Page 34 of Connor

"That son of a bitch."

The words cracked through like a whip, sharp and venomous. I flinched, not because I disagreed, but because hearing it out loud made it real. Connor had looked me in the eye and denied the fact that I was—that we’d made—I couldn’t even think it and it shouldn’t hurt this much, but it did.God, it did.

"You’re staying here tonight."

I shook my head before I even realized I was doing it. "No."

Quinn’s eyes narrowed. "Summer—"

"I just want to go home."

She stared at me like she was trying to understand, trying to see the logic in it. There wasn’t any. Not really. But I couldn’t stay here. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I didn’t want to feel anymore.

I just wanted to crawl into bed and disappear.

Quinn didn’t like it, but after a long beat, she sighed and grabbed her keys. "Fine. But I’m driving you."

I didn’t argue. I didn’t have the energy to do much more than follow her to the car.

North stayed behind, and we didn’t speak during the drive home... I stared out the window, arms wrapped around myself, trying to hold it together. I was failing. The lump in my throat was growing, the pressure behind my eyes unbearable.

Quinn sighed heavily, breaking the silence. "I can’t believe him. I can’t believe he’d do this to you. After everything."

“Really?” I asked her, my lower lip wobbling. The question was rhetorical. What happened last summer had been proof enough that Connor, and North, and even Vic, were callous enough to ruin someone without a thought.

Quinn winced at what I was referring to and the rest of the drive was silent.What was there to say? She knew I was right. It was cruel, but this wasConnor.

"You know you don’t have to do this alone, right?" she continued, glancing at me. "Have you spoken to Victor yet?"

“Are you kidding?” I laughed dryly. “He’ll fucking kill Connor if he finds out about this.”

“He’s going to find out eventually,” Quinn answered, her voice soft. “Unless you don’t go ahead with the pregnancy.”

“I don’t want an abortion,” I stated, cutting her off. It wasn’t because I had anything against abortions, but rather that I couldn’t see myself getting rid of the only piece of evidence I had that Connor and I were once good together.

“You still have time to decide exactly what you want,” she responded gently.

Not wanting to argue further when my heart was already breaking, I nodded, but my throat was too tight to respond.

“For now, feel free to phone if you need anything.”

“Sure,” I whispered and I wanted to believe her. To believe that they’d come if I called, regardless of what happened between us, but this wasn’t something anyone could fix for me, and there was a lot more that would have to happen before Quinn and North were friends of mine again. The car went silent again and I fiddled with my things as we passed pedestrians and houses alike.

When Quinn pulled up outside my apartment, she finally spoke. "If he comes back—"

"He won’t."

Not before he’d get fucked up drunk like always and find a girl to warm his cock.

Quinn didn’t look convinced, but it had been a year since she’d seen Connor. She didn’t know how much he’d worsened

I forced a wobbly smile. "Thanks for the ride."

She hesitated, then said, "You deserve better than this."

I nodded. I knew. But that wasn’t going to change anything now, and knowing didn’t make it hurt any less. I had better things to worry about now. School, the baby. Other things besides how Connor was slowly wrecking every bit of my heart.

Quinn’s car idled as I made my way to my front door, and I didn’t bother to look back in case she saw the tears falling down my cheeks. I was so fucking screwed, it wasn’t even funny.

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