Sianna
IREACHED MY ROOM WITHOUTencountering anyone on the way. Once inside, it took a minute before I could walk further into the room without the need to throw up. I stared at the bed I’d shared with Rayden. Despite the turmoil raging inside me, I wished I’d been adamant about returning home the morning after the incident with Drake in the library, then none of this colossal shit would’ve happened. Still, the same question hounded my head. How could I knowingly hurt Rayden? He deserved so much more. And while I accepted Drake was suffering too, I had to leave. Now. Nothing good was going to come of me staying here.
I entered the bathroom, and my gaze immediately dropped to the cream ‘his’ and ‘hers’ embroidered towels Rayden and I had gotten a week after he moved in with me. My gaze shifted to all his items on the shelf above the washbasin, my mind conducting a mental check like I’d done the day we’d packed to leave for his home. My vision blurred once more, surprised I still had more tears since I’d practically cried my eyes out earlier.
“It’s time to go,” I said to my reflection in the mirror. “It’s for the best. Nothing good is going to come of this,” I voiced my earlier thought. “Nothing but pain.”
Before I could wimp out, I gathered all my things in the bathroom and walked out. Blinded by tears, I threw it all into my bag, not caring for the haphazard packing. This was no leisure trip back home. I had to get out of there, fast. Not bothering to check if I had everything, I rolled the bag onto the landing, glanced around the room one last time and headed downstairs.
When I walked into the living room, I was glad it was just Drake’s family lounging around. The guests had left. My heart clenched to see Angela was still there. And no Drake. Perfect. I couldn’t say goodbye to him. “Hey, Trent?”
“Yeah.” He turned to look at me and his frown was immediate. He stood and walked over to me. “What’s wrong, Sianna?”
Hoping not to draw the attention of the others, I whispered, “Do you mind giving me a ride into town? I need to get a cab back home.” I wasn’t lucky.
“Sianna? What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Carol neared me. She grasped my arm. “You’ve been crying.”
Shit.
“You’re not going to get a ride into the city today, Sianna. It’s Christmas eve.” Jacob approached us.
Double shit.
“What happened, Sianna?” Trent’s voice laced with worry, he grabbed my hand.
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong.” They all turned as Angela stood, her smile smug. “She’s been sleeping with Drake and Rayden. My son—”
Ok, no more shit to give.
“What?” Jacob roared. Next to me, Carol gasped. Her husband spun away from his daughter-in-law to glare at me. His eyes filled with disbelief. “Is that right?”
The tears I’d managed to keep at bay for the full three minutes it had taken to leave my room and come down, gushed once more. I looked at Trent. The compassion in his eyes made the tears flow harder.
“She’s not going to tell you anything,” Angela persisted. Her only aim was to add napalm to an already blazing fire. “Isn’t that right, Sianna? Have your cake and eat it too, isn’t that the saying for you sluts. Twice the pleasure, double the money.”
“Angela!” Drake’s bark boomed across the room. I looked over my shoulder. He stood at the entrance with Tamara at his side. Rage turned his eyes the color of titanium bullets, sharp, piercing and dangerous. When he glanced at me, it softened.
“Don’t you yell at me,” Angela retorted. She moved to stand next to Jacob. I got the sudden feeling the old man had been instrumental in her glorified attitude.
Drake stepped forward. “Watch how you—”
“It’s okay, Drake,” I said to him before encompassing Carol and Jacob in my gaze. “I’m sorry for the problems that I’ve caused under your roof, especially at this time of the year, but none of it was planned.” I glanced at Drake’s ex. “Do you know, Angela, that for you to call someone a slut, speaks to your character? It takes one to know one and all that.” She opened her mouth to retaliate, I didn’t let up. “I might’ve slept with Drake and his son, something you know nothing about, at least I never asked Rayden to raise my lover’s child, especially his brother’s child. Wink, wink, Angela.”
