Page 53 of The (Maybe) Murderer Who Knocked Me Up

“Yes. I should have told you about Chime in that letter I wrote. I’m so sorry, Slade.”

This isn’t how I thought this conversation would go. I’m the one who owes Quin an apology. And yet, he invited me over to dinner and let me read with Chime. He let me kiss him.

“I should have written you back,” I say.

Quin pushes the ground with his feet, until the swing starts rocking back and forth. “You’re right. You should have.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell him.

He reaches across my body and holds me tight. “If you had known about Chime, you would have. We both messed up.”

His behavior tonight is very different than yesterday. All the confusion and stress are gone.

“You don’t seem afraid of me anymore,” I say.

“Should I be?” he asks, repeating my words back to me. His voice is soft and calm—far too calm for a man who recently thought I was so dangerous that he didn’t tell me about my own child for six years.

There has to be a reason for his change of heart.

“What did my brother say to you?”

Quin looks up at me. “Enough for me to know that I’m safe with you.”

My stomach drops. “What does that mean? What did he say, Quin?”

He pauses for what feels like eternity. “Your brother told me Chad Avery was killed with his own knife—a knife he would have used on someone else if he’d lived. It sounds like he got what he deserved.” Quin pushes himself up to whisper in my ear. “Jake also told me that you’d do anything for him, even go to jail for something you didn’t do.”

Cold fear surges through me. He knows. How could Jake tell Quin after I endured six years at Sciff to keep him safe? He promised me he would take that secret to the grave. He didn’t even tell his own mate.

“Jake only said that to get you to trust me,” I lie. “He didn’t… he would never…”

“Slade, it’s okay. Your secret is safe with me.” His voice is so sweet and reassuring. I want to believe him. But Quin is far tootrusting. What if he lets it slip to his moms or his brothers? Jake is pregnant and happy. He has a perfect life with Stew.

The truth of what happened could destroy everything.

“It was just lies,” I insist. “I’m a killer, Quin. I stabbed Chad Avery in cold blood.”

Quin bites his lip. He doesn’t believe me.

“I should go,” I say, standing up. The loss of Quin’s warmth against me is almost painful.

“Slade, please don’t leave. I understand why you did what you did. We don’t have to talk about it if you aren’t ready. I just want to be with you. I’ve missed you.” His voice breaks, and his lips tremble. I should comfort him—make love to him. I know deep in my gut that leaving him right now is wrong.

But my priority has always been Jake. It has to be.

Quin has to believe that I killed Chad Avery, otherwise Jake could end up in trouble.

“My brother is good at making up stories,” I say. “All addicts are. Don’t let him fool you. I stabbed Chad Avery with my own knife, and then I waited a full ten minutes for him to bleed out before I called an ambulance. That’s what kind of man I am. If you still want me, then you have my number.”

With that, I walk off, hoping that my lie is more convincing than whatever truth Jake told him.

I’ve known for a long time that I’m not the kind of alpha who gets to keep someone like Quin. The plan was always to put Jake first in the hope that he could have a good life. Now that he does, I’m not taking any chances.

Jake and I clearly need to talk.

26

SLADE

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