I blink and check my bank balance again, there is a serious amount of money in my account that wasn’t in there yesterday. I log out of my internet banking and log back in, just to check because it doesn’t seem real. Andre said they would pay me my first pay check today, three weeks after I started working because I said no to them paying me in advance. I haven’t needed the money, anyway; the guys buy all the food and just ask me what I would like. I did try to suggest I would do a shop, but they said it was their thing. I also learnt that whoever’s week it is, does the laundry and cleaning. They do have a cleaner come in once every two weeks, an older man who looked shocked when he saw me and then cleaned the whole house. I tried to help him, and he replied ‘no’.

So, I just started helping whoever’s week it was with their jobs, but they are seriously over-protective. There was no way they were letting me carry any washing down the stairs or doing anything they deemed too tiring. It’s lovely to have all these men caring for me, but it’s so strange to get used to. There is also movie night Tuesday, where the guys usually watch a movie together and eat junk food. They take turns choosing the movie, and let me choose. Luckily for them, I’m a big Marvel fan. So, we watched Thor.

I quickly get out of bed and stop when I see my reflection in the mirror. I’m just in my black nightie, but there is a clear bump on my stomach. I run my hands over it, and I’m surprised how firm the bump feels. I quickly look away and force myself to think about the extreme amount of money I need to talk to Andre about, then walk down the stairs, looking at the four room doors. We put our dating idea on hold after Todd’s date because I didn’t feel well. I had these terrible headaches and felt sick, so they stayed in with me, which was sweet. I blush as I think of what Todd and I did in the kitchen. I know I will never forget that moment between us.

I stare at the all the doors, but the decision is made for me when Kaiden opens his door and leans against it.

“Why are you standing in the corridor in just your nightie, little missy?” he asks, and I look down as I realise I’m just wearing the black, silk nightie and forgot to put my dressing gown on. Kaiden is dressed already in jeans and a grey hoodie with a white top underneath.

“You’ll get cold in just that,” Kaiden says as he moves away from the door and steps back.

“Come in,” he adds, and I nod, forgetting what I was doing as I walk into Kaiden’s bedroom for the first time. It’s simple, with green bed sheets and wooden furniture. There is very little personality in the room, other than the desk in the corner. The desk has tons of computer screens, pieces of broken computer parts and tools all over it.

“I dabble in fixing computers,” he tells me as he sees where I’m staring.

“When did you learn to do this?” I ask him, and he moves to sit on the bed. Kaiden pats the space next to him, and I go to sit. He pulls me to his side, and I lay my head on his chest as he lies back against the side board.

“Not much to tell, when I was a kid I liked to take apart anything I could, and I taught myself,” he says with a little shrug.

“So, now you do it for fun?” I ask him, and he smiles.

“Yes, just like stripping. I mean we make enough money and have enough staff that we don’t really need to be on the stage a lot, like we are now,” he says.

“So, would you guys ever give up the dancing?” I ask.

“Maybe,” he says looking down at me, he moves his head closer until all I can see are his lips close to my own and his deep-green eyes. I take the step to move my lips close enough to brush his, and I part mine before kissing him again. Kaiden lets me control the kiss until I run my hands over his tight stomach. He responds by kissing me harder and rolling me on my back with his body.

“Ellie,” he whispers my name.

“Kaiden man, have you seen Ellie?” Andre shouts through the door.

“She’s under me right now, come on in, man,” Kaiden shouts back with a grin. I shove at him, and he rolls on his back as I get off the bed. I quickly go to the door and open it.

“Hi,” I say to Andre who is standing with his hands on his hips as he looks me over in my black nightie. Even if nothing happened, and I didn’t sleep in here, his reaction is important to me. If Andre loses it now, then this won’t work, and I don’t want the father of my baby on bad terms with me. My heart is pounding as I look Andre over. He has a nice, white shirt on and black trousers. He’s freshly shaven and looks really good.

“I wondered if you wanted to come with me and meet my aunt Mel. I haven’t told her about you and the baby yet,” he says, looking nervous, which is not something I expect from him. I smile gently at him, thankful he doesn’t say anything about me being in Kaiden’s room and that he seems ok.

“I’d love to, but I need to go and get dressed,” I say, and he smirks as he looks down my body.

“You have a bump today,” Andre says and moves closer to put his hands on my stomach.

“I do,” I say, my breath catching as he runs his large hands nearly all over the small bump.

“I’m coming, too,” Kaiden says, coming over and putting his arm around my shoulders. Andre steps back.

“Alright,” Andre nods, walking off, and Kaiden follows.

“Meet you at the car, little missy,” Kaiden says, making me laugh. I quickly go up to my room and put on my black jeans, a white top that’s flowy and isn’t too tight. The bump is still visible in it. I check my phone, seeing dozens of messages and calls from Liz. I can’t bring myself to block her number, no matter how much I know I should. I just delete the messages, there’s also one from an unknown number that gives me goose bumps.

Games are fun, aren’t they?

I know it’s Drew, but I’m sure he means sleeping with Liz. It would have been a game to him. I know it was his way of getting back at me. I leave my phone on the bed before I walk out of my room.

I pull my jacket and my shoes on by the door, where the guys are waiting for me.

We all wordlessly get our stuff and get into Andre’s car, with me sitting in the front. I slide my hand over my stomach, loving the feeling of the small bump I have now.

“Why is there an ungodly amount of money in my bank account this morning?” I ask them both.

“Consider it your wages, and my money to help with the baby,” Andre replies smoothly.

“I can’t accept that amount,” I say quietly. “It’s too much.”

“Well, think of some of it as the baby’s money, I don’t know what to buy. So, you can buy all the stuff we will need,” Andre says, ending the conversation, as I don’t know how to respond to that. I want to give it back, but he has a point, I need to get baby things, and they are expensive. I’ll also need to get maternity clothes soon; my clothes are feeling tight. I wish I could call Liz and get her to come baby shopping with me. I sink back in my seat when I realise that she won’t be there when I’ve given birth to this baby like I thought she would, and I don’t have any friends that are girls to turn to. It was always just me and Liz. I look out the window, feeling stupidly sad over everything.

“So, I didn’t know you had an aunt,” I say when we’ve been driving for a while and go on the dual-carriageway.

“Yes, and I think she might be a little shocked when I introduce you,” he says with a small smile in my direction. Why do I feel crazy nervous at meeting his family?

We don’t chat much more on the drive, I’ve lost where we are with all the turns Andre has made. Kaiden sings along to the music, making me laugh and somehow, he even gets Andre humming along with the cheesy songs that the radio plays.

“By the way, Mel is a little–” Andre starts to say.

“Bonkers,” Kaiden adds in before he gets out of the car.

“Okay . . .,” I say, and Andre leans across the car to kiss my forehead.

“This means a lot to me, thank you for coming. Mel is all the family I have left, other than you and our baby,” he says, making my heart swell as I go speechless.

Kaiden opens my door as I have to look away from Andre, feeling something stronger than I ever have for him. I don’t want to put a word on it.

I slide out of the car and see we are in front of a building of new-looking flats. Andre links his hand with mine as we walk to the building. He presses the buzzer, and we wait.

“Hello?” a female voice says.

“It’s Andre,” he replies, and there is a buzz before he opens the door. We walk in, and Andre leads us to the flat on the ground floor, the door is slightly open.

There’s a small purple-painted hallway, with wooden floors, and at the end is a lounge painted in the same colour. On one of the two sofas in the room is an older woman. I try not to stare at her legs when I see they are both amputated at the knee. Next to the other sofa, is another woman who must be in her forties with sandy-blonde hair, a rounded body, and a big smile. The woman has a long, blue shirt and jeans on.

“Mel is having a good day, today,” the woman says in a slight accent I can’t put my finger on, and Mel interrupts.

“Don’t be talking about me like I ain’t here.”

Andre laughs and pulls me over to stand in front of Mel. I see Kaiden jump onto the other sofa from the corner of my eye, and the woman who I’m guessing is someone who looks after Mel, leaves the room.

“Aunt Mel, how are you?” Andre asks her, but she looks up at me. Mel has the same warm, blue eyes as Andre, with short, grey hair and some wrinkles on her face that don’t take away from her beauty.

“Less of the small talk, boy, who have you brought to see me?” she asks, and it’s hard to understand. Her accent is very old-school York.

“This is Ellie, my girlfriend. Ellie, this is Mel,” Andre introduces us, and Mel looks me over slowly. I don’t know why, but it feels normal, him calling me his girlfriend.

“Are you pregnant?” she asks bluntly, her voice crackly, and she starts to cough.

“Yes,” I say quietly when she stops coughing, and she smiles.

“You are a lucky woman; this boy will look after you,” she tells me, reminding me of the time Liz called me lucky. I ignore the sharp stab of pain I feel at the thought and smile instead.

“I’m lucky to have Andre in my life,” I say, feeling Andre’s hand slip into mine.

“So, when are you getting married?” Mel asks, and Kaiden coughs out a laugh, as I cough on thin air.

“I’m only messing with you,” Mel laughs.

Andre says, “One day.”

I look sharply at him, and he winks at me. I have no idea how that would work while I’m dating them all. I guess it would be a way to choose, but being honest with myself, I don’t want to choose between them all. I know it’s a little selfish, but my feelings are way too strong for all of them.

“So, are you going to make me a drink, lad?” Mel asks, looking around us at Kaiden, who is leaning back on the sofa with a large grin.

“Oh, I guess I could for you, Mel,” he says as he stands up and stretches. I watch as his shirt slides up his stomach, showing off his six-pack. I quickly look away and look back at Mel, who is watching Kaiden. She looks at me and winks.

I hold back the chuckle at her next words.

“You might as well take that shirt off, boy, I need something sexy to look at.”