Meow Or Never: BBW SEAL Shifter Surprise Pregnancy Romance (Chicago Catastrophe) (7 page)

“We just got someone new. I’ve seen her in court. She’s good,” Culliver answered.

Troy could have sworn he saw something resembling a smile on the man’s face, even if just for a second.

Well, look at that. He is capable of emotion after all.

“Call her in then. We need this to go away.”

“Sure thing,” Culliver said, already fishing his phone out of his pocket and heading to the door.

As the door closed, Troy sat back in his chair, feeling smug. This was the fastest anyone had ever been promoted to lieutenant in the Crimson Claws. His lion was practically preening with pride. Not that it would matter in the long run.

Only gets me closer to where I’m going,
Troy mused, kicking his legs on the table and finally taking out his phone to call in what had happened to the big guys upstairs.

In retrospect, Troy should have known life was getting ready to throw a cold bucket of water on him.

When things seem to be too good to be true, they usually are anything but that.

I
knew
I shouldn’t have come in
, Hailey thought as she sprinted to the office bathroom, hand over her mouth.

She had been feeling off when she first woke, but attributed it to residual effects from that sushi she had for lunch the other day. And the fact she had spent most of the night peeking out her window and checking the locks on all her doors and windows, expecting Culliver to show up at any minute, demanding to take her to Olive Garden to profess his endless affection for her.

That could make any woman sick to their stomach.

Spewing up her breakfast wasn’t exactly how she’d wanted to start the workday, but not much was going her way lately, so why not add some more misery to the situation. She rinsed her mouth and splashed some cold water on her face and started to feel a little better.

Laura and Olivia, another one of her coworkers, were standing outside her private bathroom when she got out. They both looked concerned, sharing knowing glances with one another.

The damn glass walls of her office didn’t really do much to hide the fact that she’d run into the bathroom three times in the last hour.

“Are you alright?” Olivia asked, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

“I must still be feeling that damn sushi,” Hailey sighed, getting back to her desk.

The women followed, not giving up that easily.

“Bill from accounting also had sushi and he was fine,” Laura remarked as Hailey sat down.

“I guess I have a more sensitive stomach, then.”

Hailey shrugged, rummaging around in her purse for some gum, wanting nothing more than to put the whole thing out of her mind.

“Either that or you’re pregnant,” Olivia joked, earning a nervous little laugh from Laura.

“She
has
been getting flowers from some secret guy,” Laura added.

“If flowers got you pregnant, I would definitely be in trouble,” Hailey said, going along with their banter and trying to ignore the look Laura gave her.

Without even knowing it, the receptionist might have been on to something. A small sliver of panic went through her. Getting carried away with wild passion, she and Troy hadn’t used a condom. He pulled out, but Hailey wasn’t stupid enough to think that was a foolproof method of birth control.

But I’m on the pill…

She groaned inwardly, thinking about all the times she’d heard about someone getting pregnant despite using contraceptives. The truth was, with everything else going on in her life, Hailey had conveniently ignored the fact that she had unprotected sex with a stranger.

Well, not a stranger anymore, not really, but the point remained.

But I wouldn’t be getting morning sickness this early on, would I?

She couldn’t just bury her head in the sand. She had to make sure.

“I think I should go home, just in case. Maybe it really isn’t food poisoning. It could be a stomach bug and I don’t want to infect the whole office,” Hailey reasoned, suddenly anxious to get away.

Olivia took a tentative step back while Laura was already handing her her jacket.

“Of course you should go home, you need to take care of yourself. You’ve been working yourself ragged these past few weeks,” the receptionist admonished.

Hailey gave the woman a small smile while shoving her laptop in her purse.

“A nice long nap and I’ll probably be good as new.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll let Forrest know you weren’t feeling well,” Laura added, patting her on the shoulder as Hailey closed the office door behind her.

“Yeah, that’ll really make him glad. Not like billable hours aren’t a priority, right?” Hailey said with a sigh.

But she stopped herself with continuing on that train of thought. It was far too easy to guilt-trip herself into another fourteen-hour workday like that. Instead, she put on her jacket, threw her purse over her shoulder and started for the door.

“Get well soon!” Olivia called out, still keeping her distance.

Hailey walked to the first floor of her office building, a tight bundle of nerves. What would she do if she actually was pregnant?

Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,
she tried to calm herself.
But my breasts did feel a bit tender this morning
, she remembered, managing to freak herself out again just like that.

Hailey craned her neck and peeked out from the windows on the front doors of the building, scanning the surroundings for Culliver and getting a few odd looks in the process. She sighed with relief as the coast seemed to be clear.

You have to look both ways before crossing or you might get hit… on.

Still, her walk to the car was rushed. She wouldn’t put it past Culliver to jump out of a nearby bush or roll out from under her car. Despite the fact that she knew him to be a ruthless mobster, he was taking on the role of a cartoon villain in her head. If it wasn’t a sign that she was trying to force herself to put the man out of her mind, she didn’t know what was.

Luckily, there were no surprises this time. Hailey got in her car without incident and drove off, sights set on the nearest pharmacy.

It only took about twenty minutes of finger-drummingly nervous driving until she pulled up to a Rite Aid. Hailey sat in the car for another five minutes, frozen. She had always wanted a family of her own, but this wasn’t exactly the way she’d imagined it happening.

She barely knew Troy. She liked him, sure, but that wasn’t nearly enough to have a baby with someone. Their chemistry was off the charts, but they could be totally incompatible in all other areas of life.

Would he even be okay with being a father? Could she even tell him?

Okay, stop putting the pregnant horse before the cart and go buy the damn test!

Hailey got out of the car, telling herself she was a strong, successful woman and could handle anything life threw at her. She repeated it almost enough times to actually start believing it. A few months ago, before everything had happened with the Crimson Claws and her parents, she wouldn’t have had to assure herself of something she already knew. Now? Well, things were different.

Skulking through the pharmacy’s maze of shelves, she finally got to the pregnancy tests. She grabbed three, just in case, and paid hurriedly. The cashier smiled at her as she rung her up, and something inside Hailey made her smile back.

Grabbing her bag of possibly life-changing urine strips, Hailey left the pharmacy, feeling like she was stuck in someone else’s dream. She got back in her car, all ready to spend her day off peeing on sticks, but her ringing phone indicated that was not in the cards.

Hailey didn’t recognize the number, which concerned her some.

“Hello, Hailey,”
Culliver’s voice said, and she almost hung up then and there.

“What do you want?” she sighed, too exhausted and worn down to even get properly angry at him calling her at her private number.

“We have another case for you. You need to come in immediately.”

“Riiight,” Hailey drew out. “And where would I be meeting you? At your apartment perhaps? Or a nice romantic restaurant?” she demanded, more than a little suspicious.

“We’ll be meeting at the Twin Rivers Casino and you’ll speak with the new boss,”
Culliver explained.

I don’t suppose the old one just retired and is playing mini-golf in Hawaii,
Hailey wondered grimly.

She grew silent. The casino would be a public place and it wasn’t like she could tell him to fuck off, no matter how much she wanted to. The Crimson Claws still owned her. She wasn’t even done with the case she was handling for them now before another one had popped up, just like she’d expected.

“On my way,” she finally responded, defeated, before hanging up.

Her nausea was almost gone thankfully and Hailey only hoped seeing Culliver’s face wouldn’t make it come back with a vengeance. She started her car and headed in the direction of the casino, knowing where it was because she’d been there previously with a couple of her friends.

That was before rumors started swirling in the lawyer circles that a lot more than gambling went on at the Twin Rivers.

Hailey used the thirty-minute drive over there to try and calm her nerves. It seemed too much was going on at once. She found herself thinking of Troy, and not just because he could have possibly knocked her up, though that didn’t help.

There was something about the man that Hailey found all too appealing. The more stressed out she got, the more she wished she was back in his arms. The rest of the world seemed to melt away when they were together, and Hailey could use a break from reality right about now.

More than anything, she was sad she hadn’t managed to see him again since their dinner date. They both seemed to be too busy for anything resembling a real relationship, which really didn’t surprise her that much, just made her a little bit sad. Being wrapped up in his embrace when the world was going to hell around them would have been… well, nice.

She pulled up to the casino and tried putting Troy out of her mind. She had to get through this meeting first, then she could think about her possible pregnancy and how to discuss it with Troy.

Getting out of her car, she cautiously approached the casino. There was noise coming from inside and the round windows of the doors showed waitresses and security guards milling around inside.

That calmed her down a bit. At least there would be witnesses if Culliver tried to beat her into submission with a bunch of roses, or a gun to her temple.

She stepped inside, blowing out a breath in the process. Looking around, she caught the attention of one of the security guys, who then said something into his radio before approaching her. His arm was in a sling and he looked like he’d been through a meat grinder lately.

“This way, Miss Molloy,” the squat, bald man said, gesturing towards the back of the casino.

Hailey hesitated before following him. She was in way over her head, that much was painfully clear.

I could turn around and run away,
a desperate part of her offered.

But she knew that wasn’t an option. This is where she’d end up, either way. There was no way of escaping the Crimson Claws in Chicago and she couldn’t protect her family without some serious help. She had no proof of the Claws’ coercion, and even if she did, she knew she couldn’t trust the cops in this town.

The guard led her to a door far away from the main floor and opened it. Hailey stepped inside, bracing herself. Culliver was already there, talking to someone sitting at the desk near the room’s back wall. The chair was turned so she couldn’t see who it was, though.

That must be the new boss.

The room was tastefully decorated, save for a big red splotch in the middle of the carpet. All dark colors and understated signs of dominance. It looked exactly like a mob boss’ office should, now that she thought about it. Right down to the blood-soaked floors.

After a moment, the chair swiveled. The man looked up and their eyes met. Hailey felt the world tilt under her feet as she recognized him instantly.

Troy,
her brain repeated, stunned.

She thought she was going to faint, but nothing happened. Nothing changed, except for everything.

What a fool I’ve been.

F
or a second
, Troy looked genuinely shocked to see her.

Why would he be surprised? He must have known who I was when he approached me at the club. This is just some sick game to him,
Hailey thought, disgusted.

Bile rose again in her throat and this time she knew it had nothing to do with food poisoning or morning sickness. It was simple revulsion.

Troy gathered himself quickly, standing and addressing her in a very business-like manner.

“You must be Miss Molloy,” he said, walking around the desk to come to a stop in front of her.

What the hell is going on here?

She opened her mouth to respond, but couldn’t say a word.

It seemed he didn’t want to let on he knew her. Hailey hesitated, not sure if she should play along or not.

The whole situation was made even more awkward by Culliver making eyes at her from the corner of the room. There were two other guys with him, looking at Hailey curiously.

If Troy just took over for the last guy, he might not have known who I was when we met,
that same desperate part of her brain offered.

The possibility that he hadn’t sought her out at the club just to mess with her was a small relief, but it didn’t change anything. He was a part of something that represented everything Hailey hated.

There were no candle-lit dinners in their future.

If Troy was in charge now, that meant her parents’ lives were in his hands, though. So if Troy wanted to pretend they didn’t know each other, it was in her best interest to act the same. All she wanted to do was smack him, punch him, scream at him for leading her on to think that he was a good guy. Instead, she put on a cardboard smile and nodded.

“Yes, and you are?” she replied stiffly.

“I’m Troy Sellen, you’ll be answering to me now,” he said, eyes glued to her face.

He didn’t lie about his name, at least,
Hailey thought sourly.

She crossed her arms and gave the man a withering look.

“Is that so?”

Troy took a step back and addressed the room.

“Can you give us a moment?”

Everyone filed out dutifully. He had a presence about him, that much was clear. Culliver lingered a moment too long, but an arched brow from Troy made him scatter.

As soon as the door closed, Troy rushed to her side, speaking in intense, hushed tones, his hands on her arms. She shook them off immediately, hating the fact that she felt that same comfortable heat in her that she had before when he was close. It was all a lie.

“Hailey! I had no idea
you
were our lawyer.”

She barely heard what he was saying.

“I can’t believe this. I went on a date with the man who’s holding my parents’ lives in his hands. I always knew I had the worst taste in guys.”

She started pacing the room, feeling like she was starting to lose it. Troy looked like he had been slapped in the face. Served him right for punching her in the gut like this.

I could be carrying this man’s baby!
her thoughts oh so helpfully reminded her.

She buried her face in her hands, starting to hyperventilate as she leaned against a wall.

Troy gently grabbed hold of her shoulders and guided her to a small sofa. She tried to brush him off again but couldn’t find the energy. Her treacherous body responded to his touch way too eagerly.

“Please, try to calm down,” he whispered, leaving her there for a second.

He returned to hand her a glass of water and to take a seat on the arm of the chair.

Hailey gulped it down, even though she wasn’t thirsty. Her hands were shaking.

“Calm down? Why don’t you tell me what’s going on here, and I’ll take it into consideration then,” she spat, scorn dripping from every word.

Troy ran a hand down his neck, looking torn. He seemed a little worn at the edges, like he’d been through a lot lately.

None of your concern!
Hailey reminded herself sternly.

He wasn’t due any pity from her.

“I took over from the previous lieutenant. I don’t know anything about your parents. Whatever deal Dempsy had with you, I wasn’t a part of it.”

“There was no deal. He told me I either take your cases or something bad was going to happen to my mom and dad. And it wasn’t like your people left them alone before, they’re already paying you protection money.”

Hailey was trying hard not to raise her voice. Claiming that she was ‘told’ to take the job was really underselling what the Crimson Claws had used against her, but she couldn’t bring herself to talk too much about it. Troy had been nothing but charming thus far, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t just like all the other bastards in the organization.

If she crossed him, her parents could be left paying the price. It sent chills down her back, the thought that she’d shared a bed with a man like that. A man who had no qualms about ruining the lives of innocent, defenseless people.

And he could be the father of my child…

“I’m sorry for all that’s happened to you and your family,” Troy said, kneeling down and taking her hands in his.

Hailey pulled them away, appalled he would even think it was okay to touch her. But in some deep, dumb part of her, she felt momentarily comforted by the contact.

He is not the funny, considerate, sexy man that took you to dinner. He is the mobster that makes people’s lives hell through threats and extortion!
“If you’re so sorry, does that mean I’m done getting your goons out of jail?” she demanded.

Troy got up, something unnamed flitting across his face. His voice held an edge when he spoke.

“If I say yes, I’ll never see you again.”

“A girl can hope,” Hailey shot back.

Adrenaline pumped through her, mixing with rage. She really didn’t want anything to do with him. Then why did she feel she was trying to convince herself of that fact instead of Troy?

His gaze hardened. Those blue eyes she’d thought inviting before took on an edge to them.

“Then no. You are still our lawyer. Your arrangement with Dempsy stands.”

Hailey shot up from her seat, barely controlling her anger.

“Then your apology doesn’t really mean much, does it?” she hissed, her nails digging painfully into her palms.

Troy let out a frustrated sigh.

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s not a reason, that’s an excuse,” Hailey replied.

He paused, looking like he was searching for words.

More lies to tell me?

“I know you must hate me right now, but is there any way you could give me the benefit of the doubt? Everything isn’t as cut and dry as it might seem to you.”

Hailey wanted to believe him, to think there was an explanation for everything, but she couldn’t think of a scenario where Troy didn’t represent everything she despised. She didn’t want to keep arguing. Looking at his face made her feel too many things, with a large portion of them being far more sentimental than she would have liked.

“Just drop it and tell me why I’m here,” she said, looking away.

Troy glanced at the door and then at her before sighing deeply. It was accompanied by something resembling a growl, and suddenly it hit her.

Holy shit, he’s a shifter too!

It was a palm-to-the-forehead kind of moment. Everyone in the Crimson Claws was a shifter, she knew that. But the shock of seeing Troy here had robbed her of her common sense.

A new swirl of trepidation started in her stomach. She didn’t know a lot about shifters but she did remember hearing that carrying a shifter baby was different from a usual pregnancy. Everything happened faster, with the term being significantly shorter than nine months.

While shifters were clearly ‘out’ in the world, they still kept to themselves and didn’t take kindly to people knowing too much about them. As such, the general public really didn’t get much more than the occasional sensationalized article about them here and there.

That could explain why I’m already nauseous…

She could feel the color draining from her face. Fortunately, it looked like Troy was done arguing and was ready to get down to business, as distracted as she was. Hailey couldn’t wait to get home and know for sure if she was carrying a criminal’s baby.

When exactly did my life turn into a daytime drama?

“Snake Rogers was stopped earlier today during a traffic stop. The cops found a bloody knife in his car and he’s been taken into custody,” Troy explained, his features tensing.

“What do you mean ‘found’?” Hailey started before stopping herself and closing her eyes for a moment.

She held up her hand.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ll get on it.”

Like the good little lapdog I am
, she added bitterly in her mind.

“I would like to go over what your next move is with you. My boss has been very adamant about us keeping out of the public eye lately,” Troy said, getting back behind his desk.

He was falling into his position as a crime lord so easily that Hailey began to wonder if that time she’d spent with him hadn’t been a cruel dream of some sort.

But dreams couldn’t get a woman pregnant, now could they?

“Actually, I was on my way home when Culliver called. Can it wait until tomorrow?” Hailey answered, trying to keep her voice even.

“Home? Culliver said you were working today,” Troy questioned, frowning.

Isn’t that sweet. They know my every move, my two twisted fan boys.

“I’m not feeling well. Bad sushi,” Hailey answered curtly.

“Are you alright? I can have someone drive you…” Troy started, but Hailey cut him off.

“Nothing about my life is your business. I’ll do the work because I have no choice, but our interactions will be professional, and kept to a minimum.”

Hailey could see his face fall and for a second, she almost felt bad for Troy. It didn’t last for long and Troy’s expression hardened as well.

“We can discuss the case at a later time. Preferably not in person or through someone who isn’t you. Right now, I’d like to leave,” she continued coldly.

Troy didn’t look at her, busying himself with some papers on his desk.

“You are free to go,” was all he said, his tone dismissive.

Hailey stomped out the door, practically slamming into the same beat-up guy standing guard behind it.

“Get out of my way,” she hissed, and to her surprise, he actually took a step back.

Either she was more convincing than she thought she was, or someone had put the fear of god in that guy recently. By the way he glanced at the office, she was guessing the latter.

Hailey rushed through the casino and into her car in a haze of confusion and anger, slamming her hands against the wheel after she got in. She felt like she was losing control over her own life. Now, even the excitement of a potential new relationship was ripped away from her.

I should have known something like this would happen.

She drove home, holding back tears.

Arriving at her apartment, she took the elevator up and took great care in locking her door behind her. Troy knew where she lived. It didn’t speak in his favor anymore. Her heart started to pound as she got out her pharmacy bag and headed into the bathroom, her head empty of thought.

She used one of the tests and set it carefully on the counter, staring at the little windows. Two pink strips slowly emerged and Hailey grabbed the instruction manual, even though she already knew what it meant.

Maybe this test is different,
she thought, mind racing.

There’d been enough bad news that day. Being pregnant with a mobster’s child would definitely rank among those.

Comparing the pictures in the manual and the test sitting beside her sink, there was only one conclusion.

Yup, I’m definitely pregnant alright.

Another thought popped into her head straight after that one, along with a sinking feeling in her gut.

Troy can never know.