Page 16 of Beautifully Reckless

“He didn’t tell you?”

Ayden frowns at my question, his blue gaze flicking to Lexi, who steps up beside him.

“He said you ran off. That was it.”

My brows shoot up at Lexi’s words.

Of course he didn’t tell them the whole story. Their reactions to my pregnancy alone prove that much.

Shuffling awkwardly, my cheeks heat as I try to figure out how to explain what happened, mainly because I still don’t really understand it myself.

“Didsomething happen?” Ayden asks, and I can feel my friends closing in around me.

They are doing it because they care, but it’s making me feel claustrophobic.

The urge to run is palpable.

“Well, umm…” I lick my lips, my gaze dancing between Ayden, Lexi, Marcus, and Garrett.

“Did someone hurt you?” Lexi snaps, now a little panicked.

My gaze flicks to hers, and I quickly shake my head.

“No… no. Not on purpose.”

“What the fuck happened?” Jared snarls, and I shrink in on myself, wanting to hide.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, back off her, you psychos.” Rhys shoves past Marcus and takes my hand, leading me out of the pack to one of the cabana loveseats.

I look at her, searching for something.

I don’t even know what, but it’s like she sees more than she should, because Rhys takes my hand and deadpans, “Who broke your heart?”

My lower lip wobbles.

Shit.

A fat tear spills over before I can stop it, but I quickly bat it away, so sick of crying. Sick of feeling like I can’t control my own damn emotions.

“Shit.” Lexi exhales, sitting down beside me. “You and Ringo did get close, didn’t you?”

All I can do is nod.

“Did he fucking touch you?” Marcus snarls, and Ayden scowls at his cousin.

“Dude, Ringo isn’t like that.”

Marcus scoffs. “He’s a fucking criminal. She’s a pretty damsel. As if someone like that wouldn’t fucking try something.”

“Marcus!” Lexi snaps, her voice sharp as she levels him with a glare. “Just because he’s on the other side of the law doesn’t make him a monster.”

He was my monster.

I want to tell her that but I don’t.

Because this… this is just another thing they won’t understand.

How could I be attracted to a man after what Daniel and his friends did to me?

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