Again.
It was happening again.
She’d fallen for lies, for an illusion.
Only this time, it was worse. So much worse.
She closed her eyes. Squeezed them tight.
This time she didn’t wear the ring from someone else’s husband. She carried his child in her belly.
Her eyes popped open. She had to get away.
Couldn’t stay here.
Couldn’t live through the shame and guilt again.
Couldn’t stand and watch her life implode for a second time.
Dropping the basket to the floor, all Mazey could think about was getting to her car.
She didn’t care about her bare feet or her handbag or the load of clothes she’d left tumbling in the dryer. Didn’t care about the meal cooking in the kitchen.
None of it mattered.
Not the woman and child upstairs.
Not the man who’d lied to her.
Not the heart that was breaking in her chest.
Nothing mattered except escaping the nightmare, getting away.
Away from Rylan’s wife.
Away from Rylan’s house.
Away from Rylan.
Away from the lies.
Away from the dreams splintered at her feet.
She didn’t remember getting in her car.
Didn’t remember driving.
Didn’t remember arriving at Alyssa’s door.
But when it opened, and her friend’s welcoming smile slid from her face, Mazey did the only thing she could.
She broke.
With a body racking sob, she fell into Alyssa’s arms and cried her shattered heart out.
34
“Idon’t know what the fuck you’re playing at, Rylan Conners, but you better hope this is a big misunderstanding, or I’m going to remove everything from your body that makes you male with a blunt razor,” Alyssa growled in his ear.
