Secrets of You Read Online Free Page B

could shoot him and not even feel guilty about it. He’d caused her enough pain and scarred her so deeply, she’d never heal. She wanted to make him feel that kind of pain—intense, consuming.
    “I’ll bet Quinn gave you that gun. Probably took you shooting, taught you to defend yourself, and once again, played the hero.”
    “He didn’t leave me behind.”
    He winced as though the comment hurt. Good, let him hurt, let him bleed his misery, because she didn’t care. Not one bit. She hated Ash Revelin, hated him with the same overwhelming passion that she’d once loved him. She’d thought he was different from other men, thought he’d love her until he drew his last breath. But he’d been just like the rest and she would never make the mistake of trusting him again.
    The studio door opened and Quinn called to her. “Arianna? What do you think about—” She glanced at him, frozen in the doorway with Hope in his arms.
    “Look who’s here, Quinn.”
    Quinn advanced on them slowly, his eyes on her and the gun she had pointed at the man she detested. “Why don’t you give me that?” he said once he’d reached her. “Guns and babies don’t mix well.”
    She sipped in small breaths, focusing on his face. Nobody had eyes like Quinn Burnes. They pulled you into their silver depths, held you until you had to look away. Their intensity had once scared her until she discovered he was just as wounded as she was. Eve had changed all that, softened the lines around his mouth, the doubt in his heart.
    “Arianna? Give me the gun.”
    She lowered her arm and handed it to him. “Make him go away.” Her voice almost cracked when she added, “Please?”
    Quinn smiled and she relaxed a little. “I’ll make him go away, but Ash and I have a few things to settle first.” He shot her ex-fiancé a warning look and then turned back to her. “Will you take Hope? I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
    Arianna held out her arms and cuddled the baby against her chest. She’d once thought she and Ash would have children; dark-haired like him with cleft chins and strong jaws…
    “Go ahead, Arianna. Take her to the studio. There’s a bottle in the fridge.”
    She hugged the baby tighter, sifted her fingers through the silky dark hair, and murmured against Hope’s soft cheek, “Just make him go away.”
    ***
    Ash studied Quinn Burnes as he flipped the “Open” sign to “Closed,” the gun in his left hand as though he hadn’t decided if he were going to use it on Ash or not. Seeing the man with a baby was about as ridiculous as Arianna with a gun pointed at him. It was too bizarre, too out of place…unless…“Do you and Arianna have a baby?”
    “What?”
    You’d have thought Ash had asked the man if he favored women’s underwear. “You and Arianna. Is that your baby? Together?” He’d thought his only problem was going to be winning her trust. Pete said she wasn’t involved with anyone, but maybe he’d been wrong; maybe Quinn Burnes had jumped to the rescue and landed in her heart and her bed.
    “Of course not. She’s my friend.”
    “Are lovers and friends mutually exclusive?” Burnes was too damn good-looking, too arrogant, too invested in himself and what he wanted with his flashy cars and big bank accounts. Maybe Ash should have thrown around wads of cash and pulled out the Ferrari.
    “It’s not her baby.” His eyes narrowed on the vicinity of Ash’s throat. “Why are you here?”
    “I love her. I want her back.”
    When Burnes laughed, Ash considered lunging at him but forced himself to remain calm. “Yeah, good luck with that. She hates you. Not just the lukewarm-you hurt-my-feelings hate, but the in-your-gut fire hate. I would rather rip out your heart than hear it beating hate.”
    Okay, he got the picture. He hated that he needed to depend on Quinn Burnes if he were going to have a shot with Arianna. “What if I told you I wasn’t who said I was?”
    “I’d say that’s the first bit of