Page 183 of Dirty Rival

He proceeds to make love to me, in a tender, sexy way that has me falling in love all over again. When we’re done, it’s like Kesha understands because she’s back on the bed, and a few minutes later, I fall asleep with Reid at my back and Kesha snuggled in front of me in the crook of my body. My little family. I love them. This is perfect. We’re perfect and I’ve decided my man is also perfect.

Sunday morning, Cat and I decide to meet at her favorite coffee shop which has all kinds of fun pastries on the weekends. I bundle up in jeans and a sweater as well as my coat, and leave Reid to his work and our kitty. I laugh as I leave the apartment and glance at him sitting on the couch, his computer in his lap right in front of the kitty, who is also in his lap. If I didn’t soften that man up all the way, Kesha is going to finish the job.

A while later, as I sit at a table with Cat munching on pastries and sipping coffee, I share that moment with her, and she smiles. “I love what you’re doing to him. Our mother would, too.”

“So he tells me,” I say. “He talks about her. More so as time goes on. I know about the letter. It affected him. He hates that she thought he would be like his father.”

“It’s amazing to me how you’ve changed him. I mean, he told you about it. I feel like that is big with Reid.” She lets out a breath. “Mom didn’t know about the murder of his girlfriend. I didn’t know. Does Gabe know?”

“Honestly, I don’t think so, but for some reason, I haven’t asked that. I assumed that he didn’t, but were they in school together?”

“No,” she says. “They actually were accepted into different schools, so you must be right. He told no one. He shut us all out.”

“He felt like you were like her. Like you’d sacrifice yourself for someone you loved so he didn’t want you to love him. He used his asshole persona to just keep everyone away.”

“Obviously, that wasn’t a healthy response,” Cat says. “Should he see someone?”

“I don’t think he will and I think he’s healing.”

“I’ll trust you on that because he does seem better. I just don’t want it to somehow come between you two.”

“It won’t,” I promise. “I think I’ve become his sanctuary of sorts. He was affected by your baby news. He talked to me about it, though.”

“Because of the divide between us, right? I know he talked to me with your prodding. Thank you for that.”

“It was more than the divide between you. He told me—I hope it’s okay—he told me about the blackmail. He was upset that you must have been aware you were pregnant when that was happening.”

“I was,” she says. “It was—hard. I didn’t want to ruin the moment for me and Reese so I waited, hoping I could somehow make it special, despite all of that mess.”

“And did you?”

“Oh, yes. Reese made it special. That man is the world to me, but enough about me. You and Reid. The wedding. I got a list of place for you in the Battery Park area with open dates.”

“You did that for us?”

“Of course,” she says, covering my hand with hers. “You’re family now, Carrie, and we need you in this family.”

I tear up. I can’t help it. I have not felt a part of a family ever in my life. “Oh, honey,” Cat says. “Why are you crying?”

I tell her about my mom and talk about my dad, I feel as if I have a new friend in Cat. After breakfast, we head over to the pier location where Cat suggested we have the wedding and I’m in love. It’s cozy and gorgeous, right off the water, and I can’t wait to have Reid come see it. So much so that I set up an appointment to bring him back.

Cat and I part ways on the pier and I’m walking toward our building when suddenly a man is standing in front of me. Elijah Woodson. “You do know he fucked my wife, right?” he demands. “In my house, in my bed, as a ‘fuck you’ to me for crossing him in business.”

Chapter ninety-two

Carrie

Irecover from the shock of Elijah standing in front of me far quicker than I expect.

“He didn’t go to your house and fuck your wife, and you know it,” I snap. “And stop following me or I will call the police.” I try to walk around him.

He steps in front of me. “He lied to you if he told you differently. He lies. That’s who he is.”

“If you don’t let me pass, I will scream and there are plenty of people around to hear me.”

“Don’t be a fool. He’ll hurt you like he hurt me. I’m just trying to save you the pain.”

“Seems more like you’re stalking me and trying to scare me to hurt him. Move out of my way, Elijah.”