“Okay, mom. See you soon.”

I listened as Ayden said goodbye to his mother before he slid his phone back into his pocket. Once it was secure, his eyes found mine. The way his lips lifted made my heart melt. He had a sexy smile, one that was contagious.

“Mom is anxious to meet you. She has been for a while, but now that she knows you’re carrying her grandchild, she’s ready to catch the next flight.”

“Do you want me to send the family jet? I can bring her in whenever she’s ready.”

Ayden shook his head. “No. Not yet. Christmas isn’t far away. We’ve already made plans to fly to Nashville then. As much as I’d love to see her, I’d rather it just be the two of us. Now that we have our marriage license, we need to decide where we want to get married and finalize a date.”

My heart raced faster. It did every time Ayden brought up the wedding. I couldn’t wait to be his wife. At the same time, I knew it would be something else my sister would have a hard time accepting. Just because Ayden and I were married didn’t mean she would stop interfering. If anything, I expected her to try harder.

I wasn’t sure what it would take to get her out of our lives for good, but I hadn’t given up hope. Somehow, someway, we would be rid of her one day. That point in time couldn’t come soon enough for me. I prayed she would be gone before the baby arrived.

“Mia, you’re too quiet. Is something wrong?”

Facing him, I pushed the thoughts from my mind and shook my head. “No. I was just thinking about our wedding day. I’m looking forward to becoming Mia McAllister.”

He caressed my face and leaned in for a kiss. “That makes two of us.”

Tender lips met mine. I drew in a breath as Ayden’s cologne made my head hazy. For the first time in a long time, I was happy. I cherished that fact. At the same time, it worried me. So much had gone wrong since Ayden and I became a couple. We’d broken up, gotten back together, and put each other through hell. Had we reached the point in our relationship where all of the negativity went away? It seemed too easy.

Maybe it was supposed to be easier than what it had been. Perfect relationships didn’t exist, but most people didn’t go through the drama Ayden and I faced. Now that Wesley was out of my life, we didn’t have to worry about him. He wasn’t allowed on the property.

Izzy was a different story. I didn’t have the proof I needed to have her arrested for drugging me. After the miscarriage she suffered, I didn’t think she needed any other punishment. All I wanted was for her to leave Ayden and me alone. If she could do that, I didn’t care if she stuck around. I refused to live in fear every day. It wasn’t healthy for the baby or me.

I was glad Ayden was hanging out with me today. He said it was because he wanted to learn more about what I did on a daily basis, especially since our child would inherit the business someday. I hoped our son or daughter would want to run this place. My father didn’t. He loved traveling and scouting new talent. He didn’t want to be tied down to one location. In truth, I thought it was because this place reminded him of my mother.

Ayden tapped the top of my laptop, distracting me from my thoughts again. “How much more work do you have left?”

“This spreadsheet is it. Once I plug in these numbers, I’ll be finished for the day.”

“Good. Looks like I’m getting you away from work early tonight. That means more time alone.”

“Ooh, quit teasing me or I’ll never finish.” I chuckled at him as I flipped over the sheet of paper inside the file. When I noticed it was the last one, I realized my mistake.

“Damn it.”

“What’s wrong?” He placed his hand on my shoulder and leaned closer. The worry on his face made my guilt surface.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just realized that I left the last expense report in the cart. I need to go get it.”

Ayden glanced around the bar as if he was searching for someone. Then he looked at me again. “I can grab the file. It won’t take me long.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind going to—”

“Nope.” He slid off the stool and kissed my head. “You stay put. I won’t take long.”

“Thank you.”

He waved off my sentiment as he trotted toward the front of the arena. Once he disappeared through the doors, I pinched-off a grape from the plate Shawn had brought me a few minutes ago. Over the last few days, my appetite had increased. So had my baby bump.

I glanced toward my lap, noting the way my shirt curved near the hem. I would have to get maternity clothes soon, or at least some larger sizes. It wouldn’t be long until I was showing enough that everyone around me would know. So far, the only people who knew were Andi, Bentley, and a few of my staff like Max and Shawn.

I cupped the tiny protrusion, fighting back a smile. This baby meant the world to me. I’d wanted a child for so long, I couldn’t believe I was pregnant. More than that, I was engaged to my child’s father. In a few months, I would be his wife. It was everything I ever wanted. My heart was full.

“I’d love to wipe that smug smile off your face.”

I turned toward the sound of my sister’s voice and found her standing at the corner of the bar just a couple stools from where I was seated.

“Beg your pardon?”

I managed to keep my voice from shaking, but the way Izzy glared at me gave me cause for concern. She looked awful. My sister never went out of her suite without makeup, perfect hair, and a matching outfit. The woman standing close to me was dressed in a baggy shirt and pants. Her hair was in a messy bun atop her head, and her face was void of makeup, minus the leftover mascara under her eyes. I wasn’t sure if the mascara was causing circles or if she’d lost too much sleep. Whatever the cause, she didn’t resemble the Izzy I knew.

“You think you’re so great and everybody loves you.” She scoffed at her own comment and rolled her eyes. “You’re delusional.”

“Whatever you say, Izzy. I’m not arguing with you today.”

As much as I wanted to turn around and ignore her, I couldn’t. She crept closer, stopping shy of the stool where Ayden had been sitting. Staring at the seat, she stroked it with her fingers before glancing at me.

“He still loves me. If I hadn’t miscarried, he and I would be back together. If you hadn’t walked in on us last week, we would have tried for another baby.”

The more Izzy talked, the more I worried about her mental health. She was saying things that weren’t true. Ever since she suffered the miscarriage, she’d grown stranger. We didn’t see her every day, but when she came around, her words and actions were that of someone mentally unbalanced.

Chris couldn’t tell me much about my sister’s case. He didn’t want to break confidentiality, but he told me as much as he could. It was only a few days ago when he told me he was consulting with another physician and that Izzy needed care he couldn’t provide her. I questioned if he meant a shrink, but he couldn’t tell me.

“Izzy, I don’t have time for this. I need to finish a report and—”

“I don’t want to talk to you either. Where did Ayden go?”

Her harsh tone put me on the defense. “He’s retrieving something for me that I forgot. Why do you ask?”

Izzy studied me from head to toe. “Getting forgetful, are you? That doesn’t sound like you, sister, but then, I’ve heard how forgetful women get when they’re expecting.”

My blood turned cold. Every nerve in my body tingled as reality crashed into me. Izzy knew, but how?

“Who said I was pregnant?”

She feigned a smile, but I saw how white her knuckles turned as she gripped the stool next to her. “It’s funny you should ask. I guess you were too busy with work to see me pass by earlier. Ayden didn’t either, but then, he was chatting on the phone with his mom, telling her the wonderful news.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. It was true that I had my nose buried in my work and not paying attention. Once Ayden called his mother, I did my best not to listen to their conversation, but when it turned to me, it was hard to ignore. Instead of acknowledging him, I’d managed to keep working. Izzy could have stood there and listened to every word he said and I wouldn’t have known.

She must have left before he ended the call. Otherwise, we would have spotted her at that point. Maybe he had sensed her presence. It would explain why he scanned the bar before he went to grab the file I needed.

Unsure how to proceed, I glanced at my lap when I noticed Izzy’s eyes lower toward it. “If you want to hide your pregnancy, I suggest you wear bigger clothes. Your bump is noticeable.”

Instincts had me reacting to her words. I folded my hands over my belly, covering my bump from her piercing gaze. “I’m sorry you found out this way, Izzy. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want—”

“Let me guess. You didn’t want me to feel bad? How else did you think I would feel?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t have to explain anything, sis. It’s all crystal clear.”

My face wrinkled as confusion filled me. “What is?”

“I understand why you didn’t try to save me from falling. You wanted me to miscarry so my baby wouldn’t be in the way of yours.”

“No!” One of my greatest fears was coming true. She was blaming me for the miscarriage. “You’re wrong. When I saw you slip, I tried to grab your hand. I never wanted you to fall, Izzy, and I never wanted you to lose your child. That was my niece or nephew you lost.”

“Don’t play innocent, Mia.”

“I’m not. I didn’t even know I was pregnant until the night you fell, after we went to the hospital. I’m sorry you lost your child, but don’t you dare blame this on me.”

Izzy rushed me and grabbed my arm. “You were jealous of the bond forming between Ayden and me. You know he wanted our baby. That’s why you left the day I thought I was miscarrying.”

“Take your hands off me,” I growled the words at her, but she tightened her grip.

“Just admit it, Mia. When Ayden was comforting me, you finally saw for yourself that he wanted his baby and me.”

“Let go of me, Izzy, or so help me God, I’ll have you arrested.”

Her eyes darkened. So did her smile. “Go ahead. I’d love for you to call the cops. Maybe I’ll show them the footage of you shoving me down the steps.”

“Excuse me?” Her threat had me livid. I gripped her hand and pushed her back as I stood. “I didn’t push you down the stairs. You swung at me and slipped.”

“I have a video that shows something else. Someone was here that night, and they videoed the whole thing. It was the perfect angle too. When I fell backward and you tried to grab my hand, it looks like you pushed me.”

She was lying. I could feel it. I wasn’t going to let her win this time. I was finished playing her sick, twisted games.

“You’re full of shit, Izzy. You don’t have a video, and no one was filming anything that night. You’re trying to scare me, but it isn’t working.”

Another step in my direction brought her nose a few inches from mine. “Then maybe this will. I’m going to give you a couple of options. If you don’t choose one, I will have you arrested for pushing me and causing my miscarriage. Then you’ll see I’m not bluffing.”

I gripped the stool behind me and stared in her eyes. “How generous of you to give me options. Just for entertainment, tell me what they are.”

Izzy eased back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Option one is you can have Ayden and live out this little family life you have planned. I won’t interfere. In fact, you never have to see me again. All you have to do is sign over Music Haven.”

I snorted. I couldn’t help it. She was insane if she thought I would give her this place. My grandfather had it in his will that no one could inherit Music Haven except for my children. Otherwise, it would close its doors.

“You’ve lost your mind. I can’t sign over Music Haven. It’s not in my power to do so. You know this.”

Her face tightened. “Then let’s discuss option two. If you won’t sign over Music Haven, keep it, just give up Ayden. If I can’t have him, neither will you.”

I shook my head. “Now I know you’ve lost it. Ayden is never going to stay away. After everything that’s happened, you should know this by now.”

A long, slender finger pointed in my face. “Need I remind you that my offer is generous? Stop being the greedy bitch you are, sister. You better make a choice, or I’ll make it for you.”

“And need I remind you that I’m not scared of you, Izzy.”

“You should be.” She gritted her teeth and lowered her eyes to my belly. “If you don’t choose to give up Music Haven or Ayden, I will make sure you wind up in jail. Let’s see how fun it will be to deliver there. Don’t worry though. After they give the baby to Ayden, I’ll help him raise your child. I’ll treat it like my own.”

“The hell you will.” I jabbed my finger against her chest and backed her up a couple of bar stools. “You will never touch my child.”

“Then you better make a choice. Don’t keep me waiting. If you do, who knows what will happen. Ayden could be in a wreck or stung by a scorpion. Or something could happen to someone else.” Her eyes lowered back to my stomach as I covered it again.

“Are you threatening my baby?”

Izzy shrugged. “I never said I was going to do anything to anyone. But I would hate to see anything happen to the precious little baby you’re carrying. Think Ayden would stay with you if you lost it?”

I snapped.

As soon as I lunged for my sister, my fingers wrapped around her neck. My muscles flexed as I applied pressure, but I was no longer holding anything. Izzy’s body spun away before I could choke her. In her place stood a face that provided me with relief.

Ayden had returned.

From the moment I stepped back inside the arena and spotted Izzy standing in front of Mia, I broke into a sprint. I didn’t need to hear their conversation to know they were arguing. When Izzy pointed her finger in Mia’s face, every instinct inside me screamed at me to protect my fiancé.

As I rounded the corner of the bar, Mia poked Izzy’s chest with her finger and frowned at her. Whatever they were discussing, it was getting worse by the second. I had to end their confrontation.

By the time I was a few feet away from them, I heard Izzy mention my name, though I wasn’t sure why. The next thing I knew, Mia lunged for her sister. I gripped my ex’s shoulder and jerked her back before the situation escalated.

Izzy stumbled away from the bar. Then Mia was in my sight. As soon as I saw the relief in her eyes, I rushed toward her. She was in my arms in an instant.

“Are you okay?”

“I am now that you’re here.”

“What the hell is going on?”

Mia didn’t say anything. She clung to me and pressed her face against my neck. I squeezed her tighter, doing my best to chase away her fears. Whatever they had discussed, it had her trembling.

“Calm down,” I whispered the words in her ear as I glared at Izzy. She was standing near the railing that separated the bar and the dance floor, sneering at her sister.

“What happened, Mia?”

She drew in a shaky breath. “She’s making threats, just like I knew she would.”

“What type of threats?” I unburied her head from my neck and gripped her cheeks. Tears were already sliding down her face. “Mia?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Just get me out of here, Ayden. If not, I’m going to hurt her.”

And here I thought her tears were from fear. She was angry, and rightly so. I wasn’t sure what type of threats Izzy was making, but it didn’t matter. I’d be damned if I let my ex hurt anyone.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

As Mia kept her arms around me, I led her to the corner of the bar. Izzy studied both of us, and for a moment, I was sure she would try to cut off our path. The instant I noticed her body flinch, I pointed in her direction. “Move one step away from that rail and it will be the last mistake you make. Leave us alone, Izzy.”

“But Ayden, I need—”

“I don’t give a shit what you need.” My jaw ached the harder I clenched my teeth. “Don’t talk to us, don’t look at us, don’t even think about us. We’re finished with your games.”

It was all that needed to be said. I was out of words for Izzy anyway. She’d come between Mia and me too many times. I wasn’t allowing it to happen anymore.

Mia didn’t say a word after we made our way through the bar. Thankfully it was early enough that not many people were around. Most of the guests went to their suites around four o’clock to prep for dinner, nap, or whatever else they needed to do. They often returned around seven.

As we made our way toward the exit, I waited for Mia to say something. When she remained silent, I took her to the golf cart and helped her inside. Maybe she didn’t want to have this conversation where other people could hear us. Or perhaps she was afraid Izzy was following us. I couldn’t deny I’d wondered the same. Hell, I’d checked behind us several times as we left the arena. I did again before I put the cart in forward and headed toward the condos.

Within a few minutes, I had the cart parked, Mia inside the building, and then inside her suite. Once the door clicked closed and the lock engaged, I eased her onto the sofa.

“You going to talk to me now?”

“What do you want me to say? You heard the things Izzy said.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t hear the entire conversation. When I found you, you were ready to beat the hell out of her. What did she say?”

Mia grimaced. She placed her hands over her belly and gazed toward them. “She threatened me—us.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood. “What do you mean she threatened us? Are you talking about you and me?”

“No. Izzy threatened the baby and me.”

My heart pounded at the thought. I pulled Mia close in hopes of providing her a little comfort. “What did she say?”

This time, Mia’s eyes turned on me. The moisture within them shimmered under the light. The stress of this situation with her sister was getting the best of her, and I felt helpless in making it better.

“Izzy wants me to either give up Music Haven or you.”

The laughter coming from me wasn’t because I found what she said humorous. It was from nerves. And anger. My ex had officially lost her mind.

“Your sister is crazy. I don’t need to explain that to you. Don’t let anything she says upset you.”

Mia eased out of my embrace and shook her head. “It’s not that simple. Believe me, I want to ignore her, but she said if I don’t give one of you up, I’ll lose everything. She knows I can’t legally sign over my rights to Music Haven.”

“So that means you have to give up me?” When she nodded, I gritted my teeth. No way was I going to let my ex get away with this harassment.

“Let me handle Izzy.”

Clinging to my arm, Mia shook her head. “You can’t. She knows she doesn’t have a chance with you. She told me if she can’t have you, neither will I.”

“She doesn’t get to make those decisions, Mia. This is our life and our relationship.”

When Mia winced, I drew her back into my arms. Her breath beat against my neck. It soothed the violent storm raging within me. I wanted my ex to disappear from our lives. If I had the connections to make it happen . . .

No. I would never arrange for someone to die. My anger was controlling me right now. I needed to calm down and focus on what was important—protecting my fiancé and my child.

“You said she threatened the baby too?”

Mia swiped tears off her cheek and nodded. “Yes. She said she wasn’t a patient woman and that if I didn’t give her an answer soon, terrible things would happen. She said she’d hate to see me deliver in jail and then swore she would be there to help you when you got the baby. She said she would take care of our child like her own.”

As she lost control of her emotions and planted her face against my neck, I held her close. I processed her words as best as I could when it hit me what Mia said.

“Why would she insinuate that you’d be in jail when you delivered?”

“Because she plans to have me arrested for causing her miscarriage.”