Page 53 of Traitorous Lies
November 10th
9:37 A.M
Monique already knew what the email was going to say, so why was she hesitating to open it?
She liked Cassandra Charleston, would love to have a woman like that for a sister. They got along great, and she’d enjoyed every second of the time she’d spent with the other woman the day before.
It had only taken one look at Cassandra to know the truth.
They were half-sisters.
So why was reading the results in an email so difficult?
Sitting on her couch, in front of the fire, phone in hand, Moniquefelt paralyzed. Knowing what was likely the truth and seeing it written out in front of her seemed to be two different things.
Maybe she just needed more time to adjust to the idea that her dad had cheated on her mom and she had a sister.
Only time wouldn't change things.
They were what they were, and whether she read the email now or put it off until later, the results would still be the same.
“Stop being a baby,” she told herself aloud, needing something to break the silence in the suddenly too quiet cabin. The only sounds were her ragged breathing and the crackling of the fire that reminded her so much of Jax that it hurt, only she couldn’t stop herself from building one and sitting mesmerized, watching the flames dance about.
All her life she’d wanted a sibling, and while this was not the way she expected it to happen, she wasn't sad about it. If her dad had cheated on her mom, she didn't like that, but neither of her parents had really been a part of her life so it wasn't like this would ruin her ideal of their marriage.
Despite the assertions of Cassandra, Jax, and the rest of their family, she still didn't believe that her dad had raped anyone. Not that she wanted to push the idea that Cassandra’s mom had been unfaithful, she just didn't see another option. Her dad was the least emotional person she’d met, and she just couldn’t see him doing anything that would require any sort of passion, good or bad.
“Just do it. Get it over with.”
The urging was the last little push she needed, and Monique stopped letting her finger hover over the unread email from the Prey lab, which was doing a rush on the DNA testing, and opened it.
Probability of the two samples being related was listed as 99.9%.
Sisters.
Well, half-sisters, but that seemed like a total technicality.
Cassandra was really her sister.
Which meant her dad really had had sex with another woman while still married to her mom.
It felt …
Surreal.
Stumbling to her feet, Monique didn't even know where she wasgoing until she pushed open her front door and staggered down the porch steps toward the car parked in her driveway.
Pure instinct.
She was in shock and knew where to go to find something—someone—to ground her.
“Princess?” Jax was suddenly there before her, and she didn't overthink it, just stepped up to him and rested her cheek on his broad chest.
The second she made contact with his warmth, tension oozed out of her body, and if he hadn't wrapped his arms around her waist she probably would have sunk to the ground, suddenly boneless and weightless.
“What’s wrong?” Jax asked, one arm holding her securely against him while the other drifted up and down her spine, the touch soothing, and she snuggled deeper against him.
“I got the results,” she murmured.
