Page 230 of Pregnant By A Rich Demon 2

“I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“And yet here we are.” He tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was a specimen under glass. “You’re carrying a child that belong to my bloodline. You’ve inserted yourself into asituation you don’t understand. And now my sons are at each other’s throats because of you.”

“Because ofme?” My voice rose, anger cutting through the fear. “I didn’t do this! You did! You and your fucked-up family decided to use my body like a goddamn petri dish without my consent. You don’t get to blame me for the messyoucreated.”

Winston laughed.

It was a cold, terrifying sound that made my blood run ice.

“You think this is about blame?” he asked, his smile widening. “This isn’t about blame, Ms. Renois. This is about control. And right now, you’re a variable I didn’t account for.”

“Good,” I shot back. “Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you violated me.”

His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes darkened. “You’re just a means to an end. You understand that, don’t you?”

“Excuse me?”

“My sons,” Winston continued, his voice calm and measured, “have never truly loved a woman. But you…” He paused, his gaze sharpening. “There’s something about you that has them spiraling. Making irrational decisions. Becomingweak.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“It is when it affects my family.” Winston stepped closer, and I forced myself not to back away. “You’re a surrogate, Ms. Renois. That’s all you are. A womb. A vessel. There’s no happy ending in this for you. No white picket fence. No family dinners. You collect your payments, you hand over the child, and you disappear.”

“We’re way past money,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “After everything you’ve done to me—after the lies, the manipulation, the violation—you think I’m just going to walk away because you tell me to?”

“Yes,” Winston said simply. “Because the alternative is far worse.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a fact.” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. “You have no idea who you’re fucking with, Ms. Renois. The Landry family has been in New Orleans for generations. We’ve built empires. We’ve buried enemies. We’ve survived wars that would’ve destroyed lesser men. And you—” His eyes raked over me with disdain. “You’re a nursing student from the Seventh Ward who thought she could play house with men who eat people like you for breakfast.”

Something inside me snapped.

“No,” I said, my voice low and steady. “Youhave no idea whoyou’refucking with.”

Winston’s eyebrows lifted slightly, the only indication of surprise.

“I didn’t ask to be part of your family,” I continued, stepping closer to him even though my legs felt like jelly. “I didn’t ask for Amai to show up in my life. I didn’t ask for Kaisen to pursue me. I didn’t ask for any of this. But you know what? I’m here now. And if I want to be with Amai or Kaisen—or both of them, for all I care—I will. And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

Winston’s smile faded.

“You think you have power because you’re rich?” I asked, my voice rising. “Because you’ve got connections and money and men who do your dirty work? That doesn’t scare me. I’ve survived worse than you. I’ve been broke, abandoned, divorced, and violated. And I’m still standing. So, if you think you can walk intomyhouse and intimidate me into disappearing, you’re wrong.”

For a long moment, Winston said nothing.

He just stared at me, his expression unreadable.

Then he straightened, adjusting his cufflinks with deliberate precision.

“You’re brave,” he said finally. “I’ll give you that. Stupid, but brave.”

“Get out of my house.”

“You have no idea who Amai and Kaisen really are,” Winston continued, ignoring my demand. “What they’re capable of. The things they’ve done. The blood on their hands. You think you know them because they’ve been kind to you? Because they’ve made you feel special?”

“I said get out.”

“They’re monsters, Ms. Renois.” His voice was soft now, almost gentle. “Both of them. And the longer you stay in their orbit, the more danger you’re in. Not from me. From them. From the life they live. From the enemies they’ve made.”