Page 101 of Boards & Betrayal

I knew I had to look.

Standing slowly, my legs felt like jelly beneath me. How do you prepare for something like this? How do you brace yourself for news that could completely shift everything?

And there…

Two pink lines.

My entire world shifted off its axis.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed.

And I had no idea what I was going to do about it.

Chapter 30

Tom

Ally’s apartment felt like home. I closed the door behind us, trying to shut out the world and focus on her. The sight of her bruise still burned in my mind.

"Tell me, Ally," I said tightly, my voice barely holding back the rage. "Is he the one who hit you the other day? Tell me!"

Her eyes welled with tears, but she turned away, staring at the floor as if it held all the answers she couldn’t give me.

"Please," I said, softer now. "Ally, I-I can't do this. I want to be there for you. I have to be. But if you can't talk to me…"

"I was trying to protect you," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I know how you are. You just react. You don't think things through. You don't understand the consequences of your actions."

"If it means you're safe, fuck the consequences," I shot back.

"No," she muttered, shaking her head. "No. You can't do that. Because I'm safe with you. But if you beat Nick to a bloody pulp and get arrested for it, you're not here."

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my temper in check. "So what? I’m supposed to stand by and let him hurt you?"

Ally wiped at her tears angrily, frustration etched across her face. "You think this is easy for me? Do you think I don’t want to see him pay for what he’s done? But you... you have a life, Tom. A career that means something. If you lose control?—"

"Then what?" My voice rose despite myself. "You think I'm just going to stand here and do nothing?"

She looked at me then, really looked at me, and it felt like she was seeing straight into my soul. "I need you here," she said quietly. "Not behind bars or losing everything you've worked for."

My chest tightened as her words sank in. The weight of my own helplessness crashed over me like a wave.

"I don’t know how to protect you without fighting back," I admitted.

"You protect me by being here," Ally insisted. "By being someone I can rely on."

I stepped closer, tentatively reaching out to touch her cheek where the bruise had darkened her skin. She leaned into my touch, closing her eyes as if drawing strength from it.

"If you're going to lose control," she said, her voice trembling yet resolute. "Lose control with me."

I stared at her, my mind reeling. "What?" I asked, barely comprehending. "What are you saying?"

"Take it out on me," she repeated, grabbing my hands and placing them on her hips. "I can take it. You won't hurt me."

My eyes heated up, emotions swirling within me. Anger, desire, confusion—they all fought for dominance.

"Why?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion. "Why didn't you tell me about the pregnancy?"

"At first, I didn't know what I was going to do," she said softly. "And with Nick finding out… I remember you always thought Janet trapped you with him. I didn't want you to assume I had done the same thing."

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