But I’d gone and done both.
I raised my head, trying to blink away my tears. “Excuse me.”
James called after me as I sprinted into the bathroom. Instead of responding, I slammed the door shut and collapsed against it, sliding to the floor in a pathetic heap.
I buried my head in my hands.
Don’t you fucking cry, I begged, pressing a hand to my heart.
When would the pain end?
I had no timeline for comparison; I hadn’t stayed. I watched my rejection tear Marcus apart, and I left him a crumbling mess on the ground—thinkingIhad nothing to worry about.
Using his pain as a distraction, I’d run to the highway, where I hitchhiked a ride with an elderly couple on their way home from visiting their daughter… and their healthy, newborn grandson.
My hand began to slide from over my heart to my stomach.
But thankfully, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Marcus called only once after the party, and that was soon after I ran from him, so I hesitated before begrudgingly accepting Maya’s call. “Predictable,” I spat into the phone. “He has you doing his dirty work. Tell your alpha I’ll talk to him when I’m damn well ready.”
“Joey, I need you to tell me exactly what happened last night,” Maya whispered.
“Joanna!” Hill’s voice on the other side of the door drowned out Maya’s next words.
“Marcus… very strange—”
“Maya, speak up. I can’t hear you.”
“Joanna!” Hill yelled again.
I banged my head back against the door. “I’m not finished, Hill.”
Maya groaned. “Joey, did you hear me?”
Hill pounded on the door.
“Maya, hold on. You found the list?” I asked Hill, pushing myself to my feet. I unlocked the door, but he was the one to swing it open.
He stood with a face like thunder. He pretended not to notice the tears still on my cheeks when his gaze drifted down to my midriff. He averted his eyes and pointed to the phone at my ear. “Your phone was cloned.”
I stared at him blankly. “Maya, I’ll call you later.” I ended the call, ignoring her pleas.
“Everything—saved files, photos, text messages.”
I gave him a half shrug. “I know what it does, Hill.”
“I was trying to calm Cooper down after your argument, so my back was turned. And Malik went through the folder with your messages.”
I didn’t need to ask which messages Malik had gone through. But there was nothing for me to be ashamed of. Whereas he and I used to sext occasionally, the Alpha and I kept our texts clean.
But Hill’s expression hadn’t changed.
I opened my phone and saw the notification of an unopened text message from the Alpha. I’d assumed it was another half-assed apology—more begging for a chance to talk, when all I wanted to do last night was kill him.
I was wrong.
If you think you can keep my child away from me, you’re out of your fucking mind.
