Page 70 of Forbidden Mistress

And maybe having a baby together. But people who aren’t a couple do the co-parenting thing all the time, don’t they? We can be amicable, do the best thing for the baby…

I can’t believe I’m even considering going through with the pregnancy. But it’s all my thoughts gravitate to, and I don’t want to make a decision one way or the other until Hart knows everything. If I could only find him to tell him.

Willow shrugs again. “What I don’t understand is how much and how quickly he changed things when he brought you into the mix.”

I frown. “What do you mean? What did he change?”

Her eyes roll behind her mask. “Before you popped up, he had a slim partial mask that he switched out for a full mask. He rarely even wore one—when we were alone, anyway.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “You mean, when you were with him, he didn’t have the mask on? You—you’ve seen his face?”

Her pale brows furrow. “Of course, I have. Haven’t you?”

I swallow and refuse to answer, suddenly devastated and furious at the same time, thinking about all the times I asked him to take off his mask and all the times he staunchly—even angrily—refused. “What else did he change?” I ask.

“Well, that British accent is the biggest one.”

I blink. “What?”

“That only started when you were brought in to watch us. He had an American accent before that. I thought maybe it was some fetish of yours, so he did it for you?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I didn’t ask him to change anything.”

How strange that he had an American accent before I arrived at Obscura. I suddenly remember my roommate, Gwen, telling me the same thing weeks ago when I first told her about Hart. But why would he change his accent for me? Even when I met Lucien at his office in Beverly Hills, he had that accent.

I’d confront him about it, but he’s ghosting me right now. And for that matter, we have more important things to discuss than his accent, which brings me back to the reason I’m here.

“Is he here tonight?” I ask. “Have you seen him?”

She huffs. “I haven’t seen him in weeks. Besides, I’ve kind of got my own thing going on, now.” She touches her Phantom necklace. “I’m not looking for him.”

In spite of her saltiness, I do empathize with her. At least she’s given me some valuable information. She could have just told me to fuck off.

“I understand. I’m happy for you.” It’s the truth. I’m glad she’s been able to move on from Hart.

We say a cool goodbye to one another, and I head home, completely deflated. The reason Hart is ghosting me is my own fault, so I can’t even be angry about it, which is the worst part. I just want to scream, cry, and rail at him.

When I get home, Haley is in the living room, watching something on television. She turns toward me as I walk in. “Oh, hey, Cassie. How are you feeling?”

I shrug one shoulder and put my purse down. “Emotionally exhausted.”

Her gaze flicks over my dress. “Did you go somewhere fancy?”

I kick off my heels and plop down on the couch. “I went to Obscura to try to find Hart. He isn’t there. I’ve texted him. Called him. I’m not sure what else I can do.”

“You know where he works. You could call him there—or just show up.”

It’s true, I could call his office. He never really seemed keen on mixing his Hart persona with his real life, but this is an emergency. What he wants or doesn’t want is irrelevant.

“True. I’ll try calling his office tomorrow.” I sigh. “And after that, I don’t know. I guess I’ll just have to deal with this whole situation on my own.”

“Oh, speaking of which, I made an appointment for you at the clinic for next Monday. Is that going to be okay? Sam said she’d go with you.”

I nod, numbly. Honestly, I’m not even sure that’s what I want. I just don’t know. My feelings about it are all over the place.

“Thanks, Haley. You’ve been a good friend.”

She smiles, and as though she read my mind, she says, “Anything for my girl. And, listen, if you don’t want to go through with it, that’s okay, too. We can figure it out either way.”

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