SOAR (The Indigo Lounge Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Like you
said, if you’re carrying my child, I can’t turf you out into the street.”
    “Great,
I knew you would see sense and give us a ch —”
    “This
is Noah King. Put me through to Rex Hartford, please.” Noah had the
satisfaction of seeing Ashley’s face drop when she realized he didn’t intend to
engage her in conversation. “Hartford…no I’m not calling to check up on you. I
wouldn’t have invested in your company if I didn’t think it was sound. But I do
need a favor. Can you send me a list of available properties? Yeah, email is
fine. ASAP please. Thanks.” He heard Ashley’s affronted gasp. When he turned
around, she was glaring at him.
    “You’re
leaving me here on my own?” she asked.
    “I
don’t know how else to say this to you so you’ll understand. I really, really don’t want to be with you, Ashley. Ever.”
    Her
face crumpled.
    His
eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think about starting with the fake water works. You
created this fucking circus all on your own. For the sake of the child you’re
supposedly carrying, I’m not going to toss you out. You can use this condo
until I verify your lies. But your presence here has tainted this place for me.
So congratulations, you got yourself a roof over your head after all.”
    “You
really hate me, don’t you?” she asked, her voice curiously hushed.
      Noah noticed her trembling hand when she
set the glass down. Needing to hammer home his point, he looked into her eyes,
to make sure she didn’t mistake his next words. “Yes. I really do.” Jerking his
chin at the half-empty bottle of water, he sent her a grim smile. “Now drink
up.”

 
    ***

 
      An hour later, Noah dumped his overnight
and laptop cases in the suite one floor above his office. He’d only needed the
essentials from his condo.
    Crossing
to the well-stocked bar, he poured himself a shot of whiskey. He downed it in
one go, welcoming the temporary warmth that burned its way into his gut.
    The
glass tumbled from his fingers onto the counter and rolled to a stop.
    He
was going to be a father…
    Despite
knowing in his gut that Ashley was telling the truth, a part of him had held
out the belief that it was all one huge fucking joke. But five tests - done in
his presence because he didn’t trust Ashley one iota - had made reality
impossible to dismiss.
    He
was going to be a father.
    He
clamped shaky fingers in his hair and paced the living room. Walking past the
bar, he considered having another drink. But he needed to remain sharp, or as
sharp as he could be, considering the punch to his system every time the word father rolled through his brain.
    Turning
away from the temptation to drown himself in alcohol, he went down to his
office. At his desk, he dialed the private number.
    After
a few minutes, an incredulous laugh echoed down the line. “Ah, I know you’re
not into practical jokes but I have to ask if you’re serious. Did you just
say—?”
    “Yes,
I did. Trust me, Sam. I wish I were joking.”
    Sam
Ferranti, his attorney and a partner at one of the most prestigious law firms
in Miami, cleared his throat. “I have to look up case law on this, Noah. If
you’d been married and then divorced, it wouldn’t have been clear-cut, but it
would’ve been easier because there’s precedent. This is slightly more uncharted
territory.”
    “Then
here’s your chance to make history. But make it quickly.”
    “I
understand,” Sam responded immediately. The bone-deep bewilderment and anger in
Noah’s voice had clearly transmitted, “I’m assuming she would’ve needed you to
accompany her to the clinic in order to get the embryos,” Sam continued. “Since
you didn’t, do you know how she acquired the embryos on her own?”
    Noah’s
skin crawled at the memory of Ashley’s answer when he’d asked the same
question. “She talked her twin brother into posing as me.” The scale of
Ashley’s duplicity chilled Noah’s blood.
    “Will
her brother testify to