With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men 4)

She meant during sex, and that made me feel more vile than ever, because what if she did know how to entice him into forgiving her? What if she could draw him back into her clutches, into her bed? What if—? No, I couldn’t even consider it. He couldn’t go back to her after what he’d done with me. He just couldn’t. Even if he never touched me again and refused to even talk to me, he couldn’t be with her again, either.

“But you cheated on him,” I argued, without meaning to. The words just blurted from my mouth because I didn’t even want her to try to get back together with him. “He broke up with you.”

“Meh.” She didn’t seem concerned about that fact. “I guess maybe it’s time to drop the big bomb and tell him about my kidney failure. You know that’ll bring a bleeding heart like Quinn back where I want him.”

My mouth fell open incredulously. “You...you’re going to play the sympathy card and use that against him?”

The acid in her glance scorched into me. “What’re you so bent out of shape about? Aren’t you the one who’s been badgering me for months to tell him about it? You’re finally getting your way.”

I’d only wanted her to tell him about it way back before I’d spent the night with him, given him my virginity and fallen irreversibly in love with him.

I paled as a thought struck. If Cora told him, he’d know tha

t I’d known about her all along. He’d never forgive me for keeping it from him, because if I’d have just told him, he never would’ve left Cora, no matter how many other guys she’d slept with. She was right; he was a devoted bleeding heart who would stand by his dying—albeit cheating—girlfriend’s side.

Oh God. What if he thought I hadn’t told him because I’d wanted him all to myself? What if... Wait.

What if—subconsciously—I hadn’t told because I did want him all to myself?

What if I was a worse person than Cora?

I couldn’t urge her not to tell him now. I just couldn’t.

“Do whatever you want.” I turned to stare out the side window again. But inside my chest, my heart crumbled to pieces.

Quinn was going to hate me.

Cora showed up at my door Saturday night while I was eating supper with Ten. He’d cooked for me by ordering pizza. Even though I wasn’t hungry, I’d just bitten into my first slice of supreme when her knock came. Thinking—hoping and praying—it might be Zoey, I started to rise, but Ten waved me back down.

“I got this.”

I could tell who had come to call when he immediately started ranting. “Oh, you fucking, worthless, lying, cheating whore. How dare you show your face here? Why don’t you turn around and go back to sucking on whoever’s dick you just came from?”

I stood and moved behind him to see Cora glaring at him from the hallway. When she caught sight of me over his shoulder, her eyes lit up.

She rose onto her toes and waved. “Quinn? Hi. We need to talk.”

I shook my head and snorted, turning my face to the side. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Hear that? He doesn’t want to talk to you. Bye-bye now.” Ten began to shut the door in her face, but she slapped her palm against it and scowled at my roommate before she boldly stepped into our apartment.

“We’re going to talk,” she said.

Ten huffed out his irritation but leaned against the opened door and arched an eyebrow my way, as if waiting for me to give him permission to throw her out. But I knew how persistent Cora could be. She’d probably keep pestering me until I finally gave in and talked anyway...even though I’d already said everything I’d wanted to say to her.

It was over; how many more ways did she want me to phrase it? But it seemed easiest to just get this over with now, and let her say what she’d come to say so I wouldn’t have to deal with her any more after this.

Folding my arms over my chest, I drew out a big sigh. “Fine. Talk.”

“Stupid, noble idiot.” Ten shook his head in disappointment. “Man, I can’t believe you.”

“Well, no one asked you,” Cora snapped at him.

Stepping away from the door, he towered over her and narrowed his eyes. “The only reason you’re here is to beg him to take you back. But you’re only wasting your breath. There’s no way in hell he’s going to let your lying, faithless, whore ass anywhere near his dick ever again.”

“Ten,” I muttered with another long sigh. “Just let her talk so she’ll go away.”

For the first time, Cora looked hurt. She glanced toward me as if uncertain, which made me think Ten had been right. She’d come here to win me back.