by JC Hawke
I don’t want to see him.
Gripping the sheet spread over me, I pull it tight, my throat burning as I prepare myself.
How do I do this?
The door flies open, and he falls through the door, the nurse and Megan at his back. “Nina.”
“You cannot be in here; she needs to rest,” the nurse tells him sternly.
I catch his frown, but as he brings his eyes back to me, I dip my head. It hurts too much to look at him.
He doesn’t deserve anything from me, but he needs to know about the baby. It’s not my reality to withhold.
“He can stay,” I tell the nurse, surprising myself when my voice doesn’t waver.
The nurse moves toward me, checking my blood pressure.
Lucy stirs, lifting her head from her shoulder. She sits up and spots Mason. Her posture stiffens. “You!” She is on her feet and over to him before I can speak. Her hand connects with his cheek with a solid whack.
“What the fuck!” he roars.
“Out! All of you. How dare you,” the nurse scolds, authority lacing her tone, but still she keeps a levelled voice.
“You will never! Never! Hurt her again,” Lucy grinds out, wiping her tears and stepping in front of me.
“What the hell is going on?” he spits, trying to look past Lucy.
I have to face him. Tell him I’m pregnant. I have to.
“Can you give us a minute? I promise I will keep calm,” I tell the nurse and nod at Lucy.
She dips her head to the side, her eyes shining.
“You have a minute,” the nurse tells Mason. “If I can hear you from out there, you are out. The lot of you. Never in my forty-four years have I seen anything like it!”
She leaves the room, and Lucy follows her, shutting the door slowly behind her.
Mason rushes me. “What happened? Scar wouldn’t tell me, she said she couldn’t.” He goes to grasp my hand, but I pull it away. “Baby, I’m sorry. I woke up in a hotel. I cut my head. I think I fell. I don’t know what happened last night.”
I pull the photos from under me, placing them between us. Not being able to look at him, I turn my head to look out the window.
My teeth are clenched so hard they hurt, and it does nothing to hold back the pain that threatens to bring me down.
“You’re pregnant?” he asks. “I… fuck. I’m the dad? We are pregnant?”
The ache in my heart becomes too much, and the first tear rolls down my face.
“No, I am pregnant. And of course, it’s yours.” My voice cracks as I utter the words.
I need to keep calm. I have to.
“Oh my god.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “And you’re okay?” He takes my hand again, and I pull away. “The baby?”
“Healthy.”
Leaning over, I pull my bag from the end of the bed, reaching in and pulling out the envelope. I thrust the images into his chest. “Here. Congratulations.”
My chest starts to rise and fall as he stands motionless at my bedside, the photos held tight in his hands as he observes them.
“What? I don’t understand. This isn’t me.”
“Don’t!” I scream, making him jump. “Don’t you fucking dare lie to me!”
“I’m not. Nina, this isn’t me.”
“Get out,” I say, deathly quiet.
His face hardens, panic flaring in his eyes. “No!”
“Get out! Get out of my life and stay the hell away from me. I hate you! I hate you so much it hurts because you have me now, you have me trapped for life, and I can’t leave. I hate you, Mason Lowell, with everything inside me.”
“Don’t say that. Let me fix this. This isn’t real.” He screws up the picture in his hand.
“Yes, it fucking is, Mason! It’s real. She is real. That is you.”
“I don’t understand. Give me a chance to figure this out, and I can explain.”
“Explain what? How you fucked a prostitute? Because if the picture wasn’t clear enough, the fact you never came home last night is explanation enough. Done! I am done!” I yell, my tears falling uncontrollably. “A stripper? You might as well have fucked my mother.”
“No, I didn’t sleep with anyone. I woke alone.” He tries to hold me, but I shove him off. “Stop! Please, I don’t want to upset you. Nina. You can’t leave me again.”
I lift my eyes to his face as his voice wavers. Tears stream down his face, dried blood lining his forehead and cheek, mingling with his tears.
He looks utterly broken.
“Nina, we are having a baby. Let me figure this out,” he pleads.
“No.” I hold his eyes, defiant, with tears spilling down my cheeks and matching his. “Believe me when I tell you, this is it. I can’t do this anymore.” I look away from him, tearing off the last two scan photos and pushing them into his chest. “Get out.”
“I didn’t do this. I didn’t do anything.”
“Leave!” A sob breaks through and my body quakes.
“Walk away from me now, Nina, without giving me a chance to explain, and I won’t ever forgive you for it. I won’t keep begging on my knees to keep you.” His voice is laced with anger, and I believe his every word.
For the first time in our relationship, his words hold the conviction they should.
“You think this is me leaving you? You ended this.” I gesture between us, wiping at my tears. “The minute her lips touched yours. Now, leave. Please, just go.”
“That’s it. We’re done?” He wipes his face and looks down at the scan photo in his hand.
“Yes.”
His chest visibly shakes as more tears fall down his face.
I can’t bear to look at him.
His lips meet my forehead, and I don’t move. I don’t breathe.
“You were everything I wanted and more. I promise you were enough.”
My tears fall heavy as the other half of my soul walks out of the hospital room, and it hurts more than anything ever has before because I know I won’t ever let him in again.
To be continued...
Grand Lies Continues In…
GRAND LOVE
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Afterword
Thank you so much for reading my debut novel.
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Acknowledgements
To my betas, D, Jo, Lindsay, Annie, Lauren & Jessica. Thank you all so much for your time and love for these characters. D, Jo, Lindsay & Annie, you have been with me since day one and I couldn’t have written this book without your constant cheerleading. Know that you are never allowed to leave me.
To The Fourway, my team! I probably ask more questions than any of us and I’m only ever met with love, eyerolls, and a wealth of knowledge. Katie you are next level wonderful *salute* Really, though, thank you. For being supportive, bad ass, and inspiring every day. I appreciate you all.
To my sisters, Gem, Rach, and Dani. My safety blanket. I couldn’t do this without you. Simple. The fear that you squash daily, and the confidence that you instil in me as you place me on a pedestal knows no bounds. What we have is different and special and I know we are incredibly lucky. There’s no one else I’d want to discuss book boyfriends, or dance on tabletops with. I love you all.
To Mum and Dad, thank you for raising me to be the anxious introvert I am today. Somehow it led me here. Seriously though, thank you. For everything. I’d be truly lost without you.
To Shelley, thank you for always pushing me to be better, for loving Nina and Mason as much as I do, and for rooting for me in not just my achievements but failures too. Yo
u’ve been there through it all and I couldn’t be without you.
To my Jessica Jones, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. If I never sell a single copy of this book, it would be okay. Why? Because I met you. I never knew I needed your friendship, but you seemed to show up in my life at a time I needed you the most. You’re so much more than just my friend. You know it all—the good, the bad, and the ugly, and you still believe in me every day. Your friendship is invaluable, and I hope you know how grateful I am to have you as my soulsie! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. For chasing Rhiannon. For teaching me to be better. For your friendship. I could go on, but I’d be here all day and you’re currently pinging off in my DM’s being all needy. There’s no one else I’d want to author with.
To Chalk, well… I should probably start with an apology. I know I got a little lost along the way, with late nights, early mornings, and day sessions that seemed to steal our weekends. But I did it! I did it, babe. And it wouldn’t have happened without your constant support and love for my craziness.
Three years ago, you bought me a pad and pen for Christmas, and I frowned up at you wondering why. You told me it was to write my book.
Somehow, you knew. Long before I did.
Thank you. I love you.
To my girls. You won’t get to read this for a little while, but I want you to know that—today, tomorrow, and forever—I am proud of you. Your love for life and everything in it inspires me every day.
And of course, YOU, my reader. Thank you for reading Nina and Mase. It means the world to me that you’ve picked up my story out of millions of others. You make this possible for me and I am forever indebted to you.
Stay wonderful xo
About the Author
JC Hawke is an author of contemporary romance. She lives in the South-West of the United Kingdom with her husband, two curly haired daughters, and beagle woofer.
