“How much do you hate me?”

D’s voice filtered through my thoughts as I looked away from my tablet. I glanced around backstage, hoping to find someone who I could approach to avoid this conversation, but only a few people came into view and they were rushing about working. It would be pointless to stop production just because I wasn’t prepared for a conversation I knew would come up again.

Clearing my throat, I glanced back at my tablet when I answered him. “I don’t hate you.”

“Says the woman who can’t look me in the eye.”

His sarcasm got the best of me. When I looked his way, I narrowed my gaze. “You know I’ve been struggling with my decision on whether to continue my relationship with Ayden or end it. Why would you set me up to think I was dancing with you? I let my guard down, and you took advantage of it.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I thought I was helping two people who are in love, two people too stubborn to forgive—or forget—each other.”

My lips were pursed with another response, but I lost all train of thought. D had spoken the truth, and I was too proud to admit it. Ayden and I did love each other, and we’d both shared a stubborn streak in our relationship. I wanted to give in and tell him how much I needed him.

Yet so many things threatened our happiness. My sister’s instability scared me, and I feared what she would do to my child or me. She blamed me for the death of hers. Did that mean she would try to hurt my baby?

“D, there’s a lot more at stake than you realize. My sister is like a bomb in countdown mode. She’s going to explode when we least expect it and it’s not going to be pretty. I can’t risk Ayden’s life, my life, or anyone staying in this community. That includes you.”

“So you’re going to live the rest of your life worrying about what Izzy will do? That’s what she wants, Mia. She wants you to be miserable and afraid. Don’t let her do this to you.”

If he knew about the baby, would he give me the same advice? I couldn’t tell him before Ayden, and I couldn’t admit how much this was killing me. I hated it.

“Mia, if you don’t plan on working things out with Ayden, why in the hell are you still wearing the man’s ring?”

Leaning my back against the wall, I stared at the diamond on my finger and thought about his question. I hadn’t taken off the ring because I still wanted what it offered—a life with Ayden. “Believe me, I’ve thought about removing it several times.”

“Then why haven’t you?” He placed his hand on the wall beside my head and lowered his head toward mine. When I didn’t answer, he pointed his finger at me. “You love him, Mia. That’s why you haven’t taken off his ring. It’s time to make things right or end it. Don’t string him along.”

My eyes burned as they watered. I wasn’t trying to lead Ayden on or give him false hope. For D to accuse me of doing as much angered me. He was making a lot of assumptions off little information, and I had no one to blame but myself.

“You have no idea what all of this is doing to me. It hurts like hell, but my relationship with Ayden has been rocky for months.”

“And we both know why. Wesley and Izzy. They’ve done a lot of things to keep you guys apart. Still, you two keep making your way back to each other.”

“Izzy is determined to keep Ayden and me apart. She called me a murderer earlier when Ayden came to talk to me.”

For the first time since our conversation began, D grew speechless. As he eased away from me, his eyebrows squished together and he shook his head. “Your sister is a drama queen and a psycho. Don’t listen to anything she says. She’s screwing with you.”

“I know who and what she is. Hell, she’s the one who drugged me the night Wesley snuck his friend into my suite. Right after Ayden and I reunited, she announced she was pregnant. We barely had time to adjust to the news when she had a miscarriage. Trust me, I know my sister isn’t stable.”

“Is this what’s keeping you from reconciling with Ayden?”

“No. There’s more, but I can’t talk about it right now. I need to talk to Ayden first.”

“Good.” D motioned toward the front of the arena. “I passed Ayden a little while ago. He’s on his way to his suite. Go talk to him, Mia. Tell him everything, including how you’re worried about Izzy. Work this out.”

“You don’t understand—”

“Quit stalling. You and Ayden can work through whatever comes your way. You owe it to yourself to try.”

No matter how much I wanted to tell him he was wrong, I didn’t. It’s because I wanted him to be right. I wanted nothing more than a happy life with Ayden and our child, but I feared I’d already screwed it up. I lied to him about being pregnant. Would he forgive me?

There was only one way to find out.

This whole ordeal with Izzy had my head screwed up. I couldn’t believe I had accused Mia of being pregnant. When she told me her belly was rumbling, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. I was an idiot, and I’d proven to her how big of one I was.

At least I’d managed to tell her how I felt. What she chose to do with that information was up to her, but if we didn’t reconcile, it wouldn’t be my fault. Not entirely. Yeah, I’d said some stupid shit I regretted, but I did everything I could to fix things between Mia and me.

Maybe our conversation would have turned out differently if Izzy hadn’t walked past. I couldn’t believe the things she said to Mia, and whether my ex knew it or not, I wasn’t taking her words lightly. A feeling in the pit of my stomach said Izzy wasn’t joking when she said this wasn’t over. If she had any sense at all, she would leave her sister alone. I’d never strike a woman, but I would protect Mia any way I could.

Once I made it to the condo, I headed toward my room. Tonight’s concert didn’t start for a few hours, which left me enough time to eat, shower, and change. I promised Bentley we’d meet up before the show and grab a couple drinks.

He and Andi planned to hang out during the concert, which meant Mia would be alone. Perhaps I could convince her to hang out with me, maybe have a drink. I’d be on good behavior.

As I made my way to my room and opened up the door, I glanced at Mia’s suite. Even if she didn’t want to hang out, it wouldn’t stop me from watching over her. I’d find an excuse to be in the same vicinity as her.

Shutting the door behind me, I yanked off my shirt and tossed it onto the couch. The liquor bottle on the counter caught my eye as I walked toward my bathroom. I turned on the water, waiting for it to get hot. The longer I stood there, the more I contemplated taking a shot before I got in the shower. Maybe it would help relax me.

Just as I walked back to the living room, my door rattled in its frame. Someone knocked hard enough to make it shake. I wondered if it was something urgent.

The second I opened the door, anger pulsed through me. Seeing my ex once today had been enough. Now Izzy was standing at my door, but she wasn’t gloating like she did most days. She’d been in a dark mood since the miscarriage, which was understandable. Still, it worried me.

“What do you want, Izzy?”

“I came to see how you were doing.” She stared at my chest when she asked the question.

“I’m good.” I didn’t know what else to say. Was she expecting me to ask how she was doing? I didn’t want to have a conversation with her. I had shit to do.

“You don’t look like you’re good. After seeing you with my sister earlier, I sensed the tension between you.”

Her response was the reason I didn’t want to talk to her. She was prying into my personal life, trying to obtain information on my relationship with Mia. I wasn’t falling for it.

“Izzy, I don’t have the energy for this. Butt out of my life. You’ve caused enough damage.”

She met my gaze this time. “I never wanted to cause you pain, Ayden. All I wanted was to be with you and make up for the way I treated you in the past. I thought I was getting the chance when I got pregnant, but I guess I was wrong.”

Nope. I was not doing this with her. Not now. Not ever.

“I’m sorry you suffered a miscarriage, but nothing has changed between us. I don’t believe that kid was mine.”

Her eyes narrowed as her nostrils flared. “I wish the baby had survived just so I could prove it was yours.”

I nosed closer. “That makes two of us. I can’t mourn the loss of your child when there’s no proof it was mine. Your word means nothing.” Gripping the door, I took a step back to shut it but Izzy grabbed my arm and came inside. “Get the fuck out of my suite.”

“Ayden, wait. Just hear me out. Things didn’t work out with you and Mia for a reason.”

“Yeah, two reasons—you and Wesley. You guys did everything in your power to tear us apart.”

Izzy cocked her head to the side and snorted. “We may have played a part in it, but things wouldn’t have failed if you and my sister were in love. You lost faith in each other.”

“We have not.” I gritted my teeth and jerked my arm back, but she didn’t release it. Instead, she grabbed it with both hands.

“You and Mia wouldn’t have lasted, regardless of Wesley or me. My sister realized that, which is why she doesn’t want to be with you anymore. But I do, Ayden.” She placed my hand on the left side of her chest. “I love you, despite your faults.”

Her admission made me ill.

“You disgust me. Everything you said proves how warped your mind is.” This time, I used my strength and pulled out of the grip she had on my arm. “I don’t care what you say or do, I will never love you, and you will never replace Mia.”

“You want to bet?”

I had just enough time to hear her when she grabbed the waist of my jeans and dragged me toward her. As I stumbled forward, she stopped me from falling. Then she fumbled with my pants. I didn’t realize she’d unbuttoned and unzipped them until her fingers plunged toward my cock.

“What the fuck?” I tried to push her back, but she went down on her knees. She was like a feral animal attacking me, doing her best to get to my dick. When I tried to back away, she wrapped her arms around my legs.

My mind was slow to process what was happening. It was the gasp I heard that caused me to push Izzy back. Someone was standing at my door.

My gut twisted when I gazed up and saw Mia staring back at me.

My heart raced as I gripped the handle to the front door of the condo and stared in silence. I hadn’t thought about how to start this impending conversation with Ayden, but I was almost out of time. I couldn’t just knock on his door and blurt out that I was pregnant.

More than anything, I feared his reaction.

Hearing voices in the distance, I spotted Andi and Stevie standing near the wall surrounding the condo. Part of me worried they had seen me heading this way and were coming to chat. Andi was waving at someone else but I didn’t see who.

The door eased open as I stepped inside and proceed through the hall. The sooner I found Ayden, the quicker I could do this. I didn’t want Andi or Stevie walking in during this conversation. Hopefully, he would invite me in and we could have our discussion in his suite.

When I was a few feet away, my steps slowed. I was no more prepared for our conversation than I was when D suggested I do this. Maybe there wasn’t a way to prepare. How was I supposed to look him in the eye and tell him I not only lied, but I was pregnant with his child?

Once I approached his door, it appeared to be open. Voices came from inside, and they sounded strained. The instant I made it to the doorway, I froze. My body felt as though it had been weighed down, but it was nothing in comparison to the pain in my heart. The sight before me caused it to shatter.

Izzy was on her knees in front of Ayden. Her head was in the same spot as his dick, and she was facing him, pulling at his unfastened jeans. I wasn’t sure if he was pushing her away or pulling her closer. The fact he had no shirt on only convinced me of the worst. So did the wide-eyed look he gave me once he pushed her away.

Footsteps sounded down the hall, but I didn’t look to see who it was. They grew louder just before they stopped. It wasn’t long before I heard Andi say my name. I assumed she saw me enter the building. Maybe she was coming to ask me questions. I didn’t know, didn’t care.

She stood beside me a second later. Regardless of that fact, I couldn’t look at her. I wasn’t sure how long it took her to figure out what held my attention, but I felt her tug my arm.

“Mia, let’s go.”

Ignoring her request, I kept focused on Ayden. He’d managed to zip and button his jeans. Then he advanced toward me. My heart slammed in my chest at the thought of talking to him. There was no way I could mention anything I’d come to tell him.

Just before he reached me, Bentley cut off his path. I hadn’t realized he was with Andi when she found me, but it didn’t surprise me. Ayden disappeared from my sight as Bentley pushed him back.

I didn’t see what happened after that. Andi grabbed my arm and guided me down the hallway and out the main door. As soon as we were outside, she helped me into the golf cart then jumped in the driver’s side. Sand flung from the pavement as she pressed the pedal and sped toward the arena.

Instead of pulling into our usual parking spot in the front, she drove around to the back near the tour bus parking area. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel. She must have sensed me staring because she glanced at me.

“Are you okay?”

I did my best to answer, but no words would come out. I didn’t know how I felt and I wasn’t sure what I’d witnessed, but every nerve inside of me throbbed. My chest was tight, breathing shallow. I wasn’t sure if I was going to throw up or pass out, but I broke into a cold sweat.

“Mia, please talk to me. I’m worried about you.”

Tears blurred my vision. My body racked with sobs as I cried. What the hell had I interrupted? I wanted to believe Ayden had been fighting off my sister, but doubt crept into my mind. From where I stood, it appeared as though she was about to give him a blowjob.

My stomach knotted. Had Ayden been lying to me this whole time? He’d told me less than an hour ago that he wasn’t giving up on us. Now it seemed as though he had changed his mind. I sure as hell hadn’t given him a reason to hold out hope. If he was hooking up with my sister, I had myself to blame.

God, what was I going to do? I couldn’t tell Ayden about the baby now. It wouldn’t be much longer before I was showing. That left one conclusion. I had to leave Music Haven. The question was, for how long? Andi would take care of the place, and my father would step in if I asked. I trusted that he would protect my secret when I told him.

I was so lost in my thoughts, I didn’t see Andi park the cart or leave it until she was standing beside me. “Mia, tell me what to do. How can I help?”

Slumping my shoulders, I shook my head and covered my eyes. There was no help for me at this point. My hopes and dreams just went up in flames. The sinking feeling in my gut said this was everything that I feared. Ayden was moving forward. He had every right, but why was he with the one person he swore he despised?

Andi moved back when I stood from the cart. “Where are you going?

“Backstage.” My voice cracked when I spoke. “I have to prep for the . . .” A twinge in my stomach had me doubling over. I cradled my belly and sucked in a deep breath.

“Mia, what’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

“I don’t know.” Fear spiraled through me. I prayed I wasn’t having a miscarriage. Was this my punishment for lying to Ayden and keeping the news from him? Not only was I losing him, but I was also losing our child too?

Everything spun around me. I stumbled back to the cart and leaned my weight against it. Andi was saying my name and hovering over me, but she sounded far away, even when she yelled for help.

My vision grew darker. Everything around me was fading. As my eyes fluttered shut, all the sounds around me disappeared. So did everything else but the strong arms lifting me.

A sense of peace washed over me, and I gave in to the darkness.