Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Then that’s what we do,” Bailey adds. “We publicly set the facts straight.”
We’re discussing the details when footsteps sound, and a second later, Kaylee appears in the doorway, looking like the most beautiful hot mess.
“Hey, guys, Kaylee just woke up. Let me call you back.”
We hang up, and my eyes lock with Kaylee’s. She doesn’t move closer, just stands in the doorway. “You’re here...”
“Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?”
“I just figured... since I...” She swallows thickly, and tears fill her eyes. “Since I had sex with Justin, you wouldn’t want anything to do with me anymore.”
“One, you didn’t have sex with anyone,” I tell her, walking over to the couch. “And two, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than here with you.” I pull her into my arms and settle her on my lap, needing to hold her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
KAYLEE
I didn’t sleep with him.
I was set up.
Drugged.
Framed.
Pictures were staged.
I’m torn between being angry as hell, disgusted, and relieved. I knew Braxton’s dad was shitty, but to take it to that level takes some serious balls. When Braxton finishes telling me everything, I settle on relief. The disgust and anger can wait. Right now, I’m just so damn relieved that I didn’t cheat on Braxton. He’s my entire world, the love of my life, my home. I don’t know what I would do if something tore us apart again.
My phone goes off in the distance, and I have every intention of ignoring it until Braxton says, “You better get that. It might be Layla. She’s in labor at the hospital.”
“What?” I shriek, jumping up and running to my phone. Sure enough, there’s a picture of a teary-eyed Layla holding the most beautiful baby in the world—after Felix, of course—in her arms with the caption: Please welcome Marianna Hope Blackwood. 7 lbs, 3 oz. 20 inches.
“She had the baby! We have to go.” Instead of texting her back, I call her, hating that I’m not there.
“Hey,” she says, sounding exhausted in the best way possible.
“I’m on my way. I’m so sorry—”
“Stop, it’s okay. How are you? I was coming to check on you, and my water broke, but Braxton kept us updated, so I knew you were okay.”
“Don’t worry about me. How are you?”
“Of course I’m going to worry about you. You’re my sister from another mister.” I can hear her smile through the phone. “She came so fast. My water broke, and when we arrived and got settled, the doctor said she was ready. I was in shock since I was in labor with Felix for damn near two days.”
“She was ready to meet her mommy and daddy and big brother. Has Felix met her yet?”
“He’s on his way over with my mom.”
“Should I wait to come over? I don’t want to crowd you guys.” With Felix, her ex left to go home and sleep because he said he needed a bed to sleep on, so I stayed with her until her mom arrived. But now she has Camden who, unlike her dumbass ex, is amazing and would never leave her or that baby’s side.
“Kaylee, you’re family. Get your ass over here.”
We hang up, and I let Braxton know I’m going to take a shower. I took one earlier with him, but I want to take a real one to wash my hair properly and shave.
As I step under the hot water, flashes of last night come back to me—of Justin offering me a bottle of water, me feeling light-headed, then disoriented shortly after. Stumbling out of the SUV, him offering to help me up to my place... Him—
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Braxton asks, stepping into the shower, still fully clothed. “Why are you crying?” I have no clue what he’s talking about until my hand goes to my chest in shock from him appearing out of nowhere, and I realize I’m sobbing, my chest rising and falling in quick succession.
“Talk to me, baby. Are you hurt?”
“He drugged my water.” Braxton tightens his hold on me. “He wasn’t anywhere near me all night. But when I got in the SUV, he offered me a bottle of water. He’s never done that before, and really, why would he keep bottles of water in there? I drank the entire bottle and that’s when I started to feel weird. He helped me to my place, and I thought he was gone, but when I was about to get in the shower, he appeared, telling me I needed to go straight to bed.”
I told Braxton some of this earlier this morning, but I was still out of it and unsure what happened. But now that my head is clear, I remember everything until I blacked out in the bed.
“He saw me naked,” I cry. “Took pictures of me. What if he took more? What if there’s ones of me completely naked?” I feel invaded. I know Braxton said we never had sex, but he still saw me... every part of me.