Page 23 of Tore Up

Bane swung his eyes toward the guy. His entire body was tense. “She’s pregnant with Crosby’s baby.”

“What?” he asked incredulously as his gaze snapped back to me. The horrified expression on his face was unexpected.

Was it that hard for them all to believe Crosby would be in a relationship with someone like me?

“How … are you sure?”

Bane grunted, “Yeah. Doc did a paternity test.”

The guy continued to stare at me. “But how—I mean …” He looked back at Bane. “Saylor.”

There was that name again. Bane only nodded, looking grim. Why were they all so worried about her? Didn’t they need to tell me that so I’d be prepared when I met her?

“Who is Saylor?” I asked Bane.

He shifted his gaze to me. “Saylor was Crosby’s fiancée. They’d been together for eight years. Grown up together.”

My head felt light, and I needed to grab something to steady myself. That couldn’t be right. I’d heard that wrong. Fiancée? Crosby hadn’t been engaged. He had talked about us living together.

“Whoa,” the other guy said as he rushed toward me and grabbed my arms. “Easy,” he said gently.

I nodded and realized I needed to breathe. I sucked in some oxygen and then let it out.

“I take it, you didn’t know about … that? Or her?” he said to me, looking into my eyes.

Bane hadn’t been lying. This guy looked sincere. He didn’t seem like someone who hated me and was trying to hurt me.

“She’s fine. Just dramatic,” Bane said.

The guy shot him a disappointed look, then turned back to me. “I’m Than, and I am real sorry you found out this way. I didn’t know, or I wouldn’t have said anything.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I had no words.

Crosby had been engaged. In a relationship with someone since he had been thirteen years old. Oh my God. This was why his parents were going to be upset. Not only was I the reason that he had been killed, but I was also the other woman.

“I’m going to be sick,” I said, covering my mouth.

“Shit,” Than said, taking my hand and pulling me through the room to a door he pushed open.

I saw the toilet and rushed past him, grabbing the seat just as I heaved into the bowl. A hand pulled my hair back as my body jerked again, and more came up. I closed my eyes.

Crosby had been cheating with me.

“Are you good?” The concern in Than’s voice made my eyes fill with tears.

No. I was never going to be good. Every day I was alive seemed to just build on the nightmare my life had become.

I heard the water being turned on in the faucet, and then Than handed me a damp cloth. “Here.”

I reached for it. “Thank you,” I said in a hoarse whisper.

He let my hair go, and I straightened back up, then flushed the toilet. After I wiped my face off and managed to get myself under control, I turned around to see Than still standing behind me. He had given me some space, but he hadn’t left.

“Crosby was my best friend,” he told me. “I’m sorry I reacted the way I did. I know that wasn’t what you needed right now.”

I didn’t blame him. Who could? He had been Crosby’s best friend and had no idea I existed. I’d been Crosby’s secret life. The one he never intended to share with the people important to him.

“It’s okay,” I finally said. “I’m a twist no one saw coming, it seems.”

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