Page 46 of Cup of Lies

“Oh God,” I cry out and take off toward them. “I missed you both so much.”

My reaction surprises Seth, who is stiff when I hug him. Kaitlyn clings to my side in a tight embrace. When my lips meet Seth’s, he relaxes slightly.

“I’m sorry,” I say, genuine tears streaking down my cheeks. “Please forgive me. The storm made my brain confused, but as soon as it passed, I could see clearly again. I just wanted my family back.”

There’s some truth to those words, so it’s easy for him to believe them.

“We missed you, Mommy,” Kaitlyn says through her tiny tears. “Don’t ever go away again.”

“Never,” I vow to her. “I swear to you.”

Seth cups my cheek and pulls back slightly to look into my eyes. I know he’s searching for deception. With Kaitlyn’s and my freedom at stake, I’m able to fake a lovesick smile for him.

“You have no idea the mental hell you put me through, love.”

It’s on instinct to want to flinch at the nickname I now remember Caius used for me, but again, I am prepared to put on a show for this man.

“You didn’t deserve it,” I lie, tears flooding my eyes. “I hope I didn’t break apart our marriage. This baby needs both of us. Together.”

He purses his lips and nods. “I can agree to that statement. But I don’t know if I can trust you.”

I lean forward and nip at his bottom lip. “Let me prove it to you.”

Am I willing to have sex with this man to convince him?

Yes.

Anything to protect Kaitlyn long enough to get both of us out of here.

“We’ll start with something home-cooked,” I say to him and then wink. “Later, I’ll show you when we’re alone.”

Kaitlyn, happy that her mom is home, pulls away to skip back over to the swing. I’m left alone with the man who’s been mindfucking me.

He’s hard between us, the inadequate bulge a reminder of everything I don’t want and everything I do.

Compared to a man like Caius Crowne, who is filet mignon, Seth is freezer burnt ground beef. One tastes like perfection and the other one is peculiar.

If I want my man back, though, I have to make it through the next few days. Once Kaitlyn is safe, then I can seek him out.

“Whose car did you get into?” Seth asks. “You could have been kidnapped.”

“Some woman driving by. She took me to a hotel, fed me, and gave me some clothes. I was afraid she’d take me to a mental hospital because…” I frown as I stare at this man.

“Because?”

“I don’t make sense when I’m not with you, apparently. I’m grateful she looked after me, even when I babbled nonsense. Then when my mind cleared, I begged her to take me back to where she found me.”

“And this happened after the storms?”

“Yes. Now I see clearly. All I see is you, us, Kaitlyn.”

His lips curl into a tentative smile. “This is good, Romy. I think everything is going to be okay.”

“Are you hungry?” I ask, smiling back at him. “I’m nothing if I’m not making the two people I love most yummy food.”

“There’s my girl.”

“Always your girl.”

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