Three Years in My Fiance's Brother's Bed Novel

Chapter 16 " This is what I deserve ? " Valerie let out a ragged laugh even as the pain washed the color from her face . She stared up at the nee men , her eyes bloodshot with fury and hatred . " How do you even have the nerve to say that ? What about you , Cole ? And you , Carter ? Do you really think you're good men ? You plotted to deceive Maya for years . Trust me , you'll get what's coming ! Sure , I hurt her , but compared to your lies and the what I did barely even counts ! " Her voice shook with rage , but she was satisfied to see regret and gelel on both their faces .

the way you foyed w i toyed with her , " You ... You two are the ones who hurt ber most ! Cole , your so - called heartfelt apology in that video is just a joke ! She ... She'll never forgive you ! Never ! " With that , Valerie's eyes rolled back and she slumped over in a faint . Silence fell over the room . Cole and Carter stood there with their fists clenched , unable to smother the dread clawing at their throats , because every word she'd thrown at them was It was the thing they had both been avoiding the one admission neither dared to say out loud .

They exchanged a look and saw the same confusion and fear mirrored back . After the medics hauled Valerie away and the police took custody of her again , Cole and Carter signed their discharge papers and drove to the villa where Maya had stayed before Nothing in the house had been moved , yer everything of Maya's was gone .

Her solo photos had disappeared from the frames , while the couple shots had been cut down the middle , leaving just one figure in each frame The building toys they had built , the oil painting they once started , and the planters they picked out together for the balcony had disappeared . Her side of the closet was stripped bare . The gifts she had given Cole were gone , while those they had given her stayed lined up where she had placed them . It was her way of drawing a hard line and making it final .

Cole sank onto the couch , the memory so hard - hitting that he leaned forward on his losers . He saw Maya again , curled against him and clutching his On nights without a late shift , she liked to stay home and watch TV drames . Sometimes , he'd come home early , and they would pick a movie and curl up together She crunched on chips like a little hamster and pushed one into his mouth every so often . He liked her . Only now did he admit it to himself . To make Valerie happy , he always had to prepare a great deal . But with Maya , he didn't need to do anything .

He could simply breathe and feel at ease . However , he had realized it too late . He slumped back and covered his reddened eyes with his forearm . Across the room , Carter sat on the vanity stool , running a thumb over an empty frame . It used to hold a photo of Maya in a slip dress , hair down , and legs tucked under her as she read on the window seat The light that morning had been perfect , so be took the shot and printed it It Isad lived here ever since She loved that photo . She often sat at this vanity without makeup , still looking effortlessly beautiful .

He had been carrying a secret for years . The first time Cole went to visit Valerie and asked him to take his place , he fell for Maya at first sight , In those days , while Cole was gone , he had crossed a line with her . That warped beginning trapped him in a loop he couldn't break aya loved Cole , and in her eyes , she thought he was Cole . So , he forced his own feelings down and kept them hidden Every time Valerie claimed Maya had bullied her , he swallowed it whole , called Maya cruel in his head , and told himself she wasn't worth loving . He believed his own le .

If he had realized his feelings earlier , if he had refused Valerie's needling , or if he had stopped Cole's plan ... But there were no Us lefL A tear hit the glass , and he wiped it away before it could fall . " Carter , " Cole said behind him, his voice low and rough . " If we find Maya , we have to do this straight . We'll start over and compete fairly . " Carter sat a long time before answering hoarsely , " Fine . We'll start over and compete fairly . " Chapter 16 Just then , Cole's phone rang , and he took the call on speaker . Matthew said anxiously , " Mr.

Hale , we just picked up a report . Ms. Reed might have been killed ! "