The Lover's Surrender (No Exceptions) Read Online Free Page A

been drugged and kicked in the abdomen while
pregnant. We still didn’t know if the baby had been harmed.
    “Right,”
Kenny said. “So you’d rather have her think you cheated on her?” The disbelief
in his tone didn’t go unnoticed.
    “If that’s
the way to keep her out of this, then by all means, yes. She’s free to believe
whatever she wants, even though I didn’t cheat, and I told her that countless
times. It’s her choice whether she wants to believe me or not. It’s not like I
can force her to trust me with something that she doesn’t want to accept.”
    I paused,
leaving the rest unspoken. Thunder echoed somewhere in the background as the
sound of rain splattering against the window increased in volume. The image of
Brooke all alone popped into my mind, and the fact that we were supposed to be
on a plane to Las Vegas, where the danger around us would have been forgotten.
At least for a while.
    “So, how do
you think you’ll get her away now?” Kenny asked quietly, sensing the direction
of my thoughts.
    “Don’t you
worry. I’ll think of something. I’m seeing her tomorrow.” I looked at him in
silence while taking another swig of the liquid that seemed to burn all the way
down my throat. “All that matters is that I take her away from NYC and keep her
distracted.”
    “And if she
doesn’t want to come or doesn’t agree to see you?”
    I
hesitated. The thought of Brooke not wanting to see me had entered my mind
before, but I had pushed it to the back of my mind just as quickly. Every time
I imagined her slamming the door in my face, or thought of not touching and
kissing her, a dull ache formed in my heart. But then I remembered her words,
her willingness to give up on us so easily, and the anger returned.
    “No idea,”
I said grimly. “If she doesn’t want to see me, I’ll stay away until she’s given
birth, then I’ll try to explain. Maybe once her hormones have settled, she’ll
see more sense.”
    Kenny shook
his head. “That could take months.”
    I shrugged.
Did I have a choice?
    “Well,
maybe this will help.” He tossed a brown package at me. I caught it before it
hit my stomach. I had noticed it before, when he had joined me, but I had paid
it no attention…until now.
    I frowned.
“What is it?”
    “Courtesy
of Brian.”
    “Brian?” I
looked up from the bundle in my hands, surprised. Remembering my earlier
argument with Brian, I pulled a face. Gifts from Brian were never a good thing.
    “I don’t
want it,” I said and pushed it back to Kenny. When he didn’t grab it, I leaned
over to press it back at him, if need be, but Kenny held up a hand.
    “He
insisted.” He cocked his head toward the box. “Come on. Open it.”
    I eyed him
dubiously. “Do you know what’s inside?”
    “No, but I
might have some idea.”
    It felt
light and was perhaps the size of a book. The brown paper was cheap and torn at
the edges, as though Brian had used it before. As much as I strained my head to
guess what lay hidden underneath, I had no idea. Reluctantly, I started tearing
off the wrapping, taking my time.
    “Is this
some kind of joke?” I picked up the small gun, my frown intensifying. It was
barely bigger than my hand and almost as light as a feather. “Because this sure
looks like something a woman would use.”
    Kenny
grinned. “Brian said it’s for Brooke.”
    I met his
expression with another frown. “What for? So she can shoot me?”
    Kenny let
out a snort. “I doubt the bullet could pierce through your chest, dude. You
should see how tiny it is. Like a pea.” He laughed, which only managed to
increase my irritation.
    “I’m not
worried about my chest,” I mumbled. “Knowing Brooke, she’d probably aim for my
head if she got her hand on this thing. And since she’s never learned to aim,
she’d probably end up blowing off my toes—or worse.” I didn’t need to
specify what part of my body I was referring to. “Really, Brian could do a
better job giving her a