Burned

by Kelsey Cheyenne

  “What do you mean she told you this? Lexi, did you go visit her?” My first thought is that he’s avoiding my questions which is a very bad sign.

  My lips flatten into a thin line, but I don’t answer him. I think it’s pretty freaking obvious I talked to her or else I wouldn’t have this information.

  “No, I haven’t visited her. I think her mom was planning to eventually take Lennon to see her, but I haven’t. She lied to me and manipulated me, and I needed to get my head straight before making any decision.”

  The cadence of his voice makes me believe him wholeheartedly, and I wasn’t even sure I would ever be able to trust him again. It throws me off guard, and I think I made a decision about him and us.

  And more than anything, I’m pissed. Sage is a liar and a master manipulator. She used the exact thing she knew would upset me the most. I’m choosing to trust my husband. I’m not letting her get in between us anymore and finally, I think he’s beginning to see her true colors. If only it didn’t have to include murder…

  “So, where do we go from here?” I ask him. I’m praying we’re on the same page.

  “I think we move forward. We can get through this, Lex. We can be better than before.” His eyes are full of hope, and they fill with light when my face splits into a smile. I grab his hand and vow that we will get through anything as long as we’re together.

  Epilogue

  Three years later

  Our house is decorated in a Disney princess theme with a giant pink bouncy house in our backyard and pink streamers and balloons taking up every ounce of our home. The birthday cake has nine candles plus one for good luck and reads Happy Birthday, Lennon!

  The birthday girl is running around the house in a Sleeping Beauty dress since hers was the only pink dress available. The girl is as girly as you can get.

  All of our friends are here to celebrate, even Sage’s mom is here. If I said my relationship with her has been strained it would be the understatement of the year. But today, as she witnesses the elaborate party I’m throwing and how much I love the little girl, she’s on her best behavior. She’s even happy, if I dare say so. I don’t know what changed, but I won’t fight it.

  In the living room, Eve and Mason are fighting over who gets to hand Lennon her present while their two-year-old brother, Theo, watches on and giggles.

  One day Kennedy came running out of her bathroom with a positive pregnancy test in hand, grossly waving it in the air like it was a sparkler on Fourth of July. “I’m pregnant!” She yelled, she cried, and we all celebrated. No one deserved it more than her.

  That was about a month after I gave birth to my daughter, Taylor. She and Lennon are the best of friends and Lennon is so good with her. Taylor has black hair like her father, but it makes her look eerily like Sage. Thankfully, that’s where the similarities end.

  “Lex, come here.” Kennedy’s hushed tone is urgent as she calls me from inside the house. The girls are playing in the bouncy house so I make sure Grayson is watching them before heading inside.

  I follow her into the living room, and she grabs Caroline on the way. Her anxiety is rolling off her in waves, and she can’t stop fidgeting with her wedding band. Her phone sits in her lap, a news page open. The headline makes my blood run cold.

  Murder Trial Ends Early — The Verdict is In

  “What is that? Did you read it?” Caroline reaches for the phone, but Kennedy pulls it from her reach. Their expressions are matching with eyes wide in fear.

  “No. I didn’t know what to do — if I should — I just…no.” She shakes her head and some of her brown hair gets caught in her lipstick. She’s too numb to notice and doesn’t even brush it away.

  “I don’t want to know.” My statement shocks them. Caroline whips her head to look at me, her mouth in a perfect ‘o’.

  “What do you mean? How can you not want to know?” Caroline’s voice hikes up an octave, and she glances around to make sure she isn’t drawing any extra attention from anyone. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice.

  “I have faith that justice will prevail, and she’s going to be locked up. Looking into it any more will stir up unwanted feelings and drama. I won’t allow her to have any control over my life. She’s gone, and I want to keep her that way, physically and mentally.” They’re still looking at me like I’m crazy, and I can’t blame them. “There’s no fucking way that psycho bitch is getting out of jail. We all testified. We corroborated our stories. There’s no way.”

  I know it wouldn’t be the first time the justice system has failed, and people have gotten away with murder. But we have the evidence to support it. She’s going to rot right where she belongs. I won’t let her ruin this day.

  Kennedy locks her phone and puts it in her purse. At least for now, none of us know what’s happening to Sage. I must say, ignorance is truly bliss. I’m able to push the negative thoughts out of my mind and enjoy the day with my husband and children.

  We sing to the birthday girl, we eat too much pizza and cake, she opens a ridiculously large pile of presents, and everything is perfect. No, beyond perfect.

  When I’m asked how I pictured my life, this is it — minus a few details. I do wish Taylor was Grayson’s biological daughter, but I wouldn’t trade her for the world. She has the best relationship with her father, and I don’t want to ruin that. Someday, when she’s older, I’ll tell her a fairytale version of her actual father, but to us she’ll always be Taylor Kinsley.

  As the party starts to wind down and people begin to leave, I can’t help but feel overwhelming gratitude for my life and all my family and friends. I start to clean up the mess, and I thank all of our guests as they leave.

  Lennon has made a ton of friends since entering private school, and it’s truly been the best thing for her. Her grandmother has taken her several times to see Sage, and although those days riddle me with unbearable anxiety, I know she should have a relationship with her mom.

  Grayson starts cleaning up the kitchen with Logan and Parker in tow. Meanwhile, Caroline, Kennedy, and I clean up the living room and organize the presents. Unexpectedly, the doorbell rings, and I assume it’s a parent who accidentally left something behind.

  With bags of presents in hand, I rush to open the door. When I open it, the bag slips from my hand. Whatever toys were inside loudly crash on the ground and spill out when the present tilts on its side.

  I take a step back, waves of fear rolling off me with fierceness. I stumble and have to grab onto the wall to stay upright. I try to kick the door shut, but a hand stops the progression immediately.

  I’m perplexed. I’m terrified. I’m nauseous. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This can’t be real. How could this happen?

  Her catlike eyes are vibrant, surely feeding off my reaction. Her red lips pull into a sinister smile. She nonchalantly tosses her raven hair over her shoulder, and her voice cuts me to my core, like rusty razor blades leaving nasty scars.

  “What? You didn’t think I’d miss my daughter’s birthday party, did you?”

  THE END

  A LETTER FROM KELSEY

  This book has been a struggle to write. Betrayed was never supposed to have a sequel. It was always meant to end with the cliff-hanger and that’s why this story ends with one as well.

  These characters just came out of nowhere and forced a story out of me. Ever since I was younger I can remember my number one item on my bucket list saying: “Become a bestselling author.”

  I may not be there yet, but I’ve taken the first step. I’ve done it. I’ve always thought it was a pipe-dream for me. The mere fact that I’ve actually published something is enough for me.

  I’m forever grateful that ANYONE has read my stories, let alone enjoyed them. I’m glad to hear when people hate Sage. I love hearing which character you relate to most (again, hopefully NOT Sage, ha!) I love that I wrote this story because people wanted more, even though I didn’t have to.

  I know people hate cliff-hanger, and the fact so many
people stuck with me through this blows my mind. Thank you, from the bottom of my cynical heart.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Maybe someday I’ll revisit these characters and continue their story and if I do I’ll need my sister, Nicole, to write it for me. She’s been with me every step of the way, telling me who is who and who’s married, who’s related, etc. etc. She’s knows this book and these characters so much better than I do. I would be lost without her. This book never would’ve been written without her.

  Thanks to my KB101 girls who forced me not to quit! They picked my title, cover, AND wrote my blurb for me. They’re lifesavers and they prove why having a tribe is so crucial. I’m so lucky to be in your tribe.

  To Kurt, for always supporting my dreams and for being my rock even when you don’t know you’re being my rock. I love you more than you can fathom.

  To my parents, thanks for always turning a blind eye to my sex scenes and supporting me no matter what.

  Thanks to everyone who has had to listen to me complain about this story over the past many months. It never would’ve happened without any of you.

  To my killer team of readers/editors, this would all be an incomprehensible mess without you.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Kelsey lives in Pennsylvania with her boyfriend and true love of her life, her dog, Hudson. She’s always been an avid reader and is so blessed to have the ability to share her stories with the world.

  When she’s not reading or writing, she’s either watching Netflix, listening to a true crime podcast, or rocking out to Taylor Swift.

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  MORE FROM KELSEY

  Romantic Suspense:

  Betrayed

  Contemporary Romance:

  Thanks to You (Spiced Holiday Kisses Anthology)