te'

p to an

r scent already fading into the

, sitting up slowly. I should've expected it-but the st

bar... I hadn't ev

bout betrayal-something about her fiancé and her best friend. She'd be

t off. But then... she kissed me. And when she start

s her escape... my control slipped. An

ws on my knees, starin

mean anything. Just

e the feeling that I wanted to know more.

e hotel telephone an

sir," the recep

long since the woman

ause. "About twenty

r and let out a frustrated groa

la

un. No time to go chasing after a mysterious o

phone

ss

cou

then picked

sweet voice. "Where are you

creep in. And just like that, the memory of last night's g

e you?" I

you." She giggled soft

looked away

k. I'll talk

uld reply, I

st. The floor-to-ceiling windows gave me a

hotel. My li

long time, I wasn't so sur

I tried

he numbers on my screen, the calls waiting to be returne

tormy eyes and

arms before she begged

d. All n

lessly on the armrest. I could track her down. It wouldn't be hard. Secu

the thought came,

ss

n I was supposed to

-in my world, in m

-night stand with a heartbroken stranger-it would blow everything up.

wasn't

from the desk, scrubbing

desperate kisses, the way she clung to me like I

't matt

istake. A moment I s

Dante

tands didn't ge

*

ra'

the anger-they no longer suffocated me the way they once did. I had almost managed to fo

g on... or

tarted fe

iness, a few headaches-no big deal. But then came the nausea. The feve

he terrifying t

I was

ght a pregnancy test, my hands trembling the entire time. Back at home, I locked myself in

li

undeniab

The world around me blurred as a wave

preg

hed the test in trembling fingers. This couldn't be happening. H

tion cutting deeper than any betrayal had. This was real. T

ted. I looked down at the test again, t

't kill

part of me now. I would carry it. I

her wave of dr

one to tell them-before they found out on their own. Because