Page 57 of Trash the Dress

Before Zander can speak up, I stand up and move in front of him. “You need to leave, Eric. There’s nothing left to say between us. You made your choices; now you deal with the bed you made.”

His gaze drops to my pregnant belly and his eyes widen. When he looks back up at my face, it’s like I slapped him. He takes a step back. “You’re pregnant?”

I cover my stomach with my hand. “I am,” I say as I raise my chin defiantly. I know nothing he says next will be good and I brace for the hateful words he’ll inevitably spew at me.

“Damn it, Scarlett. What have you done? You screwed everything up like you always do,” he says while staring daggers at me. I can practically see the anger rolling off him in waves.

I don’t have a chance to reply because Zander steps closer to Eric almost shielding me from his view. “You’re the one who messed up. You cheated on her and lost the best thing you ever had. It sucks, but you’ll live. Now back off and don’t contact her again,” he says through gritted teeth.

Eric scoffs. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re knocked up by this guy?” he asks crudely, peering at me around Zander’s tall frame.

It’s my turn to shift in front of Zander. I point at Zander behind me as I get so close to Eric, I can see his pupils dilate. “This guyhas loved me more in the months we’ve been together than you ever did in all the years I was with you,” I say, defending him with every beat of my racing heart.

Eric laughs. “This guy is a player, been nothing but one since his own little heartbreak years ago. Looks like you fell for his bull crap and now you’re stuck with him. What did you do, sleep with him on our wedding day?” he asks, still laughing, assuming I’d never do such a thing.

When I don’t answer, he pieces it together and anger masks his usually handsome features again. His eyes narrow as he says, “You’re kidding me. You slept with him on our wedding day?”

“It wasn’t our wedding day. It was the day I almost made the biggest mistake of my life. You and your little slut did me a favor,” I say, seething. How dare he compare the months he cheated to me sleeping with ZanderafterI left him to clean up the mess he created.

“It sounds like you’re the slut,” he throws back.

Zander lands a punch to his face quicker than a lightning strike. Eric stands taller and wipes the blood from his lip on the back of his hand. “Don’t you dare come near her again, or I’ll make sure you’re eating through a straw,” Zander says, threatening him.

Eric just grins at him and starts to back away. When he reaches the door, he stops and throws over his shoulder, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you about his playboy reputation, Scar. If you thought I was bad for you, you haven’t seen anything yet. This won’t last, and then where will you be?”

With that, he knows the thorn of doubt he planted will sting and fester.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Zander

Scarlett sat quietly sniffling on the way back to Greendale Valley. Without her saying anything, it already feels like she’s pulling away. We just got back on track. If I could punch Eric in the face again, I would.

He said things that under normal circumstances would be hurtful but add in the emotions of pregnancy…she’s over there doubting herself, and probably doubting us again too. It’s no secret that I only enjoyed the no-strings-attached company of women after Vivian but prior to Scarlett. I was honest with her about it.

But the vile things he was spewing at her will make her second-guess everything we’re trying to be and grow into. “Scarlett, talk to me,” I finally say when we’re almost home.

She stares out the window. “What do you want me to say, Zander?”

“You’re letting him get inside your head, sunshine.”

“And you’re not?” she asks right before we park.

“The only thing getting to me is that he got to you. Which is exactly what he wanted.”

She glances at me with her big blue eyes but says nothing as she gets out of the car.

I follow her to the front porch where she hugs herself. “Do you think what he said is true?”

“No,” I tell her instantly.

“Which part?” she asks.

“None of it is true, Scarlett.”

“That’s why my parents have basically left me alone. They think I’m a slut. That I made a reckless decision,” she says as the first tear falls off her chin.

I start to reach for her, but she shrinks into herself. “Scarlett, don’t do this because your low-life ex-fiancé tried to bring you down. Misery loves company. And while I’m sure he wants you back, he’s the type that wants his cake and ice cream too. He saw your happiness and wanted to steal it and make you feel less than so he could find a way back into your life.”

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