Page 44 of Beautifully Reckless

Taking my hand, she ignores Ringo’s looming presence and tugs me back out into the hall, leading me to the open door at the end.

“This is Ayden’s room. I made sure Rhys and Marcus didn’t leave a mess behind.” She grins before her eyes dart over myshoulder and it falls away. “You don’t need to follow her everywhere she goes, Ringo.”

Glancing back, I find him walking lazily behind us, his expression neutral, no words in response.

Lexi rolls her eyes, pulling me into the room.

“Bathroom is through there.” She gestures to the other door in the room. “I left a pile of clothes for you on the bench. There are a few dresses that should still fit you…” she trails off, her eyes dropping to my bump and her face falls. “Shit, Abs. I wish you’d told me. You must have been so scared.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper in response as a lump forms in my throat, taking in her glassy blue eyes. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you I was carrying the child of…” I can’t finish the sentence because I haven’t told Lexi everything. Right now, she probably assumes this baby is Daniel’s.

If only it were that simple.

“Was Daniel the one who told your parents that you were pregnant? Is that why they moved up the wedding, because he knocked you up?”

And there it is.

The assumption.

Of course, she’d never even imagine any other truth, since it’s so unfathomable.

“Maybe you should sit down, Lexi,” Ringo suggests, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

My frantic gaze snaps to him as panic coils in my stomach.

I don’t know if I can do this again. Take myself back to that place. To put my nightmare into words.

“What’s going on?” Lexi frowns, her gaze darting between us.

“I don’t think I can say it again,” I admit to Ringo, and he pushes off the wall and closes the distance, his big strong hands cupping my cheeks.

“I’ll say it if you really can’t, Angel.” His voice is steady, his touch grounding. “But I really think Lexi should hear it from you.”

“Hear what?” Lexi’s voice sharpens and panic flickers in her wide blue eyes.

I stare at my best friend. The one who never gave up on me even when I told her to walk away.

She hasn’t stopped fighting for me.

If anyone deserves the truth, it’s my Lexi.

“Ringo’s right. You should probably sit.”

Lexi’s face pales, and she nods, absently lowering herself to the mattress, never taking her gaze off me.

“Do you want me to wait outside?” Ringo’s voice is so gentle it makes my heart hurt with something I don’t understand.

“No.” I shake my head frantically. “Please don’t leave.”

“Of course, Angel.”

When I glance back at Lexi, her gaze flicks between us, studying how we interact. How we talk to each other.

Ringo moves to a chair at the edge of the room, giving me space to talk to Lexi while honouring my desire for him to remain close.

To think, the first night I met him, I thought he was a real prick.

Ringo can be, I’ve seen it, but not to me. Not even when he’s mad.

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