Page 17 of The Edge Of Us

But deep down, I knew that fear wasn’t so easily silenced. The battle wasn’t over. It was only just beginning.

Chapter 11

Allen

The weight of Corinne’s news sat heavily on my chest, suffocating me as I sat at the edge of the bed. My hands ran through my hair, fingers tugging at the strands, but the pressure didn’t alleviate the storm in my head. A child. Another child.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. I had a plan. A detailed, carefully constructed plan to separate from Corinne, to take Kyle with me, to start fresh with Natasha. I had spoken to my lawyer weeks ago, prepared for the custody battle, braced myself for the inevitable war. And now—this? A baby would complicate everything.

I swallowed hard, the bile rising in my throat as I tried to steady my breathing. I couldn’t handle another round of Corinne’s psychosis. I couldn’t do it again. The late-night breakdowns, thefear of her harming herself, the paranoia that kept me awake even when she was finally sleeping peacefully. The first year after Kyle’s birth had drained me, had turned me into someone I no longer recognized. I wasn’t prepared to relive it.

And Natasha—

A sharp knock pulled me from my thoughts. I knew it was her before she even spoke. The way she knocked, firm but hesitant, was ingrained in my mind.

I opened the door, and there she was—beautiful, furious, and guilt-ridden all at once. Her dark eyes burned into mine, the same eyes that softened whenever she collapsed onto my chest after our nights together. But tonight, there was no softness. Only rage.

“How could you?” she hissed, stepping into the room and slamming the door behind her. She paced back and forth, hands shaking as she tried to contain her emotions. “How could you still sleep with her?”

I exhaled sharply, already exhausted by the confrontation. I knew this was coming. “Natasha, she’s my wife.”

She let out a bitter laugh, stopping in her tracks to glare at me. “Oh, so now you remember that? Because for the past two years, you’ve acted like I was the only woman in your life.”

“I—” I ran a hand down my face, struggling to find the words. “I never said I was done with her. You knew the situation.”

Her hands balled into fists. “Yes, I knew. But I thought—I thought you were done pretending.” Her voice cracked, and the sound nearly undid me.

I stepped toward her, reaching for her arm, but she jerked away. “Tasha—”

“No,” she snapped, taking another step back. “Don’t. Don’t do that. Don’t act like you care, Allen.”

I did care. More than I should.

She shook her head, blinking back tears. “You promised me. You said we would have a future together. You said you were leaving her.”

“I still am,” I insisted. “I just—”

She cut me off with a bitter smile. “But now there’s a baby. Another excuse. Another reason to keep dragging this on.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then tell me what it is.” Her voice wavered, and for the first time, I saw the cracks forming in her resolve. “Tell me why you’re still holding on to something that’s already dead.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. There were no words. No justification that wouldn’t sound like another lie.

Her expression hardened. “That’s what I thought.” She turned away, moving toward the door.

Panic surged through me. “Wait.” I grabbed her wrist, desperate. “You’re the only thing keeping me sane, Natasha. Please—don’t do this.”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she hesitated. I could see the battle in her eyes—the part of her that wanted to stay, that wanted to believe me. But then she exhaled, pulling her wrist free from my grip.

“I can’t, Allen.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I can’t keep betraying Corinne like this. She’s my best friend. And I—I’m not this person.”

“Tasha—”

She turned the doorknob. “No,” she said firmly. “I’m done.”

Then she was gone.

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