Between Commitment and Betrayal (Hardy Billionaire Brothers, #1)(79)

I THINK she punished me with silence. I swear it was the most effective weapon known to man too. That and the fact that she wouldn’t wear the ring or the bracelet drove me to near madness.

She didn’t come to dinner or breakfast. That ship had sailed for us too. She instead would open her own door to go to work every morning, then slam it extremely hard. I still counted silently every time she did for a fucking punishment later.

Worst of all, she ignored me. Flat out didn’t even wish me good morning or say goodbye.

I’d made a decision for us both one freaking time, and the woman was going to go millions of times without talking to me for a whole week. I told her when the doctor’s appointment was and practically prayed to all that was holy that she would be ready when I drove up to the guesthouse in one of my less used electric vehicles to pick her up. I didn’t want anyone following us to this appointment.

Thankfully, she appeared right on time and we drove in silence, walked to the office in silence and then we sat in the doctor’s office.

In silence.

At least the waiting room had no one else in it and the nurses were cordial. They’d rearranged the schedule for us both and it was confidential enough that they’d made it a private visit.

The doctor asked for my autograph before he handed Everly two forms to fill in. I took the insurance one with a grunt and scribbled information on there harder than necessary. I was frustrated with the fact that she hadn’t had insurance and that I hadn’t thought to put her on mine the day we were married.

I hadn’t thought about a lot, but I damn sure was now.

I didn’t know her middle name was Rose.

I didn’t know her social security number.

I still had to write her maiden name instead of mine. “Didn’t take my name, and I don’t know half the shit about my wife on this form.”

“It’s for the best,” she finally said but only to reassure me of something I didn’t want.

“Why is it for the best?” The more I thought about it, the more it wasn’t if she was going to be the mother of my child. I needed to know everything about her now. Didn’t she understand that?

I wanted a damn kid. With her. Sooner rather than later. It might have been an irrational decision, and I may have made up my mind quickly, but Everly would have to come around to the idea. She had to see that this would be okay, that it could be more than okay.

It was the logical thing to do. Sure it was about the empire and the studio, but more than that, I’d make sure the press painted her in the way she should have been seen from the very beginning. And as I stared at her and pictured her pregnant, rubbing her belly with a small smile on her face as she felt a kick from our baby, I knew it’d be easy to do.

The world would fall in love with her.

I wanted to experience everything with my wife of convenience. Babies, weddings, happily ever afters. The inconvenient part of it was, I wasn’t sure she wanted the same.

They called her back and told me I could finish filling out forms before I met them in suite 10. Once, I got there, Everly was in a robe and I sat down to listen to the doctor talk over the birth control she was on. He seemed concerned.

“Wait, what?” I asked. “So you’re telling me there are all those side effects? Breast cancer?”

“Well, there are of course others. Everly, you put here you have migraines?”

“I’ve had some in the past, sure.”

“So, if you’re considering children, you can come off this birth control. Keep in mind, your period will be irregular for a few months. If you aren’t planning on considering children yet”—he glanced at his computer screen—“I’d still recommend a different birth control. With this one, you have an increased risk of blood clots.”

What in the actual fuck?

The doctor smiled softly, “And with your migraines, well, they may get worse with this bi—”

“Take out her birth control.” I cut the doctor off with my demand.

“I’m sorry?” the doctor said just as Everly blurted out, “Excuse me, what?”

“I said. Take. It. Out. We’re not risking her health. And I want a baby with her anyway.”

“Declan!” she grabbed my arm and wide-eyed me. “Are you joking right now?”

“You heard what that birth control is doing to you. I want it out. Now.”

The doctor cleared his throat, probably not sure how to continue. “Mr. Hardy, it would be Ms. Belafonte’s decision.”

“Ms. Belafonte.” I muttered her last name in disgust, mad that she didn’t have mine instead. “She has decided she wants it out.”

The doctor chuckled nervously. “Mr. Hardy, if Ms. Belafonte wants to take out her birth control, she can do that herself. The ring is self-inserted, so …” The doctor swiveled in his chair, glancing between both of us before standing. “If you are looking to have genetic testing to rule out any gene mutations or screen for any unknown conditions, I can draw blood from you both today.”

I lifted an eyebrow at her, but waited this time knowing she had to decide to keep the ball rolling or not.

She rolled up her sleeve, albeit quietly so as not to cause a scene but I saw the fire burning in her blue eyes.

Blood was taken and the doctor explained we could leave when we were ready before rushing out as fast as his medical clogs could carry him. We were close behind because it seemed Everly didn’t want a scene in the doctor’s office.