Cease Fire (Blackbridge Security 9)

“She came here to tell the dad?” I ask, because if that’s the case, then why is she talking to my best friend? Also, why does my sister sound so damn happy? I figured she’d be pissed at discovering that her best friend and I hooked up.

“Apparently, they hooked up at my wedding. Isn’t it sweet?”

“Th-they—did you just say she got pregnant at your wedding?” I ask, focusing on the timeline, a smile spreading across my face.

Warning bells are going off. What I’m witnessing is throwing up so many damn red flags, but I can’t accept what my logical brain is trying to convince me is really going on.

My best friend takes a step back from Jules, dropping her hand, only to press his own against her lower belly.

No. Just fuck no.

There’s no way. Neither of them would do this to me.

I was with her all weekend.

My smile fades, turning into what I can only presume is a look of horror, as all the info, everything my sister says, locks on the reality of what I’m witnessing.

My best friend turns to face all of us, and I beg him with my eyes to not destroy my entire world.

“I’m going to be a dad,” Brooks says, no amount of elation or joy to his tone.

He’s just as shocked as everyone else is around the room.

My sister claps, squealing in happiness, but Jules only swallows, her eyes lowered to the floor.

“Going to be such a great looking kid!” my sister exclaims.

My best friend locks eyes with me, stepping forward as if he’s going to what? Apologize? Ask me to be happy for the two of them?

Not a fucking chance.

I stand from the sofa, unable to keep the look of pure disgust from my face, before walking away.

I head to my office, because walking toward the elevator would put me walking past the two of them, and any closer to the man I considered my best friend would end with my hands wrapped around his throat.

Instead, I head down the hall, using the back exit of the building to get the fuck out of there.

Eventually, I would’ve been able to accept that Jules didn’t want me, that we were destined to only share that one special weekend, but there’s nothing about this I’ll ever be able to come to terms with.

I not only lost the girl, but I also just lost my best friend.

Welcome to rock bottom, Kit Riggs. Get comfortable, because you’re going to be here a while.

Chapter 10

Jules

I know the second Kit gets up and walks away, but I can’t bring myself to look in his direction. I’ve never felt more shame in my life, and the trembling in my body is a testament to that.

When I do manage to look up, I see half a dozen men, Brooks’s and Kit’s friends, staring at the two of us. There isn’t a lack of shock on anyone’s face, and my cheeks heat with the implication they’re throwing at me.

I shouldn’t be surprised that everyone in the room knew about his crush on me, but from the way I’m getting glared at, it seems they also know what I did the weekend of Beth and Spencer’s wedding.

There’s no doubt they see me as a whore, having just told everyone that I not only hooked up recently with Kit, but I also crawled in bed and got pregnant by his best friend.

I can take it though. I can let all of them think the worst of me because the one person in the room that doesn’t know that I hooked up with Kit is Beth. She’s the most important person in my life and losing her isn’t an option.

Beth stands from the sofa as she pulls her eyes from the hallway her brother must’ve just disappeared down. Her confused frown turns into a radiant smile that for some reason doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she looks at me.

I wait for her to cross the room, beginning to turn toward the elevator, but she stops me with a hand on my shaking forearm.

“What?” I whisper, just ready to get the hell out of here and away from the glares.

“I’m going to head out,” she says. “I know the two of you have a lot to talk about.”

I shake my head. There’s no way in hell I’m going to speak to her brother about this. I’d cave and tell him the truth. I knew it the second Brooks turned around to announce the lie. It’s why I couldn’t look at him. I knew how the news would make him feel, and I’m the most horrible person on the planet because I let it happen.

In his mind, he’s been betrayed not only by me but also his best friend.

I only realize my friend isn’t talking about her brother when I feel the warmth of Brooks’s body on my side.