Page 12 of Forever Wolf

What? I’m about to drive my fist right through the door when it opens. My hand hangs in the air, Carli inhales sharply and all the breath in my lungs rushes out of me.

“Wow,” I whisper.

My eyes rake her body before I can stop myself. She’s beautiful. Her curves are more prominent, her skin may have lost the seaside tan, but she’s glowing. Her eyes are wide, brimming with tears, bottom lip trembling ever so slightly. I take a step towards her while she’s frozen in place.

I might have lost control of all my five senses, because the next thing I know is Carli wrapped in my arms. Her body pressed tight to mine, and my face buried in her hair.

“Jace?”

Her breath touches the side of my neck and I shiver. I know I’m supposed to step back and answer her questions but I’m not ready to let her go yet.

Carli presses her palms on my chest and pushes me. “What are you doing here?” Her gaze flickers over my shoulder and she quickly walks past me to look outside the door, making sure no one’s there before closing it shut.

“I’m here for you,” I say. “I need to know.”

As Carli turns back to me, I watch as she builds her protective walls back around her. Her expression hardens, her throat bobs as she swallows. She places her hands on her hips, pressing her back against the door, to keep as much distance in between us I guess.

“Need to know what? And how did you find me?”

“How I found you doesn't really matter right now. I want to know the truth. Clarification. Carli, I have so many questions.”

A wry chuckle leaves her lips. “And you decide to come ask me now? What do you want, Jace? Clarification on how you completely shattered me? Made me feel like an absolute fool? You broke my heart over and over again, Jace and now you’re here when I’m finally learning how to move on. Do you want to punish me more for keeping a secret from you?”

“No, Jesus. No, Carli.” I scratch my chin, briefly closing my eyes. “I just…what you said that day in the office. I didn't understand and I know it was my mistake for not listening to you. I was just really mad.”

“Yeah, I got that,” she snorts angrily.

“You said you expected the father to care about his child…did you mean me?”

The question hangs in the air thickly. I hold my breath, watching Carli frown in confusion. It’s silent until she speaks. There’s slow music playing in another room and the soft laughter of the people downstairs. I watch Carly intently, not wanting to miss a word she says.

“What did you think?” she asks.

“Devon.” I move an inch closer to her, but Carli shifts to the side and moves further away. “Did you mean me? Is that my child you’re carrying, Carli?” I point to her swollen stomach.

Her shoulders rise as she inhales, looking away. When her eyes meet mine again, she’s on the verge of tears. “So all this time, you thought I cheated on you with Devon?”

“Answer the question! Yes or no?”

“Yes!” she shouts.

Her voice vibrates through my entire being.Yes, yes, yes. Yes, it's my child. Yes she’s pregnant with my child.

“Of course it’s your child! How could you think for even a second I slept with Devon? All I wanted was to be with you and fight to have a future with you.”

“He said…” my voice falters, knowing how pathetic I sound right now.

“Oh, Devon said the child was his? So you listened and believed him over me? You threw me away without a single glance and treated me like dirt because the manipulative, threatening piece of shit said you weren’t the father?” Carli runs her fingers through her hair, groaning.

“I’m sorry. I didn't know.”

“That’s why I came to tell you. You didn't give me a chance.”

I nod, carefully making my way closer to her. “I’m sorry, Carli. If I’d known I was the father, I would have never let you go. I was so convinced it was not me, and I thought you cheated on me and everything between us was a lie.”

“You really thought that?” she asks, hurt etching her features.

“No, I wanted to think everything was a lie but I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop thinking about you and wondering why you chose Devon over me. Then I realized that maybe I just misunderstood everything.”

---