Page 84 of Broken Boss

“Is he still helping you?”

“You mean, helping figure a way to get Stephen out? I don’t know.”

Guilt sweeps through my belly at the realization. I didn’t bother asking Chris yesterday if he’d still help me get Stephen’s name cleared. It’d be a miracle if he still believes my brother is innocent after everything I’ve lied about.

“You should find out. That would be very telling, Autumn. If he’s the kind of guy who sticks to his word after all this, you should hold onto him.”

I scoff. “Orla, really? A man like Chris Sharpe is never going to want a woman like me. It was just sex, right from the start.”

“Was it, though? Think about it—his track record with other women. They’re always one-night stands, aren’t they? And I doubt any of them ever lived with him. Plus, he’s right—he’s putting his reputation on the line here. Pretty willingly, it sounds like, which is what you had planned the whole time, anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s looking for something permanent.”

“I don’t know. If you ask me, even after everything you’ve done to get away from your past, it still has a grip on you. You have to remember who you are, Autumn—you’re not just the teenager that Kieran used to beat up. You’re not helpless. You’re strong, and gorgeous, and Christopher Sharpe is in love with you.”

It finally hits me that she might be right.

And I’ve been talking myself out of it this whole time.

I look at her in surprise, lips parted?—

And then lean over to throw up in the trash can by my bed.

With a groan, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and wait for my stomach to calm down, not even bothering to sit up.

“Autumn! Oh my God, are you okay? Have you been sick? You haven’t said anything!”

Orla helps me back up, pressing a hand to my head and frowning.

“Okay, you don’t have a fever…”

“I know, it’s not that. My stomach has just been off for a while.”

“Like, what do you mean by ‘off’?”

“I don’t know, sensitive, I guess? I get nauseous really easily. This is the second time I threw up today.”

Trying to straighten myself up and standing to clean up the mess, it takes a second for my gaze to catch on Orla’s startled eyes.

“Um, Autumn. Is there any chance…?”

She leaves the question hanging as I frown at her. It takes a second for me to realize just what she’s asking.

Oh, shit.

Chapter 30

Chris

“Uncle Chris, are you staying for dinner?”

Eva climbs up on the couch next to me, Brutus not far behind her. Gen comes over to take Roux, who’s fussing and ready to eat. She raises her brows, mirroring her daughter’s question.

“Um, I don’t think so, hon. I should probably get home.”

“Hmph.”

Gen turns away, shushing Roux as she goes, but shooting me a look over her shoulder.

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