Wilted by Mia Michelle Read Free Book Online

instantly recognize the feminine handwriting as Kylie’s.
    Fear fills me as I clench both sides of the carton. I don’t want to open it. I already know damn well what’s on the inside of it. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I gather the courage and fold back the flap. And just as I’d expected, it’s full of things that I’d left over at her place. Taped to the inside of the box is a notecard with her initials engraved on the front. Even before reading it, I know this isn’t going to be good.
    Nik,
    Here are your things. Don’t bother returning mine.
    By the way, I’m not pregnant. Thought I’d ease your mind since I’m sure you’ve been so concerned.
    Kylie
    Sharp daggers feel like they are being shoved deep into my chest. I should be relieved right now, but I’m not. Instead, I feel like a piece of fucking shit. Being the coward I am, I left her to deal with this stuff on her own. Until now, it’d never occurred to me that maybe she’d been just as leveled by the idea of having my kid as I’d been. I mean, I certainly can’t say I blame her. My selfishness has cost me everything. A week ago, I’d had everything. Now, I have nothing.
    I’m nothing without her.
    It’s time I make this right. I’ll throw myself at her feet if I have to. There’s nothing I won’t do to get her back. She told me she loved me. And God knows I fucking love her. Love doesn’t go away that quickly. Or can it? What if it’s been replaced by hate?

    It’s six thirty in the morning and here I am, in my car, looking up at her apartment building while I work up the nerve to go upstairs and beg for her mercy. My seventh cup of coffee sits in my stomach like a ball of lead. Kylie’s definitely not a morning person, so I know she won’t like me popping over this early. Regardless, I’ve got to see her. I know she’s working today, so I hope to work this all out with her and she can call in sick. I’d happily spend the rest of the day in bed making up for lost time.
    Traffic begins picking up and morning joggers make their way down the sidewalks. As I open my car door, I wince from the sting and slide on dark sunglasses to shield my eyes from the morning sunlight. One thing is for sure, I definitely won’t be drinking like that again. Ever!
    Deciding it’s now or never, I grab the fresh coffee and Danish off the front seat and make my way across the busy street. As I cross the lobby to the elevator, I can’t recall ever being this damn nervous to see her. So many clashing thoughts race through my mind right now that I hope I can get everything out that I want to say. Relief fills me when no one joins me on the elevator. I need this time alone to rehearse the speech I’ve been working on.
    Baby, I know I was an asshole. I was just scared. I need you in my life. Can’t we work this out?
    Who am I kidding? Even I know this isn’t going to be that easy. I’m dealing with Kylie Reynolds, for fuck's sake, the most stubborn, outspoken woman on the fucking planet. She’s going to take one look at me and throw some large object at my head. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a life-sized target of me in her apartment and throws darts at it. For all I know, she’s conjured up some voodoo magic on my ass. It certainly would explain the headache pounding away at me. Yep, I bet there’s some miniature doll with pins all in its head and dick laying in her apartment somewhere.
    When the elevator chimes its arrival, I step out and make my way towards her door. Just as I turn the corner, I freeze. Leaving Kylie’s apartment is none other than her boss, Evan Pierce. There aren’t words enough to say how much I hate this guy. He’s had his eyes on my girl since the day she went to work for him. She hadn’t worked there six weeks before he’d promoted her from assistant to analyst. I didn’t want to spoil her excitement by telling her it had nothing to do with her hard work and everything to do with working side-by-side with him.