Page 22 of Push

My fingers curled tighter around the crib, the wood digging into my palms. “I don’t have a mistress.”

“Tell that to yourwife. Better yet, tell that to yourmistress. You’ve seen that she’s tagged you in a bunch of photos, right?”

Kicking at the yellow tufts on the rug with the tip of my shoe, I shook my head.

“Oh, you’re missing out.” Tanya snorted. “Gwen found posts online, too. She’s quite the amateur detective. Did you know that you’re Kayleigh’s rock and the man who proved to her true lovedoesexist?” She mocked the ridiculous words by fluttering her eyelashes. “Isn’t that precious? I can’t wait for you to introduce her to our mother.” She cackled.

I dragged my palm down my face. “Stop.”

“Take a look at the posts.” Tanya’s eyes dropped back to her e-reader. “Yourwifecertainly did.”

Sighing, I took out my phone. My finger trembled as I forced myself to open my social media and swipe through the photos of Kayleigh’s housewarming party. She’d been glued to my side for most of the night…and it showed. We were together. Everywhere. Her lips had been on me. My hands had been on her—even before what had happened in the kitchen. The photos were proof, and if the messages blowing up my phone were any clue, people were filling in the blanks about what they thought had happened after the party was over.

“Gwen thinks…?” I gulped. “She thinks I…slept with…?”

“Indeed.” Tanya smirked at her screen. “At least Dad had the decency not to rub Mother’s face in all his pretty young things.”

My refusal to accept that comment was quick and forceful. “I’m nothing like he was!” The venom in my voice scared even me. “I didn’t sleep with Kayleigh! I wouldneverfucking do that!”

Tanya lowered her e-reader, watching me as I gulped in air, trying to wrestle some control over myself. Wild eyes darted to check on Noah. Not a peep. The relief of seeing him still sleeping didn’t ease the tight grip around my chest. Shouting matches were how my parents had communicated. What the hell was happening to me?

Tanya sighed. “Our dear mother never should’ve stopped me chucking your ugly baby butt in the bin when you first came home from the hospital.” Her hands landed on her knees, and she pushed off the rocking chair. “I’m going to do you a one-time-only favor, little brother. Go wash off the skank. I’ll sort something out.”

Her head only reached my chin, but that didn’t stop her from shoving me out of the nursery. She stood stationed like a sentinel in the doorway, her sharp face grim, until I disappeared down the hall.

The second the bathroom door shut, my clothes flew off. I turned on the shower. The water gushed out in a boiling torrent of steam.

Good.

I let it scald my skin as I scrubbed every inch of myself with the scratchy pink mitt Gwen hung from the faucet. Kayleigh needed to be erased. But even after every trace of lipstick had been burned from my skin, the stain on my soul reminded me what I’d done.

I wrapped a towel snugly around my waist and wandered into the bedroom.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

“Tanya. Seriously.” My heart soared.Gwen. “All the baby stuff is kept in the nursery—” She stalled in the doorway. Her eyes pinned me first. Then Tanya. “It’s clear where your loyalty lies.”

“Yes. First, my nephew.” Tanya’s hand squeezed Gwen’s arm. “Then you. The drongo over there…” She jerked her head in my direction. “I can take him or leave him. But for the sake of the raisin in the other room, you two need to talk. So…talk.”

Tanya didn’t stick around.

When the door clicked shut, Gwen flinched. She didn’t want to be in the same room as me. She edged along the wall, eyed the door, and huffed a sigh…but didn’t leave.

That wassomething.

I didn’t want to spook her, so I stood glued to the carpet. My hand, firm on my hip, made sure the towel stayed cinched tight. This wasn’t a conversation to have half-naked. I already felt too exposed.

Gwen’s cheek turned. She refused to look at me anyway. “I planned on lighting the fire pit later, but there’s still clean underwear in your drawer.” Her glare turned to the window. “I can’t exactly sell that kind of stuff.”

Another sign ofsomething. She hadn’t erased me completely yet. “Clothes?”

Gwen snorted. “All your clothes are downstairs. I can pick out an outfit for you. I’ll even give you a good deal.” Her chin jerked up. “One thousand dollars.”

“The clinic…the trust fund my dad left me… You manage the finances, Gwen. You know everything I have is yours.”

“By the time I’m through with you in court, it sure will be.”

Her words knocked the wind out of my lungs. She was already planning her day in court—the place she shined brightest. The final stop to end us forever. Just like that. My knees buckled.Over… My palm hit the comforter, and I lowered myself to balance on the edge of the bed.

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