Page 58 of The Mistake

I shouldn’t hug him.I knew he had to let me go.

Get yourself together, Lottie. He’s going to hate you even more for making him look weak.

It took every ounce of strength to stop me from holding him.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I brought food,” Ive said.

“I’ve got to talk with Rage in my office,” Ive said.

I kept my gaze averted. Tonight, I couldn’t see his disappointment or his look of disgust. There was no way I’d be able to handle that.

I started to walk away from Ive, but he grabbed my hand, and I turned to see his hand in mine. He lifted my fingers to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I got the report from the doctor. He said you might be in a bit of shock.”

“I’m fine.”

My heart had started to beat faster as he kissed my knuckles. I chanced a quick look at his face. I didn’t know what I expected to see. Ive was difficult to read, but I knew he wasn’t angry with me. He wasn’t disappointed or upset. This was good. Anything else, I could handle.

“Go and eat,” he said.

I nodded.

The food was placed in the kitchen and Cassiecame with me.

It was good old traditional drive-thru food. Burgers, fries, even corn dogs, and I was suddenly hungry. I didn’t get a chance to eat earlier. Food hadn’t seemed important while waiting for him to return home, but now I was starving. My mouth watered for a taste.

“Are you okay?” Cassie asked.

In all honesty, I had no idea how I felt.Happy, sad, terrified. They were all working their magic on my body, and I couldn’t think, nor focus. “I’m fine.”

“Come on, Charlotte. I know you. I knowyou’re not fine.”

I looked up at my sister and took a deep breath. “I don’t know how I’m feeling. I, erm, I … have you ever had that feeling that something bad was going to happen, and you had no way of stopping it?”

“No.”

Shaking my head, I force a smileto my lips. “Forget it. I don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“Maybe, and this is just me watching you and Ive, but have you thought that you’re worried for your husband’s safety?”

“Ive’s fine.”

“I know he’s fine and can handle himself and all that, but maybe you have feelings for your husband.”

We grabbed some food and moved toward the dining room table.

I snort. “That’s not possible.”

“Why not?”

“Ive andI … this is not some kind of love match. He was forced to marry me and I had to marry him, to, you know, live.”

Cassiewaved her hand in the air as if that wasn’t important. “Don’t think of it in those terms, because they’re not great things to think about.”

This made me frown.

“You asked me about sex. Are you wanting to have sex with Ive?”

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