“Just like me, right? Maybe it’s time you started taking responsibility for your own actions. Try wrapping that thing so you don’t accidently get any other women pregnant.”
“Those days are behind me. It’s Hadley all the way. I love her.”
Tears fill Meli’s eyes. “Good for you.”
“I just need to check you’re not gonna—”
She scoffs. “Wow, seriously?”
“Are we still agreed that she shouldn’t know?”
“Out of interest, what was it about her that lured you in?”
I shrug. “She was just there for me, listening and shit. We got to know each other.”
“So, because I didn’t stick around and hold you close after we fucked, I didn’t stand a chance, right?”
I’m confused. “A chance?”
“Yes,” she wails, throwing her hands in the air. “You’re so fucking blind, Grim. Hadley spent years hoping you’d notice her, but you didn’t. And then I give myself on a fucking plate and you don’t even stick around to see what I have to offer!”
“I don’t understand,” I mutter.
“Of course, you don’t. I thought if I played it cool, you’d respect it more and we’d naturally begin to like one another.”
“No!” I gasp. “No, that’s not possible. You made it clear we were just hooking up!”
“Of course, I did, because I thought you weren’t ready!”
“This can’t be happening,” I mumble.
She wipes her eyes. “Forget I said anything. Congratulations. I hope you’ll be very happy.”
“Please don’t be like that,” I whisper, hooking my finger around hers and tugging her closer. “I’m so sorry.” I wrap her in my arms, and she sobs into my chest.
“I can’t stop thinking about the baby,” she mumbles.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HADLEY
“Just tell me what the hell is going on,” I say. Rosey has spent the last five minutes talking in my ear about what a mistake I’m making. “I feel like there’s a reason you’re saying all this, so just tell me.”
“It’s not up to me to say.”
“It’s not like you to keep your mouth shut,” I snap. “Fine, I’ll go and ask Meli because it’s clearly a lot to do with her reaction.”
Rosey shrugs. “I’m not saying a word, but I bet if you go up there now, she’s not alone.”
I hesitate, my heart slamming in my chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She shrugs again, and I growl in frustration before marching upstairs. Rosey is behind me, and as my hand lands on the door handle to Meli’s room, I glance back at her. She nods, encouraging me to go inside. My heart is screaming at me to stop because something feels off, and I know whatever is behind this door is going to change everything.
I take a breath and push it open. Grim’s back is to me, and Meli is in his arms sobbing while he strokes a hand down her hair. “It could have been us,” she mumbles, not noticing her audience.
He kisses the top of her head and shushes her. I look at Rosey, and she gives me a sad, sympathetic smile.
“I knew you were upset, Meli, but this seems a little over the top, even for you.” At my words, they break apart and Grim winces. “Don’t let me break up whatever that was. What was that exactly?”
“Not what you think,” Grim responds.
I nod slowly. “Good, cos what I was thinking was you seemed pretty cosy and not in the in-law kind of way but more in the ‘we’ve had sex’ kind of way.”
“Oh, she’s good,” says Rosey from behind me.
Grim gives her an annoyed look. “I might have known you’d be behind this.”
She smiles wide and curtseys before him. “It was only a matter of time before your lying, cheating arse got caught, I just helped her join the dots.”
“Rosey, get out,” I order. She leaves without uttering a smart-arse comment for once. “The one-night stand?” I ask, looking mainly at Meli. She nods, looking guilty. I rub my chest, like that will somehow dull the pain there. Running my fingers through my hair, I take a few breaths to chase away the tears that threaten to fall.
“Hads, it’s not—” Grim begins, but I hold my hand up.
“Don’t dare insult me by saying it isn’t how it seems. Did you two have sex?” He pleads to me with his eyes, but when he realises I’m waiting for him to respond, he finally nods. “When we were together?”
“Fuck, Hadley, no. What do you think I am?” he snaps.
My eyes widen in disbelief that he dares react like that. “Right now, I don’t know who the fuck you are,” I say, coldly. “How many times?”
“Twice,” Meli answers before he can.
“So, not a one-night stand!” I point out angrily. “And you got pregnant. If she hadn't lost it, would you be with her?” I ask Grim.
“Don’t do this. Let’s go and talk properly.”
“We’re talking now so I get the full picture and not the parts you choose to give me!” I yell. “How could you let me make that announcement when you knew she’d lost your child,” I cry, mortified.
“I tried to stop you. I told Mav to wait!” he yells back.
“You didn’t try hard enough, and you should have told me right from the start!” I scream.
“She didn’t fucking lose it, okay,” he growls out. “She got rid of it.”
I suck in a breath and take a shaky step back. “What?”
He glares at Meli, who begins crying harder. “She chose to have an abortion, and I supported that. We’re not together. It was an accident.”
“Like this is an accident?” I ask, rubbing a hand over my stomach.
“No, not like you and me,” he says desperately. “I love you, Hadley, you know I do.”
I shake my head and choke on my words. “If you loved me, Grim, you’d have told me right from the start that you’d slept with my twin sister.”
Tears roll down my cheeks, and it makes me angry at myself for letting him see me upset, so I rush from the room. I can hear him telling Meli he’ll be back as I slam my bedroom door, locking it right as he reaches it. He bangs his fists against it. “Let me in!” I sit on the edge of my bed and take deep breaths. “Hadley, fucking open the door so we can talk about this.”
“When was the last time?” I ask.
“I can’t remember. Before us . . . weeks before us.”
“So why didn’t you tell me?”
“What was the point? I was embarrassed and didn’t want anyone to know. It was a hook-up, nothing else.”
“Because you knew I wouldn’t ever get with you, that’s why!” I cry out.
“I’m not doing this through a door. We can talk about it like adults,” he says firmly, and it fills me with rage. “I’m the VP. I can’t stand out here begging.”
“Don’t pull rank on me. And if you want to talk about age, aren’t you old enough to know better?”