Page 8 of Ruthless Regret

Because everything I’ve done to her so far points to the fact that I was using her.

CHAPTER FOUR

ASHLEY

“What are you two doing here?”I untangle myself from Jessa-Mae and Karla’s arms, take a step back, and frown at them. “I told you I’d call you in a few days.”

It’s Jessa who answers me.

“Did you really think we were going to let you disappear without finding out what’s going on? You quit your job, move out, break up with Scott, and then drop the bombshell that you’re hooking up with someone … and you’ve been gone less than a week!”

“We needed to make sure you haven’t been abducted by aliens and replaced by a clone,” Karla adds once Jessa runs out of breath.

“Aliens?”

“Then when we get here yourmomis watching an interview with the guy you told us you helped put away for murder, and the next thing we know he’s saying you’re married to him. What the fuck, Ashley?” Jessa takes over again.

“I can explain—”I can’t. Not really.

“Damn right, you can. You can start with being married. I thought you hated him?”

“It’s compli?—”

“And then you can tell ushowyou got married so fast.”

“Oh my god, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

They both talk at the same time.

“Pregnant, no. If you’ll let me ex?—”

“What’s happened to you since you came back here? You’ve always been the predictable one. I’d expect Karla to announce she’s got married, notyou!”

“Shut up and let me speak!”

Both women gape at me.

“There’s no need to shout.” Mom’s voice comes from somewhere behind us. “Your friends are just concerned. We all are.”

I have to fight against the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m going up to my room, taking a shower, andthenI’ll come down and answer all your questions.”

I need five minutes to myself. I need time to collect my thoughts, and process what happened over the past couple of hours.

I don’t give any of them time to answer, and walk up the stairs. Once I’m in my room, I lock the door and go over to the window. The deputy’s car is still parked outside, and I can just about make out the shape of him in the driver’s seat. I can’t tell what he’s doing beyond that, but if he hasn’t left yet, then I guess he’s planning to stay there until the sheriff shows up to talk to me.

I pull the curtains closed, plunging the room into darkness, and cross the room to sit on the edge of the bed.

My head is pounding, and my entire body hurts. Neither should surprise me. If anything, it should be more of a shock that I’m still walking and talking like a normal human being. But I’ve had a lot of practice locking things away, separating it in my head, until I’m ready to deal with it.

I need to stand up. I need to take a shower, and change my clothes. But maybe I’ll just sit here for a second, and give myself a minute to breathe.

Lifting one hand, I push my hair back from my face. The movement pulls at my shoulder. The shoulder I’d hurt running from Zain … Was that only yesterday? The pain brings all the thoughts I’m holding back to the fore.

A tremor rocks through me.

A stranger grabbed me. They had a knife. What was their intention? Kidnap or kill? Why? Who were they?

I stare down at my hands, where they’re resting on my knees. And my eyes catch and lock on the wedding ring.

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