Page 23 of Broken Promise

“It’s your fault people call me Charlottethe harlot!”

Karmen chuckles. “Yes, that’s my fault butif it wasn’t true people wouldn’t say it.”

Charlotte struggles in my brother’s gripwith renewed fervor. “You bitch!”

“Calm the fuck down,” Shane says from thedoorway, glaring at Charlotte. “Your life is a mess because youmade it that way, Charlotte.”

She stares at him, and I finally seeit—the pain, the longing, the love shetries to hide. And it finally hits me.

“The baby is Shane’s, isn’t it?” I ask.

Charlotte shakes her head as a sob breaksfree. Her legs give out and Adam lowers her back onto the couch.Her hand covers her stomach while Shane stares at her in shock.

“It’s mine,” she mutters. “It’s mybaby.”

“Charlotte.” Shane says her name as herounds the couch to crouch in front of her. “Is Wesley right?”

She stares at him for so long, I don’t thinkshe’ll answer but then she nods. “We were drunk,” she whispers.“You kept calling me Mercy.”

“Fuck,” Karmen mutters beside me and I nodin agreement. This is bad.

“Jesus!” Shane curses, running his handthrough his hair. “Why didn’t you come to me? How long have youknown?”

“A week. And I know you don’t remember sowhat’s the point? You didn’t want me, and I don’t want to betrapped with someone because of a baby.”

“But you’d try to trap me?” I ask.

“I just wanted to…” Her words trail off.

“Hurt me,” Karmen finishes the sentence.

Charlotte glares at her but remainssilent.

“I’m sorry you’re in this position,Charlotte. But like Shane said, you did this to yourself. The twoof you have a lot to discuss,” I say, keeping my voice level. “ButI want you out of my apartment. You aren’t welcome in the bar, andI want you to stay away from us.”

I hold Karmen against my side, making sureCharlotte knows who I am talking about.

“If the baby proves to be Shane’s, we cantalk about limits again but until then, get out,” Karmen adds.

Adam moves to the kitchen, digging throughmy cabinets while Shane helps Charlotte stand and leads her out. Hegives me a look on the way out, regret shining in his gaze. He ismy brother, and always will be, but he needs to sort this out forhimself.

“What are you doing, Adam?”

“How does someone who owns a bar, not haveany booze in their house?” he asks angrily. “I need a fuckingdrink.”

“I thought you might,” Lenor says walking inwith a bottle of bourbon hanging from her fingers. “I waseavesdropping and knew someone was going to need a drink after thatshit.”

“And that’s why we love you,” Karmen says,taking the bottle from her friend.

Chapter Eleven

Three Days Later

Karmen Jones

I stand beside Wesley as they lower hismother’s pearl white coffin into the fresh ground. Everything seemssimilar to what I remember of Tommy’s funeral but completelydifferent. For one, it’s not raining. Also, no one is crying.

No. Everyone is huddled in little groups insilence as we all bid farewell to a great woman. Each of the Blakebrothers stood behind the podium and said something beautiful aboutthe woman that raised them on her own for most of their lives.

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