Page 55 of Her Filthy Mistake

“If I hadn’t taken the drink, I’d be in a Saint Lucian prison for the rest of my life for killing him. I’m not a violent person, but the only thing at that moment that would’ve made me feel better was his blood soaking my hands. Or a drink.”

“Then you did the best thing you could do in that situation. You can’t protect Zoe from a jail cell. Especially from a Saint Lucian jail cell. You did what was necessary to get out of the country.” She pauses for a second. “Although, from what I’ve heard about Zoe, your brother, and your sister-in-law, I question if they wouldn’t have sided with you and not believed her father.”

“I–”

She raises her hand, palm facing me. “Let me finish. I understand, in that situation, you don’t risk it. They might have believed you, but the police, who don’t know you, would’ve been under no obligation to believe anything you said. Leaving was a sound decision rather than getting charged with assault and drug possession. Now, you need to come clean and tell the truth.”

“It’s not that simple.” My gut churns with anxiety. “I wish I could go up to them all and tell them what happened, but Zoe hates me, and I’m sure she’s not said a word to them about everything that happened.” Heat covers my face as visions of drowning in Zoe fill every crevice in my brain.

Every night, I wake with a ball of pain in my chest, knowing she’ll never be by my side again. I’ll never touch her. Kiss her. Hold her hand. Sing to her. Jesus. I squeeze my eyes shut. Nothing has ever hurt this bad.

“She’s not going to want another person knowing we were intimate.” I slowly open my eyes. “Especially now. I’m her step-uncle in case you’ve forgotten that part of the story. My brother and sister-in-law would lose their shit out if they knew.”

“I don’t believe that.” She rocks back into her chair and crosses her arms over her chest, causing the lapels of her blazer to gap open in front of her white button-down dress shirt.

“Why?”

“Please?” She rolls her eyes. Obviously, the insanity of my story has driven her past the edge of staunch professionalism as the advice keeps flowing. “A resort. Where you share a common suite. And are paired together as a couple for trust and relationship-building activities? And you don’t find that suspicious?”

“They wanted us to bury the hatchet.”

She snorts and pinches the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. This is a ridiculous conversation.” Finally, she removes her hand. “I think everyone in your family is a bunch of manipulators. Except Zoe.”

“What?” I frown. “Why?” I press my lips together. Okay, that might be a stupid question. Did they make all of it up to get us together? The same way Fletcher made up everything to break us apart. That’s insane. Isn’t it?

“So….” She sobers. “How did it feel to write and sing again?”

“Good.”

“Have you picked it up since you got home?”

“No. I can’t.”

She presses her lips together. “Can’t or won’t?”

Clearly, we’ve reached the portion of the session where she’s going to prod me with the equivalent of a stun gun.

Chapter Thirty-Two

One Week Later

Zoe

Daisy flops down on my sofa and crosses her arms over her chest. “Okay, you’ve heard my crazy story from Julia’s wedding and know everything that’s happened since then with Alexander and calculus class. It’s time you spill your guts. What’s wrong with you?” Daisy met a stranger at her sister’s wedding, and they hooked up. And then we walked into calculus class to find the same man standing in front of the chalkboard.

“Nothing.” I stare out the window of my living room and try to block memories of Jace from my head, but they’re never far away. How did I fall for his bullshit? Am I that weak and pathetic that some guy looks at me and says I’m pretty, and I’ll take any kind of crap he dishes out? That’s humiliating.

“Zoe,” she growls, causing me to sigh. Apparently, I haven’t done as well as I assumed at keeping a happy smile slapped on my face.

“Fine.” I jump to my feet. “Zayden, Jace, and I shared a bungalow at the resort, and Jace and I were paired together at the marriage-enhancing events. My mom’s boss wanted her to go undercover to check out the place because he’s thinking about purchasing it.”

“Okay.” She unlaces her arms and runs her hands over her pants. “I’m following you.”

“Except, Zayden left after the first night, and eventually, one thing led to another, and Jace and I hooked up.” My shoulders slump inward as the memories rush in again.

“Really?” Her eyes widen as she leans forward. “I knew it. I told you he always had feelings for you. I could see it when he watched you.” She smiles and waggles her eyebrows. “As long as he didn’t think anyone else was watching.”

“Well….” I scrub my hands over my face. “It was all a lie.”

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