Page 69 of Baby I'm Yours

Shit.Shit!

“Hunter, wait, please,” I say, hurrying after him. “I can explain.”

He stops, hesitating a beat before turning slowly to face me. His gaze is cold enough to make me flinch on impact, but I stand my ground. “Please do,” he says softly. “Please explain how you thought it was acceptable to keep a secret from me that could have led to the death of the only person I love.”

I flinch again, but I know he doesn’t mean that. He still loves me. He’s angry—and he has every right to be—but what we feel for each other is real. And it’s strong enough to survive this.

I just have to make him see that I never meant to hurt him.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, the words thick with fear and regret. “But she made me promise, Hunter. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t give my word lightly and?—”

“Neither do I,” he cuts in. “Which is why I will continue to honor our contract, though I honestly have no interest in seeing you again.”

Tears flood into my eyes. “You don’t mean that. I know you don’t. You’re hurt and angry right now, but I know?—”

“You know nothing.” He cuts me off with a slashing motion of his hand, his lip curling with contempt as he adds, “You disgust me.”

“Please, Hunter,” I beg, a sob escaping my whip-tight throat. “Please, don’t do this. I love you so much, and I’m so sorry. I messed up, I know that, but if you’ll just give me the chance to explain. I never meant?—”

“There is no explanation that can excuse what you did,” he says. “And at the moment, I don’t have the luxury of wasting time on a lost cause. I need to get back to the hospital. I’ve booked you a room at the Residence Suites in midtown for the next week. We can reevaluate where we stand and what’s needed to bring our business to a close in a few days, once I have more information on my mother’s progress.” He glances at his watch before turning away, tossing over his shoulder, “A car will be here to pick you up in an hour. I suggest you start packing.”

Tears stream down my face. “Idolove you, and you love me. That’s real, Hunter, and you’re a liar if you pretend anything different.” He pauses, giving me the strength to continue addressing his rigid back. “Everything between us is real,” I add, pleading with him not to give up on us. “And rare. We’ve both waited so long for a connection like this. We’d be crazy to give up on it just because we hit a bump in the road.” I sniff, doing my best to regain control. “We can get through this. We just have to hold on to hope and remember that love is stronger than fear. I’m so sorry I scared you and made you doubt us, but I promise you, I will never do anything like this again. Not ever. You can trust me. I promise.”

He glances over his shoulder, but doesn’t turn to face me as he announces, “And you can trust that I’ll sue you into the ground if you leave town before you’ve fulfilled the duties outlined in our contract. You will do whatever is required to keep my mother’s faith in our happy engagement alive until such time asIdecide it’s safe to end this farce. Then, you will exit the picture, and forget you ever knew my name.”

“And what if I’m pregnant?” I ask, though I know I’m likely not. Yes, we had unprotected sex yesterday, but we were at least two days past my fertile window.

“Then you’ll have what was promised in the contract,” he says. “Nothing more. Nothing less. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab a few things. I’ll shower in the gym so as not to interfere with your packing. Goodbye, Elaina.”

I collapse onto the floor in a sobbing heap, and don’t stop sobbing for a long time.

Long after Hunter has exited the penthouse without another word or so much as a beat of hesitation as he moves past me…

Long after I should have started packing so I can get out of here before that stupid car pulls up…

Because there’s no way I’m going to that fucking hotel. Hunter can sue me into poverty for all I care. I’d rather be homeless and living in my car than stay here with the monster I created for one second longer.

I should have known better than to think we could get through this. I should have known better than to think love was enough to fix all the broken things inside of him. He’s been broken longer than I’ve been alive, and now, I’ve done my part to make him even more bitter and distrustful.

I hate myself.

And I hate him a little, too.

Most of all, I hate that the beautiful life I know we could have had together is never going to be a reality. That’s the saddest part of all this. For both of us.

But that’s one thing about life, it keeps moving, even when you’re so broken you can barely see straight. And I have shit I have to take care of.

I force myself to stand and fetch my phone from the charger, my hands shaking as I text Sydney—So sorry, but have to cancel coffee today. Emergency back home. Will explain later.

Then, I stumble into the bedroom on wooden legs, pull my suitcase from under the bed, and start packing. In just twenty minutes, I’ve erased any sign that I was ever here—from my clothes in the closet to my hair in the drain to the ice cream in the freezer. I dump it in the trash, then slide the bag into the garbage chute before making my way across the living room.

As I wait for the elevator to arrive, I take one last look around at the beautiful home that I once stupidly thought was mine. But it isn’t the luxury or the view I’ll miss most…it’s the man who couldn’t wait to come home to me every day. The man who loved me and laughed with me, who challenged me and supported me, who made me believe all my dreams were on the verge of coming true.

The man who likely only existed in my head…

If Hunter’s love had been as real as I thought it was, he couldn’t have ended things as easily—or coldly—as he did.

When the elevator arrives, I take it all the way to the garage level—the better to avoid an awkward goodbye with Alex in the lobby—and exit through the parking entrance.

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