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My heart is broken for him, for us, and a heavy sense of guilt weighs on me. I should’ve donesomething.
Instead of believing he was partying and cheating on me, I could’ve woken to an officer telling me he’d ended his life. That would’ve devastated me.
I never want that to happen.
“So you lied about him not being the father. You lied about not getting back together. And you lied about not moving in with him. Why?”
Tears gather in my eyes, and my face heats with humiliation. I wish I didn’t have to lie to her about Ethan, but I’m not sure I trust her anymore, especially with the way she keeps hurling accusations.
When I don’t answer, she continues. “He walks back into your life, and you drop everything. Forhim? Do you enjoy the way he controls you? Pushing away your friends, trapping you, deciding when and where you work?” She gestures toward Ricky. “He even has a spy following you.”
“Em…” My voice sounds weak, and the room spins. What is wrong with me? Why does this keep happening?
Jax draws me to his chest. “Emily, as usual, you’re wrong.” He directs his focus to Felicity. “Can we wrap this up? Aurora needs to eat.”
Ricky hands me a bottle of water, and I flash him a grateful smile.
Felicity and Jackson discuss whatever documents his agent and PR team need.
“Our biggest hurdle is coming up,” she says to me. “I have a designer in mind who’ll work with your pregnancy. We’ll talk more when we meet in New York. You two keep doing what you’re doing to attract the paparazzi. Maybe indulge in some PDA during dinner. After fashion week, I’ll do my best to schedule everything on the West Coast.”
Felicity signs off, and that’s it. One giant problem defeated.
But another still glares at me from five feet away. I understand why she’s furious, I do. We’re canceling several commitments, which means reduced income. I get it. But that doesn’t mean we need to end everything.
I drain the water bottle and rise from the couch on shaking legs. I turn to my best friend since middle school. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
She curls her lip. “No, you’re not, but you will be. And when you’re stuck at home with a baby while he’s out partying and fucking around, don’t come crawling back to me.”
Her words are poison-tipped claws, gnawing at my deepest fears and insecurities. Tears flood my eyes, and my stomach cramps, but I refuse to break down in front of her. I grit my teeth and keep my head high as I stride to my room to pack every bag I own.
Then, to my complete surprise, a deep, slightly accented voice says, “You’re a real bitch, you know that?”
My gentle, polite bodyguard must loathe my best friend—orformerbest friend—to break his usual stoic demeanor.
Jax chuckles and leads Ricky into the bedroom. “Pack only what you need, babe. I’ll hire someone to move the rest.”
I nod, my throat tight and eyes averted. I can’t look at him right now. If I do, he’ll see my torment.
We sit inside the SUV in silence, positioned at opposite ends of the backseat. I haven’t stopped thinking about Emily’s spiteful words and the insecurity she unleashed with them.
My life is a mess. I lost my best friend. I won’t always be a model—it was only luck that I was noticed. What if Jackson loses interest in me after I have the baby? What if it becomes too much for him? He’ll always have women available to him. The same goes for Ethan.
I shake my head, dispelling those negative thoughts. This mindset isn’t how I want to live. It has been an unimaginable day, and I’m tired.
A month ago, I couldn’t fathom this being my life.
Pregnant. Back with Jackson. Ethan finding out about the baby, and he’s single. Both wanting to live together. A falling-out with Emily. Jackson confessing to being in a hospital instead of partying and cheating. Jackson disowning Kyle.
What’s next? An alien invasion?
The car comes to a stop and snaps me out of my musing.
“What are we doing here?” I ask as I look up at atattoo shop.
Jax gives me that boyish smile. “Where do you want it?”
That’s not cryptic or anything. “Where do I want what?”