Page 1 of Deadly Scandals

Mia

Idrove back to Grant’s place in a daze, trying not to completely break down. I didn’t have a clue what was going to happen. Would Grant go to jail? I was his wife, I needed to get him a lawyer. I prayed that my phone would ring soon.

I arrived home, let Hero out, and just lost it on the sofa. My chest heaved, my breath came in short spurts, and I wanted to collapse into the sofa and die.

The words our son rang in my head. Our son…our son. I couldn’t get Joaquín’s voice out of my head.

My brother had raped me. He had just promised to take me to meet our son. He knew where he was because he had been the one to kidnap him.

Holy fuck.

Grant had been right. And I had been so stubborn that I’d refused to believe him. I’d doubted the only man who truly ever loved me, who had always had my back. Not only had I refused to entertain his logical conclusions but also I had accused him of trying to keep me from my brother.

I am so messed up. I didn’t deserve Grant.

I’d ruined my life to protect my brother. A man who was a killer. A rapist. A kidnapper.

In my darkness, I realized a truth. I could’ve never imagined how determined I would become to free Joaquín when he had been arrested. But witnessing Grant being taken away in handcuffs was worse.

I loved Grant more than I loved Joaquín.

I stared at my phone. Should I call a lawyer to get him out?

No, I would wait until I heard from Grant. He was calling the shots, and he had sacrificed his freedom so I could find our son. I was desperate to hear his voice. But at the same time, I was dreading getting a call from Joaquín, knowing he could be set free. I knew this was my path—the only way to find my son—but I was terrified of being alone with my brother.

As the minutes turned into hours, I fell deeper into the self-hate that had been sparked the moment I realized I had been so very, very wrong.

I walked into the bedroom and caught a glimpse of my wedding gown covering my suitcase. I clutched it and could still smell Grant’s woodsy scent. I cradled that dress as if I were cradling him. I’d put him through so much that if I ever got a chance to have a real life with him, I would do anything to make him happy.

I hung my wedding dress and grabbed the suitcase to store it. When I picked it up, the cocaine fell out. My fingers kneaded the bag of white powder.

One line. One line to make me feel better. Replace this low with a high. Forget this day. Forget this life. Joaquín wouldn’t be released until tomorrow. I needed a fix to take the edge off my pain.

Using a credit card, I cut a line of coke on Grant’s nightstand, and then I took a dollar bill from my purse and rolled it up. Before I could talk myself out of it, I snorted it.

And then I snorted another.

And then another.

The high pulsed through my body, leaving my insides numb and humming with euphoria. My vision sharpened and wobbled as I bent to snort another, but I didn’t stop.

My heart raced faster and my hand shook so hard the makeshift straw fell from my fingertips.

My chest constricted, and I knew something was wrong. I reached for my phone and called the only person I could think of—Mitch. But before I could scream for help, my world went black.