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Dropping to my knees in front of the open toilet, I vomited what little stomach contents I had. When I was through, I pushed myself to my feet. The room spun, and then spun even more when I noticed Collin standing in the open doorway.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked in that deep, melodic voice that had once been nearly as precious and necessary to me as music.
“Something disagreed with me,” I mumbled. Avoiding his silver gaze, I turned to the sink.
“Yeah, you heard I was here,” he said, guessing exactly right, except it wasn’t only him, it was Miranda too.
“Go away, Collin.”
Trying to ignore him, which was difficult to do with his citrus, amber, and sage scent swirling around me, I began washing my hands, hoping he would take the hint and leave. I wanted to rinse out my mouth, plus I was already going to be in trouble with Martin for dashing off. I would be in more trouble if he found me alone with Collin.
“Go back to Miranda,” I muttered over my shoulder.
“I would, except I want you. I wanted to build a whole world around you at one time, but you wouldn’t have me.” Collin expelled a breath. He and a dream I’d thought we shared for ABCR used to be my world, but it was only a house of cards easily collapsed. “She’s not who I wanted.”
I jerked as if he’d stabbed a dagger through my heart. “But she’s who you have.”
It was done. We’d each made our choices. Collin and Miranda had moved in together. Martin had delighted in sharing that news with me.
“We’re both with the wrong people.” Collin grabbed me by my upper arms, turning me toward him. Gasping, I dropped the hand towel to the floor. “Martin deals drugs. His friends are drug dealers. Don’t you know that?”
I nodded. I knew that now without any doubt. The speculation that swirled around him was fact.
I knew why he did it. The money. Martin made so much more cash selling drugs than he did from Winston’s. He wanted to be a success separate from his father.
But being a drug dealer meant he wasn’t autonomous. Martin was beholden to bigger players than him up the supply chain, but he didn’t seem to care. He had the money and respect he wanted. What he did in Southside stayed in Southside. Here in Lakeside, his reputation remained untarnished, and he could maneuver freely within the upper echelon of society.
“Which do you know?” Collin drew me closer.
My front to his, I could feel the familiar shape of him, and that he was turned on. I didn’t know why. Didn’t he see what I was now?
“Nothing that I can share with you,” I said, trying to wiggle from his hold.
“Let go of my fiancée.” Like a bullet from a gun, Martin’s displeasure ricocheted around the small room.
“Your what?” Collin shoved me away from him like I had a disease.
I gaped at Martin. “W–we’re not engaged.”
“We soon will be.” His eyes flashed, and I hugged my arms protectively around myself. His wrath was formidable.
“What I mean is, when we are that would be wonderful.” I nearly gagged again saying the words. “But I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me.”
“I was going to surprise you, my dear.” Martin crossed his arms over his chest. “My parents know. Tonight was going to be a celebratory dinner. But Miranda upstaged me with her news.”
“What news is that?” I whispered.
“She’s pregnant,” Collin said.
My eyes round, I turned and glared at him. He had followed me into the bathroom and come on to me, knowing Miranda was pregnant with his child.
Not only did Collin not see me for what I’d become, he never truly knew me. I didn’t deserve to be treated like a consolation prize, only acceptable again to him because he was tired of who he had. Miranda didn’t deserve that either. No woman did.
“You being the father of my sister’s unborn child is the only reason I won’t have you dismembered for touching what’s mine.” Martin’s voice was deadly soft, promising retribution.
It was a voice I knew well. Seeing the dark look on his face, I began to tremble. He wouldn’t mete out his displeasure now, but he would later. He never forgot or forgave an offense. No matter that I wasn’t responsible for being alone with Collin, I would pay for it regardless.
“Martin, please.”
