The Consequence of Secrets - Part Two: A Priest Romance (8 page)

BOOK: The Consequence of Secrets - Part Two: A Priest Romance

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Emma

“So…” Jules says quietly as she sits down on the side of the bed. “You and Father Braden seem pretty close.”

My eyes drop then I shift my gaze away from hers. “He just likes me because I pray a lot.”

“It looked like a lot more than that to me,” she whispers.

“It’s not, he’s just the hot priest,” I whisper back, trying to make a joke, although my tears are already in my eyes. I’m losing control, and the closer I get to the point where Gabe will find out that I lied is coming closer by the second.

“No. He’s more than that. You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” she asks.

“
Please
don’t say that out loud.”

“It’s OK,” she says. “I’m not going to tell, Gabe. Just like I’m not going to tell him that you aren’t really pregnant. Why did you tell him you were? I know you’ve been on birth control this whole time.”

“Oh god, Jules. There’s so much you don’t know about him.”

“I know I’ve never liked him, and for me, that’s more than enough to want you to leave him.”

“I can’t leave him, Jules.”

“Of course you can. You’ll come home with me, and Victor will make sure he leaves you alone until you can run away with your priest. It sounds like the plot to a soap opera, so it will be brilliant.”

She grins, her cool hand reaching up to gently stroke my hair, just like our mother did when we were young. “We’re supposed to look after each other, Emma,” she says. “We’re sisters. We’re supposed to tell each other everything.”

“I know,” I whisper, looking up at her kind eyes.

“Then, it’s settled, you’re going to come home with me,” she grins, slapping her hands on top of her thighs as if we actually came to this agreement.

“No. She’ll be coming home with me. Where she belongs,” Gabe says from the door, looking between Jules and me suspiciously.

Jules attaches a saccharine smile to her face and tilts her head sweetly. “You have to work, Gabe, and she’ll need someone to take care of her.”

“I’ll hire someone,” he says, walking over to the bed, his eyes looking cold as he reaches out and lifts me like a rag doll.

“Gabe, put her down, she needs to rest,” Jules demands.

“She can rest at home,” he states, walking me out the door with Jules following along behind. He stops just as he gets to the door. “Oh, and congratulations on your engagement, Jules, and your pregnancy. I hear you’re having a son.”

The moment the words leave his mouth, my heart stops, and I begin to struggle in his arms. “No!” I yell. “No!”

His arms tighten around me, and he walks out the front door carrying me as I continue to struggle.

“Gabe, put her down!” Jules yells, her eyes wide with worry.

Although he doesn’t stop, he just throws me into car, followed by my purse, and he growls into my ear. “Don’t fucking move.”

I hear the threat in his voice, and I just look ahead as my father and Victor appear beside Jules who is swinging her arms about animatedly, upset by what she just saw. My heart beats in my ears, and I can hear my own breath as I watch Gabe assure them that everything is fine.

But everything isn’t fine. My time is up, and he knows I lied to him. He knows. I close my eyes, and think of Braden. I think of the beautiful few hours we spent together, and that I don’t want to say goodbye to him. He’s the only happiness I’ve ever had.

And suddenly, I know how I’m going to get out of this. I know that the only way I’m ever going to see him again is if I push Gabe back. Hard enough that he breaks me this time.

I pull out my cell and type out a text, my fingers shaking as I try to get it sent before Gabe gets into the car.

He knows. Save me.

I manage to do it just in time and drop my bag between my feet, hoping that Braden gets my message as I turn to see the controlled anger in Gabe’s eyes. “Are you even pregnant?” he asks between his teeth as he starts the car and backs out of the drive.

Lifting my hand, I wave at my family, putting one last fake smile on my face before Gabe takes me away, wondering if I’m ever going to seem them again.

“Answer. The question,” Gabe growls.

Then I look at him and do the bravest thing I’ve ever done – I tell the truth.

“No. I’m on birth control.”

end of part two.