Page 1 of Broken

“Is it even mine?”

Those words echoed around Petal Hargreaves’ headone too many times this very day. She should be working on ideas for the newmenu at the diner, but instead, those words. They had broken her heart, and ifshe was honest with herself, crushed her very soul.

She just wanted to stop thinking about that momentand focus on her work. It wasn’t like it mattered anymore. This was the onething she had never told Rosalie. It was the one detail of her life she hadkept secret, and she was now more pleased about it than ever before since shedidn’t have to talk about it with Rosalie.

There was no baby. There was no future where shehad to consider life as a single mother. No. She lost the baby when a drive-byshooter attempted to take out her best friend, Rosalie, along with her husbandColt.

The shooter had taken out Gabrielle, Rosalie’smom, as well as putting bullets inside Petal—one in her stomach whichterminated her pregnancy instantly, and then another in her shoulder.

This felt like a lifetime ago, but it had onlybeen a few months back. Long enough for her to make a full recovery. Sincethen, she’d finally moved out of her parents’ home, which she was so thankfulfor. She loved her mom and dad, along with her brothers and sisters, but sheneeded space. Being twenty-one years old and still sharing a room with hersisters had been a nightmare.

Her parents loved one another, even after nearlytwenty-five years of marriage. They were still completely besotted, couldn’tkeep their hands off each other, and that resulted in a large family in a three-bedroomhouse with one bathroom. Not the nicest of experiences, and it certainly hadn’thelped when she needed the privacy.

Unlike her oldest brother who had left the momenthe turned eighteen, and headed into the military, she stayed and helped. Shetook care of the little ones and paid rent, which at the time had been most ofher wages. Attempting to save had been difficult. Her parents had a way ofmaking her feel bad for them, so she gave them most of her money.

Not anymore. She was free.

She was living in Rosalie’s place, now alone, asher mother was gone. It held a lot of great memories for her. It was the oneplace she was actually seen. Not that she should complain. Her family was greatespecially compared to Rosalie’s. Up until the past year, she never knew thatRosalie’s dad was in fact her mother’s rapist. He’d been the president of oneof the most feared MCs—Evil Fuckers MC—and they relished their name andreputation.

She never spoke to Daemon personally, but the manwas evil, anyone could see it. He was dead, Gabrielle was dead. From what sheknew, the Evil Fuckers MC was no more. After the drive-by shooting went wrong,killing Rosalie’s mother, Daemon had gone on a killing spree. In his own warpedway, he did love her.

But it didn’t change all that happened.

At least something good did come out of Daemon’smeddling and conniving ways. Her best friend was now happily married. Colt andRosalie were finally giving their marriage a fighting chance, and she was sohappy for her friend.

Of course, it meant she spent a lot of time aloneof late.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Rosalie asked.

At first Petal didn’t register what her friend hadsaid, and frowned at her. “Huh?”

“You’re staring into space. I wondered what wasgoing on in that mind of yours?” Rosalie asked, tucking some of her raven hairbehind her ear. Her friend was beautiful and fierce. A fighter. A survivor.They both were in their own way, only Petal didn’t quite feel like a fighter.

She currently felt like she was on her knees andthe next punch or kick was heading her way. Of course, she didn’t say anything.There was nothing to say, and she wasn’t going to hurt her friend. Rosalie hadbeen through more than enough pain to last a lifetime.

“I, uh, I don’t know. I didn’t get a whole lot ofsleep last night.” She hadn’t slept in weeks.

It wasn’t like she had nightmares. No. Sleep wasfor those with a peaceful mind. She didn’t have one of those.

“You didn’t? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?”Rosalie reached out and Petal chuckled and pulled away.

“You do not have to go all Mother Hen on me. I’mfine.”

“I should stay over with you tonight. That willwork. We’ll have a girls’ night. You and me.”

Petal smiled, and as much as she would love to bearound her friend, she knew it wasn’t going to work.

“A rain check? I, uh, I’ve got some things I wantto do, and I am just going to crash. Probably eat some ice cream and fallasleep with my favorite flavor, the double chocolate, and I will not complainabout that.”

Rosalie frowned. “You have never turned down girls’night before.”

Petal forced a smile. “I know, but you have alsonever been, you know, happily married, and let’s face it, Colt will turn up,and then I’ll feel bad for taking you away from him.”

Her friend shrugged. “He won’t mind. He could goto the clubhouse, be around his buddies. They’re already complaining that I amtaking him away from the boys.”

She reached out and stroked Rosalie’s arm. “Don’tworry about it, okay? I am good, and you and Colt should have this time witheach other. It was a crazy start at the beginning, but now it’s better. Youknow, for the two of you.”

There was a sweet smile on Rosalie’s lips. Thekind that said she was in a memory where it was just her and Colt. She was sohappy her friend found happiness. The last thing she wanted to do was destroyit or in any way put a damper on it.

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