Worth the Fight (Accidentally on Purpose) by LD Davis Page B

backup birth control, and thought about what that could mean for me, for Lucas, and even for Emmy.
    I didn’t warn her I was coming over. I wasn’t sure if she had anyone over or if she would even let me in, but she was alone and only reluctantly did she open her door for me.
    “Why aren’t you home with your son?” she asked dryly with her arms folded across her midsection.
    “I needed to follow up on something with you,” I said, refusing to go any further than a few feet into her apartment.
    “If you’re here to find out whether or not I went to the pharmacy…” she took a deep breath. “I didn’t.”
    My eyes must have almost fallen out of my head. I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off.
    “Don’t worry, Luke. I got my period.”
    I let out a ragged breath I didn’t realize I had been hol ding. My anger quickly came to a boil.
    “Why didn’t you go to the pharmacy and take the Plan B, Claire?” I roared. “Why would you even fuck with that?”
    “Not that you would care,” she yelled back. “But I was in a car accident the following morning!” She ripped her robe open and my eyes were immediately drawn to the fading bruise across her chest from a seatbelt. “Keeping your child out of my belly was the last thing on my mind!”
    “Shit,” I said and pushed my hand through my hair as I stared at the bruising. “I’m sorry.”
    “I don’t care if you’re sorry.” Her voice broke over words as she pulled her robe together again. Tears dripped from her eyes at an alarming rate.
    “Claire,” I said, taking a step towards her, but she held up her hand.
    “Just leave,” she said. “Just go. You got what you needed, as usual. Now go home to your family.”
    I was such a fucking jerk. She was right – our whole rel ationship had always been about me and what I needed. If I had been a decent guy, I would have left her alone so that she could find someone to give her what she needed. Now that I knew we wouldn’t be sharing a child, I could finally do that.
    Saying sorry again wasn’t going to have any positive e ffect. I gave her an apologetic look instead and let myself out. I went back home and was surprised to find Emmy awake and moving around in the kitchen.
    “Hey,” I said, tossing my keys onto the counter.
    “Hey,” she said groggily. “Working late?”
    “Yes,” I lied. “Are you okay?”
    “Yes,” she lied and took a sip of hot tea. “Would you like some hot tea?”
    “Yes,” I said as I watched her.
    A few minutes later we were both standing in the kitchen sipping tea. We didn’t speak, but I found some comfort in her presence and hoped that she found some in mine.
     
    *~~~*
     
    Vivian Deluca was my arch enemy. She had been my arch enemy since I ran up against her in court in my first year as an attorney. Viv was only a couple of years older than me, but she already had a strong foothold in one of Chicago’s biggest, most reputable law firms. She ate guys like me for breakfast with her bare hands and dabbed away our tears that clung to her lips with high quality linen napkins. What made matters worse was that Vivian was sex in a suit. With smooth edible looking skin the color of mocha, Vivian looked like she was a descendent of gods and goddesses. Her dark hair was always pulled into a fierce bun or a tight braid that trailed down between her shoulder blades, and she had a body that appeared both well exercised and well fed. She had a slim waistline, but generous hips and an ass that made even my mouth water. Her suits always perfectly outlined her well-endowed chest and long, shapely legs, but she was a professional through and through. There was only always just barely a glimpse of cleavage and her skirts were modestly short. Vivian had eyes the color of honey, but they were shrewd and calculating, and at times I’m sure many have glimpsed the depths of both heaven and hell in them.
    Vivian had the strongest personality I had ever encou ntered. She was a