Page 53 of Toxic Obsession

I didn’t miss the sadness in his expression when he mentioned my sister’s name.

“Drew and I thought the kids would occupy each other. They did. Wynter was at cheer practice, but Kyler and Bell hit it off right away. For a while, we would meet at his house, and I would take Bell so she could visit Kyler. At first, I thought it was innocent, but as they got older, it was clear there were feelings between them.”

I leaned forward in my seat. The fucker had my attention now.

“I wasn’t crazy about Bell getting involved with any boy at fifteen and sixteen years old, but I later learned that she and Kyler saw each other every day at school. Plus, when both kids are driving, it’s hard to track where they go and spend their time.”

I wanted to tell him to hurry up and get to the point, but he would have to leave for work in a few minutes, so I kept my mouth shut.

“After we lost Bell … Drew pulled me into a conference room one day. At first, I didn’t think much about it because we always talked business. But the moment he closed the door behind us, I knew it was bad.”

I drained my espresso and loudly set the cup on the table, growing more impatient. Adam ignored me and took a drink of his coffee, glaring at me.

“This is difficult for me to talk about. I never told anyone.”

I caught myself before I rolled my eyes, not appreciating his drama. “I have class soon, so if this is as important as you say it is, spit it out.”

The vein in Adam’s neck pulsed. He was getting pissed, and I was enjoying every second.

“One of these days you’ll have sons of your own, and I hope they’re pieces of shit just like you are.”

Red hot anger lit me up like the fourth of July, but I remained in my seat and mentally beat the hell out of him instead. “The point of the conversation with Drew?” Surprisingly, my voice held steady.

“This information goes nowhere, do you understand? It’s private, and the only reason I’m letting you know is to help you stay focused on the plan—getting rid of Wynter. We can’t live with a constant reminder of what she did right in our fucking faces.” Adam’s cheeks burned red with his anger.

“Okay.”

Adam swallowed several times, and a sheen of perspiration broke out over his forehead.Holy shit. This is big.

“I was afraid for Drew’s safety if I ever told you. It’s a moot point now. He took off a few days after our conversation, and I haven’t heard from him since. I kept thinking he would reach out to me at any time. Apparently, I was wrong, and I feel as though I can share this with you.”

I leaned over the table, my eyes narrowing on him. “What did he say, Adam?”

“Quinn, Bell ...”

Chapter27

Quinn

The silence in the room was deafening. All I could hear was my ragged breath, each inhale like a razor slicing through my throat, each exhale a plea for control. The second hand on the wall clock hammered against my skull as Adam and I faced off, the dark storm of anger between us looming.

“Your sister was pregnant with Kyler’s baby.”

My vision blurred as Adam’s sentence hit me like a tidal wave, drowning my awareness of anything else except those four words. “What?” My voice sounded strangled and ragged. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

Adam shook his head, his expression growing darker. “The only reason Drew found out about the pregnancy was because Kyler asked him for money to help with an abortion. When Bell learned she was pregnant, it was too late for the abortion pill.”

My shoulders slumped as I collapsed in my chair, struggling to process that not only had Bell been pregnant, but I hadn’t been there for her. She had to have been terrified of what Adam would do if he’d learned the truth.

Adam shifted in his chair. “Kyler said that Wynter also knew, and she pushed Bell to have the baby, upsetting her even more. When Bell refused and insisted on an abortion, Wynter shamed her and called her a baby killer. Bell was distraught, pleading with Kyler to help her. That same day, Kyler went to Drew.”

I grabbed my head as fury whipped around my throat and strangled me. The pain of losing my twin and how I’d failed her dug its claws into me. The guilt crushed my chest, asphyxiating me. I blinked several times and breathed in, hoping to fill my lungs with much-needed air.

Adam slapped his palm against the table. “Snap out of it! Get your shit together and concentrate. Wynter is vicious. She’s just as responsible as Kyler is for Bell’s death. Wynter bullied her and pushed her over the edge without an ounce of remorse. Wynter is a master manipulator and skilled at hiding who she really is. Evil.” He leaned forward, my guilt captive under his gaze. “And where were you when she needed you most?”

That feeling of suffocation turned to full-blown pain as his words slashed me open, cutting and tearing at my already broken soul.Bell! I’m so sorry!I gripped the ends of my hair, trying not to completely lose my shit in front of Adam.

“I won’t tell you again. Finish. Wynter. Baldwin. Or I will.” The sound of his chair scooting across the tile floor reached my ears, his footsteps slapping against the tiles as he walked away.

---