Page 88 of Rival

“You!I need to talk to you!”

Chapter Forty

Jaxon

“Idon’t want any fucking part of that kid, especially if it’s got Hughes’ blood in its veins. When you manage to push it out, I’ll submit to a test and if it turns out to be mine, all you’ll get is money. Nothing more.”

My words ring on repeat in my head, but I haven’t calmed down enough to regret them.

Not yet.

What Idoregret is my last words to Edith. “Get the fuck out.”

My lip curls in a sneer when I consider herfullname.

Edith Hughes.

Fury fills me again and I wish I had more shit to throw in here, but I’ve already destroyed everything that’s not valuable to me. I’m being ripped apart by this, and I know I need to go home.

Did she play me?

I refuse to believe that I didn’t tell her the name of the man,her father, who essentially killed Julia. Which means the woman I’ve fucking fallen for is a liar. One who looks and acts as if she were born from a saint, but turns out it was the devil all along.

A devil named ClaybornfuckingHughes.

Feeling sick, I wrench my door open, fueled by the crack when the knob hits the wall, and storm out of my building. Jennice is sitting rigidly in her chair, but neither of us say a word to each other as I pass her by.

Tomorrow. I’ll apologize for my behavior she was forced to witness tomorrow. Today, I need to bale some goddamn hay.

As I make the few minutes’ drive to my parents’ house, I can’t help but feel as if I’ve been tricked. To be honest, I’d be willing to bet I’mnotthe father of that baby, but there is a chance. When she pulled away and my condom slipped off, it seemed as though it was an accident. But was it?

Dismissing that almost as quickly as I think it, I can confidently say it was unplanned. The sex, the storm, the car showing up and startling us. All of it was too perfectly timed for it to be anything other than an unfortunate series of events.

But withholding her name from me? I don’t see how that could have been anythingbutintentional. And now, the possibility of being forever linked to that fucking killer makes me feel ill.

Whispers that Edith shouldn’t bear fault for who her father is filters in, but I shove them deep. Not today. Today, my world was just thrown upside down and I’m the sucker who got kicked in the gut.

This is just another reminder that Clayborn Hughes will always play a major role in my life.

Normally, I speak with my parents when I’m this far into my head, but today’s revelations are too much to handle. I feel their eyes on me as I storm to the barn and start throwing around equipment, quickly working up a sweat as I organize shit that doesn’t need it, and it does nothing to ease the pit widening further and further in my chest, tearing me apart slowly.

Hours go by and nothing.Nothingis changing!

My phone rings a few times, but I ignore it. All my calls go unanswered. There is no crisis big enough for me to have even an inkling of care for it right now.

I know I’m being selfish, but Jesus, I need to get rid of this rage somehow. Temptation rides me hard as I consider going over to their house and beating Clayborn to within an inch of his life and maybe toss a few more words toward Edith. Something turning deep within me keeps my feet within the barn.

Finally, when my phone rings three times in a row, I yank it out and without checking who the caller is, I answer.

“What?”

My breaths are heavy and I close my eyes as I realize I’ve just essentially snapped at Ruth.

“Well, that’s quite the greeting, young man.” Before I can apologize, she keeps talking. “Listen, do you have a moment to chat? I find myself in a situation I don’t quite know how to handle.”

She whispers into the phone and God help me, I’m actually thankful for the distraction.

“Sorry for barking at you. Is everything okay? Josiah’s fine?” Normally I’d get a friendly brush off, but when I hear whispering behind her, my concern grows deeper, bordering on alarm. “Ruth? What’s going on?”