The Trouble With Him: A Secret Pregnancy Romance (The Forbidden Love 3)

“I slept with Austin.”

“Well, duh. Cat’s out of the bag, baby.”

“No, I meant tonight and twice.”

“Twice?” she blurts out over the speaker. “Tonight? As in now?”

“Keep your voice down!” I warn her, worried Alexa will hear since they’re alone together. With my parents here in Manhattan, Dad instructed Addy to make sure Alexa doesn’t get up to anything. “An hour ago. Addy, what do I do?”

“Did you want this to happen? Who initiated?”

I quickly bring her up to speed with tonight’s events, leaving certain details out which she doesn’t need to know.

“You aren’t going to like what I’m about to say,” Addy proclaims in a confident tone.

“Just say it. I’m a big girl.”

“You’re falling in love with him.”

“Addison Kate Edwards!” I shout, startling even my tired self. “I’m not falling in love with Austin.”

“Quite some reaction, dear sister.”

I throw my head back against the headboard of my bed. “You’re messing with my mind.”

“Look, Ava… ” Addy resigns, then continues, “… you’ve blurred the line and crossed the boundary. I don’t think you’re in a position to be fuck buddies. There’s too much at stake, and despite you not wanting to acknowledge this, you guys have a past. This isn’t some guy you picked up on the street.”

“I know,” I barely whisper. “It’s just, sometimes, when we’re together, it feels like I’ve known him my whole life. It’s easy, you know?”

“You have known Austin for half your life, so I understand that feeling. But, Ava, there is a baby coming. The two of you need to work together to raise this child. This whole sleeping with each other just complicates things. Unless, as I mentioned, you’re in love.”

“When did you become so mature?”

Addy laughs, then releases a sigh. “When I decided not to follow in my older sisters’ footsteps.”

“Speaking of older sisters, um, how is Millie?”

“Truth?”

“Always.”

“Not good…” Addy admits, then stalls. “She just needs time, Ava.”

“It’s been a while,” I barely manage to say. “Should I reach out to her?”

“Millie has a lot on her plate. She’s juggling her marriage, work, and a toddler. So give her some space to navigate through this.”

“What’s wrong with her marriage?” I ask, panicked.

“Nothing, Ava. Will is being Will. He’s not exactly thrilled about Austin and has it in his head that Austin and Millie will be around each other all the time if the two of you reconcile.”

“It’s always the billionaires who act all jealous and unreasonable.”

“Well, Lex Junior is known to be protective over his wife.”

I think of Millie almost every day but admit I haven’t really considered how this affects Will. Of course, he’s a big boy who runs an empire just like Dad. But I guess I’ve forgotten just how alpha male Will is, especially when it involves Millie.

“Just tell her I miss her, okay?”