Page 60 of Entwined
My stomach twisted at her question, but I kept my face neutral. “What would I be hiding?” I forced a laugh, turning away to stir the pot of soup on the stove.
“Vaughn’s still looking for you, you know,” Logan said quietly. “He’s not giving up. If he finds out…”
“He won’t find out,” I cut him off, my voice firm. “I’m staying here. And he has no claim to anything in my life anymore.”
The conversation shifted, but the tension hung in the air. After dinner, when they’d finally left, preferring to stay in a quaint inn near town. I stood in the middle of the living room, my hand resting protectively over my stomach.
“I won’t share you with him,” I whispered to the small life growing inside me. “This is our secret. Our new beginning.”
And I meant it. Vaughn would never have a claim on this child. As the months passed, I’d make sure of it. This baby was mine, and no one would take that from me—not even him.
“Easton, how will I ever pay you back?” I asked, glancing up at him as we stood in the sunlit kitchen. My voice was soft, though the weight of the question hung heavy between us.
He chuckled, leaning casually against the counter with that familiar, easy grin of his. “I’ll be adding interest,” he teased, a spark in his eyes. “But don’t worry about that now. When are you coming back?” His tone shifted, more serious, the lightheartedness fading.
“I don’t want to come back.” The words came out sharper than I intended, and I gripped the edge of the counter to steady myself. “Your brother disgusts me,” I spat, my voice filled with venom that surprised even me.
Easton didn’t flinch. He just watched me, the humor fading completely from his face. “Joey…” He sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “I get it, but running away forever? That’s not you.”
“You think I’m running away?” I spun around, my heart pounding as I met his gaze. “I’m not running. I’m rebuilding. I can’t… I won’t be anywhere near Vaughn. Not after everything.”
Easton pushed off the counter, stepping closer. “I’m not saying you don’t have a right to be pissed. Hell, I’d be the same way if I were in your shoes. But living out here, in the middle of nowhere? This isn’t like you.”
I shook my head, turning away from him. I couldn’t let him see how fragile I felt, how close I was to breaking. “You don’t understand,” I muttered, walking toward the large window that overlooked the river. The house—my house now—was perfect, too perfect. Six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, views that stretched out to the water and beyond. Easton had made sure of that.
But it was a prison in its own way. A beautiful one. A cage I’d chosen.
“You think this house will fix things?” he asked, his voice low, almost too gentle. “Buying it doesn’t change what’s happened. And it won’t make Vaughn disappear.”
I turned back to him, my jaw tightening. “No, but it’s mine now. This place… it’s my fresh start. Away from all the lies. Away from him.”
Easton’s eyes softened, and he stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine. “And you think you can just shut him out? Shut everyone out?”
“I have to,” I whispered, feeling the tears prick the back of my eyes. “I can’t let him ruin anything else, Easton. Not this. Not my life.”
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The only sound was the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant lapping of water against the shore outside.
I stretched, feeling the fabric of my sweater pull tight. Before I could stop it, the hem rode up, exposing my now pronounced bump. Easton’s eyes darted to the visible flesh, and I froze, my heart sinking as his gaze shifted from my belly to my face. He wasn’t searching for an answer—he already knew.
"Joey..." His voice was low, filled with confusion and something that felt like betrayal.
I quickly covered the bump with my hand, my fingers trembling. “No. I won’t discuss it.”
He stared at me, his jaw tightening. “You’re fucking pregnant?” It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
“It’s mine,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. I kept my hand over my stomach as if that could somehow shield the truth from him.
“And Vaughn’s,” Easton shot back, stepping closer. “How could you not say anything? How could you hide this from me—from him?”
I sighed, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. “I don’t want to share this baby with him. I don’t want my child tainted by his... evil.” The word felt bitter in my mouth, but it was the truth. Vaughn had poisoned everything else in my life—I wouldn’t let him have this too.
Easton’s eyes narrowed, frustration flashing in his gaze. “But you have to tell him, Joey. You can’t keep this a secret forever. Hiding is one thing, but keeping his child from him? That’s wrong.”
I clenched my fists, feeling the surge of anger rise inside me. “What he did was wrong! He made it look like I frequented that horrible club. He tried to take the mansion from me with his underhanded manipulation. And let’s not forget, he stole the position your father wanted me to have. Everything Vaughn touches turns toxic.”
Easton ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “I know what he did, but this… this is different. This is a child, Joey. A human being. Do you really want to raise this baby with that kind of secret hanging over your head?”
My throat tightened, but I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “I’d rather raise this baby alone than let Vaughn sink his claws into them. I will not share this child with him.”
