Page 46 of A Little Secret

I squeeze my eyes shut, hating the single tear managing to slip past my defenses and down my cheek. “Sure he would.”

“Fin…”

“Let’s get going.” I wipe my cheek and look up at him, my gaze like fucking ice.

Concern brands his blue eyes as he stares down at me. And I know he wants to push the subject. I know he wants to reiterate how much of an ass Drew is. But it doesn’t matter. Because nothing will take away the things he said to me. Not a single fucking thing in the world. And yeah, I know he’s a jerk and I shouldn’t care what he thinks, but the truth is…we both know I’ll be replaying them for the rest of my life, and there isn’t anything either one of us can do about it.

“Whatever you want, Fin,” Griffin finally murmurs.

With a slow nod, I lean into his side and accept his help, too drained to even make it to the car by myself, let alone walk down thirteen cursed steps. Find a place to sleep. Check on Frankie. Drive home. Tell my family. Have a baby. Raise a baby. Alone.

I let out a slow breath. My to-do list is piling up faster than I can even compute.

What if the baby gets it?

My legs give out as my greatest fear slices through my mind, debilitating me, but before I can fall into a heap of anxiety and fear on the cold concrete steps, Griffin tightens his hold around my waist.

“I got you, Fin.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

GRIFFIN

After Finley’s settled in the passenger seat, I close the SUV’s door and round the front, glancing at the building one more time. Drew’s watching from the bedroom window, his expression unreadable. I give him the bird as I climb behind the steering wheel and crank the engine.

Motherfucker.

I can’t believe he’d say shit like that. To anyone, let alone someone he’s supposed to love. They’ve been together for years, and this is how he feels about her? I flex my hands against the steering wheel. I should’ve broken down the door and beat the shit out of him until he couldn’t walk.

“How’s your hand?” I ask.

“Stings.”

The word is so…hollow. So unlike Finley that if I had a gun pressed to my temple, I’d say it didn’t belong to her. But it does. It’s all Finley. Just not…the girl I was raised with. No, this one’s broken. Dejected. Fucked, if I’m being brutally honest. We all know the statistics. The possibility of slipping one past the goalie. Of winding up pregnant or knocking someone up. I never would’ve thought it would be Finley, though. The girl plans everything out. Every outfit. Every assignment. Every fucking thing to the smallest of details. What’s she going to do now?

Unable to help myself, I steal a glance at her. She’s staring at her lap, her hands pressed against her stomach. Her hair has fallen forward and shields most of her face from view. I don’t miss the quiet sniffle, though. This girl doesn’t cry. Not unless frogs are involved. The organ in my chest squeezes.

“I, uh, I’m sorry he didn’t take the news like we’d hoped.”

“We.” A quiet scoff escapes her, and she wipes at her face.

“Yeah.” I shift closer, reach around her still body, and grab her seatbelt, slowly clicking into place beside her hip. The sound reverberates through the silent cab, and she peeks at me, proving just how close we really are, dragging me back to all those years ago in her family room when she ditched me to hang out with Drew. I should’ve kissed her then. Maybe it would’ve saved her from the path she’s on. Or maybe she’d still be here, but I wouldn’t be. Different shades of gray and smoke and navy swirl in her glassy eyes, making them almost glow as she stares up at me…helpless. I was right. She’s crying.

“We,” I emphasize.

“There is no we,” she reminds me. “There is no me and anyone.” Her eyes fall to her lap again, and she sniffs quietly, her focus on the conversation hazy at best. She’s giving in. Drowning in Drew’s words. Letting them take her over.

A knife twists inside of me as I take her in. Beautiful. Broken. I should give her space. I should sit back in my seat instead of crowding her. I should stop letting her red-rimmed gaze tug at my sternum. I should do a lot of things.

She’s Everett’s little sister.

Everett’s. Little. Sister.

And right now, this isn’t about my feelings for her. This is about Finley and her baby. They’re all that matter. All that will ever matter. Nudging her chin with my knuckle, I force her to look at me. “You’re not alone. What about your family? And Dylan? And Ophelia? And Raine?”

Her bottom lip trembles.

“And me?” I push. “What about me, Fin?”