He helped her put the things away, took her hand, led her into the office, closed and locked the door, then pulled her over to the sofa.
He ignored her stiff reaction to sitting close to him.
He tightened his grip on her hand when she tried to pull away from him.
“Just sit still, baby, and listen.It was right after graduation.I was at a party and got massively drunk.It messed me up when I couldn’t find you, and I know that was all my fault.Shasha was there.She sounded and looked enough like you when I was drunk that I let Shasha close to me that night.We did have sex...”
She cried out and tried to pull away again.
He couldn’t take that he was hurting her again after he’d already done so much to her in high school.The fact that she had stayed with him gave him hope that she’d find it in her heart to listen and forgive him.
“No, listen to me.It was one time, and I don’t remember it.All I remember is that I used a condom.Hell, it wasn’t her I was with.In my mind, it was you.”He tried to laugh.“I know, it sounds fucked up.Anyway, a month or so later, she showed up on my doorstep, saying she was pregnant.My father and I demanded a paternity test.It came back negative for being mine, which I knew it would.”
“Where’s the baby?”she asked.
“From what I was told, since she couldn’t get any money from me, she aborted it.”
Hanna gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth.“Oh, God.”
“I guess it’s not the first time she’s done something like that, and I’d bet it wasn’t the last.”
He waited and gave her time to absorb the information.
“She’s had more than one abortion?”Hanna asked in a ragged tone.
He could tell she was barely holding it together and wanted to bellow out his rage at the fact that the person he loved the most in his life was hurting.“Yes.I know.It makes me sick, too.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He held onto her hand and was relieved when she didn’t pull away.
“I wanted our relationship to be stronger to prevent this from making you run from me.I’ll admit that I was scared that no matter how much time passed, I’d lose you, so every time I thought I should tell you, I chickened out.”
She nodded.“I can understand that.”
“I just wish I’d been the one to tell you, and I’m sorry for that.She probably told you in the worst possible way.”
“I was walking to my vehicle, and she shouted that I should ask you about the baby you had together.”
“Jesus Christ.I’m sorry, but your sister is truly fucked up.”
Hanna nodded.“She always has been.”
“What did you do, baby?”
“I smiled, at least I think I did, and said, ‘of course, he told me.’I even waved at her as I pulled out.”
Blake laughed.“Good for you.That probably pissed her off.”
They stayed quiet for a long time.He kept her hand in his and caressed the back of it with his thumb.He had started to relax a bit when she hadn’t slapped him and tried to run, but the situation was far from over, and he still had some groveling to do.
She sighed, leaned back against the cushion, and looked his way.His stomach churned at the evidence of her tears and the sadness in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry.You know I never meant to hurt you.I’m devoting my life to making you happy and keeping you healthy.”
He felt a bead of sweat roll down his back when she stayed silent.
“Are you going to be able to forgive me, baby?Because I have to warn you, I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this.”
