Ignoring his calls and messages was the worst. So, eventually, Kady turned off her cellphone and buried her head in her pillow. Never wanting to have to face the world again. She sobbed into her bed and tried to forget that the past couple of days had even happened, but deep down, she knew she was kidding herself.

Reality was right there and it was biting her awake.

She climbed out of bed miserably and went into the bathroom and showered. As the water cascaded over her and made her feel reborn, she finally managed to stop the tears.

It had been a long, heartbreaking night, full of uncertainty and doubt. She had not known in which direction to turn or how to feel. Ashley had tried to call her as well and she wondered if Flash had gotten in touch with her or Breaker.

Kady knew she wasn’t going to be able to keep her secret for much longer. She needed advice and she needed it now.

She walked back into her bedroom, wrapped in a big fluffy towel and with her wet hair trailing all down her back. She sat at her vanity table and picked up her cellphone. She was going to have to turn it back on at some point, and what if there was an emergency? She couldn’t just put herself off the radar like that.

She switched the phone back on and waited for it to come alive. When the beeps came through for all of her texts, messages and missed calls she winced and went straight to her call log.

She could see Ashley had tried to get her and she raised the phone to her ear and pressed dial.

“Kady, what the hell?” Ashley picked up on the first ring. “I’ve been trying to get you for like two days.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“I even came around your house but no one was home, what the hell is going on?”

Kady took a deep breath and braced herself.

“Are you alone?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Ashley replied. “Breaker went off to Tanner’s first thing this morning. They are in a whole world of trouble, did Flash tell you?”

“He mentioned something about it, yeah,” Kady said, feeling the tears creeping up on her again.

“Are you okay?” Ashley asked. “I’ve been threatened, apparently.” She laughed and Kady felt her face crinkle in confusion.

“You have?” Kady asked.

“Yeah, some dumb Russians saying they’re going to target me on account of me being with a Forsaken Rider when I’m the sister of an Iron Rider, blah, blah, blah…”

“Aren’t you afraid?” Kady was confused, because Ashley certainly didn’t sound it.

“Well, I mean, it’s not exactly, great is it,” Ashley half laughed. “But I have Breaker, there’s no way he’d let anything happen to me.”

Kady smiled and nodded. She just hoped Ashley was right.

“I’m scared, Ashley,” Kady admitted. “I ran away from Flash, I ended our date and I don’t know what to do.”

“What’s going on?” Ashley said sternly. “You haven’t been the same since I came to the salon the other day. I can tell there’s something you’re keeping from me.”

“There is,” Kady admitted. “But if I tell you, you can’t tell a soul. Especially not Breaker, not yet… I need some time.”

“Oh my God…” Ashley gasped. “You are, aren’t you?”

Even though Ashley couldn’t see her, Kady nodded her head instead of replying.

“Kady?” Ashley barked.

“Yes,” she said through trembling lips. “I am. I’m pregnant.”

“Holy fucking shit,” Ashley exhaled.

“Exactly,” Kady rubbed her forehead. “And then Flash starts telling me all about these fucking Russians and how I may be in danger if they know we’re dating. And like, he doesn’t even know I’m carrying his baby! What the hell am I supposed to do, just come out and tell him after all of that? What if I tell him and someone finds out and then, suddenly, I’m in even more danger. I honestly don’t know what to do.”

“Kady,” Ashley said seriously and with conviction. “You have to tell him. You can’t keep something like this from him.”

Her words were spoken softly, but Kady knew she was right.

“He would never, ever let anything bad happen to you,” Ashley continued. “He’s a man of honor. You’re carrying his baby… There’s no way he would see any wrong done by you or see you in harm’s way.”

“I’m so scared,” Kady cried. “I’m scared to tell him and I’m scared about the future.”

“You need to call him,” Ashley concluded. “Right now. He’s been tearing himself up wondering how he managed to blow it with you so badly. He’s gutted, Kady. All he wants is to speak with you. He’s been calling Breaker all night.”

Kady got to her feet and walked over to her window. She looked out over her neighborhood and to where her and Flash had walked arm in arm down her street. He had been caring to her, and loyal since he had come back to town. Maybe she should just be a woman and tell him the truth.

After all, none of this was just going to go away.

She nodded her head and exhaled.

“Okay,” she said. “I’m going to call him now and ask him to come over. But please, not a word, okay? Not to Breaker, not to anyone? I just need some time to process this and I don’t know how happy he’ll be. He may not want anything to do with me afterward.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” Ashley said. “But don’t worry, I won’t say a word. Now go and call him.”

Ashley hung up before Kady had a chance to say anything else and she looked down at the phone and quickly swiped to the next number along.

Flash.

She hit dial…

“Kady?” he answered on the second ring and she could hear in the background that he was leaving somewhere rowdy and going to a place that was more private.

“Are you okay?” he asked as she heard a door swing closed behind him. She could just imagine him sitting on the front steps of The Bleeding Bullet, a cigarette clutched between his fingers and his hair falling down perfectly around his eyes.

“Flash,” she said. “I need to speak to you. Face to face. Right now.”

“I’m on my way,” he said.

And then the line went dead.