Page 102 of The Betrayal

“Why should I?” Kaleb retorts. Connie stepped up from beside Kaleb, her eyes bouncing between Keaton's. I push away from his chest, slowly turning to face Kaleb and Connie.

“Because she is my wife.”

Connie holds her hand out to stop Kaleb from answering. “And she’s my friend. She was my friend well before anything happened between the both of you. She's not your possession. She came to speak to me because I am her friend.”

She crosses her arms across her chest and Kaleb rests his hand on her stomach, pulling her back and towards him so her back is against his chest.

Keaton says nothing but I hear the rumble of a growl that deepens as the seconds go on.

“I'm fine,” I admit, trying to diffuse this hostile situation. I didn't want to cause any issues. Especially not between Kaleb and Keaton.

“Are you?” Kaleb asks, one brow raises, and I watch as the corners of his lips lift, his eyes not on me, but on Keaton and I know he is trying to get a rise out of him.

“Yes,” my tone is clipped. I feel Keaton's hand rest on the slight swell of my lower stomach and my heart flutters in my chest.

“You can stay here anytime you want,” Connie interjects, and I stiffen against Keaton as his hand that has now curled round my hip tightens.

“She doesn't need to stay here; she lives with me. It's her home.”

I sigh, dropping my head and shaking it from side to side.

“And that's fine, I am just giving her the option. If things ever get too heavy or you need time out then you know where we are,” and that riles Keaton up even more than he already is.

“Is there something you're not telling me?” Keaton asks, letting me go and stepping in front of me, his beautiful eyes volleying between mine and I shake my head.

“Are you sure Ari? Because I feel like I’ve walked into something that I shouldn't have...” he trails off and my heart thumps hard against my ribcage. “You have distanced yourself from me over the last week or so, then in the doctor’s office...” I step back but he closes the gap between us. “I told you, I’m not going anywhere...” he lowers his voice, his lips inches from mine and all I want to do is edge forward so I crash into him. “I’m all in.”

“You don't know that,” I counter back in a whisper.

“I do,” he nods softly, fingers gripping my chin and holding my head in place, so our eyes connect, his gaze deepening as I lose myself in his. “I promise you...”

“Don't,” I nibble my bottom lip to stop the choked sob that is threatening to escape.

“Don't what?” he asks, edging me back against the wall.

“Promise something you can't keep,” a tear rolls down my cheek, but his thumb pad catches it and wipes it away.

“I don't break promises...” and I feel it, the truth seeps out of him.

“We will see,” I choke out, and with that he stumbles back as if I have winded him and my heart throbs inside my chest, my bottom lip wobbling. “I'll see you at home?” I sort of ask, sort of say before I dip out, head down, and walk towards the elevator of the penthouse and press the button.

I give one look over my shoulder and see all three of them standing there, staring at me. A small smile graces my lips and I mouth thank you as the doors ping open and I step inside and only when the doors close, do the tears cascade down my cheeks once more.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

KEATON

I stand amidst the chaos, Kaleb's voice lashing against my skin and opening up wounds causing them to bleed slowly.

What the fuck just happened? How did we go from what we've been to this? It doesn't make sense.

I stumble back and sit on the sofa where Ari was not long wrapped in my brother’s arms, and I am staring straight ahead when Connie places a tumbler of scotch into my empty hand. I slowly look up at her, eyes full of sympathy and bitterness runs through my veins, my tongue coated in harsh words that I swallow down.

“What's going on?” Kaleb asks as he sits next to me.

“I have no fucking idea,” I admit, bringing the thick rim of the glass to my lips and take a swig, the warmth consuming me in an instant as the amber liquor slips down my throat.

Kaleb sighs beside me and I turn to look at him. I know that sigh. That's the sigh of ‘I have something to tell you but shouldn't’. It's the sigh of ‘I probably know the reason for her outburst, but it's not my place’, and so on. But he does this knowing full well I am going to ask.