Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(34)

“It’s not that bad,” Belle assured her on a total lie.

She was going to hell with a number of black marks on her soul, she just knew it. And most of them could be attributed to her behaviour around the Bennett family.

“Who’s your doctor?” James asked suddenly and Belle’s eyes went to his shoulder.

“Dr. Flanagan. She’s an obstetrician in Penzance.”

“I’ll want to check her credentials,” James declared and Belle felt extreme irritation but she bit it back.

“Of course,” she murmured and heard her grandmother emit an angry noise but Belle gave Lila a look and Lila bit her tongue.

“Where are you planning the delivery?” James asked and Belle looked back at his shoulder.

“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” she told his shoulder.

“Belle,” he called even though he obviously had her attention.

She kept staring at his shoulder. “What?”

“Look at me,” he demanded, no warmth or amusement in his tone as he called her on not meeting his eyes and her body jolted unpleasantly as her gaze jerked to his and, once he held her eyes, he declared, “You’ll have our child in theatre.”

“Dr. Flanagan is going to refer me to a midwife,” Belle told him, with effort keeping her eyes locked on his.

“You’ll deliver with qualified doctors present,” he replied.

“But –”Belle started.

“This isn’t up for discussion,” James stated and Belle heard her mother make a small, surprised squeak as her grandmother made a not so small, annoyed grunt.

Joy, however, said quietly, “Jack –”

But James ignored his mother, his eyes holding Belle’s, he decreed, “You’ll move into The Point within the month.”

Belle’s heart stopped beating at the same time her mouth dropped open.

“Now, see here –” Gram began, coming out of her seat but James’s eyes cut to her.

“Sit down, Lila,” he ordered and Gram sputtered in nonverbal outrage but James ignored her too and his gaze came back to Belle. “If you want your mother and grandmother here, that’s fine. But you’re moving in at your earliest convenience but within the month.”

Belle felt the nausea roiling in her belly and she wasn’t certain it had to do with All Freaking Day Long Sickness.

“I can’t move in here,” she whispered.

“You can and you will,” James stated.

“I can’t,” Belle breathed.

“If it’s a financial difficulty then I’ll arrange for you to be moved,” James told her.

“It’s not a financial difficulty!” Belle cried, beginning to panic.

“Good, then you’ll tell Mum when we can expect you,” James returned.

Belle stared at him a moment before asking, “Are you mad?”

“No, not in the slightest. You’re carrying my child. That means something to me. I’ve missed three months of its development. I don’t intend to miss any more.” He stopped speaking. His eyes changed to something she’d never seen on him before. Something frightening and not very nice. Something that made her even more nervous than normal and more than a little bit scared before he spoke, saying words that explained his look. “And you won’t keep it from me.”

“It’s a child in a womb,” Mom spoke up.

“It’s my child in a womb,” James retorted.

“You can’t see anything or feel anything or –” Mom kept at it.

“It’ll grow. It’ll kick. It’ll move. There are theories that a developing child hears voices, music, even understands and connects with the beings around it as it grows. Belle doesn’t get to keep that to herself. She’ll share it, with me,” James stated implacably.

“I can’t live with you,” Belle spoke on a horrified whisper.

“You can,” James returned.

“James, you know I can’t,” Belle said softly but she’d made a mistake.

She’d called him James.

If the look on his face just moments before was frightening and not very nice, this one was downright terrifying and filled with borderline loathing.

“I’m not giving you a choice,” he said low, his voice full of the dangerous menace apparent in his eyes.

“And what will you do if she refuses?” Gram asked.

“I’ll fight Belle for full custody once the baby is born,” James answered coldly and this announcement was met with all around shocked gasps.

Except Joy, who exclaimed. “Jack!”

And Belle, who could no longer fight back the nausea.

It was coming, no amount of swallowing was going to stop it and if she didn’t find a bathroom and soon, it would be all over the dainty coffee table.

So she shot up from the couch and ran from the room, heading from memory to the bathroom Yasmin took her to when she was at the party.

She barely made it. Falling to her knees on a sliding skid and putting her face in the toilet, she gave up the small lunch of tuna salad sandwich her mother made her eat.

Tuna, she realised too late, was no fun re-experiencing.

When she was done, she rested her hot forehead against the toilet seat, wrapping her arms around the back of her head.