The Pregnancy Contract (14 page)

He picked up the tray with their plates and leftovers and took it from the room, leaving her alone with only the sound of the fire crackling behind her as company. The instant he was gone, Piper felt every last vestige of fight leave her body. Okay, so she'd go to bed now. But it would be because she wanted to and because she was tired. Not because she'd been summarily ordered to.

Despite her weariness, sleep remained elusive until she heard Wade return upstairs several hours later. Through the open bedroom door she heard the clink of crystal as he poured himself a glass of port, then his deep sigh as he settled onto one of the chairs. It was another half hour before he quietly entered the bathroom, and a few more minutes before he then, finally, slid into the bed beside her, his naked body spooning hers, his arms coming around her in their usual nightly embrace, one hand gently cupping her left breast.

Only then did she slide into a deep slumber, her body relaxed against his warmth, her heart in his hands.

 

Wade waited in the reception area at the doctor's office with increasing impatience. Piper had been in May's consulting room for over half an hour now and the length of time she'd been gone was driving him crazy. How long did it take to do a pregnancy test, anyway? Maybe he should have conceded to Piper's wish not to come to the doctor today, but made her do a test at home instead.

“Mr. Collins?”

He shot to his feet as the receptionist called his name. “Yes?”

“Dr. Ritter would like you to go through now.” The woman gestured down the passageway leading from the waiting area. “Second to last door on the right.”

“Thanks,” he said, even as his feet began to eat up the distance between torment and the answers he sought.

He tapped lightly on the door and opened it on May's command to enter. Wade's gaze flicked from one woman to the other, but he could read nothing on their faces. Piper's expression remained completely empty. Mind you, she'd been quiet this morning—her movements stiff as a result of yesterday's trauma. May, too, kept her features inscrutable but she gestured to him to take a seat next to Piper.

“I'm sure you know by now that there are no long-term issues with the minor injuries that Piper sustained in her accident yesterday,” May said. “However, she will need to be very careful for the next few months.”

Wade's heart leaped in his chest. “The next few months?” he repeated.

“Yes, indeed.”

“So does that mean…?” He was suddenly too afraid to enunciate the words in case it might not be true.

May smiled. “Yes, you two are expecting a baby, congratulations.”

Wade sat back in his chair, filled with emotion, filled with hope. Could it be that his dreams were finally coming true? And if so, why did Piper now look so stricken?

S
he was pregnant. Numbness invaded every cell in her body. When May had confirmed the result of the urine test to her, Piper had retreated behind a wall of denial. All through her physical examination she'd been in another place. A place that froze her in fear. After the confirmation, she'd asked May what was the likelihood of her miscarrying again. The answer was about as indeterminate as the wispy drifts of fog that had surrounded the house this morning.

Without knowing what had caused her to miscarry the first time, May couldn't give her any promises.

Piper slid a glance at Wade. He was ecstatic. His face glowed with the light of sheer joy. It terrified her. What if she let him down? What if she couldn't carry this baby to term?

She vaguely heard May and Wade discussing what happened next, the list of appointments she'd need to attend, when she'd have scans, etc. The words flew over her head. Wade could take care of that. Right now those matters were the least of her worries. Learning how to cope with the crippling fear
that held her frozen in her seat was going to be the biggest thing for her right now.

On the ride home from the doctor's office, Wade exuded a different energy. His conversation concentrated solely on the baby they now knew she carried. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably.

“Stop the car!” she cried.

“Stop?”

“Now!”

Wade pulled over to the curb. Before the car was fully stationary Piper flung open her door and struggled to her feet. Every muscle in her body ached today and moving was difficult. She made it to a tree on the grassy verge and leaned both arms against it, dropping her head down between her shoulders and dragging in big gulps of the chill, damp air.

How was she going to get through this if Wade talking about the baby was enough to made her nauseous?

She felt his hand at the nape of her neck, his fingers stroking gently.

“You okay?”

“No,” she answered with a shaky voice. She was most definitely not okay.

“Take your time,” he said considerately.

“Yeah, I'll do that.”

Wade continued the gentle stroking and Piper focused on the sensation of his skin on hers. His warmth versus the chill that consumed her. Finally her stomach settled and the threat of being ill diminished.

“I think we can go now,” she said, straightening up from the tree and squaring her shoulders.

“Are you sure? We don't need to hurry.”

Again that consideration. If she hadn't been pregnant, would he have been so solicitous?

“I'm fine. Can we go home now, please?”

Wade's hand drifted down her spine, resting at her lower
back as they walked to the car. He saw her settled in the passenger seat and leaned down to clip her seat belt across her. She flinched as he did so, her bruise now a painful reminder of her date with the lamp post yesterday.

“Sorry,” Wade said.

“It's okay, I'm not going to break, you know.”

“No, but you do need special care and attention.”

He leaned one arm across the top of the doorway to the car and looked down at her.

“Why? Just because I'm pregnant?” She couldn't help it, the words sprang forth before she could hold them back.

“That and because of what you've been through. Cut me some slack, okay, Piper. Let me take care of you. Anyone can see the news has come as a bit of a shock to you. I have to admit that I'm a little overwhelmed myself. I never thought we'd get it right so quickly.”

He closed the door and walked around the front of the car toward the driver's side. Piper stared out the windshield. Get it right? If that was the case, why did she feel as if everything was going so very wrong? She felt as if things were spinning out of her control. She'd expected—no,
wanted
—to have time to win Wade over, woo him back to her. Now, she was afraid his primary thought would only be for their son or daughter. She wouldn't matter as much to him as he mattered to her.

She knew exactly where she stood under the terms of their contract—for as long as she stayed under his roof at least. But how could she continue to do that, loving him the way she did, when his whole focus would be on the baby? Where would she fit in once the baby was born? Would he still want her? And what if the worst happened again? What if she miscarried? Would he believe her when she said she'd loved this child from the point of its conception, that she loved its father just as much?

 

The weeks seemed to race by. Wade consulted one of the baby books he'd bought and kept at work, that showed the varying stages of pregnancy and development of the fetus, fascinated by every step. Piper was fourteen weeks now and while she was still as slender as always, there was a tautness to her lower belly that hadn't been there before and her breasts had filled out, too, and continued to be highly sensitive—a fact he'd delighted in exploring when they made love.

He frowned as he considered the terminology—making love. It had been sex when it started but somewhere along the line his feelings about the act itself had changed. Who was he kidding? His feelings about Piper were changing. Especially now. He knew he was becoming more possessive and protective of her with every day that passed—even to the point that he'd soundly rejected her suggestion that now she was pregnant she move back to her old room. She and the baby were his to take care of—and he was starting to wonder if he wasn't doing a good enough job.

She'd been fragile when she'd returned from overseas but she seemed even more brittle now. As if she might shatter into a million tiny shards if the wind so much as blew the wrong way. Personally, he felt she'd taken on too much. She still worked her full days at Mitchell Exports and spent her evening hours studying or attending late classes for the pre-entry course she'd insisted on completing.

“I have to finish something in my life,” she'd snapped when he'd suggested perhaps she could leave the papers since it was putting so much strain on her.

He'd been taken aback at her response, but had left her to it. She hadn't wanted her colleagues at work to know about her pregnancy, insisting it was her and Wade's business and no one else's. He'd felt the complete opposite, he wanted to shout their news from the rooftops. Even so, he'd respected her decision and remained silent on the subject, except for
letting her immediate superiors know and informing them that he expected her workload to lighten somewhat. They'd been only too happy to accommodate his request, even while expressing their surprise at her condition because no one in the office, aside from his PA, had been let into the truth of their relationship.

Perhaps he'd let the cat out of the bag about the two of them prematurely, he thought. Piper obviously had her reasons for wanting to keep their relationship quiet—although they wouldn't be able to do that for much longer—and for asserting her independence. As to the latter, she had barely blinked when he'd arranged for delivery of an Audi A5 for her. Wade had elaborated on the safety features of the car including antilock electronic braking, traction control and the number of air bags. She'd merely accepted the keys and driven off as usual.

Nothing seemed to break through the mantle of eerie calm that enveloped her. The only time she showed any genuine emotion or response was when they were in bed. Even then, she was often so exhausted when she came to bed that she'd fall immediately asleep.

He'd expected some animation from her when he'd discussed redecorating the nursery, but she'd quietly agreed with every suggestion he had made and appeared quite happy to allow the interior designer he'd appointed a free hand. The decorator was supposed to be finished today. He was keen to see the final result and rued that he wouldn't be able to see it together with Piper for the first time. He'd hoped the completed room would imbue some excitement about the baby into her.

It was late when he arrived home and his stomach was growling with hunger. Despite that, Wade ignored the plate he knew Mrs. Dexter would have left in the oven for him and shot up the stairs to the next floor. When he'd walked from
the garage to the house he'd seen a light on upstairs, in the nursery. He hoped it meant that Piper was in there.

The scents of new wallpaper, carpet and fresh paint filled the corridor outside the room as he approached. The door swung lightly open at his touch. A surge of satisfaction swelled inside as he saw Piper standing by the pale wooden tallboy, with her back to the door. One drawer stood open and it looked as if she was holding an item of clothing.

“They've done a great job with the room, don't you think?” he asked as he entered, his critical eye scanning the room and finding not a single thing at fault.

“Yes,” Piper answered, her voice sounding thick and strained.

“Piper? What's wrong? Is it the baby?”

Wade stepped up to her, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. It stunned him to see abject misery painted on her features, her face wet with the tears that rolled off her lashes and down her cheeks.

She shook her head and moved away. He noticed the way her hands grasped the tiny one-piece suit in her hands, her knuckles white with the intensity of her grip.

“What is then?” he asked, confused. “Is it hormones?”

She sniffed a stifled laugh. “No, Wade, it's not hormones. I just…”

“You just, what?” he prompted when she didn't continue.

She lifted her face toward his, her blue eyes glittering behind the moisture there.

“I don't know how I'm going to go through with this.”

“This?” he asked, a steel fist tightening around his lungs and making it almost impossible to draw breath.

What was she talking about?

“This,” she said, gesturing to the room. “The baby, being a mother, all of it. I just don't think I can do it.”

She couldn't do it? What the hell was she suggesting? A termination? Over his dead body. Anger rose swift and fast.
Had this been her plan all along? And to think he'd started to believe he loved her!

“You can do it and you will,” he said in a voice that was barely controlled.

“There are so many things that are out of my control, I'm terrified,” she sobbed. “Wade, you don't understand—”

“Understand? Oh, yes, I think I understand all right. The first sign of anything you might have to do the hard way and you run, don't you, Piper? Just like you ran before. Well, I have news for you and it goes like this. You
will
continue with this pregnancy and you
will
have this baby.”

Piper looked at him with an expression akin to horror in her eyes. “But what if something happens?” she implored.

“Happens? What? Like last time? Don't think you're going to terminate my baby again, Piper. I might not have been able to prevent you from killing my son or daughter eight years ago but you can rest assured that even if I have to lock you in your room, you will most definitely bring this child to term.”

 

Piper felt all the blood drain from her face and she swayed a little with dizziness.
He knew?

“How did you find out?” she whispered, her throat closing on the words.

“That's totally irrelevant. The thing is that I did. You know, I really thought you were proving that you were capable of being a decent person, someone who was reliable and honest, but you just haven't changed one bit, have you? You're incapable of growing up, of taking or accepting responsibility. Well, understand this, if anything, and I mean
anything,
happens to this baby, I will hold you fully accountable and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth to make you pay.”

Piper recoiled, feeling each one of his words as if it was a physical blow. She wanted to protest, but she couldn't. The words jammed in her throat. It was all she could do right now to hold on to consciousness. She dragged in a ragged breath.

“You make it sound like it was all my fault,” she finally managed.

Wade shot her a look of pure venom. “Wasn't it?”

“No!” she cried. “It wasn't, how could it have been?”

“I don't believe you, Piper.”

“You don't believe me?”

How could he not? She hadn't done anything to cause the miscarriage of that baby, and the loss still weighed upon her as heavily today as it had back then. Perhaps even more so. Piper's heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't believe this conversation was happening. How had he ever found out? And, even more importantly, how long ago? She forced down the fear and the shock that threatened to take over her before speaking.

“How did you find out?”

“That isn't important. What's important is that I will not let something like that ever happen again to a child of mine.”

The possessive tone of his voice reverberated right through her. Here he was, claiming ownership to a child he'd never known. It catalyzed a spur of anger of her own.

“A child of yours. And what makes you so sure that it was?”

He paled before her, two deep lines bracketing his mouth as his jaw assumed a grim set.

“Are you saying it wasn't?”

“I'm not saying anything. I never did say anything. That's the point. How the hell did you know about it?”

“Rex told me. He came to work one morning an absolute wreck. He told me that you'd aborted. He never put two and two together. He never suspected it was my baby he was talking about.” Wade brushed his eyes with one hand. “Do you have any idea what that did to me? I'm not a fool. While your father never would have thought to do the math, I knew. I
knew
it was my child he was talking about. The child you never told me about. How could you have done such a thing?”

How could he
believe
she would do such a thing? The question rattled through her mind. She'd loved him. She'd thought he loved her,
understood
her. They'd shared some bitter words when they'd parted but he still had to have known that deep down she would never willingly take a life.