Page 60 of Endgame

A mistake?

“Fine.” Cranking the engine, I tore out of the parking spot. “Fucking suit yourself.”

It was the last time I’d make an effort with her.

She could wipe her own damn tears next time.

I was done.

Mercedes

BRITT IS A GIRL I FUCK.

I willed the words Rourke had spoken not to be true even though I knew they very much were.

It hurt me, knowing he slept with other girls. It shouldn’t; it wasn’t my place to feel anything for Rourke Owens, but when it came to him, my brain seemed to click off.

Deep down inside, I had a feeling Rourke was a much better man than the one he pretended to be. But he just kept proving me wrong.

Rourke didn’t speak a word to me the entire drive back to the house. Instead, he blasted some god-awful, heavy rock music and drove like a raging lunatic.

He was mad at me. For asking questions and for being mad at him when he answered me honestly.

I was mad right back at him.

I was mad at Rourke for having this unwanted and infuriating power over my emotions.

And I was mad at him for making mecare.

Rourke

“HAVE YOU THOUGHT THIS through, Dad? How are you going to time manage your work and home life once the twins are born?” My fifteen-year-old sister was in the kitchen when me and Six walked back into the house.

Amelia was giving our father a lecture on responsibility. If the situation wasn’t so sickening, I would have thought it comical.

“I’m going to bed,” Six muttered before hurrying to the staircase.

“Whatever,” I shot back, not looking at her. I was still feeling angry about the way she had dismissed me earlier. I’d been trying to cheer her up. It was the first and last fucking time I would go out of my way to help that girl.

“Amelia,” Dad sighed, rubbing his jaw with his hand. “I raised you and Rourke on my own just fine. I’m sure I can manage another two.”

I snorted.

He didn’t raise us.

Our housekeeper fucking raised us.

Our father simplyfundedus.

Asshole.

“Have you got something you’d like to say, Rourke?” Dad snapped, clearly hearing my reaction.

“Nope,” I replied as I walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. “Not a thing.” I wasn’t getting involved in this. Dad knew what I thought of the situation; it was a fucking mess. I wasn’t giving him an excuse to blow up on me. I didn’t need the hassle.

“I know money isn’t an issue,” Amelia continued to say, “But babies? They take up time, Dad. A lot of time.” Shrugging she added, “Have you thought about hiring someone to help you and Cass when they’re born? I presume you’ll take a couple of weeks’ paternity leave, but what happens when you go back to work? How is she supposed to cope on her own with two babies? Especially since she’ll have to have an elective C-section. Mercedes was born by emergency section, you know. That kind of surgery takes weeks to heal from.”

“Wait, what?” Dad held his hand up. “How do you evenknowthis stuff?”