Chapter 172
Chapter 173
AARON
59
The glass in my hand was already the third. Or maybe the fourth. Time blurred when the whiskey burned its way down, numbing everything it touched.
The bar was dim, buzzing with low music and the occasional crack of laughter from strangers who didn’t know me, didn’t care. Perfect. I needed a place where no one looked twice, where I could disappear into the amber haze and let the edges of tonight dull enough to breathe.
But Connor, goddamn Connor, always found me.
He slid into the booth across from me, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp. Always sharp. He didn’t need to ask how many drinks I’d had. He already knew.
“You’re supposed to be home,” he said flatly.
I stared at the whiskey, swirling it once before knocking it back. The burn felt good. Felt punishing. “Couldn’t stay p>
He didn’t push, not at first. He just watched, the way only a man who’s known you since boyhood can. And then, after a beat: “What happened p>
My jaw clenched. My throat was tight. I wanted to stay silent, bury it, drown it. But the liquor loosened my
tongue.
“She told me she’s pregnant p>
Connor blinked. For a heartbeat, his face softened into surprise, then broke into something dangerously close to a smile. “That’s good news, Aaron. That’s-” He stopped himself, catching the look on my face. His brow furrowed. “Unless it’s you. Unless it’s your head I’m looking at p>
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to.
His expression hardened. “What did you say to her p>
I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand over my face. “Nothing p>
Connor froze. “Nothing p>
I couldn’t look at him. My hands tightened around the empty glass. “I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t-fuck, I just walked out p>
The sound Connor made was halfway between a laugh and a snarl. He shoved a hand through his hair, muttering a string of curses under his breath before snapping: “Jesus Christ, Aaron. Do you even hear yourself p>
I flinched, but he didn’t stop.
20:45 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 173
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“Your wife—your wife—tells you she’s carrying your child, and your first instinct is to ghost her? Without a word? What the hell do you think she’s sitting at home feeling right now?” His voice rose, sharp enough to cut. “Confused? Hurt? Abandoned? You think that woman doesn’t already have enough on her shoulders without you throwing silence on top of it p>
I slammed my fist against the table, the sound making a couple heads turn. “I didn’t mean to p>
“But you did.” Connor leaned forward, his tone like a blade against my throat. “You left her sitting there with nothing but those test sticks and your silence. What the fuck is she supposed to think p>
My chest tightened, breath shallow. “I panicked p>
Connor barked a humorless laugh. “Panicked? Aaron, you don’t get to panic. You’re the man who keeps telling the world you’d burn it all for her. You’ve faced enemies that would put anyone else in the ground, and this-this is what makes you fold p>
My hands shook as I gripped the glass again, but I didn’t drink. I couldn`t. His words dug too deep.
“I don’t know how to do this.” I whispered, voice raw. “I don’t know how to be a father p>
Connor’s expression shifted-still hard, but tempered with something like recognition. He exhaled slowly. leaning back in his seat.
“This isn’t about being a father, is it p>
I closed my eyes, the memories hitting like a freight train I couldn’t stop. My mother’s scream. The blood. The way my grandfather’s hand shook when he told us she wasn’t waking up. And Richard, the fucking prick he wasn’t there. He wasn’t there for her. What if the apple didn’t fall far from the tree p>
“She almost died,” I rasped. “Carrying a child that didn’t even make it. And I was there, Connor. I watched her bleed on the kitchen floor, I watched the light leave her eyes while my father was somewhere on a yatch with Caroline. He was the one who insisted she had that child even after the doctor warned them of the risk. I was a boy, and I swore I’d never put someone I loved through that. I can’t-fuck, I can’t lose Venus that way p>
Silence stretched between us. My chest heaved, raw and unguarded in a way I hated.
Finally, Connor spoke, voice low. “I get it. I do. That fear? It’s real. But don’t you dare use it as an excuse to hurt her. You can’t punish Venus for your past p>
I dragged a hand through my hair, frustration clawing at me. “You think I wanted to react like that? You think I chose to shut down on her p>
“No,” Connor said firmly. “I know you didn’t mean it. But intention doesn’t erase impact. And right now, she’s alone, probably thinking the worst. That you don’t want this. That you don’t want her p>
The thought gutted me, so sharp I doubled over, pressing my fist to my mouth. “Fuck p>
Connor leaned across the table, pinning me with a glare that felt like a brother’s punch. “Listen to me, Aaron Sinclair. You and Venus-hell, the two of you go at it like sex-starved animals half the time. What the fuck did you think was going to happen sooner or later?” His tone was biting, merciless. “It takes two to tangle, moron. You don’t get to act shocked when reality comes knocking p>
20:45 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 173
My chest shook. My throat was too tight to speak.
“Fuck,” I whispered again, broken this time. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just-I didn’t know what to do p>
59
Connor’s hand slammed the table. “Then learn. Fast. Because she deserves better than silence. She deserves you standing beside her, not running the second things get heavy p>
I stared at him, hating him for being right, hating myself for making it true.
He sighed, shaking his head. “Come on. I’ve had enough of this. You’re drunk, and Venus is at home probably tearing herself apart. I’m not leaving her to drown while you sit here with a bottle p>
I resisted for half a second, but the fight was gone. The liquor weighed heavy in my veins, and guilt heavier still. Connor hauled me up, steadying me when I stumbled.
We left the bar, the night air sharp against my skin, sobering me by inches. Each step toward home felt heavier, as if the ground itself knew what waited for me.
Venus. My Venus.
And the wreckage I’d left her in.
AD
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.