Page 101 of One Little Mistake
When I arrive, I find Ashton and Preston sitting on the front stoop. My body is shaking when I approach them, and I can’t hide my emotions as I get closer. The weight of Lexi’s betrayal sits heavy on my soul. Lifting my gaze to my brothers, it finally crushes me and I collapse to the stairs in front of them.
Remembering the sight of Lexi with Dillon seeps deep into my heart as ice fills my veins. I’m suddenly frozen in grief while my body shakes with hurt.
“Jesus Christ, East. What the hell happened?” Preston asks as he lifts me onto the top step.
“I-I fell in love, and she chose him, too. She chose Dillon over me,” I croak as a tear slides down my face.
Preston holds me at arm’s length and inspects me like a mother hen.
“Fuck. Easton? What do you think you saw?” Ash forces out.
“It’s not what I think, Ash. I saw Lexi with Dillon.”
“Please tell me you didn’t do something stupid,” Preston groans, shaking my body slightly.
“Me? Me, do something stupid? I just told you I fell in love with Lexi, and I found her with Dillon. Just like … just like Vanessa.”
“This is nothing like Vanessa, East.” Preston’s voice carries misdirected anger, and I rip free from his hold.
“You’re right. This is so much fucking worse, because I loved Lexi with my whole heart. A love I didn’t know existed, and she broke me like I never mattered.”
“East, Lexi met with him for Ashton. And,” Preston turns to Ash, then back to me, “what happened with Vanessa isn’t what you think either.”
My body deflates, and a new ache takes residence in my chest. “What do you mean?” I ask through clenched teeth. Eight years of hatred are simmering inside of me, ready to fight for the pain I’ve endured.
“East, I don’t know why Dillon never told you, but they were protecting you. They were protecting our family.”
“Fuck you,” I scream. “How was marrying my dying girlfriend protecting me?” My head is trying to explode, and I feel my heart ripping in two. I don’t know how much more I can take.
“When you went off to college, Vanessa learned her father was planning to use her to get to Dad. When Dad died, he turned his hatred to you, to me, to anyone with the name Westbrook.”
“Why?” I ask, but my voice is barely audible. Hatred and hurt sit heavy in my throat.
“The best I can figure so far is that Dad blocked him from three projects in a row because he knew Macomb was cutting corners, making the projects unsafe. Macomb lost his shirt because of it and blamed us.”
“That doesn’t explain why he married her,” I bite out.
Chapter 39
Lexi
Preston: He’s here.
Lexi: On my way. Do not fucking let him leave.
Preston: You going to tell me what he did?
Lexi: Ash will fill you in. The rest is between Easton and me.
Preston: Fair enough. We’re out front.
Pulling into the driveway, I beeline it for the front stairs.
“That doesn’t explain why he married her,” Easton’s voice is gritty, and full of emotion.
Stepping forward, I answer the question because I’m the only one with the answers. “Because Vanessa knew she was dying.”
Easton’s body tenses at my voice, but he keeps his head down as I continue to speak. “If she passed away unmarried, her father would have gotten her inheritance and used it to come after you.”
