“Hi,” I tell him lamely after he closes the door. It’s stupid, but I had to say something. He just keeps standing there, staring at me with his arms crossed as if daring me to move. “You’re looking good,” I add, because apparently I have a knack for being stupid.

“Why are you here, Faith?”

“Uh…”

“Because if I remember correctly you fucked my brains out and then left me again. I kind of took that to mean whatever we had was done.”

“Uh…”

“And if that didn’t clue me in, the fact that you signed the annulment papers and left me a nice little note sure as hell did.”

“Uh…”

“Not to mention that it has been—”

“Will you let me talk?”

“Get to talking,” he growls and I’d like to throw something at him, but I don’t figure that would be the smart play to make right now.

“I uh… Are you really getting married?” I ask, unable to tell him what I need to and instead asking the one thing that has been bothering me since I found out.

“You got to be shitting me right now,” he growls and I bite my lip.

Yeah, I shouldn’t have asked that.

“That’s probably none of my business,” I tell him with a sigh and sit down in a chair, trying to figure out how to get the words out that I need to tell him. Words I don’t really want to say.

“Gee, woman. Do you think?”

“I think I liked it better when you called me wife,” I grumble.

“But you aren’t anymore. You signed the papers.”

“You don’t get to sound angry about that, Titan. You’re the guy who chased me down to get me to sign them. Remember?”

“So to be clear, we’re saying you came all the way to California to bust my balls?”

“No… I had something to tell you. I was going to write you a letter, but my aunt said it was something you would want to know right away, and that you were getting married. That’s quick moving, by the way. I mean, I know you said it was a business deal and all that, but couldn’t the ink get a little dry on our annulment before you say I do?”

“Faith,” he says, his voice full of warning.

“Okay, fine! I lied to you,” I tell him while wringing my hands. My nerves are about to get the best of me.

“You what?”

“I lied to you.”

“When… what about? Start talking, woman,” he growls and I bite my lip and watch him. I figure the worst case scenario here is that he tries to kill me. My cousin Black is in the next room and my brother-in-law Aden was out there. That probably means Hope is around somewhere. Surely, between the three of them they won’t let me die.

“Okay, so it’s time to be straight with you,” I tell him, trying to sort it all out in my brain.

“Fuck, I’m waiting to see this miracle before I get my hopes up,” he says.

“You’re not exactly helping me over there. In case you couldn’t tell, this isn’t easy for me and you being Mr. Pissy Pants is making it worse.”

“Mr. Pissy Pants?”

“If the Depends fits you should wear them.”

“You’re as fucking looney tunes as your aunt with the cow.”

“That’s not nice—”

“I—”

“—though probably true,” I continue, ignoring his interruption. “I mean… I think it’s pretty clear.”

“I wish to God I could say that,” he growls.

“What kind of sane woman leaves a really bad relationship—and when I say bad I mean really bad—to end up married by Elvis in an all-night wedding chapel in Vegas? Right? She would have to be insane. You could have claimed that on your annulment papers and I wouldn’t have had to sign them.”

“Faith, no offense, woman, but I got a man outside who probably is gunning for my life. A fiancée that I may not have feelings for, but the two of us had a deal and you are causing waves in that deal, so I need to talk to her. There’s a preacher outside, a room full of people and most of those are not my people. All of this means we need to get a move on with this conversation. So can you try to stay focused and give me what you needed to give me, so I can go out and see to shit I need to see to?”

“You could go talk to them first if you want. You and I could have our talk afterwards. Now that I think about it, that might be for the best. It will give me more time to figure out what I want to say.”

“Jesus. Woman, just tell me. What the fuck did you lie to me about and why does it even matter now that we’re divorced?”

“Technically we’re annulled.”

“Faith—”

“Okay fine! I lied when I said there was no way I could be pregnant. I mean, I thought there wasn’t. I was on birth control. But, I guess… maybe… Somehow it didn’t work.”

“What the fuck are you saying?” he says and he’s a man of color and that color is gorgeous, but I’m pretty sure it’s much paler than normal right now.

“Titan… I’m pregnant,” I tell him, and I say the words avoiding his face, but when he doesn’t reply, I can’t resist looking up.

His face is filled with shock and anger… That’s definite anger I see.

Shit. This isn’t going to go good at all. I’m going to kill my aunt and Black!

Well, if I survive Titan.