Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

The blanket slipped from Briony's shoulders and tumbled onto the snow-covered ground.

A biting chill wrapped around her, making her shiver.

"When Irwin threw something at you," Stewart said quietly, "the first thing you did was shield your stomach."

Briony froze, her breath catching in her chest.

She hadn't expected Stewart to notice something so small. Then again, he had been a father before-clearly, he'd done his homework back when Rosita was pregnant.

But what did it matter now, whether she was pregnant or not? What did any of this have to do with Stewart?

She'd already made up her mind-she wasn't going to have a child.

A child that would never be born... Stewart didn't need to know about it.

Steadying herself, Briony lifted her head to meet his gaze.

Their eyes locked. Stewart's stare was dark and razor-sharp, as if he could see straight through her.

Briony refused to look away. Her voice was even, almost bored. "I just have cramps. It's that time of the month."

Stewart watched her, searching her eyes for any sign of a lie.

But Briony was too calm, too controlled.

ice. "You'd better not be lying to

out a short, bitter laugh. "Oh? What are you so worried about? Afraid I'll secretly have a child and put them in line to fight

flat stomach. "Trust me, you not

shoving his hand away and trying to pull back, but his grip

go of me,

"Last time at the hospital, you were sick. You said it was food

have no idea what you're talking

hand and slapped him hard across the

Smack.

echoed with the howling wind and swirling snow. Stewart

free, grab the fallen blanket, and wrap it tightly

a cold, unyielding stare. "What makes you think I'd ever want to have

against the inside of his cheek where she'd slapped him, his eyes

wind blurred their vision, as if nature itself wanted to

through the

it? If that's all it is, what exactly are

stranger to be used and guarded against-that

I wouldn't

darkened, shadows settling over his