Page 78 of Scarlet Sins

“Options? Like marrying her?”

I grit my teeth. “I didn’t say that.”

She nods again. “You’re in a difficult situation. I get that, I do.”

“But?”

Erin goes quiet again. And the air is so thick I can barely think or breathe.

“But,” she says, “I’m also not going to stand around and watch this mess unfold. It’s not good for me or the baby. Or Sasha.”

I swallow, my throat raw, chest tight, and I want to lock her up. I want to fuck her until she’s senseless with need. I don’t move.

“I’m asking you for support, to trust me.”

“I can’t support you marrying someone else. How can I? But I do trust you.” She stands up and takes a step toward me, then stops. “And that’s not enough, Demyan. This isn’t about you betraying me or giving up. It’s you being caught and I know if you can’t get out of this, then you have to.”

“No—”

“Yes. I listen to what everyone says, and if you don’t find the right way out, you’ll destroy all you have, maybe yourself, me. Sasha. I can’t allow that and I can’t stand with you.”

“That’s not trust.”

“It is, with a healthy dose of reality.” She sucks in a breathand turns. “I need to think. Sasha and I are going out for a while.” Erin reaches for the door.

I don’t trust myself enough to move from where I’m standing. “Where the fuck are you going?” I demand.

“I need tonight, Demyan. You have to let me go tonight.”

The word no is pushing at me but I force myself to look at her and I say, “Where are you going?”

Erin opens the door and looks at me, and it’s not anger or fear or disgust that floors me. It’s sadness. “We’ll go to Kara’s.”

Fuck. “Erin.”

“I can’t be here. I’m sorry.”

“Erin,” I say again, not asking how long, just… I need her to understand. “I’ll send you with a driver.”

“No.”

“Yes. It’s the only way that I’ll let you go.”

She presses her lips together. “Okay. Fine.”

“But you need to understand one important thing. You’re the only woman in my life.”

She takes a shaky breath and her hand on the door shakes. She’s so close to tears I don’t know what to do.

“I believe you, Demyan, I do, but you’re running out of time.”

“Is that an ultimatum?”

“The truth,” she whispers, voice ragged. “I’ll never stop you from seeing your children, but they can’t be with you and her, and I refuse to be your mistress should this wedding take place.”

She steps out the door, closing it behind her and shattering my fucking heart.

Chapter Nineteen

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