“Your manners are as shitty as your ability to lie.” He slammed the rest of his drink, then banged the glass on the table, making me jump. He took his wallet out and tossed a twenty on the table, which only left me with less than a dollar tip after that finger of scotch. Asshole. “Clean up your tables. I’ll be waiting outside for you.”
My eyes almost popped out of my head. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He bared his teeth, his calm facade slipping. “You’ll do as you’re told. Otherwise, I’ll make a fucking scene and get you fired.”
With that, he stood, getting right in my personal space. I stumbled a step backward, making him chuckle before he turned and went for the exit.
I let out a heavy breath, closing my eyes for a second. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be here ruining everything I’d worked toward.
A warm hand touched my elbow, causing my eyes to snap open.
Vicki stood in front of me, her eyebrows reaching for her hairline. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Just tired.”
“That dick only left you a fifty-cent tip?” She eyeballed the twenty on the table.
I snorted half-heartedly. “Guess my flirting skills are a little rusty. Plus, the giant belly isn’t always a turn-on.”
That made her laugh. “Well, me and the others will clean everything up for the night. You get cashed out and take off.”
“I don’t mind cleaning up my section.”
“Kate, you’re like six months pregnant. Get home and get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I couldn’t argue with that, especially since she wasn’t asking that I not come in the next day. At least Jared hadn’t made a scene.
I did as I was told, getting cashed out, then walked out to the parking lot. He was standing against his dark red Tesla Roadster. I didn’t know many cars, but that one I did, since he’d bought it right before asking me to marry him three years back. Scratch that—his parents had bought it for him, along with the ring he proposed with. It was parked right next to my piece of junk. His eyes were completely lifeless now, as I remembered them being so often when it was just the two of us. He wore so many masks, so many faces, that I was certain not many knew who the real monster was beneath them.
“I’ll follow you to your place,” he told me.
“We can talk right here,” I countered. We were in a semipublic place. Vicki was still inside the restaurant with the others, so I could run in there if need be. Or quick-waddle. Same thing.
“Babe, you can stall all you want, but I’ll be following you to your house whether you want me to or not.”
He would, too. Because he didn’t give two shits about anyone’s free will.
I didn’t say another word, because there was nothing I could say or do short of calling the cops. And that was something I wouldn’t do, though my fake name meant little now that he’d found me. I still needed to know if my parents were coming.
By the time I was in my car and had it started, he was already gone. So he did know where I lived.
On the way home, I checked my phone. Kai’s name on my screen made my heart skip a million beats. But I couldn’t call him back. Not now, not when Jared had found me and was claiming some nonsense of being my fiancé still. Kai didn’t need my drama. Which was why I hadn’t called him over the last five days anyway. I figured he went on to Ohio and would be there for the next four years or so. And I would have the twins on my own.
I would deal with my ex on my own, also.
It’d only been five days since Kai left, which meant he would be back on duty in a few more days. If everything had worked out, if this horrible secret hadn’t gotten out, he would be here with me, getting ready to head back to Ohio. We would have picked a place together. My heart ached, my chest constantly feeling like it was caving in. But it was good he was away from here. It was good he didn't see this part of my past that I was so ashamed of.
It took a bit longer to get to my apartment, since the café was on the other side of town. The whole way there, my heart pounded in my chest, my nausea at an all-time high. I couldn’t even make a plan to get out of this. I couldn’t just up and leave like before. I had two people growing inside me. Even if I could skip town, I’d been stashing all my money at my apartment. I wouldn’t be able to get very far with the money I’d made that night.
When I pulled up to my building, he was already there, leaning against my doorframe with his arms crossed. My stomach churned. He even knew which one was mine. The idea of him being so close without me knowing made me even sicker to my stomach.
I got out of my car, thinking of all the things I could do to him in case I needed to run. He smirked, as if he knew exactly what was going through my mind. And who was I joking anyway? I was six months pregnant with twins. There was no way I could kick his ass in this shape.
The moment I got to the door with my keys out to unlock it, I realized he wasn’t waiting for me to open the door but was blocking it. “Move out of the way, Jared,” I demanded, putting as much hatred and venom in my voice as possible.
“We’re not going inside, babe,” he told me.
My blood boiled.
“You’re right. I
