“We completed the bet.” Sort of. I did leave a day early. I wondered if Ryder would out me on that.
“That’s it? You slept with him and now it’s done?”
“Well, not done,” I said pressing my hand over my belly. “But now it’s just about the baby.”
“Is that what you want?”
Before I could answer, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID. “It’s the mayor.”
I nodded thanking the heavens to be saved by the bell. “I’ll leave you to it.”
I exited her office shutting the door. She and I were back on even ground again. The rest of my life still felt like a crapshoot, but at least I had her again, I thought as I headed back to my desk.
25
Ryder
I was the worst fucking brother ever. Not only did I betray my sister by playing at a fundraiser for her political rival, but I hadn’t had the guts to tell her about it and beg her forgiveness. After dealing with Mr. Coffey, I’d mostly hidden away.
When the paper came out, I nearly died. I’d hoped that no one noticed, but I got a few not-so-friendly comments when I was serving at the bar. I tried to ignore them. Instead, I focused on how the money was going to secure my child’s future, but it was damn hard. The fact that I didn’t hear from Sinclair, made me even more nervous. I considered calling Trina to ask about it, but figured she’d be livid too. Turns out I was a coward, as I avoided them both.
With the ten thousand extra I made from my betrayal, I put most in savings and used some to pay for the structural repair of my porch and other materials to fix up my home.
When Wyatt came over again to help me fix up the house, I waited for him to give me the what for that I deserved. After all, Stark bullied his mother and harassed them about selling his farm. He’d more than likely feel betrayed too.
When I opened the door to his knock, he gave me a knowing smirk. “I should kick your ass.”
“You probably should,” I agreed, letting him in the house.
“First I have to hear what would compel you to go against your sister.”
I explained everything. How I wanted the money for the baby and to show Trina I was a safe bet. I hoped he believed me when I told him that I didn’t know it was a fundraiser for Wallace. I felt even sicker speaking it all out loud than I had with it rattling around in my brain. I told him that as well.
“Not sick enough not to do it or not to take the money,” he quipped.
Jesus, I thought I might throw up. “I’m buying the Salvation Station with it. That means Stark can’t buy it.” It was a lame excuse, but I needed something to save my soul from eternal damnation.
Wyatt thought about that. “Use his money against him. I like it.”
“It’s the least I can do since he tricked me into using me against my sister. By the way, is she going to castrate me?”
He laughed. “Maybe.”
At least I’d knocked Trina up because when my sister was done with me, more children might be out of the question, I thought.
We got to work on the house. Now that the porch was secure, we scraped off the old paint and prepared it for a new coat.
“Do you think Trina will be impressed by the house and investing in the restaurant, or will she be pissed that you took Stark money to fund your future?” Wyatt asked as we took a break. We sat on two old resin chairs on the porch.
“I don’t know. It could go either way. She’s unpredictable like that.”
“That’s why you like her, right?”
I laughed. “I guess.”
“But she’s the one, right? Or is all this effort just to do the right thing for the baby?”
I looked at him surprised. “I love her. I agreed to that dumb bet to win her.”
“Knocking her up—”
“Don’t talk to me about knocking a woman up,” I snapped, not sure why I was annoyed at Wyatt’s questioning my level of commitment to Trina. “You were fucking my sister—"
He held his hands up, one with his beer bottle, in a surrender position. “Don’t get your boxers in a bunch.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t tell me you didn’t fake marry Sinclair to win her either.”
He laughed. “Settle down, Ryder. I’ve never seen you get so riled.” He sat back in his chair. “It must be love.”
He was right. I was agitated. That agitation grew to panic when I saw my sister’s car pull up. I instinctively rested my hand over my groin just in case she really did plan to hit me where it would hurt most.
“Tell her that,” Wyatt said as he stood to greet Sinclair and Alyssa.
“What?”
“That you did Stark’s gig for love. Sinclair is a sucker for love.” He walked down the steps and kissed Sinclair as she stepped out of the car.
“I’m a sucker for what?” she asked, quirking a brow.
“Love, baby,” he said, putting an arm around her. I hoped he was holding her back.
“Daddy, we got some stuff for the baby,” Alyssa said to Wyatt pointing to the back seat.
“Let me help you.” Then to Sinclair he said, “Try to be nice.”
Sinclair pointed her scowl on me as she came up the porch steps. “Do you have something to tell me?”
“I love Trina?” It came out as a question as I wasn’t sure what would protect me from Sinclair’s wrath.
Her scowl didn’t let up. “You’re blaming Trina for betraying me?”
I swallowed. “No. She was my motivation. She and the baby. Stark paid thirty grand, which I’m using to buy the Salvation Station and fix my home for Trina and the baby. I didn’t know it was a political fundraiser until I got there.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Thirty grand?
