Page 20 of Broken Promise

“Charlotte,” I say slowly, “Is there areason you’re telling me this?”

She smiles. “Because the baby is yours,silly.”

I want to say something to contradict herclaim, but I don’t get the chance. Karmen steps out of my hold andturns to Lenor.

“We need to leave. Now.”

Adam moves out of the bench seat to allowLenor out and within a flash the two women are gone. Shane standsbeside me, glaring at Charlotte.

“You know as well as everyone else thatWesley has never shown any interest in you,” he says harshly.“Isn’t it enough that we are grieving for our mother, now you haveto fuck up everything else?”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” Charlottehuffs. “This isn’t your business.”

“Lying about our brother and upsettingKarmen is most definitely our business,” Adam interjects. “I satright here last night when he ignored you. He didn’t hear a singleword you were babbling.”

Pride surges through me. My brothers have myback and know me well enough to not even question whether this istrue. I only wish I could say the same for Karmen.

“I don’t care what you have to say,” shesays, her snotty attitude shining through.

“And neither do I,” I say cutting her off.“If you insist the baby is mine, you’ll need to get a paternitytest. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear a damn thing from you.” Herface falls but I couldn’t give a flying fuck. I know where I stickmy dick and it absolutely wasn’t in here. “Now get out of my way, Ineed to find my woman.”

I hear Charlotte argue with Shane as I pushmy way through the crowded bar. People greet me but I don’tacknowledge them as I make my way outside.

Sitting on the hood of Karmen’s car isLenor, shaking her head. “She went upstairs. Something aboutpouring boiling sugar down a lying bitch’s throat.”

Turning, I head around the outside of thebar and up the back stairs, not caring to skip the second creakystep. All I can focus on now is getting to Karmen and making sureshe knows the truth.

Walking into my apartment, I find her at thestove stirring something in a pot. Slowly, I approach her.

“Babe?”

She turns around, murderous rage paintedacross her features. “What?”

“What are you doing?” I ask carefully.

“Boiling sugar.”

Yes. Because that is supposed to answer allmy questions. “Why?”

She stares at me like I’m stupid. “I’m goingto force feed it to Charlotte the harlot. Hopefully it’ll burn hervocal cords and I don’t ever have to listen to her slutty, lyingvoice again,” she says looking around the kitchen. “Do you have afunnel?”

Taking her shoulders, I turn her, forcingher to face me. Reaching behind her back, I kill the burner beforespeaking.

“Karmen, I need you to listen to me. I wantyou to hear what I am saying.”

“Don’t,” she cuts me off. “I know you didn’tknock her up.”

“You know?”

“Of course I know,” she replies. “I’m notstupid, of course you’ve had sex before we got together but youhave a type.”

“A type?”

I keep repeating everything she says,sounding like an idiot, but I was prepared to defend myself. I wasready to tell her a million times that I didn’t touch Charlotteuntil she believed me. This turn has thrown me for a loop and I’mnot sure where to go from here.

“Yes, Wesley. You like blonde women. Youlike big boobs. And you don’t like fake. Do any of those thingsdescribe Charlotte?”

“No.”

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