I spotted her school bag resting on the card table and praying my keys were inside, I headed over to it. My fingers found the cool metal, and I clenched my hand around them, then shoved them in my jacket pocket. I never should have given her these. I never should have given her me. I should have run, fled from her like my life depended on it…because it was starting to feel like it did. How could I have been so stupid?

Pent-up rage swirled through my soul as I shifted to the door. I needed to hit something. I needed to scream. I needed to throw up. His baby is growing inside her. Fuck. Me.

Kiera beat me to the door. She stood in front of it, blocking it with her body. “Are you leaving?”

I couldn’t look at her, couldn’t focus on her body. I wanted her gone. I wanted her out of the way. But even still…I didn’t want to hurt her, so I knew I couldn’t touch her. I was too fucking angry to touch her right now. I would not be gentle, and I was not about to let myself become my father. I would not be that monster, no matter how much she fucking pushed me. So I just stood there, staring through her body, ignoring her, willing her to move and leave me alone. Let me go.

Instead of granting my silent request, Kiera pressed herself into the door. “Why? Because of Denny? I already told you nothing—”

Another refusal was too much to bear, and my eyes involuntarily snapped to hers. She stopped speaking as she took the full force of the fury in my glare. “Nothing? You must think I’m an idiot.” I certainly felt like one. How the fuck did I ever believe her? “I may not be as ‘brilliant’ as Denny, but I’m not stupid, Kiera.” I can do simple math. I know the baby isn’t mine. I know you fucked him. You left me the proof, you fucking bitch. So just stop denying it and let me go.

Needing relief, needing escape, I accepted the fact that I was going to have to forcibly remove her from my path. Careful to not hurt her, I grabbed her arm and tugged. “Now get out of my way!”

She resisted my pull. Shaking her head, she snapped, “Not until you talk to me. Why are you so pissed?”

My jaw dropped like she’d struck me. Seriously? She was still going to play the innocent card? “Are you fucking kidding me?” Stepping back, I ran my hands through my hair in frustration; I wanted to rip it out in frustration. Just let me leave. Why won’t you ever let me leave? Did she enjoy tearing my heart out? Maybe I was wrong about her not being cruel. This felt pretty fucking cruel.