The Bosses Billionaire Baby 2 (Billionaire, BWWM, Interracial, Romance) (2 page)

Selena’s good fortune seemed to grow, and in the space of three weeks, she had sold three houses—three times as much as she had sold in as many months. She had been living off her meager stipend of a salary. That and Ethan’s treats. But the treats seemed to have taken a downward turn at the very moment that her salary had started to climb. She watched him from her desk as he came and went, and he never gave her more than a passing wink or a slight glance. And she figured he did so, because it would look too obvious to do anything differently. Meanwhile, she had missed another period, and though she hadn’t gone to the doctor for confirmation, she had no doubt she was with child. And she didn’t intend to walk that road alone.

“Ethan, we need to talk,” she said one day as she walked into his office and closed the door behind her.

“Oh, so now you call me Ethan...here,” he said, hoping she would catch his meaning.

“Mr. Bloomfield,” she replied softly to correct herself.

“That’s not necessary Selena,” he said as he shoved some papers aside. “How can I help?” He asked.

Selena looked down at her stomach, which by her calculations would make her six weeks pregnant, and then back at him. “You are really going to ask me that? You barely speak to me since we left the restaurant, not a phone call asking how I’m doing, or about the baby...”

“Keep your voice down,” he said through gritted teeth. “Have you been to the doctor?”

“I haven’t,” she replied. “But I’m not an idiot; I know my body.”

“Well until I get official confirmation from an actual doctor, I have nothing further to discuss on the matter.”

Selena slowly walked over to him and reached down and grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. “You look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t believe I am carrying your child. Do you think I wanted this?” She almost screamed.

Ethan pulled his hand back as if he had been burnt. “You shouldn’t have gotten yourself pregnant.”

“
I
shouldn’t have gotten pregnant? You have no part in this?” She asked him.

“I thought you were protected,” he admitted, or lied. Either way, he was laying most of the blame, if not all, at her feet.

“Behind all the money and the glory and the fancy cars and flashy lifestyle, you are just as low as they come. I don’t know what I ever saw in you Ethan Bloomfield,” she said as she stormed out. She tried as hard as she could to keep a straight face, knowing full well she was being observed. She was and had never been one of the gawking females in the office, but it now struck them as odd that she was as civil to him of late as ever before. This led to a growing suspicion that something was going on between them, and everyone was curious as to what.

“What?!” She barked as she saw one of the women obviously staring her over. The woman held her head down instantly in shame at being caught red handed and begun shuffling papers around on her desk. “He is my boss too, and people here actually work.”

It would have been best that she hadn’t commented, for she now set herself up for a fall when her pregnancy was discovered. She returned to her desk and absent-mindedly held the mouse as she watched the cursor dance across the screen, settling on anything and everything at once. Her mind was a bevy of activities, and even though she hadn’t meant to get pregnant, she wouldn’t have expected his reaction to be one of indifference. He was downright cold with her now, and she wasn’t sure if she should attribute it to fright or to his old personality taking the lead.

She staring so intensely at the screen that she didn’t feel the nausea rising until it was about to spill over into liquid form. She sucked in her breath and slowly got up. She tried as hard as she could to not give away her current dilemma as she moved swiftly passed the rows of desk and entered the lobby area that would take her to the restroom.  No sooner had she closed the door behind her when the wave hit her again, and she darted over to the face basin as she hurled. A few bursts later, and she felt as if she had just committed oral abortion, for the fetus must be lying in there somewhere.

She remained bent over, her eyes closed, hoping the feeling would pass before someone entered. She rinsed her mouth and slapped some life into her pale looking cheeks now, for as dark as she was, the evidence of her green face was still visible. She stood up, straightened her clothes, wiped her hand across her face once more, and when she felt she was decent enough, she turned the handle on the knob. In burst Megan, her eyes darting all around the room for evidence of something it would seem.

“Where is he?” She asked.

Selena looked around now for her intended meaning. “Who? And why would a ‘he’ be in here?” Then she looked at the girl, and her meaning became clear. She folded her arms and leaned against the door jam. “Really, Megan? Mr. Bloomfield in here with me?” Selena rolled her eyes and walked out leaving the confused girl behind. And she followed her directly to her desk.

“I saw you get up, and then he left the office, and I didn’t see either of you return. So I figured you were smooching somewhere.”

“And you wanted proof of it?” Selena quizzed.

Megan opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. For once. She had not thought that all the way through. So, say she did go in and discover Selena and Ethan together, then what? She realized she had been defeated, so she stood up and got ready to leave. “I’m watching you,” she said. She stepped off and then paused. “And what was that horrid smell in the restroom?” She turned to face Selena once more.

Selena’s heart rate quickened as she realized she must have left the evidence of her pregnancy lingering in the air. But she was as quick witted as she was beautiful. “Beats me; it was like that when I went in too,” she said with a smile. “Is the interrogation complete?”

Megan simply walked off, but it only left Selena all the more perturbed. In a month, she could hide this baby no longer, and with her inability to make as much money as she needs and Megan constantly watching her, and Ethan denying the existence of the child, Selena’s head began to spin. She felt flushed, and in that moment, she actively contemplated abortion for the first time.

As the week rolled on, Ethan seemed to have resumed his normal habits, and each day, Selena would see one woman after another traipsing into his office, on his arm and all over him. He didn’t pay much attention to Selena and acted as if she wasn’t sitting right there observing everything. After all, she had known it was never going to be serious with them, and it was
her
fault for getting knocked up. So he would carry on with his life like he used to, back when everything was simple and there were no strings attached; except for the ones he led his women around on.

Selena grew sick just watching him, and she determined to spend most of her time away from the office so she wouldn’t have to encounter his womanizing ways. How foolish she had been to take his ‘kindness’ for actual affections for her. How ridiculous to think that by opening up himself to her, telling her about his past, meant he was inviting her into his heart. She slammed down hard on the steering wheel, and the horn blared, but she didn’t seem to notice until she saw other motorists waving at her to release it.

She did, and was just about to drive off when she saw him walking towards her car. She froze, and as with every other moment, he seemed like her knight in shining armor who was about to rescue her from the dragon of despair that had risen to prominence inside her body tower. But just before he got to her, she saw a tiny blonde girl chasing after him, and, oblivious to her being there, he stopped and the woman dashed into his arms. He hugged her around the waist and planted a kiss on her forehead. The act seemed so loving, but Selena knew it meant nothing. It was all a trick to get his way, and she had so long avoided him, she could hardly believe she had been the most foolish of them all. For she now carried his child, which none of them did. Or maybe they had had the common sense of getting rid of him from inside their bodies rather than prolonging the inevitable, for that was a life of misery and less love from the promised suitors who were bound to show up after him. So angry was she at the sight that she gunned the car, and it bore down on them deliberately. Ethan saw it before it got to him and swiftly tossed the woman out of the way before dancing aside. He watched in awe as Selena careened out of the parking lot and onto the busy street.

Did she mean to run him over? He wasn’t entirely sure, and it was then that he got a slight glimpse of her emotions and how she must have felt watching him just now. But he hadn’t known she was there or else... or else what? Maybe he would have done it anyway. His earlier plans of a tryst with the blonde beauty next to him were forgotten, and he brushed her off gently. She was disappointed, but he knew he couldn’t be with her again. At least not now.

He returned to his office and closed the door behind him. He sank into his huge leather chair and closed his eyes as it reclined, flexing to his body and offering him much needed comfort. He had tried to deny Selena’s alleged pregnancy, but he knew it was just a delay tactic. She had to be pregnant, but he was confused, and he wasn’t sure what to do now. He didn’t want this life, and he had already married an ogre who was now threatening to take away his business. One whiff of him having impregnated someone, and it could blow a hole in his defense. She could take his company, and he would be left with nothing but Selena and a baby. That couldn’t happen, and he was at a loss as to which road to take that would satisfy all. If ever there was one.

Just then there was a rap at the door. “Come in,” he said as he resumed a more professional countenance.

Megan walked in, and she looked behind her to determine if she was being noticed, and then closed the door. Shoot! Ethan sat upright now, his elbows resting on the desk as he observed her. “It’s been a while Mr. Bloomfield,” she said seductively as she came over to him and sat on the desk. Her hips brushed against his hand as she sat there staring at him. “I am not like her,” she resumed. “I don’t care about anyone else, or anything else but you and me, right now,” she continued as she took his hand and slid it inside her skirt.

She closed her eyes and moaned as she felt his touch and the heat it brought. All the while, Ethan just sat there looking at her. She was beautiful, in a common sort of way, and he often used her to satisfy his needs because she was the easiest. She didn’t want anything from him but pleasure, so he often indulged her. But that was before Selena.

He said nothing, did nothing, as she got up and pushed his chair back. He remained still and silent as she deftly unbuckled his belt and fly his zipper. His mouth opened, but no words came out as she held him in her hand, and as she did, he could feel the tension rising below. He hardened quickly, and in the moment, he forgot about Selena, and the baby, and Eva taking his company, and focused entirely on Megan’s warm lips as they covered him and replaced all bad thoughts with sweet rapturous ones.

Selena was not her normal self after that moment when she witnessed how cold and unthinking Ethan was. She withdrew from the world it would seem, and locked herself away from her friends, until they had to stage an intervention. They turned up at her house the following Saturday like the cavalry, not intent on leaving until they were made aware of the reason for their friend’s sudden withdrawal.

“Selena!” Melanie screamed as she pounded on the door. “You better open up this door, because I know you are in there. Selena!” She shouted, upsetting the other neighbors as she did. “What?! She shouted at the woman who had just stuck her head around the door to determine the source of the noise.

“I beg your pardon, miss, but it is eight in the morning. Can’t you be a bit quieter than that?” She asked.

“Lady, just get back inside,” was all she said to the woman before she began pounding again.

“Let’s try this,” Krystal said as she dug around in her bag and procured a key to the door.

“You had that all along?” She asked her.

“I forgot; I rarely have need for it, and right now you are going to get us arrested for public nuisance.” Krystal inserted the key into the lock, and the door clicked. She pushed on it, and it fell open. They walked inside, much to the appreciation of the other neighbors who had stared grumbling too.

“Selena!” Melanie said as she resumed her raucous shouting. But she didn’t wait for an answer this time. “Woman, get your ass out the bed,” she said as she found her all wrapped up in the bedroom.

“Leave me alone,” Selena said as she tried to pull the covers over her head again.

“For once, I am in agreement with Melanie. You can’t stay in bed any longer. Where have you been? I’ve been calling you since yesterday.”

Selena realized she was defeated, so she swung her legs over the bed and went into the bathroom. “I’m not feeling well.”

“Is it Ethan?” Melanie asked, getting straight to the point once more. There was no answer. Selena came to the door of the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth. She pointed at it as the reason she couldn’t answer. Then she disappeared again, and the girls retreated to the living area to await her.

Selena knew she could no longer keep her secret hidden, not from the prying eyes of Melanie or the discerning ears of Krystal. Together, they acted as her conscience and her rationale, the very things she could use less of now. She took more time than she needed getting ready, making the bed, and arranging things on her vanity chest.

“Do you plan to get out of there anytime today? If you want, we can do this in here too,” Melanie said. “And don’t try to find another excuse for not coming out here; we already brought breakfast, and we made coffee.” She stood there looking blankly at Selena, until she followed her as if by some divine power compelling her.

But it was then that Selena realized her mistake. She should have gotten out of bed sooner because then she would have escaped them witnessing the nausea she now felt rising within her, but she hadn’t suspected they would be coming over this soon either. She sucked in some deep breaths and held her stomach as she tried to calm it at will. It would seem her will was not as strong as her might, for no sooner had she started breathing again, her hands flew to her mouth, and she rushed to the bathroom. They both jumped up and chased after her, frightened by what they realized were true words she had spoken before; she was not well.

They both watched as she hurled into the toilet bowl, and if there ever was a time when Selena felt like disappearing, it was then. When the feeling abated, she cocked her head to the side and caught the two pairs of eyes trained on her. “Sick, huh?” was all Melanie said before she walked off.

Krystal said nothing at first, and then she went over to Selena and helped her off the ground. She rummaged in the medicine cabinet for Kleenex and handed the box to Selena. Then she fetched some disinfectant from under the sink and used it to wipe down the bowl after she had flushed away Selena’s too obvious evidence. When the place was decent enough again and Selena seemed more like herself, Krystal walked back to the living room. The silence was deafening as Selena joined them.

“How did that happen?” Melanie was the first to speak.

“It wasn’t planned,” Selena defended. “I was careless, OK?” she said as she plopped down on the sofa. “Now I don’t know what to do.”

“You have to quit,” Melanie said.

“No, she doesn’t,” Krystal said. “Why should she suffer for it? He already has the money. He can quit,” she pouted.

“And what did the father-to-be have to say?” Melanie now asked Selena directly.

Selena was quiet for too long. “He hasn’t said much to me since,” she admitted. “And he is carrying on as before like I don’t exist, and he doesn’t want me in the way.”

“Get rid of it,” Melanie advised.

“No!” Krystal shouted. “She is not getting rid of it. That’s a living breathing baby we are talking about. Selena, please tell me you haven’t thought of that. How far along are you?”

“I’m not sure; about seven weeks. And I have thought about it.”

“About seven weeks? You mean you haven’t gone to the doctor as yet?” Melanie asked.

“What’s the point? She is only going to tell me what I already know,” Selena said. “What she cannot tell me is why Ethan is acting like none of this is happening.”

“I knew there was something foul about that man,” Melanie said as she slammed her fist into her other palm and gritted her teeth. “I told you not to trust him; that he doesn’t want a thing from anyone.”

“Mel, this really isn’t the time for this,” Krystal coached. “She is feeling bad enough already.”

Melanie got up and walked around the room to blow off steam, and every now and again they could hear her whispering, “I’m gonna kill him,” even as her brows knitted and her stance remained tense. Every once in a while, Selena and Krystal looked over at her with concern, knowing all too well the temper she possessed. It would be wise for Ethan to stay out of her way now.

“So, what are we going to do now, Selena?” Krystal asked in a gentle voice.

“We?” Selena asked. “There is no ‘we’, just me,” she said as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. “I was careless enough to do this, and now this is my reward,” she said as she pointed to her stomach.

“No, you have us,” she said as she pointed at herself and then at Melanie. “Although I think right now you only have one and a half friend,” she corrected herself when she looked over at Melanie still stewing and walking around. Selena couldn’t help but laugh.

“Mel, get your ass over here before you wear out my flooring,” she giggled. “This is not your problem.”

“But I saw it coming, and you wouldn’t listen,” she threw at her.

“I know, and I am sorry, very sorry for that now. But it is too late to cast blame and what not. Right now, I need to decide what to do.”

“You are still in the first trimester; abortion is still possible,” she shot back.

“No,” Krystal said again.

Selena looked over at Krystal. “Maybe it is what would be best. I don’t want to raise a baby alone,” Selena said as a single tear fell from her eye.

“You are not alone,” Krystal told her as she pulled closer and hugged Selena.

“You are my friend Krystal, not the father of my child. It is his support I’d need most.”

For a while, nothing was said among them as they all thought about the weight of the decision that now rested on Selena’s shoulders. “Having a baby like this now will only damage my chances at advancing in my career. I still need to go back to school, and I won’t be able to afford that as a single mother. I don’t want to do this Krystal, but what choice do I have?”

“Would you like for me to go to him?” Krystal asked. “Maybe he will listen to the voice of reason then.”

“No, let me,” Melanie growled.

They both looked over at the mad black woman standing close to them. “Are you crazy, Mel?” Krystal asked. “I want to talk to him; you want to kill him. That wouldn’t help Selena now.”

“So disgusting how these men just walk in and feel they can take advantage of a woman and then walk right back out leaving her to suffer all the consequences. Man, if I get my hands on him, I swear, someone will have to call the police, when I get my hands wrapped around that rich white neck, and he is kicking his legs as I squeeze the life...”

“Okay, okay,” Selena said as she realized Melanie was getting sucked into the darkness she had fought so hard to get out of. Melanie had gotten into a lot of trouble before because of her temper and was forced by a court order to attend rehab sessions for her anger. “Don’t go there Melanie; he isn’t worth another trip to rehab.”

She breathed hard and walked around the room some more as she tried to calm down. When they were sure she was doing better, they resumed their talking. “Okay, so first things first,” Krystal began. “We need to get you to a doctor tomorrow to confirm that you are indeed pregnant, how far along you are, and if mother and baby are doing alright physically.”

“Okay,” Selena agreed. She had dreaded their finding out, but now that they had, she could breathe freer. “I’ll go tomorrow.”

“I have a session in the morning,” Krystal told her. “I’d love to come with you, but I can’t,” she said regretfully.

“I’ll go with her,” Melanie offered.

“Are you sure?” Krystal asked defensively.

“What do you think I’m gonna do?”  Melanie shot back.

“It’s okay, I’ll go with Mel,” Selena said with a smile.

“Thank you, Selena,” she replied. “Damn white girl,” she mouthed after Krystal who stuck her tongue out at her.

“You two are so silly I don’t know how we have been friends for this long,” Selena added.

“You,” they both responded at Selena. Then they looked at each other, and they all began laughing.

When they left, Selena wasn’t surer of what she was going to do about the baby, but she was at least grateful for the support she had in her friends. And that night, for the first time in days, she slept.