Page 75 of Owen (Storm Enterprises)

My husband killed a man to take what he wanted, and he’s not even sorry about it.

Tears stream down my face as my love for him shatters to the floor with every promise, every loving touch, and every dream of a future.

A pain in my chest unleashes so powerful I fall onto all fours as I choke on the onslaught of my realization.

While I thought I knew Owen and every part of him, realizing I never knew him at all is devastating beyond anything I’ve ever felt before.

The man I love killed my baby’s father to take what he wanted.

To take us.

THIRTY-SIX

LAYA

My feet move of their own accord, and with the baby monitor in one hand, I head downstairs toward the hushed voices of my husband, brother, and their best friend.

The coldness of the wood against my bare feet is nothing compared to the shudder racking through my body. As if I’m having an out-of-body experience, I float down each step, struggling to find the strength to hold on to the here and now.

The brutal betrayal by the one man I ever truly loved left my heart in ribbons, shredding it so it barely functioned enough for it to beat.

A loud chuckle jolts me.

They’re laughing. They’re laughing when my heart is breaking so mercilessly. I push open the door to Owen’s office and step inside, then they cease laughter as the air thickens and my eyes lock onto my husband. His gaze flits down toward the baby monitor, then his face pales. My knees buckle, but I gripthe doorframe for support, dropping the monitor, and it shatters against the wooden floor.

“Laya, I …”

“You killed him.” My words are broken, like me, like my heart, and when he moves to stand, I hold my hand out to stop him.

“I don’t want you anywhere near me. Anywhere near my son.” I ignore the way his face falls, unwilling to accept the hurt etched in his beauty, because all I see is his betrayal.

“Laya, you need to listen.” Tate steps forward and my anger heightens.

“You knew. You knew he did this.” I point my finger toward my brother, and when a thought occurs to me, I suck in a sharp gasp. “Oh, my God. Did you arrange it too? Were you a part of it?” My gaze ping-pongs over his face, searching for a sign of deceit.

“No. Fuck no, Laya. I just wanted you safe.”

“So did fucking I!” Owen roars, getting to his feet, and I stumble back, grateful when he remains where he is.

“Everyone needs to calm down.” Mase steps between Tate and me. “Maybe you both should give Laya a bit of space.”

“No,” Owen snaps out. “There’s no way I’m leaving.” The finality in his voice has my stomach somersaulting.

“Then I’ll go. I’m taking Romeo.”

“Laya. Please, you need to listen to me, baby.”

I grind my teeth.How dare he?“You’re wrong. I don’t need to do a damn thing. If you won’t leave, then I will.”

“Laya, please,” he implores again, his voice cracking.

My heart hammers, and I don’t know how it’s still functioning. “I hate you. You know that? I hate you so fucking much, you bastard!” I rush toward him with clenched fists and hit him over and over and over. Tears fall down my cheeksas each moment we’ve spent together becomes obliterated with each hit.

He remains unmoving, and it only angers me more. He lets me mistreat him, and I hate him for that. Everything about him I hate in this moment.

How could he do this to me? How could he do this to us?

“We were supposed to be together. I was supposed to be your everything!” I scream against his chest, but he doesn’t so much as flinch.

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