MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

43. LARA: I'M BEING KIDNAPPED?

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Me neither," Mel spoke up.

"Why not? I'm just going for a walk. I'm safe here aren't I?" I glanced between the two women standing behind the counter. "I'll be back in twenty minutes."

"Ten." Valeria pointed a finger at me. "Ten or you're not going. The park is a two minute walk from here. I assume that's where you're going?"

I nodded. With my phone clutched tightly in my hand, I headed towards the front door. I remembered to grab my jacket before exiting the house. The streets were buzzing with activity but I barely paid any attention to them. My chest was tight with guilt. How could I have done that? I should've stopped before it got so out of hand.

Silas was going to be so mad at me! After not speaking to him for days, I finally decided to call him but his brother answer and I ended up having phone sex with him. A shudder raced down my spine as his breathy voice flashed through my mind.

I shouldn't want it to happen again. I shouldn't be longing for it to happen again.

When I reached the park, I made it straight to a bench that was as far away from the others as possible. I glanced around to make sure nobody was around. After a few deep breaths, I pulled up Silas's number. My finger hovered over the call button. I needed to tell him. We had agreed that there would be no lies between us.

This time when I called him, Silas was the one who answered.

"Lara, is something wrong? What happened? Do you want me to come get you?"

"I'm sorry," I cried as I burst into tears.

"Lara? What happened?" he questioned. "Do you want me to come get you? Is the baby okay?"

I squeezed my eyes closed and just blurted it out. "I had phone sex with Ethan."

The silence was deadly. My hold on the phone tightened the longer he stayed silent. What was he thinking? What if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore? What if what I had done made him change his mind about getting married? What if I had to raise my baby on my own? I couldn't do that.

"When?" Silas asked.

"A-about an hour back. I-I'm not sure."

"Okay."

Shock flashed through me. "O-okay? You're not mad at me?"

"I'm fucking furious, Lara. After everything—after Ethan told you about Avery—you go and—"

"I'm sorry!" I cried again.

"Sorry? Sorry isn't going to change what happened!"

"Silas—"

"I can't talk to you right now."

A sob fell from my lips when the phone went dead. He hung up on me. I wish I'd never met Ethan. I wish I'd never seen the tender side of him. I wish I'd never fallen in love with him!

Dropping the phone onto the bench, I pulled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees. With my forehead resting on my knees and my eyes squeezed closed tightly, I cried until I couldn't cry anymore.

After the last tear dried down, I just sat there and watched the people passing by. Numbness had spread through me. It was my own fault though. I shouldn't have given in on the need to relieve the ache.

"Excuse me?"

My eyes snapped up to the man who spoke. "Y-yes?"

"Are you Lara?"