Page 47 of Beautifully Reckless

Maybe it’s because she never reached out to Lexi for help.

“Why can’t you sleep?” I ask in a low murmur, and Abbey shifts on my lap, nestling into me, her hand coming to rest on my chest just under the neckline of my cut.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m just not used to having so many people around.”

I smirk at that.

We are surrounded by her friends.

As soon as Abbey gave Lexi permission to share with their friends what happened to her and her rapists, with the condition that no one talk to her directly about it, her friends rallied. Each one of those fucking fellas was as smothering as Lexi and Rhys,bringing their makeshift beds closer to where Lexi, Abbey and Rhys were to sleep, completely surrounding them.

The exception is Jared and Dee. They seem quite content just across from me in the other armchair, keeping to themselves. But the others? They fucking engulfed Abbey.

The blond cheeky fucker that reminds me of an overexcited puppy even had the balls to start massaging her feet.

Took every ounce of restraint in me to not pull out my fucking gun and shoot him between the eyes.

“Where’d you sleep for the last three weeks?” I ask the question that’s been clawing at me for days, wondering if she was alone, on the street, scared… or worse.

“On the lumpy sofa in the dressing room at Leather and Lace.”

My brows shoot up at her quiet reply.

“You slept in the club?”

She nods against my chest.

“Every night?”

Another nod, but this time she tilts her head to look up at me.

“It wasn’t so bad. I was safe. They’ve got a TV in there, and Ariel had her boyfriend drop off a pillow and blanket. The women fed me, and Freddie gave me a job cleaning and stuff.” She shrugs like it’s nothing, but fuck, it’s a big fucking deal.

Because I can’t fucking hold back, I graze my fingers across her cheek, feeling how warm she is under my touch.

It’s too dark to tell if she’s blushing. Maybe she is. Maybe being this close to me affects her.

Fuck, I hope so.

I hate that I missed the signs she was pregnant. They were there, I just didn’t want to see them.

I hate that she didn’t feel like she could tell me, but honestly, I know she would have eventually. And truth be told, I probably would’ve reacted the same way, regardless, because my head’s been fucked up since Kylie. Since losing my little Hope.

“I’m so fucking sorry, Abs. Maybe if I’d told you my own fucked-up baggage, you’d understand why I flipped. Even holding you now, knowing you’re safe… it doesn’t stop the sick feeling I’ve been carrying for the last three weeks at not knowing if you were okay.”

She offers me a small smile, her fingers playing with the fabric of my shirt.

“I was scared for a day or two, but the girls at the club took me under their wing. Helped me blend in, and made me feel like I belonged. Like I was one of them.”

My brows shoot up. “They treated you like a stripper?”

She giggles a little too loud, slapping a hand over her mouth as her wide eyes dart over her sleeping friends.

“Whoops,” she whisper-giggles before melting back into my chest. “They didn’t treat me like a stripper, silly. They treated me like a friend.”

I smile at that. “Guess I owe them a thank you.”

“No need. I’ll thank them once everything settles down… if it ever does.”

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