Page 39 of Heartbeat

“Uh. Rae? What are you doing here? Did something happen to Daddy?” She threw out question after question, not giving me time to answer.

“Can I come in?” I asked with an arched brow.

“Oh! Yeah, sorry.” Robin opened the door wider as she stepped back. I walked inside with my head held high. I mustered up the backbone that I should’ve always had to confront my sister.

We sat down in her living room across from one another in awkward silence. Robin avoided making eye contact, and I knew that everything that Dove said was true.

“So, you’re not married or pregnant?” There was no sense in pussyfooting.

“Um, no,” Robin said quietly as she hung her head in shame.

“You told Daddy those bald-faced lies and made me believe it because you are selfish. You knew what Daddy had planned! You conjured up this fake marriage and pregnancy, knowing I would step in and save you! How could you do that to me, Robin!” I was shouting by the time I finished my rant. I knew my blood pressure was high as hell.

“That’s not true, Rae. I didn’t know you would agree to marry Lennox. I thought Daddy would find another way,” Robin explained her eyes pleading with me to understand, but I refused to back down.

“But when he didn’t find another way, you could’ve stepped in and told the truth. But you didn’t!”

“I didn’t want to ruin my life!” She shouted, and I nodded. Finally, the real Robin.

“But you’d let me ruin mine?” I asked in disappointment.

“Rae, I knew you would be fine. You always are. There was no need for me to step in.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?”

“I do believe that. And I was right. You and Lennox are in love. It radiates off of the two of you. I would’ve never had that with him. You’re the strongest person I know, Raven. I-I…” Robin shook her head with tears falling from her eyes. “I just couldn’t do it.”

“I can’t feel sorry for you,” I said, shaking my head. “Although I love Lennox, you went about this all wrong. I sacrificed for you, and you sacrificed me!” I said, hitting my chest.

What Robin did hurt my heart. It ruined the unconditional love I had for my sister and crushed my trust. We would never be the same.

“I am sorry, Raven. I just was always trying to be everything Daddy wanted me to be. And you so effortlessly brushed him off.” My eyebrows raised to my hairline at her statement. She had to be kidding me.

“I never brushed him off. He treated me like the bane of his existence. I never felt wanted or loved by him. I just wanted to make him love me, so I tried to be my best at all times, and it was never enough!” Robin had to be blind not to see how my father treated me, my reactions to him were in self-preservation.

“I know he didn’t treat you fairly, Raven. But you handled it. No matter what he threw at you, you never broke. I did exactly what was expected of me, and he always demanded more. I just couldn’t let him demand this of me. Not this time.” The tears were freely flowing down Robin’s cheeks, and I could feel her pain.

“You are truly selfish,” I said, shaking my head in dismay. “We will never be the same. I still love you because you’re my sister. But trust… Nah.” I got up and left my sister sobbing on her couch.

She never considered how I would feel, and that made me sad. Robin was as toxic as my father. There was no room for that in my life now. I had my own family to grow, and I wanted them to feel my complete love.

CHAPTER 20

LENNOX

The information that I learned had my mind spinning. But I had a handle on my emotions. When it was all said and done, I would never trade Raven for the world. Yeah, we may have been forced to get married, but we would never be apart from this point forward. This was my blessing in disguise.

I was waiting on our gigantic plush sofa that Raven had picked out when she came in the door. After I found out that she owned Timeless Designs, she decorated the entire penthouse. It took her longer than I expected, but when I called Markos, he told me they had made a stop by Robin’s place.

I really hope her sister told Raven the truth about knowing about the arrangement from the start. I don’t want my wife hurt, but I’m not omitting the truth to save Robin’s ungrateful ass. There have been too many people stepping in to help Robin and not Raven. I will never choose anyone else over my wife.

If her family wanted to mistreat her, then fuck them! I would love her and our baby enough to fill the void. And my mother and brothers will gladly step up. Hell, they are anyway because they don’t have a choice. The Nash’s might be a bunch of Irish criminals, but we love hard, and once you’re a part of this family, there’s no escaping it. Believe me, I tried.

“Hey, Princess,” I greeted her cautiously. Raven’s eyes were red, and I knew she’d been crying, but her face was free of tears.

“Hey, baby,” she responded her full pouty lips held a tired, sad smile. The look on her gorgeous face broke my heart. Her body was filled with tension, and I knew her sister admitted what she’d done.

“Come here.” Those two simple words had my wife rushing to my side, throwing herself on my lap. I rubbed her back, lovingly whispering nonsensical words as she sobbed into my chest. I could feel her heartbeat racing as she clutched my t-shirt in her small hands.

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