Page 41 of Insatiable

He sighs, rubbing his chin, looking older and more worn than I’ve ever seen him. “Sylvia Rothwell was my girlfriend. Well… one of many.”

“Of course,” I snap, bile rising as the anger coils around my heart.

“Do you want the truth or not?” His tone sharpens defensively. “You know I wasn’t exactly faithful when I was alive.”

I cross my arms, my expression unwavering. "Keep going."

He inhales deeply, running a hand through his hair. “I’d been out of the country for months on business. She was doing modeling assignments, couldn’t join me. When I got back, she told me she was pregnant. But it wasn’t mine.”

I blink, my throat tightening. “It wasn’t your baby? Is that why you made her abort it?”

His shoulders sag,eyes flashing with hurt. “Is that what you think?” His voice drops to a whisper, raw. “No wonder you hate me. No, Ro. I didn’t make her abort it. She’d been with someone else—a well-known, very married Hollywood actor. The baby was his. He was the one who pressured her to end the pregnancy. Not me.”

I want to believe him, but something keeps me from falling completely into his words. “So what happened?”

“I offered to take care of her, of the baby. I even told her we’d say it was mine. But she wouldn’t do it. The timelines didn’t add up—I’d been gone, and people would have figured it out.” He sighs, a touch of bitterness in his voice. “So I gave her a massive sum of money, to help her and the baby. Her career was coming to an end, and she hated modeling anyway. She left, moved toMontana. Last I heard, she married a cowboy, had the baby, had more kids.”

“She had the baby?” My voice falters, doubt creeping in. “That’s not what she said in the interview.”

“What interview?” His face contorts with confusion, then softens with a weary smile. “Doesn’t matter. She probably made it up to protect herself or to get back at that actor. She was the top supermodel in the world before she disappeared; people wanted reasons. Maybe she spun that story because it was easier.”

“But I’d figured out it was you… she called him some rich egotistical asshole who got her pregnant.”

Felix chuckles softly, and it’s a strange, sad sound. “That’s why you thought it was me?” He lets out a wry laugh, shaking his head. “I deserve that, I guess. But no, Ro. Sylvia and I were friends in the end, nothing more. No abortion. I’ve done plenty wrong—I admit I avoided fatherhood, kept people at arm’s length. But with you…” His gaze softens, and he reaches a tentative hand toward my belly. “You were the first person I slept with without protection. I thought… I thought you couldn’t get pregnant.”

“But I did,” I whisper, emotion heavy in my chest.

His hand brushes my belly, gentle and reverent. “And I’m glad. I’m glad I’m the father, and I’m glad it’s you. It took someone like you to show me what really matters.”

His words strike me with fear so much worse than what I thought he’d done. He wants me. He wants the baby. Its unnerving and scary and downright terrifying. I don’t know if I can do this. I wasn’t expecting such raw honesty from Felix. I slip out of bed and retrieve my panties from the floor, feeling nervous now the flush of sex has cleared my head a bit. “I should probably go,” I explain as I put them on.

“I was hoping you might stay a while.”

Another admission. None of this feels real. Maybe I’ve slipped into an alternate reality.

Crazy sex fuelled by either desire or insanity is one thing. Hanging around for cuddles is something else entirely. It’s frightening and everything I’ve ever wanted all wrapped up together. I look up at him, scared what I might see in his expression.

Felix licks his lips as I dither by the bed, full of fear and uncertainty.

“Get your ass back in this bed Ro, and take those panties back off. I’ve not finished with you yet.

19

LIKE OLD TIMES

JULIETTE

“How is it that slutty Tate got through and my ex got through, but not your friends?” I snap, sounding more pissed off than I should. It’s not Twila’s fault, I know that. But she’s had it easy, waltzing through these circles without having to do anything more dangerous than sucking Hades' cock—a job I used to want, once upon a time.

“The trial was the trial,” Twila says, holding her hands up in surrender. “You know I don’t get any say in it. And don’t ask about the next one either. I have no idea what it is.”

“I’m not even in the next trial,” I grumble, crossing my arms and slumping in my seat.

It’s not like me to give up, but without fucking Hades myself, I don’t know how to sneak my way back into the games, and I doubt Twila will take too kindly to me trying it on with her partner. Besides, however much I hate to admit it, Hades has never even looked my way once Twila was on the scene. I’d try fucking Anthura, but look how that turned out for Felix. The guy has done nothing but argue with the woman since we got to this circle and he looks completely miserable. Besides, the thoughtmakes me feel almost as nauseous as fucking Orlin. Then the thought changes. “Fuck me, I’ve got it!”

Quinn raises her eyebrows. “Herpes?”

I give her a deadpan stare. “Very funny. I’ve figured a way to get us all back in the games. Me, Rowena and Dade.”

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