Page 90 of High Stakes

Bella

My heart feels heavy. I thought telling Aiden part of the truth, might ease the guilt that’s eating into me. It didn’t. And now he’s ignoring my calls, angry because I lied about Cal. Imagine how he would have reacted knowing the truth.

The shop door opens, and I glance up to find Aiden standing there. He still looks pissed, so I move around the counter, towards him. “I can’t do this now, Aiden,” I snap. “We’ll talk later.”

He scoffs, “How far along were you?”

His words stop me in my tracks, and I frown in confusion. “Huh?”

“I never asked you how far along you were.”

My heart thuds hard in my chest. “What does it matter now?”

He sniggers and I’m instantly on high alert. “Oh, it matters, Bella.”

“Where’s this going?” I almost whisper, anxiety gripping me tightly.

He steps further into the shop, turning the sign in the window to closed. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me, Bella?” he asks, moving to the conjoining door that leads to Aria’s shop, and locking it.

I back away, going behind the counter to put distance between us. “No.” His eyes finally land on me, and anger is raging in them. It makes me want to run and hide, but I stand my ground. “What’s going on?” I ask.

“I’ve been so fucking stupid,” he mutters, and I swallow the lump in my throat. “I didn’t even think for one second it could be mine.”Fuck.“Out of everyone, I never thought you’d lie about something so important.”

“Aiden . . . I-”

“So, I went to see Cal. My world tilts, “And he told me the truth.”

“I can explain,” I mutter feebly.

He slams his hand on the countertop, and I jump in fright. “I can’t wait to hear it,” he grits out.

“I was upset . . . I was really depressed and . . .” Tears slip down my cheeks. “I didn’t meanto lie.”

“But you did, didn’t you, Bella,” he spits the words. “Over and over. You let me run around after you, all the while hiding the fact that it was my baby you lost.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I lay with you while you cried. My heart broke for your loss,” he yells. “Not knowing it was my loss too.”

I sob, my shoulders shaking. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry you got caught.”

“You didn’t want kids,” I remind him. “You told me that.”

“I wouldn’t have said that if I knew the truth.”

“I was hurting,” I cry desperately. “I wasn’t thinking straight and then it just became easier to let you think it was Cal’s baby.”

“You’ve had the moral high ground all this time,” he says with disgust, “And it turns out you’re a deceiving, lying little bitch, too.”

I shake my head in denial, unable to speak through mytears. “You wouldn’t even look at me when I hurt you. You made me feel like I was the evilest man on the planet. And then you do this. Was it punishment?”

“No.”

“Did you want to pay me back for what I did?”

“No.”

“Does Aira know?” he demands. When I don’t reply, he laughs. It’s cold and empty. “Of course she fucking does. She made JP grovel for his forgiveness, and she kept this from him.”

“It’s not her fault,” I mutter. “This is all on me.”

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