I’m bound to die alone.
“Dirty told me you weren’t doing anything during the day, he lied to me,” he growls and I shrug and state, “Well that is what you get for trying to keep tabs on me like a jackass.”
He heaves a sigh, shaking his head as he runs a tattooed hand through his black hair as he keeps one hand around his old lady as he looks at her.
“This was my penance, huh? For threating to keep Cole from her?” he confirms and she nods without an ounce of guiltmaking me damn proud to have her in my corner, even if she is a little crazy.
The woman got her old receptionist fired for Christ sake when she stole a dog, though the woman was a lying stealing bitch but so not the point to the story.
“It was wrong, Asher, and you know it,” she whispers and I look down.
“It was the only way to bring her home, red,” he replies and I look at him and say, “But I don’t feel like it is my home anymore,” gaining his attention, “Every time I look around the house I wonder, ‘did he sleep with her in this room?’ I wonder, ‘did he have her in our bed?’” I sniffle, my tears blurring my vision and I choke, “Everywhere I look, I see them together and it kills me.”
“Sweetheart, he never slept with her in your home and I know it doesn’t make it alright but he only slept with her in the pantry at the clubhouse or her room, never anywhere else,” he lies and I call him on it and ask, “And what about his room, a room he said was our room?”
Doc smiles sadly and admits, “Their first time yes, but he’s completely overhauled the room Ash and I know it doesn’t make it okay, believe me I know but he only slept with her two or three times a month.”
“No, it doesn’t make it alright,” I instantly say and he sighs as he looks around the room.
“You finally did it, huh? All these years where he believed you were at work, you really were at school during the day?” he confirms and I swallow hard.
“I was going to tell him but then I was raped and I lost our baby, so yeah, I kept quiet.” I mumble, not wanting him to know anything.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispers and I flinch. “I know I don’t deserve to be proud of you but I am, Ash.”
When I don’t look at him again he sighs then mumbles, “I just came in to see you before church, red, and to remind you I have a night shift tonight. I’ll let you girls get back to work and Ashley,” I look at him when he doesn’t continue talking before he states, “Over the past five months, you know we have put you and Cole first and I promise I won’t tell Trigger about this, that it will come from you.”
I nod once and look away while he says bye to his wife, his everything and as soon as the door shuts Brit asks, “Are you going to tell them?”
I look at her and shake my head and admit, “I’m not ready and besides I’ve gone this long not telling anyone but you, so I think a little while longer won’t hurt especially when I know I have a fight on my hands to move back out.”
“Do you want that though, Ashley?” she asks sincerely and I choke, “No, I didn’t want any of this but this is now my life, the actions of my own husband and I have to live with it.”
She nods before there’s a knock on my door and Andrew, the receptionist pops his head in, his ginger hair array as always and says, “Chance’s owner is here, you girls didn’t steal him did you? I really don’t want to tell the sweet old lady that he had passed away from a vet check?”
I burst out in laughter while Brit looks at him shock that she is clearly the worst animal thief.
See, at work, it’s peaceful, it’s full of laughter and fun, it’s just a shame I can’t say the same about my home life, that is nowhere near where I thought it would be at this point in my life.
Four hours later, I groan as I climb out of my car and grab my bag from the back seat before walking with my sore swollen feet towards the front door, completely missing the bike as I walk past it, not registering any of my surroundings, my only focus, a nice hot bath and chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate, preferably dark.
I enter the house I once thought was my home and even though nothing has changed, the way I decorated it with my husband all still the same, it feels different, like the whole house needs a remodel but I guess Tyler can sort that crap out for when I finally move on.
I throw my keys on the side table near the front door and hang my bag and coat before removing my too big scrub top, placing it with my keys and walk into the living area but I freeze. My whole body tingling catching my attention and my heart races as I look towards the archway that leads into the open kitchen and my breath catches at the man inside it, standing with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face, along with heartbreak and dammit, I have missed him so much and I instantly hate myself for that feeling.
His hair is a little longer, a beard firmly in place which of course just adds to his sex appeal but his eyes aren’t locked with mine, no, instead they are locked on my stomach.
“You’re pregnant?!” Tyler demands with anger and pain and I swallow hard.
Crap.
Chapter 17
Trigger
I glare at my wife’s fucking swollen stomach as my body begins to vibrate, the urge to tear this town apart until I find that fucker pulling me.
This is my fucking punishment, isn’t it?
