Fighting for Love (Second Chances #4)(66)

Lifting her head, her cheeks were red and stained with tears. “I didn’t know she was listening,” she cried. “I also didn’t know that she was the one helping Kyle. She said it was all perfect timing; one minute she finds out about you and Matt through your mother, and then about the baby through me. I’m so mad at her for what she did to you. She said she was sorry and that she told Kyle she wanted out; she didn’t want to be involved or help him with his schemes anymore.”

Could this really be happening? It was like the universe wanted to work against me for one mistake I made in the past. I didn’t realize it would take a full ten years to blow up in my face all at one time and tear everything away from me.

Frozen in place, I could feel the numbness spreading throughout my body, preparing me for the blow that was about to destroy everything I longed for. I had a feeling I already knew the answer to my next question, but I had to ask it anyway.

“Does Kyle know about all of this?” I asked hesitantly.

Closing her eyes, she nodded. “Yes, he knows. Hayley told me the plan was to tell him right before his and Matt’s fight, but now that everything is out in the open he wants to tell Matt before you can. He’s on his way to him right now,” she whispered, her voice quivering.

“Oh my God,” I choked, struggling to catch a breath. “I’m going to be too late.”

I should’ve told him when I had the chance last night. If he heard it from Kyle he would never forgive me. Our dreams of living together and building a life were going to disappear.

He’ll never speak to me again.




THE WHOLE WAY TO SANTA Rosa I tried calling Matt, and even texted him, but no response. Please, God, don’t let me be too late. I prayed that he was still at the gym working out and that was why he wasn’t answering his phone. That has to be it, I told myself. I had to believe I still had time.

Hayley called me while on the way, but I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her. She was the one heartless enough to give Kyle a piece of raw and heartbreaking information to use and exploit against me, a situation so delicate I knew Kyle wouldn’t break to Matt easily. Matt would find out in the worst way possible.

Matt’s truck sat in the parking lot when I pulled up at Carter’s gym, but it wasn’t alone. With an evil leer on his face and leaning against his car, Kyle waved at me as I came to a screeching halt beside him. His hair was covered with a red baseball cap and his eyes were shielded by a pair of sunglasses, but it was definitely him dressed in a pair of navy blue track pants and a white, wife beater tank top showing off his tattooed arms.

“It’s about time you got here,” he sneered as I got out of my car. “I knew Hayley would go running to her sister as soon as I left. I figured Matt would be here and I was right.” He took a step toward me and held out his hand. “Shall we go in and say hello.”

“You are one seriously messed up human being,” I growled. “What gives you the right to come here and do this? It’s none of your damn business.”

Nonchalantly, he shrugged and lowered his hand. “You’re right, it’s not. However, I want my title back by any means necessary. If that involves by spilling your scandalous little secret to throw Matt off his game, then I’m going to do it. So what was your reasoning anyway for not telling him?”

“I don’t have to explain anything to you,” I hissed low, turning on my heel. Knowing I didn’t have much time, I rushed off. Hoping I could get inside before he followed me, I ran straight into a wall, but it wasn’t a wall … it was Matt. Sweaty from his workout, the heat from his body engulfed me as he put his arms around me. I breathed him in deeply, knowing it could very well be the last time I ever got the chance, and forced the tears away.

Matt laughed and said, “Hey, what are you doing here so early? I didn’t expect to see you until later.”

As soon as I looked up, his smile disappeared when he caught a glimpse of Kyle not far behind me. Quickly, he glanced down at me, confused and seething, before glaring back over at Kyle.

Clenching his teeth, Matt put his arm protectively around me. “What the f*ck are you doing here?” he shouted.

Sidestepping out of his grasp, I faced him and frantically pushed against his chest, hoping to get him back inside the gym before Kyle had a chance to speak. I had to get him away from Kyle before he said something.

“Matt, please, let’s go inside,” I begged, pushing him toward the door. “You have to trust me and keep moving.”

He kept his gaze on Kyle, but he complied with my pushing and moved toward the door. “Why are you in such a hurry, Shelby?” Kyle called out. “Are you afraid I’m going to tell him something he should know?”

Matt stopped mid-step and scoffed, narrowing his green gaze in contempt. “You do realize you’re wasting your time, right? I’m not going to believe anything that comes out of your mouth.” Not paying Kyle any more attention, he looked down at me and said, “Come on, let’s go inside.”

I knew not to breathe a sigh of relief until we got inside the doors, and we were so achingly close. My heart pounded with each step, and with each step I was on the verge of losing it. We almost made it there, Matt’s hand on the door, before Kyle said something that I knew would catch Matt’s attention. From there it all happened so fast I couldn’t stop it.