Her brows lift slightly.
“But don’t worry,” I add quickly. “I learnt pretty fast there was only ever one man for me. No one else even comes close.”
Her expression softens. “Wynter, losing Josh was devastating,” she says gently. “Especially after your mum. But you can’t shut yourself off forever. You still have your whole life ahead of you.”
A hollow feeling settles in my chest. I shake my head. “I don’t,” I whisper.
She frowns, reaching for my hands. “What do you mean?”
I pull my hands free, pressing them to my face like I can hide behind them. “I’ve ruined that too.”
“Wynter,” she says softly, concern creeping into her voice as she gently lowers my hands. “What are you talking about?”
I look at her, and the words just fall out.
“I’m pregnant.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
RAY
“Catherine, can this wait? I’m up to my neck here,” I mutter, glancing around at the blood splattered across the walls.
I should’ve covered them.
Dale lands one final punch, and the guy drops to the floor. The room goes quiet except for the ragged sound of his breathing, which quickly fades to nothing.
“Not really,” Catherine says calmly through the speaker. “I’ve got Wynter’s aunt here. She’s asking for you.”
Dale looks at me and shrugs.
I frown. “Is Wynter okay?” I ask.
“I think you should come.”
By the time I get back, scrubbed clean and dressed, she’s been waiting an hour. And she’s still here, that’s how I know this isn’t small.
“Is Wynter okay?” I ask the second I step inside, shrugging off my jacket.
I hold out my hand for her to shake, but she stares at it like I’ve insulted her.
I lower it slowly.
Right.
“Did she tell you about me?” she asks, her voice clipped. I nod. “She told me nothing about you,” she says sharply. “Not one thing.” I nod again, not really surprised. Wynter seemed to keep a lot from her family so they didn’t worry. “And yet here I am,” she continues, stepping closer, “standing in the home of the man who tore my niece apart when she was already broken.”
I drag a hand over my face, the stubble rough beneath my palm.
“Is this why you called me back?” I ask Catherine, irritation bleeding through. “For a lecture from this crazy woman I don’t even know?”
Lucy lets out a short, humourless laugh. “You’re exactly how I pictured you—arrogant and rude. Next, you’ll be telling me you cared for her and broke up with her for her own good.”
“Actually, yeah,” I fire back. “Because that’s exactly what I did.”
Her eyes flash. “You don’t get to walk into her life, drag her through hell, then throw her away like she meant nothing!”
“She lied,” I bite out. “Did she tell you that part? She put someone I love in danger.”
