The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO)

“You’re going to be a father.” She smiles at him and pats his arm gently before getting up. “I should leave you two to it, let it sink in. Congratulations to you both.” She pulls her bag up onto her shoulder. “You have my number, call when you want to discuss details about having her transferred to a specialist, Mr. Carrero. I can recommend a few. Emma, good luck.” She gets up to go and the panic surges over me in a terrifying wave of ice, loosening my tongue at last.

“Wait. I can’t be, I mean I really can’t. I’m on the pill and we, I mean, I … haven’t missed one. It’s not possible, this isn’t what was supposed to happen. I mean I should know, I would have known, wouldn’t I? Oh, my God. I can’t … I can’t be pregnant; how can you be sure? You can make a mistake, right?” I’m rambling, voice bubbling out in sheer freak out mode and about two tones higher than normal. My hands flapping crazily in front of me. She pauses and gently lays a calming hand on my shoulder leaning in close enough to make me sit still with bated breath.

“They pay me the big bucks because I’m never wrong, sweetie. Contraception isn’t one hundred percent and right now you’re probably a little in shock. Take time to think it through and contact me with any questions until I sort you out a referral.” She pats me gently, then without any sign of me responding due to being completely speechless, she gets up with a goodbye to Jake, who is, quite frankly, freaking me out with his unearthly quietness. She moves off smiling gently and waving, then walks out without another word as we both sit silent, still staring at the spot she vacated.

I turn my head to look to him for some sort of help, willing him to say something … Anything … To make this better or take it away or just help me stop floundering and freaking out. My body is ready to self-combust with the sheer amount of panic coursing through my veins and I want to shake him hard.

Fucking snap out of it.

A strange sense of disbelief washes over me; some inner voice trying to get me to calm down. I don’t think I’m awake. If I stay still, then I almost feel like I’m dreaming. I can try not to think about what she’s just said as the cold fear washes over me, over and over, like an all-consuming black hole. I’m sure doctors get it wrong all the time.

Even the $10,000 a pop variety that Jake employs?

“Emma?” Jake’s gravelly tone cuts into my thoughts, his grip on my hand has almost fallen away, and now he’s looking at me with an odd expression; a faraway spooky kind of look in his eyes. He breaks into a slow steady smile, as though realization has crept up from somewhere low down, and he jerks forward in a flash, kissing me on the mouth ungracefully, hauling me into his arms for a hug. I’m completely shaken by his reaction, wind knocked out of me, and still reeling with this new development. Jake’s face radiates sheer joy, from zombie to hyperactive crazy man in one swift move, and it only makes me want to throat punch him even more right now.

is like Jell-O, and I’m shaking. The shock is changing into some sort of soul gnawing reality that this is not a dream at all. Jake holds me close, wrapping me in his arms slowly and carefully, as though he’s expecting me to turn hellcat and fight him; his eyes

has been simmering inside of me. His embrace unleashes the overwhelming emotion hiding

I don’t even know if I want to be a mother. Ever. I have no plan

not awful. Don’t cry. I know you’re scared, Emma, but I’ll always look after you, I’m right here.” His tone almost sounds … pleased! I sit back glaring at him in complete disbelief, wiping my hand across my sodden face, blinking at him as though

tears forcing their way out and Jake wipes them away, receiving a hand slap in the process. It seems anger was close behind my emotional outburst and I’m suddenly ragingly aggressive and want to smash

we were contemplating a life apart and whether I can ever let you kiss me again and now we’re having a … Oh, my

way to choking fear, my head is a mass of confused emotions and feelings swirling dangerously close to consuming me. I think I’m having some sort

know this is a shock but, Emma, we’re going to be okay. It changes nothing about how much I’m going to fight to make you trust me. It just gives me more reason to pull out all the stops.” He looks down at my abdomen and smiles.

is wrong

lean back so his face is out of range; but he looks just the same, happiness bubbling under the straight and serious expression that he’s trying to keep up, for my sake only. “How the fuck can I be a mother?! I don’t know how a mother is supposed to be! I haven’t even touched a baby; I’ve never actually met one up close. Do you have any idea how stupid this is? How messed-up we are and how bad bringing a life into this situation would be?!

the sheets of the bed to get out, but Jake is quick. He

grand come back in remarkable fashion. I literally

for a

the toilet hopelessly, grabbing the flusher in repulsion, sniffing