The Confrontation
751 Words
The knock at the door was sharp. Insistent.
Ava froze, her fingers tightening around the pregnancy test in her pocket. She’d known he would come. Known it the second she’d seen his text. But knowing hadn’t made her ready.
Mira touched her arm. “You want me to stay?”
Ava shook her head. “No. I need to do this alone.”
Mira hesitated, then nodded. “Call me after. No matter what.”
Ava waited until her friend slipped out the back door before crossing the studio. She took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and opened the door.
Liam Carter stood in the hallway, his presence filling the space like a storm front. He was immaculate in a tailored navy suit, his gray eyes unreadable. The silver bracelet dangled from his fingers, catching the light.
Ava’s throat went dry.
“You left this.” His voice was cool, but there was an edge beneath it—something she couldn’t name.
She didn’t reach for the bracelet. “I told you to keep it.”
“You did.” He stepped forward, close enough that she could smell his cologne, that intoxicating mix of bergamot and something darker. “But I don’t take what isn’t mine.”
Ava’s pulse spiked. “Then why are you here?”
Liam’s gaze dropped to her mouth, lingered. “Because you didn’t answer my text.”
“I didn’t think I needed to.”
“You don’t.” He lifted the bracelet, letting it swing between them like a pendulum. “But I wanted to see you.”
The air between them crackled. Ava’s skin prickled, her body remembering the weight of his hands, the heat of his mouth. She curled her fingers into her palms, resisting the urge to step back. To step closer.
“Why?” she asked, her voice steadier than she felt.
Liam’s expression darkened. “Because I don’t like loose ends.”
The words stung. Ava lifted her chin. “Consider this one tied.”
She reached for the bracelet, but Liam didn’t let go. Their fingers brushed, sending a jolt through her. His gaze locked onto hers, searching. Knowing.
“Is that what you want?” he asked, his voice low. “To never see me again?”
Ava’s breath hitched. The truth burned on her tongue. No. But she couldn’t say it. Wouldn’t.
“Yes.”
Liam’s jaw tightened. For a second, she thought he would argue. Drag the truth from her like he had her dress the night before. But he just dropped the bracelet into her palms, his fingers brushing hers one last time.
“Fine.”
He turned to leave, but Ava’s voice stopped him.
“Wait.”
Liam paused, his back to her. “What?”
Ava’s heart pounded. She could lie. Could let him walk away and pretend none of this had happened. But the test in her pocket felt like a lead weight, and the words spilled out before she could stop them.
“We need to talk.”
Liam turned slowly, his expression guarded. “About?”
Ava swallowed. “About last night.”
A muscle feathered in his jaw. “What about it?”
She took a shaky breath. “It wasn’t just a one-night stand.”
Liam went still. The air between them thickened, charged with something electric. Dangerous.
“What are you saying?”
Ava met his gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m pregnant.”
The words hung between them, heavy and irreversible.
Liam’s face went carefully blank. “You’re sure?”
She nodded, her fingers tightening around the bracelet. “I took a test this morning.”
For a long moment, he didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Then, slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “We’ll get you another one. Now.”
Ava’s stomach twisted. “I don’t need—“
“Now,” he repeated, his voice clipped. “We’re settling this today.”
She wanted to argue. To tell him she didn’t need his money, his control, his anything. But the look in his eyes stopped her. This wasn’t a request. It was an order.
And for the first time, Ava realized she wasn’t just dealing with the man who’d kissed her senseless. She was dealing with Liam Carter. Billionaire. CEO. A man used to getting exactly what he wanted.
And right now, what he wanted was her.
- Writer
