Page 47 of Claiming Becca

“Hey!” I walk to her and hug her. “I didn’t hear the door.” She hugs me back.

“Hey! Connor was getting stuff out of his truck when we arrived. He let us in,” she explains.

I nod and give her a small smile. “Is anyone else here?” I ask as I walk back to the dresser and finish straightening my hair. Connor has always asked me why I’d rather get ready in the bedroom than the bathroom, because that is where most people get ready. But I get so hot I have to be in the bedroom where the ceiling fan is.

“Yeah, Bass and Caroline,” she says absentmindedly. “Are you staying in Connor’s room?”

My attention snaps to her. “What?” I squeak out.

Her face breaks out into a smile. “I’ve been in the guest bedroom once with Julian. You remember? This is not the guest bedroom.” I think back to when he realized Caroline’s sister was Bailey. Bailey realized the professor Bass had been telling her about was Julian, who was already her professor. He got upset she was thinking about dropping his classes and dragged her to the guest bedroom to convince her not to do that.

I swallow and glance around before finally shrugging. “Yeah, I am,” I whisper.

She brings her hands up to her face and squeals. “Oh my goodness! Does that mean?” She stops and pulls me into another hug. I wrap my arms around her, hugging her back. She pulls back but keeps her hands on my biceps. “Are you two together?”

“Yeah. We are.” She claps her hands and hugs me again. I laugh at her excitement.

“How long?”

“Since that disastrous date, I went on,” I admit.

She slaps her hand down on the bed. “I saw you last weekend. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I lean back against the dresser and lift my hands in an I don’t know gesture. “Last weekend was about you. It was your first time at your mom’s house since the attack. Plus, you and Julian were going through some things.” I pause and tilt my head at her. “Is that better, now?”

“Yes, much better,” she answers. “I am so happy for you, Bec. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

Tears prick at my eyes, so I blink them away. “I’m very happy. It’s so much better than I ever imagined,” I confess. I turn the straightener off. “We’re telling everyone today, I guess. Or we’re going to make it known today, at least.”

Bailey wraps her arm through mine and pulls me out of the bedroom. “I told you we’re going to be sisters-in-law,” she says excitedly.

I chuckle at her exclamation. Who knew this kind of happiness was possible? All those years ago, before I met Connor and Bass, my life was a complete disaster. I never thought in a million years this could be my life. Walking into the living room, excited to tell everyone, it takes me a second to notice the tension. Bailey and I stop in our tracks as we assess the situation.

“What’s going on?” Bailey asks. Connor turns toward us. His face is hard to read, but his hands are clenched into fists. He looks pissed and worried simultaneously, but he doesn’t say anything.

Bass steps forward. “Donovan is back,” she says. My heart takes off in my chest. I don’t know where he’s been, and I don’t care. All I know is he was out of my life. I glance at Liv, seeing the truth in her eyes.

Victor is standing beside her with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. She looks terrified. Her face is pale, and she seems to be focusing on trying to breathe calmly.

Connor steps forward. My eyes snap to his. “You knew?” I know what he’s asking, and I hate it. Is he going to be mad?

“Know what? Who’s Donovan?” Bailey asks next to me, but she’s being ignored for now.

Connor steps closer to me. “Did you know Donovan was Liv’s stepfather?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BECCA

I STAREat Connor for a long moment before nodding. He adjusts his baseball cap and begins to pace. I walk up to him and put my hands on his chest.

“It wasn’t my place to tell you,” I whisper. He stares down at me, a war going on in his eyes. Liv steps forward, and Victor steps up behind her.

“I haven’t told anyone about him. Ansley knew he was a bad guy, but didn’t know who he was. Victor was the only one who knew because he knew my mom. Bec told me you and Bass saved her from those two guys when you first met. When she told me who their boss was, I had to tell her.” Liv sucks in a breath.

Connor looks from Liv to Victor and then to me. He sucks in a breath and pulls me into his arms. I slump against him, relieved he’s not too upset with me. He can be a hothead, especially when it comes to this.

“Can someone tell us what’s going on?” Ansley asks. Connor gently releases me from the hug but pulls me into his side, keeping his arm around me.

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