Page 105 of The Stranger

Her eyes widen. “You brought it with you tonight?”

“Yes, I never know what to expect when I’m around you, so I thought I’d cover all my bases.”

“Aww, poor Delilah,” she mocks. “Always so hard done by.”

“If you insult me one more time, I’m leaving.”

She blows out a puff of air. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry.”

It’s a hollow apology, but it’s more than I usually get from her.

“Can I ask why now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you suddenly care? You didn’t seem that perturbed a few months ago.”

She turns her face away from me and stares off into the distance. “A few months ago I didn’t know I was pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant?” I was not expecting her to say that. I take a moment to let her admission sink in. “I bet his parents weren’t impressed with that news … given their religious views and all.”

“We haven’t told them, and I seriously don’t give a flying fuck what they think. I’m not a huge fan, and Kayne’s mum … she’s such a bible-bashing bitch.”

I’ll give her that. What I’ve found in my years being around Kayne’s family is that sometimes the most God-fearing people can also be the most hateful, cynical and judgemental. She most definitely had her moments where her perfect, holier-than-thou veil would slip. Like the death stares she was giving me tonight.

“This is your engagement party; you’re having his child. If you are worried that I’m going to oust him, don’t be. I’ve made peace with what he did.”

Her tortured blue eyes—which look a lot like mine—move back to me. “I don’t think the baby is his … actually, I’m pretty sure it isn’t.”These two are as bad as each other.Her clawed fingers reach back out to grasp my arms. “I’m trapped in this nightmare, and I don’t know how to get out of it without looking like the bad guy. That’s why I need your help. I have no other options.”

Of course, she wants to be the one left looking squeaky clean. It’s what narcissistic people do. “Are you planning to break things off with Kayne?”

“Yes! Jesus, Delilah, keep up. He’s a whiny man-baby, and I honestly don’t know how you put up with him for four long years.”

“I don’t either, if I’m being honest. The temper tantrums when he didn’t get his way, the mooching … and don’t even get me started on the butt sex.”

She throws her head back and cackles. “You’re too much. That’s one part I didn’t mind.”

“The mooching?”

“No, the butt sex.”

“Eww … you actually like that kind of stuff?”

“Grow up, Delilah. The sweet and innocent actyou’ve got going on may initially draw the men in, but nobody wants a prude in the bedroom. Have you ever heard of the saying,‘A lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets’? That’s what men really want from their women.”

“That’s sexist and gross.”

“Whatever,” she says, with a flick of her hand. “You should take that advice moving forward if you don’t want to lose the next one.”

“Hmm,” is my only reply.

“And yes, I hate that Kayne always has his hand out … it pisses me off. I’ve told him countless times to stop freeloading off me and to get a damn job.”

“Let me guess, his response was,‘I can’t work and study at the same time’?”

“Yes,” she says, pointing at me. “I work and study.”

“Your Only Fans page?”