Page 41 of A Deceitful Pact

“Are ya gonna?—”

“No, I’m fine. I’m just…you shouldn’t be here.” She spins around to face me, looking mad and hot-as-sin in the sweatshirt and tiny shorts she’s wearing. I want to lift her onto the counter and screw her fuckin’ brains out. I researched having sex during pregnancy, too, and from what I’ve learned, it has benefits.

“None of this is your responsibility, Sawyer. You're acting as if–”

“I’m the father of your baby,” I interrupt, crossing my arms and looking back at her cleverly.

“Yes, and that's exactly my point. We both agreed that you wouldn’t be. I’m doing this alone, Sawyer.” Her words put a sting in my chest, but I let it go over my head and focus on the reason I’m here.

“You picked up old man Harris’s prescriptions, didn’t ya?” I point out. “And I know you’d wanna help Maddison or Isabel, if they were feelin’ ill.” I have to draw on whatever I can to help my cause.

“You know I would.” I can tell from the look on her face that she knows she can’t hide herself away from me. Riley Hale is starting to like the people in this town.

“Well, this, right here, is me doing the same. We’re friends, ain’t we?”

“Grrrr.” She grips her hair in frustration and marches past me into the living room.

“I’m not here to tell you that you're not doing a good job, Riley,” I follow after her. “I just want to make this easier on you. I don’t like seeing you suffer.”

She turns around and holds up her hand when she sees how close I’ve gotten.

“If you want to help me, tell me why Jace Sullivan hates me so much.” She’s got that flare back in her eyes, the one that irritates the hell outta me and gets my cock real fuckin’ hard.

“Jace doesn't hate you, he–”

“Friends don’t lie to each other, Sawyer.” This time she’s the one who’s crossing her arms and lookin’ all smart.

“If you’d let me finish, I was gonna tell ya that Jace doesn’t hate you, he fears you.” I don’t want to get into this shit with her, but I’d sacrifice anything for a little more of her time.

“He fears me?” she laughs. “Do you really expect me to believe that? Sawyer, I know the things you guys do.” She’s getting impatient with me, and I can’t have her thinking that I’m lying to her again.

“Yeah, well, I may have told him that you were FBI,” I confess, knowing that it’s gonna make her even madder at me than she already is, but it’s the truth, and that's what she deserves.

“You didwhat?” Her eyes stretch wide, and I swear she’s gonna swing for me.

“I told him on the night that you first came to town. I panicked because I thought you were here undercover to take us down.

“Jesus Christ, Sawyer.” She slumps down on the edge of the couch and buries her head in her hands.

“So you can understand why he’s not exactly stoked that you're in town. He’s in love with Maddison, they’re starting a family, and he sees you as the threat that could take all that away from him,” I explain, realizing how much I can relate to how my best friend feels right now. This woman in front of me has suddenly become my entire world, losing her now ain’t an option.

“You never even gave me a chance. This place was supposed to be my new start. A life away from all that.” She’s on the verge of tears, and knowing that I’m the reason for it makes me wanna put a dagger through my own fuckin’ heart.

“It still can be, darlin’, you're having a baby, and I know you got this whole plan to do it all by yourself, but you don’t have to. I really wanna be our kid's father. I wanna be?—”

“No, no, no.” She shakes her head and stands up strong. “I’m not having this discussion with you, Sawyer. I appreciate you wanting to make me feel better, it’s kind and it’s thoughtful, but it oversteps the mark.” She takes hold of my arm and starts ushering me toward the door. Seeing her so sad and angry at the same time makes me mad at myself for putting pressure on her. I didn’t come here to do that, I came here to make her feel better. Desperation just seems to get the better of me when I’m around her, and I’ve still gotta find a way to control it.

“Riley, I'm sorry. Just please eat something before I go.”

I notice there's a chain and a double bolt on the door that wasn’t there last time I was here, and wonder what it’s for.

“I’m not hungry,” she assures me, and I decide I need to finish this battle before I start another one.

“You might not be, but it ain’t just you you’re eating for. Let me fix ya something up, anything you want. I need…I wanna take care of you.” I feel so stupid and weak admitting that, but it seems to make her shoulders relax, and the anger on her face seems to soften a little, too.

“Fine, I’ll eat, but only if you tell me everything you know about Billy McGee.” She looks real badass as she heads over to the table, takes a seat, and lifts one of Jean’s muffins from the box.

“What do ya wanna know?” I take the chair opposite her, spinning it around so I can straddle it. Then, taking the muffin from her hand, I slowly peel the case from the bottom of it and hold it out for her to take a bite.

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