51. ALBANY

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A few hours after Steven and I returned home from the hospital, he got a call from the University. I had no idea what they wanted but I had a gut feeling that they wanted him to return to work.

I tugged the blanket up to my chin and closed my eyes. The pain medicine I was given when I was discharged was making me sleepy but I couldn't fall asleep. My mind just wouldn't shut off.

Not after what I heard Kieran tell Severide.

It made me go over everything that had happened between Thomas and I while we were out on our ride. I couldn't help but wonder whether it was true or not because I now knew that Thomas hadn't worn a condom when we had sex. It was only one time but sometimes one time was all it took.

There were more than a few girls in the foster home that had fallen pregnant after only one time having sex.

Angry tears burned my eyes. How could he do that to me? Sure, I wanted to have kids someday but I wanted my future to be secure before I started a family.

"Thank you for calling," Steven said as he entered the den again. "No, I'll tell her. Yeah, see you tomorrow."

A few seconds later he stepped into view. Steven stared down at me for a few seconds before he took a seat on the edge of the couch and reached over to press a hand to my cheek over the dark bruise that marked my skin.

"Kieran isn't going to press charges," he said softly. "If you're going to press charges then we need to go over to the station tomorrow morning."

Right, after the bomb Kieran dropped, I'd already forgotten about the fact that Thomas was spending the night in jail.

"I'll think about it," I told him.

"Albany," he paused. "Thomas has never laid a hand on a woman before. I know that he has a temper and that sometimes it gets him in trouble, but he has never—"

"You need to stop making excuses for him," I interrupted.

"I'm not making excuses," he said. "I'm trying to explain what happened."

"How can you explain something to me when you don't know what happened!" I struggled to push myself up into a sitting position. "Are you in on his plan too?"

Steven frowned. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

My eyes darted over his face. Slowly, my anger died down when I realized that he was telling the truth. I wasn't being fair to him. Just because they're twins didn't mean that when one jumps off a bridge the other would follow.

Letting out a sigh, I slumped against the pillows.

"I wanted to check up on Kieran before we left the hospital but I heard him and Sev talking. Apparently Thomas is trying to get me pregnant so he could. . . have me for himself."

He stared at me silently before he started laughing. When his laughter died down, he shook his head. "Thomas would never do something so stupid. He doesn't want kids."

The air locked in my throat as I stared at him. Doesn't want kids?

"Do you want kids?" I whispered.

"Hell no," he yelled as he jumped to his feet. "Fuck, do you know how much work they are? How much it's going to cost to put one kid through school? Our lives would be ruined with the little fuckers running around. I've seen it happen before, kids ruin relationships."

For some fucking reason his words hurt more than the fact that Thomas was trying to get me pregnant without my knowledge. The future I had imagined with them crumbled into a million pieces. I frowned down at my hands. If Thomas didn't want kids then why was he trying to knock me up?

Maybe I'd heard them wrong.

"Kieran was probably trying to piss Thomas off which made him snap. I'll talk to him before I leave."

My eyes snapped up to his. "Leave?"

"Yeah." Steven took a seat again and gave me a small smile. "My replacement had an accident so they want me back as soon as possible."

I nodded, and swallowed the lump in my throat. "I-I think that we should all head home."

"You don't have to cancel your trip just because I have to go home."

Standing, I stared down at him for a few seconds before I turned and headed towards the bathroom. "There's no use staying."

I closed the door softly behind me and walked over to the toilet. Lowering the lid, I sat down and stared down at my bare feet. The trip was supposed to be with all of them. It was supposed to be a trip where we could get to know each other.

Another sigh fell from my lips but in the next moment tears slowly started to roll down my cheeks. I reached up to press my uninjured arm to my lips to silence the sobs. It was all going great but now everything was ruined.

"Al?" Steven knocked on the door. "Are you okay, brown eyes?"

Another sob fell from my lips. Sucking in a breath, I sniffed and quickly wiped the tears away. After I somewhat managed to get a hold of myself, I answered him.

"I'm fine," I croaked.

The handle twisted and a few seconds later, Steven pushed the door open and peaked inside. When his eyes landed on me, he entered the bathroom and walked over to me. Crouching in front of me, he reached up and wiped the tears away.

"Kieran is going to be fine," he said softly.

"But I'm not so sure that we're going to be okay," I croaked.

His brows dipped into a frown. "Yes we are."

My lips parted but my words were silenced by his lips. His lips brushed against mine slowly. I leaned into him but before things could go any further, his mother called out his name.

Steven pulled back and gave me a small smile.

"Steven," Tammi said as she appeared in the doorway. "You're father needs some help outside."

He hesitated for a few seconds before he stood. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to my head and then left the bathroom to head upstairs.

"I told you," Tammi said, making me look up at her. "God made women for one man only. This is what happens when you try to change what He had planned for you." 

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