Page 51 of Mercy

His face falls, confusion and hurt etching into his features. "What? Meghan, where is this coming from?"

I bite my lip, fighting back tears. "I love you. I do. But we can't keep doing this. It's not fair to either of us."

Tor takes a step toward me, his hands reaching out. "Babe, whatever it is, we can work through it. I told you, I'll do anything?—"

"That's just it," I interrupt, my voice cracking. "You shouldn't have to give upeverythingfor me. The club, your brothers... it's a part of you."

"You're a part of me too," he argues, his green eyes intense.

I shake my head, tears finally spilling over. "It's not enough. We want different things, Tor. Deep down, you know that."

He stands there, stunned, as I brush past him.

I can't bear to look at him anymore, can't stand to see the pain I'm causing.

I hurry to my bedroom, closing the door behind me with trembling hands.

My legs give out and I slide down to the floor, my back against the door.

The sobs I've been holding back finally break free, wracking my body.

I pull my knees to my chest, trying to hold myself together as my world falls apart.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, though I know he can't hear me. "I'm so fucking sorry."

My hand drifts to my stomach, still flat but now holding a secret that changes everything.

"It's for the best," I tell myself, even as my heart breaks. "It has to be."

The apartment door slams shut with a force that rattles the walls, and I flinch.

Tor's gone.

The finality of it hits me like a punch to the gut, and fresh tears spring to my eyes.

I press my palm against my lips, trying to stifle the sobs that are starting to overwhelm me.

My hand shakes as I reach for my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I find Starla's name.

I need to talk to someone, anyone, before the weight of what I've just done crushes me completely.

The phone rings once, twice, and then Starla's voice comes through, warm and familiar. "Hey, girl! What's up?"

"Starla," I choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need you."

There's a pause, and when she speaks again, her tone is serious. "Meghan? What's wrong?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "I ended things with Tor."

Starla's completely shocked. "What? Why?"

"It’s complicated," I say, my free hand unconsciously drifting to my still-flat stomach. "I'm pregnant."

The silence on the other end of the line is deafening.

When Starla finally speaks, her voice is filled with confusion and concern. "Meghan, honey, you're not making sense. Start from the beginning."

So I do.

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