“You think that’ll be the same with you?”
“Ivy, you’ve already softened me. I’m like a giant marshmallow now you’re in my life.”
To my surprise, I found myself laughing. Instantly, a wave of guilt swept over me, and my eyes filled with tears. How could I laugh with the man who’d killed my brother?
This wasn’t going to be easy. None of this was going to be easy.
We showered together, and rediscovered each other’s bodies under the water, and then dressed.
We took Jayden’s Range Rover—no more bike riding for me from now on—and he drove us to Tam and Hallie’s house.
The Cornells’ property was even more impressive than my father’s. Double iron gates that opened electronically. A wide gravel driveway. A double-fronted, detached home. A jab of something akin to jealousy—or perhaps it was longing—went through me. They had a gorgeous home.
Jay parked on the gravel in front of the house, and we both climbed out.
I felt horribly self-conscious. How much did Tam know about what had happened? What about Hallie? Would she be protective of her brother?
A beautiful woman I recognised to be Hallie Cornell moved forward to greet me. She looked tired, which was unsurprising considering what she’d been through at her baby’s birth, plus she had a newborn. Her clothes were baggy—probably to hide any excess baby weight—but she was still stunning.
I froze in place, unsure what she intended to do when she reached me. Would she slap me or push me away? Did she plan to scream at me and tell me to stay away from her brother?
“Ivy,” she said, her eyes full of sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”
To my surprise, she opened her arms and pulled me into a hug. Hallie held me tight, in the kind of hug I’d expect from someone I was close to, not someone I barely knew. The tears that were always so close to the surface these days sprang to my eyes, and I found myself choking back a sob.
Jayden had clearly already filled them in on what had happened, and also the nature of our relationship. I wondered how much they’d warned him off me, initially. I assumed they had—I would have, if the situation had been reversed. But then this family was used to love springing from the most surprising of places, so perhaps they understood and empathised far more than I’d given them credit for.
She released me, and Tam stepped forwards.
He didn’t hug me, and for that I was grateful. There was still something incredibly intimidating about Tam Cornell. Even now, his expression was serious.
“I’m so sorry things were pushed to such a terrible situation,” he said. “I know how it is to lose a brother.”
I ducked my head in a nod. “Thank you.”
Were they going to be so kind to me after they discovered the secret I’d been keeping from them? I’d grown up being told practically every day that the Wynters and Cornells were bad people, but I was quickly learning that wasn’t the case at all.
I clung tighter to Jayden’s hand. No matter what he’d said to me about how he felt, there was still that fear he’d choose his family over me if it came down to it. If Tam told him that it was me or them, which way would Jay go?
My heart told me he’d choose me, but still that niggling fear remained in my head. If Jay didn’t want me, and my family continued to ostracise me because of my relationship with him and what it had resulted in, then I’d end up alone and pregnant.
The other brother, Leo, was also here with Kaja, standing in the open doorway of the house. They seemed happy together, her standing in front of him, so her back was to his chest. He had his arms over both her shoulders, and his chin rested on the top of her head. They seemed easy and comfortable together, though from what Jay had told me, things hadn’t started out that way. Kaja had walked away from her family, too, to be with Leo. I didn’t know the exact details, but I was aware that some bad shit had gone down and people were hurt.
Was that just how it was with our lives?
Jay cleared his throat. “We’re here to talk to you about something...a few things, actually.”
Tam’s gaze flicked between us. “That sound ominous.”
“It’s not,” Jay reassured him. “Some of it is good news. The rest...well, you’ll have to decide what you want to do with the information.”
“You’d better come inside.”
We followed them into the house and through to the huge living room. Everyone found a seat, and I perched on one of the cream leather sofas next to Jay, my hands clasped in my lap. My stomach roiled with nerves, and nausea swelled beneath. I couldn’t tell if it was a bout of morning sickness or caused by the adrenaline.
“Shall we start with the good news?” Hallie suggested.
Jay cleared his throat. “Ivy’s pregnant.”