Alpha Billionaire Series

CHARLES

“Swearing in is in two days, could you pay attention?” Nina snapped at me, drawing me back to the present. My mind was lost in a case my former partner was arguing—a divorce settlement where the woman demanded half of everything the man had. I had counseled him on what to do, but the case brought up a sour subject for me.

Since November when Willow left, I had heard nothing from her. I knew she was at her mother’s house because wher I called before Christmas to see how she was doing, Mrs. Suthers told me that she was well, but preferred not to speak to me. It disappointed me and confirmed what I already knew, but it was for the best. Willow would find someone who understood her better and could care for her. I would just find more ways to f**k it up.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Nina had become my advisor as we transitioned from campaigning into prepping for office. I'd never been a senator, but I understood the work needed. She was there solely to get me ready, and if she did well, she'd earn a spot on my staff. “You're unfocused, distracted, you even forgot to eat breakfast.”

“Just mind your own business.” I scowled at her, picking up my coffee and slurping it. It wasn't nearly as good as the coffee Peter and I had together so many times, but it was okay. Peter had worked with me through December, but as the new year approached, he went on to other things, and left me to prove myself in the battlefield.

“This is my business,” Nina chided. “My job is to help you do your job and if you're not doing your job well, I'm failing So, if there is something that you need to tell me then out with it. I need to know everything in order to keep you on track.”

A knock at the door of my office had Nina springing to her feet and darting that direction. I wished I could trade my coffee for whiskey, but it was kind of early in the morning for that.It seems that some sentences in this chapter require you to read the complete chapters on J 0 bni b.c o m in order to avoid an incomplete reading experience. When Peter popped his head in, and Nina squealed in delight, offering a hug, I straightened. When he showed up it wasn't a good thing. “Nina, give us a moment.” Peter said, releasing her from the hug.

She glowered at me. “Alright but get him to straighten up. He's been moody and distracted lately. I need him focused We are moving office in less than a week.” She left the room, shutting the door behind her and I sighed.

“How bad is it?" I asked Peter, leaning back in the chair. The leather computer chair squeaked on its base. It had see! better days. It was one of the items that wouldn't make it out of my law office and into the Dirksen Building.

Peter let out a loud, open-mouthed sigh and sat down across from me, removing his trilby. His shoulders and hat were damp, an indicator that the snow had changed over to rain just like the weatherman said. It meant a messy commute home, but I didn’t want to be home anyway. Home reminded me of Willow, and of how I fucked things up. I had even spent a few extra days at Christmas time staying at my parents’ house to avoid sleeping there in that bed without her.

“Well, it's not good. And before I say anything to you at all, I need you to know that I found out these things within the last 24 hours. So don't go off at me like I'm keeping secrets from you.” Peter rubbed his eyes and sighed, then looked up at me as if he were waiting for me to say something. I was eager to hear what he'd say. I didn’t know what he was waiting for.

“Well, go on.”

“Okay, let me start with this. The reason Willow was at that clinic had nothing to do with abortion. She had an ovarian cyst rupture and they had to take her ovary.” He sighed as if he were telling me something that mattered. Th election was over, and Willow was out of my life now. I just hadn't filed the paperwork to release her from the contract yet.

“You came all the way over here to tell me that?”

“That's not all.” Peter squirmed.

Something was making him very uncomfortable, and I needed to know what it was. He had no obligation to me at all anymore. Once his job as campaign manager was done, he had been free to move on. We were friends, so I fully expected the routine Christmas cards and shit, but a surprise visit this close to swearing wasn’t normal.

“Just fucking tell me what's going on.” I really wished this coffee was alcohol.

“She's pregnant.” He set his hat on his knee and grabbed his jaw, staring at me. I locked eyes with him, unable to fathom what he was saying.

“Who?”

“Charles, don't be stupid.” Peter's expression turned compassionate. “I don’t know how far along, but the tabloids ar going to run a story tomorrow morning. Last week she was seen at a women's clinic and just yesterday she was in Macy's buying maternity pants.”

I shook my head. It couldn't be possible. “If she was pregnant, she would have told me. Maybe she was shopping for someone else. There has to be a simple explanation.”

“And the simplest explanation is that she’s pregnant.” Peter leaned forward, taking a deep breath before starting. “Remember that flight from DC to northern Maryland when we had that rally? She had the doc come on the plane?”

I nodded. “Yeah, she had a stomach bug.”

“Wrong. He prescribed her Diclegis. It's a morning sickness pill” Peter reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a few pieces of paper, sliding them across the table. “My guy found this.”

I picked up the papers, one a photocopy of a prescription for the drug he mentioned, and the other an image. Willow was at some sort of gym or spa doing yoga. Her body bulged around the middle, while she remained toned and fit in every other area. She was showing.

“She's pregnant, Charles, and by the looks of it, she is about six or seven months along.” He sat back, sighing again. * knew you needed to know.”

I shot out of my seat, holding that picture of Willow doing a yoga pose with her belly protruding. I had to go to her, find out why she hadn't said anything. I grabbed my coat and started to put it on when Peter stopped me.

“What do you think you're doing?” He stood, blocking my path to the door. I'd have shoved him out of the way, but h was a better friend to me than I'd been to myself.

“I have to go to her.”

“You can't leave the city, Charles. You're getting sworn in in two days. You can't leave for at least a week, maybe two. You have a duty to the people of Maryland now.” Peter put his hand in the center of my chest and held me back, but pushed my way toward the door.

“Get out of my way, Peter.” I glared at him, my chest pounding. Willow was having my baby. I knew it was my baby. Sh was only with me; there was no one else. I had gotten her pregnant. It was my baby. I needed to be with her.

“l can't let you leave, Charles. Listen, you need to sit down and think this through. What good will rushing off to her side do you? She left because she was angry. You need a plan before you jump into this. And you need to think abou your career.”

I could have slugged him. “I need you to move.”

“No, you need to listen to me.” He pressed on my chest, and I took a deep breath, letting my shoulders relax. I wasn't about to start a fight with him. “She will still be pregnant in a few weeks. I'll make the arrangements. We'll have a car drive you out there, find you a nice hotel. You can make it a week-long trip and have a relaxing time. If you rush off right now people are going to question things. Okay? Just trust me.”

I scowled, turning to the window and staring out at the gloomy sky. I pressed my palm against my forehead. Willow hadn't told me she was pregnant at all. I was hurt, but I was also worried about her. I had hurt her pretty badly, and instead of telling me this, she kept it a secret. Back in the day the only thing she kept from me was the thing she was most ashamed of, her grades.

“Fuck, Peter. How did this happen? Why didn’t she tell me?” Everything inside of me screamed to go after her. “Women do stupid things when they feel hurt, okay?”

“Do you think I f****d up?” I couldn't look him in the eye. I was so angry with myself.

“I think you both have a lot of talking to do. You two didn’t fool anyone. You were totally in love the entire time, Charles. I knew that from the minute we sat in her apartment and you two bickered about the marriage contract.”

I shook my head. It was obvious to everyone but me and her.

“Trust me, okay? Just stay here. Let's get through swearing in and then we'll head out there. You can say your piece. I she won't accept you, then we can come back and focus on the career.”

“We?” I turned to face him. “You are a campaign manager.”

“And for now, I'm a friend. So, sit down and let me worry about the details. You focus on being prepared for the shift okay?”

I couldn't sit down, but I nodded. Willow had a lot of explaining to do, and I felt like half of that was my fault.