And then I see it. An article. Jaxon’s name in bold letters, the picture of his specialty-made ornaments…and a pregnancy stick with two pink lines. My stomach drops, my legs give out, and the room spins around me, because I know exactly what this is.
Betrayal.
Everything I imagined—all my hope, all my dreams—comes crashing down in an instant.
31
Jaxon
I wanted to be awake when Rowyn arrived, but the second I threw myself on the bed and waited for her call, I crashed. Hard. Now, sunlight slices through the window, and I haven’t heard a word. No text, nor room number. Nothing. Unease coils in my gut as that sinks in, and I’m on my feet in seconds.
I pause. Maybe she’s just enjoying some girl time. We’ve been together all week. Maybe she deserves this. I shake off the worry, take a shower, and make my way downstairs to the restaurant.
The moment I step off the elevator, my chest seizes. Gina and Ash are sitting on the sofas like they’ve been waiting for me. My heart jumps into my throat.
They stand as I approach. “What?”
“We need to talk,” Ash says, glancing around to make sure no one is listening.
“Then talk,” I snap, the tension in my shoulders coiling tighter.
Gina lays a hand on my arm. “We should go somewhere private.”
“Tell me, Gina,” I say, urgency biting my words. She nods and pulls me to a sofa. They sit together, both watching me with careful, guarded expressions. “Is Rowyn okay?”
They exchange a quick, heavy look, and my heart hammers against my ribs. “Yes…and no,” Gina finally says.
“Tell me the no part.”
Her mouth opens, closes, and opens again, words failing her. Finally, she unlocks her phone and holds it out. My stomach drops as I see the article—my secret woodworking projects, my private life laid bare—and then, my eyes catch another photo, a pregnancy test with two bold pink lines.
“What the fuck? Who took these photos? Who was in my house? What the hell is this pregnancy stick?”
“Billy wrote the article,” Gina says quietly.
I shake my head, disbelief coiling in my chest. “None of this makes sense. Where is Rowyn? I need to find her.” I’m about to jump to my feet, but Ash’s hand on my shoulder freezes me.
“Rowyn is gone,” he says.
“Gone? Gone where?” I gulp. “Is she…pregnant?”
Gina swallows, her eyes heavy with worry and sympathy. “Jaxon…she found out she was pregnant yesterday. She was coming here to tell you…”
“She’s really…pregnant.” The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I sink back into the cushions, air leaving my lungs in a whoosh. “Row… she’s pregnant.” I stare at the phone in my hand. “But this… I don’t get it.”
“I know,” Gina says gently.
“How…how did Billy get these pictures?” I know there’s no way in hell Rowyn gave them to him. “Rowyn—” I begin but Gina cuts me off.
“She thought you’d think that. She thought you’d think she got pregnant on purpose…” Gina swallows again. “She explained your past.”
I shake my head, trying to process. Running a hand through my tangled hair, I murmur, “Wait. Row…” I jab my thumb into my chest. “She went there. Thinking my first reaction is that she betrayed me.”
“Yes,” Gina confirms softly.
“Why?”
“When the article came out… who else had a key to your house?” she asks carefully.