Page 11 of Pregnant Rejected Mate

“Sierra…” he whimpers softly, taking a step toward me.

Reminded of all the pain as the floodgates of the past part to unleash their terror on me, I take a step back on feet that feel foreign. My quivering knees can barely hold me upright, my ankles caving beneath me. I fall hideously on my rear, my unsteady heartbeat threatening to beat out of my chest.

“N-no!” I bellow, lifting a hand in midair when he attempts to come forward and help me. “Leave me alone!”

“Sierra, I—”

“Please!” I plead, unwilling to hear his voice again when it took me forever to drain it out of my system. I can’t bear it—any of it. Seeing Felix again, learning that he wasn’t the man I thought he was.

Scrambling to my feet, it’s a highway I need again. A way out. I rush through the parted sliding doors in front of me, pulling it shut and throwing myself behind the wall. This way, I can’t see him. This way, he can’t see me.

He has no right, not after what he did to me.

Sinking to the floor, I hug my knees to my chest as the pain rears its ugly head and crashes into me all over again. Memories of the times I spent with Felix come back, the heartbreak of his abandonment fueling the sob that escapes me.

Chapter 5 - Felix

Eight Years Ago

Something about the quaint town has me mesmerized. Perhaps it’s because I’ve traveled so much that bustling cities no longer pique my interest.

I’d choose a quiet town that reminds me of Aurora Island any day. I guess I’m feeling a little homesick. That tends to happen when you’re away from home for almost three years.

Gazing at the empty bar, a lilting smile spreads across my face. If Charlottesville is the last stop on my itinerary, I’ve chosen it well. I’ll spend a few days strolling across the town, meeting the street vendors and getting a fix on their native offerings, then head back home.

It’s nice to enjoy the stillness while soaking up my experiences of the last couple of years.

“What can I get you, Sir?” a delicate voice asks from behind me, prompting me to turn back to the bar counter.

As soon as I look up, the wind is knocked right out of my chest. My jaw drops, eyes meeting a fresh pair of golden depths that hypnotize me.

I’m not the only one stunned. The young woman behind the counter forgets how to breathe. Or blink, for that matter. It’s almost as if she’s seen a ghost, except her lightly tanned plump cheeks become rosy.

“Wh—what can I get you?” she manages to ask despite the tremble in her voice.

Gulping hard, I reluctantly tear my gaze away when my eyes land on her heart-shaped lips.

Beautiful.

She’s probably the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. A work of art, even with her hair in a tight bun and dressed in her uniform. Wow. I never thought a human could be as flawless as she is.

When I notice the way her bottom lip trembles, it reminds me that I can’t just sit there and ogle her beauty. Blinking again, I snap out of my daze and mutter, “Whiskey on the rocks, please.”

The young woman nods sheepishly before turning around to fix my order. I’m barely interested in the drink when it arrives, instead trying to figure out why she appeals to me so intensely.

“Sierra…” I read off the nametag on her shirt.

She smiles shyly, averting her gaze as if she’s too shy to speak.

That’s my cue to make my introduction. I open my mouth to speak again, but I’m interrupted when somebody else calls her name.

“Get over here!” A man appears from the back of the bar, his brows furrowed angrily with his hands planted on his hips.

He looks like he’s about to scold her. Sierra seems to know it, too, her shoulders slouching as she drags her feet to the back.

I can’t help but wonder what’s going on, trying hard to eavesdrop from where I’m seated when the two disappear through a door. I hang back, though I can’t hear anything.

Next thing, the young woman flashes out from the room in tears, flinging the towel on the counter before rushing through the front door.

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