Irrefutable (The Apprehensive Duet Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

something—anything—to take his pain away. Jordan never hurt anybody. He’s good people. He doesn’t deserve this.
    I crawl up onto the bed and sit back against the headboard. It takes only a few seconds before Jordan follows suit. But instead of lying next me, he lays his head down in my lap and cries.
    “It’s not fair, Quinn,” he sobs. “I knew this was coming, but we were supposed to have more time. I know deep down that he knew his time was coming and didn’t say anything. I should’ve noticed he wasn’t doing so well. Why would he hide it? I had so much left to ask him. So much left to tell him. Why? Why him? There are so many people out there who deserve to die a horrible death, but he wasn’t one of them.”
    I can’t agree with him more. People like my father, child molesters, and murderers get to live among the rest of us while the good are gone. Now I understand the saying “Only the good die young” so much better.
    “I know, sweetie,” I try to comfort him. “He was such a wonderful man and the world won’t be the same without him.”
    His entire body rises and falls as he takes deep breaths trying to calm himself down. My fingers run through his short hair as he tries to gain some composure. It doesn’t take long for his breathing to even out as he falls into a deep sleep. The alcohol and stress from the day finally pulling him under.
    Staring down at him, I wonder how the hell I’m going to tell him about everything I’ve been keeping from him. Saying goodbye to Martin was hard, even for me. But it also taught me something. We never know how long we have here in this life. We only get one shot. Jordan deserves to live life to the fullest. Marrying me will keep him from having that. Doubts have been plaguing me for days leading up to the wedding, and now I know I can’t do this. He deserves the kind of love his father wanted him to experience. A true, soul-gripping kind of love. I can’t give him that. All I’m going to do is drag him down. Who knows if it’s already too late to keep him from being in the line of fire when it comes to my father?
    I’ve held up my end of the deal. We gave Martin the peace he was looking for. There’s no reason to keep Jordan tangled in this web of lies and blackmail. He no longer has a horse in this race.
    But how do I tell him I’ve been lying and keeping things from him? We’ve always been upfront about everything, and I know he’s going to be mad that I didn’t tell him this. As a friend, he’s going to be hurt, but as a businessman he’s going to be pissed. I didn’t give him all the risks up front.
    I take in the redness around his eyes and nose, evidence of the pain he’s already feeling. I don’t want to add to it but I know I don’t necessarily have a choice. I have to tell him the truth. I’ve betrayed his trust by keeping this from him. He should’ve had the choice to back out.
    How the fuck do I get myself out of this fucking mess without hurting anyone?

 
    “HOW DID SHE seem today?” I ask Ashley as soon as she makes her way down the back staircase of her home leading into the den. They got back from the funeral about an hour ago, and when I showed up twenty minutes ago, Tanner told me she was upstairs feeding the baby and putting her down for a nap. It’s felt like an eternity waiting for her to finish.
    I spent the morning waiting for her call telling me she and Tanner were on their way back from the funeral. Tiffany threatened to duct tape me to a chair on several occasions if I didn’t sit still. I wanted nothing more than to be there for Quinn today, but my presence would’ve only made things harder for her.
    Plus, if we’re being completely honest, despite wanting to be the shoulder she leans on, I’m still angry at her. She still owes me a lot of answers. Frankly, it hurts to be near her and having no idea what’s haunting her makes it that much harder. We’re going to have to have a heart to heart soon