Page 53 of Possessive Mr. Pen

She flinches at my shout.

I don’t understand the panic tightening my chest or the adrenaline flooding my veins, but the guilt stems from the fear in my baby sister’s eyes.

I haven’t heard the name Heath spoken aloud since the little boy I saved in the orphanage disappeared.Just like how he appeared out of nowhere, one day he was just gone.I was so distraught Aisha and Momo made a pact to never say his name in front of me ever again.

Hannah’s wide eyes shift down.I follow their direction to her hands on Connor’s forearm.Framed by her fingers on the outside of his arm, his freckles form the big dipper.

Time warps.My knees buckle.

Unyielding arms catch me and hold me to a masculine chest.The smell of leather and smoke invades my sinuses.I meet crystal-clear emerald orbs and know the truth.

Connor is Heath.

He knew.All along he knew I was the girl who saved him.

He was never going to tell me.

Hannah’s distress pulls me out of my spiral.

“I’m sorry!I did something wrong.I’m sorry, I—”

I shove Connor—Heath?—away and wrap her in my arms.

“No, honey, you didn’t.Everything is fine.I’m okay.You’re right, this is Heath.He goes by Connor now.We’re getting married.Look at the ring he bought me.”

I can’t stop my disjointed words any more than I can stop the fragmenting of my mind, but I cling to the simple, fake storyline she needs until she believes it.

Her genuine happiness over the lies exacerbates my guilt and morphs my disbelief to fury.She congratulates us with gleeful squealing and jumping before pulling us both into a hug.I glare at my boss slash fake fiancé over her head.He deserves the shock and worry lurking in his eyes.

The bastard was never going to tell me, and now that my sister ratted him out he has no idea how to handle it.

He has no idea how to handle me.

I hold my act together until we make it back to the parking lot.

Fury overrides all else.I yank my hand out of his and push away until I’m out of reach.

“You lied to me,” I accuse.

He opens his mouth, but I’m not done.

“When did you find out?After you hired me?Before you fucked me?Holy shit, this is so fucked up,” I snarl.

He steps toward me.I shuffle back and hit the trunk of the car.

“I didn’t lie to you,” he snarls.

“You changed your name!”

“To protect you.”

“Fuck off with that shit.You changed your name so you could fool everyone into believing you’re someone you’re not so you can sneak around and get your revenge, but I did nothing to hurt you.I did everything I could tohelpyou.”

My voice cracks.Eight years’ worth of humiliation well up within me and shake my foundation.I cover my face with my hands and breathe.

Hard arms wrap around me while harder thighs pin my legs to the back of the car.

“I’m sorry, Hilary.I never meant for this to happen.”