Legacy

Chapter 26: Son of a Bitch

I sit on the toilet, waiting for the test to show up. Michael leans against the doorframe with his fingernail between his teeth.

My mind feels like it's split in two. I don't know what answer I'm hoping for. On one hand, if the test is negative, Michael will most likely force himself on me again soon. But on the other hand... if I am pregnant, it'll be just nine short months before the baby comes. I might die in childbirth because I'm sure Michael won't take me to a hospital. And if I live past that, I'm just his dairy cow until the baby can eat solid foods. At that point he might just decide to kill me.

My heart is pounding so hard, I swear I can hear it. I brace my elbows on my knees and bury my face in my hands. Michael said we have to wait a couple minutes for the test. It feels more like an hour with just the two of us sitting in silence.

When I look at Michael from between my fingers, he checks his watch and inches over to the sink to take a look at the test. A broad grin spreads across his face as he picks it up with shaking hands and holds it out to me.

My hands shake even worse as I take the test. A bright red line stares back at me. A more faded looking line is right beside it and I have no idea how to react to the result. I take in a shaky breath as I lift my eyes to look at him.

"Pregnant," I whisper, still not believing it. I barely have time to react before Michael scoops me up off the toilet and carries me out of the bathroom. "Michael, what are-" He crashes his lips against mine before I can finish and sits me down on the bed. I pull away, keeping a hand on his chest to keep him from advancing.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispers, dragging a hand through his hair. "I guess I'm a little excited."

Remember why you're here.

"It's- it's okay," I force myself to mutter.

Michael lets out a sigh of relief and leans on me until I'm laying on the bed, feet barely grazing the floor. My entire body tenses as he lifts up my shirt. I release a breath as he presses his ear against my belly. His eyes meet mine and he smiles softly.

I can't hold back my snort. "Barely pregnant, I doubt you can hear anything."

"I know," he chuckles, reaching a hand up and running his thumb along my cheekbone. "But it just feels right." After planting a kiss on my belly, Michael sits down beside me with his back against the headboard. I scoot up to join him and he drapes his arm over my shoulders. "How would you feel about sleeping up here?"

I can hear the unspoken "with me," bit at the end of the question.

My eyes instantly go to the window. At least if I sleep upstairs with Michael I can keep track of the days...

"I wouldn't mind that," I say, leaning into him.

"That makes me happy, September." I feel his chin rest on the top of my head. "I actually got you a couple things for your birthday," he says, resting a hand on my thigh that used to have the stitches.

"Am I going to like them?" Knowing Michael, he probably has some poor victim locked in a closet up here, or maybe just a piece of them like a finger or an ear.

"I hope so," he gets up from the bed and exits the room.

My eyes wander over to his desk and all I want to do is snoop through his files. Maybe I'll find info about that mysterious Courtney Meinzer girl. I can't stop my gut from tightening at that thought.

I'm just about to lift myself up from the bed when Michael comes back, causing me to freeze. Two carefully wrapped presents occupy his hands and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. He sits down next to me and hands the first one to me.

It's difficult to peel the paper away with one hand, but I get it done. Thank god there's no ribbon in the way.

"A book," I exclaim, tearing the paper to reveal the title. "Harry Potter?"

"I thought you'd wanna read something that's not Ender's Game for a change." Michael shrugs. "The girls at the book store just won't shut up about it, so I figured you'd enjoy it."

"Thank you," I say with a smile as I skim the description on the back cover. "It looks good."

It really does.

Michael grins and hands me the other gift, this one light enough for its size to not be a book. It's just a plain white cardboard box beneath the paper. I lift the lid and inhale sharply as I behold the dress inside. It's a soft pink with bits of lace like the blue one I had.

The one I ruined when I almost died in the river.

"I really hope it fits," Michael says. After I mumble a thank you, he continues: "I wanted to replace the dress that got ruined at the bridge." He bites his lip as he reaches into the box to pull something out from beneath the dress. "Also," he holds up a sports bra, "you mentioned something about a bra on your first day here." He clicks his tongue. "Best you're gonna get. No underwires for you."

Michael's really thought of everything. Too bad. I could have done some serious damage with a wire.

I loop my good arm around his torso and hug him politely. His chest stiffens before he allows his arm to slide around my slim waist. "This is so much, Michael." Not knowing what else to do, I peck my lips on his cheek. "You really didn't have to do all this."

Michael's hand goes down to my stomach. "Consider it more than just your birthday." A smile stretches across his lips. "We also found out you're pregnant, so there's a little more to celebrate today."

Yeah, for you. You're not the one who has to carry a tiny human around in your uterus for months.

"Will Nancy have to come over here?" Michael raises a brow. "To check up on me throughout the pregnancy?"

After what happened with the knife and the tea, I doubt the woman will want anything to do with me... unless it's to take another shot at my life...

He chews on his lip and I set the box off to the side. "I've been debating with myself about that." With a sigh, he plops down to lay on the bed and rubs his eyes beneath his glasses. "After the attempt on your life, I feel like I should end hers." He peeks up at me with a smirk. "But I also think that she'll be better about containing herself while you're carrying my baby."

I can't stop my hand from shooting to my belly. The way he said "you're carrying my baby" makes my stomach twist.

It's one thing to see him every day and live in constant fear of him. It's one thing to play along with his sick, twisted fantasy. It's one thing to let him fuck me over and over. To be his personal slut and distract him from his victims.

It's another to have a bit of him growing inside me. To give him exactly what he wants. To bring a child into this world with the sole intention of hurting others.

I feel like a child on the playground stressing out about cooties. All I want to do is shriek and run away.