne ran to her and wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly. The gesture enacted an immediate response in Felicia, not unlike removing the lid from a pressure cooker. She dissolved in her mother’s arms, sobbing in tears and despair.

"I'm so sorry, mom and dad!" she wept.

Her father took a deep breath and reached for her hands. "Now you listen to me," he said kindly. "We accept new babies in this family with love and joy. It is a blessing to bring a baby into a home, and you'll see that before too long. You'll find that out for yourself. This baby will be the greatest gift you've ever had."

Felicia smiled at her father through her tears and he squeezed her hand. Her mother petted her hair and rubbed her shoulders.

"Don't worry Felicia, you're not alone in this. We are here with you. We will always help you and take care of you, and our little... grandchild!" She grew so excited and happy as she said the word, hugging her daughter tightly.

Cal grinned and said, "I am going to go out and buy it a little red wagon. Every kid needs a little red wagon." He brightened and looked up at Maryanne. "We'll put a swing set in the back yard!"

Maryanne flipped her hand at her husband. "Cal, you're getting ahead of yourself! That little one is going to need baby things long before it needs toys like that. I'll talk to Mary about co-hosting a baby shower. How fun! Oh Felicia, my darling girl, things are going to be just fine. You'll see. Everything will be fine."

She hugged Felicia again and as her parents always did, they managed to calm her in the storm, and help her see the silver lining around the dark cloud. She knew deep in her heart that although she was afraid, things would turn out alright. It was an enormous relief that she had her parents there with her, and the tension and worry that had gripped her upstairs when she discovered her life change, released its icy hold on her body and heart.

Felicia looked up at her mother. "It's fine with me if you and Mary throw a baby shower for me; I'd really be grateful for that.  I haven't told her yet, so give me a little time to call her and tell her and then you two can work it all out. Right now though, she doesn't know. I just found out myself."

Maryanne nodded. "No problem." She smiled and then she looked at her husband. "Cal, we need to go run an errand." She leaned over to Felicia and kissed her forehead. "We'll be back, baby."

Her parents vanished out the door and Felicia looked at her cell phone lying there on the table. She changed her phone number and only a few people had the new number. She wasn't getting calls from Vincent any longer, although she had seen him walking down her street and checking out her house from the corner a few times.

When she left the message for Jake telling him that they were through, she also told Nick that she and Jake had broken up and he no longer needed to look out for her or drive her anywhere.  She'd thanked him for all he had done for her and he had wished her well and gone on his way.

Her thoughts turned to Jake, as they always did. She touched her fingers to her belly and wondered about the little life that was growing inside of her. She knew full well that her first call should be to Jake, and that he had a right to know what was happening, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her emotions were still raw and hurt from the pain she had suffered with her broken heart. She needed to wait a while longer before reaching out to him to tell him about the child they had coming.

Felicia sighed and picked up her phone. She would figure out how to tell Jake later. Just then, she needed to tell her best friend. She called Mary's phone and Mary answered it right away.

"Oh good! I'm go glad you called. I am dying for some ice cream. Let's go over to Murphy's and get some. Meet me at the corner, okay?" she bubbled happily as she answered the phone.

Felicia felt a little laugh escape her and she nodded. "Okay, I'll meet you on the corner." She decided that it was probably best to tell her friend in person, rather than over the phone.

She went back upstairs and looked at herself in the mirror. She had been looking a little drawn lately. She fixed her makeup quickly and pulled on a cute dress and sandals, and then headed down the stairs and out of the front door.

Felicia and Mary had been meeting each other on the corner of the block between their two houses all of their lives. They met there to walk to school together, to meet up for play dates, to meet up to go to the mall when they were teenagers, and even into their college years when they were walking to the train together. It was their spot, and as Felicia thought about it, she felt that it couldn't be a more perfect place to tell her best friend that she was going to be a mother.

They shared so many of their secrets and life changes there. They would always be so excited to get to one another and share their secrets that they would spill all their news the moment they saw each other on the corner.

As Felicia rounded the block, she saw Mary waiting there for her. She smiled and waved, and Mary smiled and waved back. When she reached her, they embraced and Felicia held on to her a little longer, her hug lingering as she soaked in the warmth and friendship she had relied on for so many years.

In a flash, Mary knew something was different. She leaned back and stared at Felicia, looking at her intensely as if she might see what was wrong by peering deeper into her friend's eyes.

"Alright, what's up with you?" she asked with a knitted brow.

Felicia suddenly felt her emotions bleeding out again, and she bit her lower lip and wiped at her eyes. "I'm pregnant," she said quietly.

Mary's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. "How?" she gasped in amazement.

Felicia tilted her head and frowned slightly, "Well, when a man and a woman-"

Mary swatted Felicia's arm. "Not that, you goof. I mean, you're one of the single most responsible people I know. One of the most sensible and the one who is always early to everything; you are on top of all of your business and always ahead of the curve. It just amazes me that this happened.

You're the last person I would ever guess could be pregnant without planning it in advance. I mean, how long have you been touting the benefits of birth control? I mean, seriously, since we were in middle school and learned about the birds and the bees! You always say that it's the last legal recreational drug in America! Now you're telling me that you're pregnant? It's just incredible to me, that's all."

Felicia shook her head. "I don't know how... I mean, I was on the pill, but things were so nuts that I must have forgotten to take it or something. Not that I ever have, but I was so wrapped up in the other things that were going on. And now here I am like this, living with my mom and dad." She frowned again.

Mary started to smile a little, and then the small smile turned into an ear-to-ear grin, and she flung her arms around Felicia.

"You couldn't possibly be in a better place to become a mother. You have nothing but support and love here, from your family, from me and even from my family. My mom is going to be so excited. You're like her other daughter, you know." Mary winked at her.

Felicia nodded and slipped her arm into Mary's as they began to walk toward Murphy's for ice cream. "You're like that to my mom, too. You always have been." Then she remembered and brightened. "Oh! By the way, my mom wants to co-host a baby shower with you. If you want to." Felicia's mouth turned up at the corners in a smile and she looked sidelong at her friend. She knew that Mary would jump at it.

"Of course we will! Your mom and I will give you the best shower ever." Mary said with a grin.

They were almost to Murphy's, talking and planning things out, when Felicia thought she heard footsteps and just as she turned to see who was behind her and if she should move off of the sidewalk, someone grabbed her arm and yanked her hard, pulling her away from Mary.

She was disoriented for a moment and suddenly dizzy as she was twisted and turned away from the direction she was going in. In the blink of an eye, she was facing Vincent, glaring down at her with anger and loathing in his eyes. One arm was wrapped around her body, that hand held her other arm, and the other hand was closed like a vise grip around her throat.

Felicia sucked in a sharp breath of shock and Mary screamed in fear and surprise. Vincent shot Mary a dark look. "If you want to keep Felicia safe, you'll shut your mouth right now. We don't need no attention over here. Zip it, bitch," he snapped at her. Then he looked down at Felicia, locked in his arm, fingers tight on her neck. He looked at her wide eyes and grinned at her.

"Well, well, well. Look at this. I have you back in my arms again, baby. I've been missing you around here. I don't know where you took off to in that fancy car you split in, but I've been keeping an eye out for you, and now it's time I got you back." His eyes moved from her eyes to her lips, and he chuckled for a moment before swiftly bringing his head down and crushing his lips onto hers.