What the Lightning Sees: Part Three Read Online Free PDF Page B

in the bath at nearly midnight to go and see his pregnant ex-girlfriend was the most normal thing in the world. I wanted him to be a good man, but I wanted him to be my good man. He was the man I loved and I hadn’t told him and he hadn’t seemed to notice.
    “I’m sorry,” he said.
    “Hey, it’s not your fault. Is it better to speak tomorrow?” On top of everything, I didn’t want him to feel as though he had to babysit me.
    “I guess you need to sleep. I’ll call you first thing.” He pulled on his jeans and sweater, then grabbed his keys and wallet. Within moments he was gone, leaving a huge space that should have been filled by his declaration, by him . I had never felt so physically, emotionally and sexually connected to anyone as I had with Jake. And now? Him abandoning me to go see Millie seemed somehow prophetic.
    I stepped out of the bath and wrapped myself in a towel, patting my skin dry. The red marks of Jake’s ownership were already beginning to fade from my skin. The doubt that had been held at bay by the ropes, his words, his touch, began to seep back into my head. Jake had told me he loved me and I believed him. I just wasn’t sure that was going to be enough to get us through.
     
    Jake
    The last thing I wanted to do was leave Haven after the night we’d shared. But Millie had sounded upset and I didn’t know how to say no to her. By the time I arrived at Millie’s apartment, it was way past midnight.
    “Hey,” she said as she opened the door.
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    “Yeah, come in. Can I get you a drink?” She seemed to have brightened. “I have some amazing vodka that my father brought back from Moscow.” I followed her into the living room and she started clinking glasses over at the bar. She and her sister lived in one of the most expensive areas of London, courtesy of Daddy dearest. She and Haven really had nothing in common.
    She placed two shot glasses on the counter before I had a chance to answer. “No, and you’re not drinking, are you?”
    She glanced at me and then back at the shot glasses. “No, of course not.” She flashed a wide smile at me. “Habit, I guess.”
    “How are you feeling? Do you want to go to the hospital?” She was acting as though I’d come over to hang out. She didn’t seem upset at all.
    “Slightly better,” she said as she turned down the corners of her mouth in a pronounced frown. “It’s so scary being on my own.”
    “I think you should rest. Why don’t you try and get some sleep, and you can call me if you need me?”
    “You’re not going, are you?”
    “Millie, I don’t know what I can do here if you’re better and you don’t want me to take you to the hospital.” I stood in the doorway as she came toward me, her frown giving way to a pout.
    “You could keep me company,” she suggested, tilting her head to one side.
    My eye twitched. “You didn’t call me in the middle of the night and get me to come over because you were bored, did you?” I asked.
    She wore a pained expression. “Of course not. I was bleeding, Jake. I was worried. I’m carrying your baby. I would have thought you’d have slightly more sympathy.”
    Guilt lapped at the edges of my thoughts. “Why don’t you go to bed and I’ll stay here on the couch?”
    Millie nodded. “I’d appreciate that, thanks. Come and get some pillows and a blanket.”
    I followed her through to her bedroom. I hadn’t been there since I’d met Haven. It felt like a lifetime ago.
    “You can take those pillows,” she said, pointing to the chair in the corner. “And have this quilt.” She bent forward to pull the cover from the bed but stiffened as if in pain. She clutched her stomach.
    “Jesus. Are you okay?” I rushed over and guided her to sit on the bed. “Are you hurting?” Her eyes were closed and she ignored my question. “Here, put your feet up. I think you need to rest.”
    “Please stay with me,” she whimpered.
    “Of course. I’ve said I