Page 101 of The Betrayal

“I told you I don't care, these babies are mine Ari, I know it.”

“You don't!” she raises her voice at me, and I feel my heart crack. “You won't love these babies like they're your own if you find out they're not yours. There will always be a voice in the back of your mind constantly thinking 'I wish they were mine',” she pauses for a moment, angrily swiping a tear away with her palm. “I don't blame you Keaton, I don't blame you not wanting to be by my side through this, bringing up another man’s babies. I get it. So please, don't hang around for my sake,” she scoffs and turns away from me, head down as she walks away.

And what do I do? I turn in the opposite direction and walk.

Because honestly? Maybe she is right.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

ARIZONA

I sit in the warmth of Connie and Kaleb's penthouse. Connie sits on the chair next to me, I'm curled up on the sofa like a little ball. Hot chocolate sits in my lap, warming my hands and my eyes are dry. I have cried so much I don't think I have any more tears left inside of me.

We've sat in silence for most of the time I have been here, I have no idea what to say. Kaleb is here, pottering somewhere. He doesn't want to encroach, I get it. It's his brother. I'm his best friend's daughter. It's messy. Real, fucking, messy.

Kaleb walks into the room, hands folded into his pockets of his suit pants, and I hear the heavy sigh vibrate through him. Connie turns to look at him, a weak smile gracing her face.

“I'm sorry, I've taken up so much of your evening,” my own sigh leaving me as I go to stand, and Connie places her hand on my knee.

“Don't be silly, you're always welcome here.”

“I don't know what to do...” I pause, my eyes moving from Connie to Kaleb as he strolls across and sits in a chair, but next to Connie. His long finger rubs across his lips, ankle crossed over his knee.

He is smart. Handsome. I see similarities between him and Keaton, but they're so different. Dark brown hair with shimmers of grey, tousled and styled. Beautiful striking green eyes and warm sun kissed skin. Both have structured cheek bones, and strong jawlines. Sharp enough to cut through diamonds. Always wrapped in the perfect designer suit, timeless. They're both devastatingly handsome.

“Tell me what's going on? I might be able to help,” he offers, his voice soft like cotton.

“I'm worried,” I half shrug, admitting.

“Of?”

“Keaton leaving me,” I blink away a tear, placing my cup on the coaster and twist my wedding band around.

“Why would he leave you?” Kaleb looks at me utterly confused and I swallow the large lump that has formed in my throat, tightening by the minute. How can I admit that I may be pregnant with another man’s baby? How can I tell them that I work in a strip club and because of that, I went to a private room with someone I pleasured myself to over a webcam? I'm a fraud and as my story develops, the lies become harder to cover, harder to remember.

Silence fills the room once more and I can feel their eyes burning into me and suddenly I feel like I can't breathe.

“Ari?” I can hear the panic in Connie's voice as I swing my legs round and stand from the sofa.

“I can't breathe,” my hand pressed to my chest as it rises and falls, tightness crushing my chest like someone is tightening a belt, hole by hole and sliding it through the buckle.

“She's having a panic attack,” Connie rushes out the room and next thing I know, Kaleb's arms are wrapped round my trembling body, as he holds me.

He slowly lowers me to the floor, sitting behind me so I am between his legs as Connie drops to her knees in front of me, brown paper bag being placed over my nose and mouth.

“Deep, slow inhales.” Connie's voice echoes in the distance but I am too consumed with my own thoughts.

I nod, ignoring the way my lungs are burning, my eyes stinging with tears that have escaped and rolling down my reddened cheeks. Humiliation scorns my face, my heart racing like galloping horses deep within my chest. It aches and almost feels hollow. My heart crumbling in Keaton's hands and it doesn't matter what I try to do, we're always going to destroy each other. And if these babies are not his, how can I be selfish to expect him to stay with me? How can I expect him to raise kids that aren't his. He may be here for a month or five, but he will soon grow tired and want out of whatever fucked up relationship we are in. I should have never crossed the line, and neither should he.

The tightness in my chest eases, my breaths shallow and my heart begins to calm to a slow and steady rhythm.

“You okay?” Kaleb asks me just as the elevator doors ping open and I see an angry Keaton storming towards us, brows furrowed, lines etched into his stupid handsome face. His lips are dropped, his eyes erratic as they search my face. He lowers himself in front of me, pulling me from his brother’s grasp and onto my feet as he encases me within his arms, his heart racing under his chest and that's what I focus on.

“What the fuck?” his voice ruins the moment in an instance, his words hurling towards his brother like bullets ready to pierce Kaleb's skin.

“She came here to talk to Connie, then she had a panic attack, so I did what I used to do to Connie...” he pauses and I hear the sharp inhale of breath rattle in Keaton's chest, his body vibrating.

“You should have called me,” he is pissed off.