Page 58 of Hendrix

His expression softened, and I felt the love in it, hitting me deep inside. “Perhaps I should book our flights, Anna Banana. It’s time to go home.”

Tears hit the back of my throat.

Home.

I hadn’t been back to Hambleton since I got married. Antoni and I left for our honeymoon in Hawaii the day after we said our vows, then straight to Philly to set up home.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to visit—I did, desperately—but Antoni always had an excuse for me not to go, like a work function or a charity dinner. Then he began to make excuses that he didn’t want to be separated from me, but work was far too busy for him to just take off.

Before I knew it, years had passed, and I hadn’t seen my girlfriends during any of them. If it wasn’t for Tristan making an effort to visit me, I probably wouldn’t have seen him either. That was when I started to recognize Antoni’s behavior for what it was.

Controlling.

I hadn’t noticed at the time. It had happened so gradually that I didn’t see the signs until one day, I woke up and realized I had no friends, and somehow, I was isolated from my found family back in Hambleton.

Antoni controlled everything. Our finances, our social life, and who I could and couldn’t mix with. I didn’t work, and I had no money of my own, which ultimately meant I had no means of escape. He even made ‘suggestions’ about the clothes I wore, down to the shade of lipstick he liked to see on me.

The day I woke up and began to look deeper was the same day I questioned my husband and subsequently, the day his mask began to slip.

I’d failed again. Another relationship was flushed down the toilet, leaving me with another broken heart and so many damned questions that my brain seized with them all, but at least this time, I’d been left with something else.

Something good and pure.

Something that meant I’d never be alone again.

My hand moved to gently stroke my belly, and I smiled.

“Umm,” a soft voice said nervously, pulling me away from my thoughts. “Here’s your lunch.”

I looked sideways and up, and my stomach jolted when I saw the redhead who’d been fawning over Hendrix standing beside the table with a tray. “Prez said you’re gluten intolerant, so I used the flatbread that Carina makes for one of the guys who’s the same way. She makes a big batch, then freezes it, so I know it’ll be fresh.” She motioned to the table with her chin, seeing as her hands were full. “May I?”

I finally found my voice again. “Of course. Umm. Thanks.”

She placed the tray down carefully on the table. “There’s also salad and pickles. Gambit told me to give you some of the Cheddar cheese his mom sends over from England. Can you believe it’s actually named after a place called Cheddar? If you mix it with that pickle there, it’ll melt in your mouth. I’d never had English cheese until I came here, and it’s really good.” She straightened from the table and stuck her hand out. “I’m Daisy. You’re Anna, right?”

I took her fingers and squeezed. “Yeah.”

She nodded, her gaze flicking nervously toward Tristan, then back to me before dropping my hand. “Umm. I just wanted to explain the scene from earlier... I mean, me and Hendrix... It’s not what it looked like... Umm, I’m just an affectionate person is all. Like, err, we’re just friends, and I’m sorry if it looked like something else. Hendrix was mad with me about it, and I didn’t want you to be mad with me too. I didn’t mean to overstep.”

She looked so awkward and nervous that my heart went out to her—not too much—I mean, she had been fucking the very man I always thought was my soulmate. But still, I felt a little bad for her, especially if Hendrix had ripped her a new asshole because of me.

“What Hendrix does isn’t my business,” I corrected. “You did nothing wrong.”

Her shoulders slumped, and a look of relief washed over her face. “Oh, thank God. I was worried there for a hot minute that he’d been seeing us both at the same time and that I’d have to hide it. We’ve been together a lot”—she gave me big eyes— “so I wasn’t looking forward to having to watch everything I said around you, especially with you being pregnant with his baby and all. I mean, I don’t want to upset you with my big mouth.”

“Hendrix isn’t the father,” I corrected gently.

Her eyes rounded again. “Oh. I’m sorry, I mean, it’s not really anything to do with me, but I just assumed...” Her voice trailed off. “All the girls assumed you were his baby momma, and that’s why you’re here.”

I glanced at Tristan, who was studying Daisy with his eyes narrowed. “I’m here visiting. I had some trouble with my husband, so I came to take a break and see Freya.”

“Oh,” she murmured. Her lips curved into a dazzling smile, and right then, I could see why Hendrix was drawn to her. She was pretty when she allowed herself to be. “I hope things get better with your husband, and if you ever need to talk, I’m your gal.”

My lips twitched at the irony. “Thanks.”

“Right.” She jerked her thumb toward the kitchen. “I gotta serve more food.” She nodded down at the tray. “Enjoy.” Then she turned on her heel and made her way back toward what I assumed was the kitchen area.

Tristan caught my eye and grimaced. “That was weird.”

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