“She’s been lying to me,” I bite out. “I had her followed.”
He groans, dragging a hand over his face. “You did what?”
“What was I supposed to do?” My voice cracks despite my effort to keep it steady. “She’s freezing me out. She cries during sex. She won’t let me touch her. She flinches when I kiss her. I had to know what was going on.”
Diesel studies me, dread settling in his features. “So she’s cheating?”
I look away, jaw tight. “I don’t know.”
“Then why the fuck are you kicking her out?”
I swallow. The words taste like acid. “She took the morning after pill.”
Diesel winces like I’ve punched him.
“So she was either covering up a mistake,” I continue, voice low, “or she doesn’t want kids with me like she said.”
“Kade… Pres, there could be a perfectly good explanation for that.”
“Like what?” I snap, finally meeting his eyes. “Because trust me, brother, I’ve tried. I’ve tried to reason with myself over and over.” My chest feels like it’s collapsing. “She disappears. Comes back acting weird. Won’t let me touch her. Fakes her orgasm. Won’t look at me. She’s drowning in guilt.” I shake my head. “I’m done.”
Through the office window, Diesel and I both see the clubhouse door open. The women walk in laughing, linked arms, normal. Like the world hasn’t been crumbling at my feet.
“Showtime,” I mutter.
Diesel steps out ahead of me. “Eden,” he says gently. “Pres needs to see you.”
“Can it wait?” Fern asks. “We were going to have another drink here.”
“Now,” I bark, stepping out of my office. The entire room stills. Their expressions shift to confusion. There’s a flicker of fear in Eden’s eye but she shuts it down quickly, squaring her shoulders like she’s ready for a fight. Fern must feel the shift cos they exchange a look, and Diesel adds in, “It’s best if she comes now.”
And in that moment, everyone seems to sense it. Something irreversible is coming. And none of us are ready.
The first thing I notice when Eden steps into my office is that she’s changed her outfit. The second is her smile. A real smile. The first one I’ve seen since her birthday.
For a split second, something inside me unclenches.
“You look happy,” I say.
Her gaze drops to the suitcase on the floor. And just like that, the smile dies.
“Oh,” she murmurs.
“Yeah, about that—” I stand and place the envelope of cash on the desk between us like it’s a barricade. “There’s enough there to get a hotel tonight. And a few months’ rent on a place.” I shrug, trying to sound indifferent, even though my throat burns. “Probably not around here, though.”
Her face crumples. The pain in her eyes is sharp enough to knock the wind out of me. Her mouth opens but she closes it again, swallowing whatever she was about to say.
“In case you’re not following,” I add, keeping voice flat, “we’re done.”
Her lips part. Her voice comes out so quiet I almost miss it. “My period is late.”
I stare at her. A pulse of rage explodes in my chest. “The lies just keep rolling off your tongue,” I snarl. “I saw the pill packet, Eden. I saw the fucking receipt!”
She flinches like I’ve hit her.
Outside the doorway, there’s a scuffle, Diesel has Fern pinned back with an arm across her middle. Fern’s eyes are wild, begging.
I ignore it. “You took the morning after pill,” I say, stepping closer, fists clenched. “Why? Was it mine? Did you change your mind on the baby thing?”
