Chapter 1

Once my belly started to show, Ethan Lambert's assistant put together a weight loss plan for me.

She made me run thirty laps every day at the dog yard behind Greenridge Estate, chased by six German Shepherds.

I was so exhausted that my legs gave out, and blood showed beneath my skirt. I asked her to take the dogs away.

Rose Linwood sat under a sun umbrella, sipping her iced drink with a smirk. "Mrs. Lambert, being pregnant doesn't mean you get to turn into a blob. You can't stand next to Ethan looking like a joke, can you? I'm helping you keep your dignity."

With nowhere left to run, I snatched up a stone flowerpot from the ground and swung it at the dog lunging at me.

The dog let out a miserable yelp and collapsed to the ground.

That night, I demanded an explanation from Ethan.

He loosened his tie and asked, "Laura Sinclair, when did you get so vicious? Rose can't stand the sight of blood. You smashed that dog up so bad, she was so freaked out she almost had to go to the ER."

I let out a laugh. "She had it coming. Too bad the ER didn't keep her there."

Ethan looked at me for a moment, a faint smile on his lips. "Fine."

That night, two bodyguards dragged me out of bed and locked me up in the kennel beneath the estate.

The sound of chains scraping along the wall echoed through the room.

The stench of the dogs' breath hit me in the face.

Ethan's voice came from outside the door. "Rose is not someone you can mess with. She's got people protecting her. Do you understand?"

I leaned against the wall, remembering how he used to crouch outside the prenatal clinic and tie my shoelaces for me. A wave of bitterness twisted in my stomach.

After a long silence, I said, "Ethan, I've got people protecting me too."

But if I really opened my mouth, the ones locked up tomorrow might not be the dogs.

"Mrs. Lambert, feeling wronged?" Ethan called from outside, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

There was a hint of laughter in Ethan's voice, as if he was convinced I meant him.

I fished my phone out of my pajama pocket and dialed a number I hadn't touched in ages.

"Brother, someone's picking on me," I said, my voice soft and pleading.

A mocking laugh came from outside the door.

"Since when did you have a brother? Funny, I never heard you mention him," Ethan said with a sneer.

I ignored him and, over the barking of the dogs, gave the address. "Greenridge Estate, basement of the north building."

"Great performance," Ethan said. "Laura, I'm absolutely terrified."

The sound of high heels clicked down the hallway, getting closer.

Rose's voice, sweet and petulant, called out, "Ethan."

Rose said, "You have three seconds."

"If you still can't bear to punish her,

"I'm out of here.

"I'm not here to watch you two play happy couple," Rose added.

Ethan pulled Rose close, stopping right outside the iron bars.

He tapped the bars. "Looks like the girl is acting up again."

Ethan said, "She's a handful."

Ethan continued, "Guess you'll have to deal with it, Mrs. Lambert."

The door unlocked with a click, and the dog trainer came in, taking off the muzzles from two of the dogs.

The barred door slammed shut, and the basement was swallowed by darkness again.

The German Shepherds lunged against their chains from all sides, their claws scraping the concrete floor, the sound was like knives scraping on bone.

I leaned back hard against the wall, holding my breath, but suddenly the baby in my belly started kicking up a storm.

Clenching my teeth, I yelled, "Ethan, do you even know what running thirty laps does to someone who's pregnant? If I hadn't fought back, your kid would be dead tonight!"

There was a brief silence in the hallway.

Ethan's voice came through again, "We'll wait until Rose calms down."

After he said that, the warm wetness between my legs became even more obvious.

Five years ago, I was right there with Ethan, grinding it out from a tiny workshop, working late every night to get orders out. We pushed ourselves so hard, I ended up losing a baby.

After that, it was nothing but shots and pills, the pain so bad I tore the sheets apart. Ethan sat next to me, his eyes red and swollen, saying all he wanted was for me to be okay.

The day the test came back positive, he hugged me for ages in the hospital hallway.

He said, "Laura, this time, I don't want anything else. As long as you and the baby are okay, that's all that matters."

Now, he was standing outside the door, locking me up in the kennel, all for another woman's tears.

Rose's voice rang out again. "Whatever, let her go. Mr. Lambert, you care so much about her, what am I, an assistant? I nearly fainted from fright, but that's nothing compared to the golden baby Mrs. Lambert's carrying."

Ethan chuckled, brushing her off. "You're talking nonsense again."

Ethan added, "When did I say I was letting her out?"

My hand slipped down the wall, scraping against the floor until my palm was raw and bleeding.

He added, "Rose, loosen the chain a notch. Give her a scare, make her apologize. She's always been spoiled, can't even finish thirty laps, and she takes your kindness for malice."