No Going Back by Erika Ashby

say? Hey, I just remembered that when I fell down the stairs and had my miscarriage, that I was actually pushed by my baby daddy’s wife. She told me that I wasn’t going to keep her from getting what she wanted and then pushed me as I started to lose my footing. Yah, I bet they won’t give a rats shit about that now.” I look up at her and she has a confused expression on her face.
    “Seth didn’t get married to her. I told you that a lot of shit went down when I took you to the airport. When I returned all hell had broken loose. Doug showed up to stop the wedding, said that Allison was a lying bitch and that he had apparently paid her to run off when she was pregnant. She took it upon herself to use some of the money he paid her with to have an abortion. She showed back up being the scheming tramp that she’s always been because she knew The Rifters were starting to become popular and she wanted in on it. She knew Seth would never take her back, so she lied and said their daughter was still alive. Broke Seth’s heart all over again. Then he found out that Doug is his father and that he had also paid Victoria to take off after she had Jake’s baby,” she explains. Hmmm, now I wonder what all has been going on without me knowing. Seems like everyone has a secret up their sleeve.
    It was refreshing getting my mind off of everything that’s been holding me down the last few weeks, hell, the last few months with all the Seth shit I’ve been trying to get over. I know she was skeptical about talking about her family life and the kids because of what I’m going through, but I love them as if they’re my own and hearing all about them actually warms my heart instead of saddening me. Jesika talked me into joining the gym with her as well. She said, and I quote, “We need to get these bodies of ours beach ready, because next summer I’m taking your fine ass to the beach.” You better bet your ass that I’m holding her to that. I haven’t been to the beach in forever. Now the lake, I live there as much as I possibly can during the summer, but what I wouldn’t give to go soak up some rays next to the ocean. Even though the thought of having a cute little bungalow style beach house one day has always been a fantasy of mine, I’m more of a simple kind of girl at heart, and don’t need much to keep me happy.

Chapter Fourteen

    *SETH*

    Leaving Mallory, again, was fucking torture. I tried to show her how I felt about her by the way I took my time with her body.
    I have a few errands I need to run while I’m still in town, the first one being getting a new phone. Most people can’t go a day without a damn phone, but it was a fucking relief being able to hang low for a while. I needed a break from everything after all the bull shit that had happened, but now, now it’s time to face all of reality again. The reality that besides my musical career, my life fucking blows. And the fact that I had to drag Mallory into it blows even more. The one person I never wanted to get hurt is the one person who all I seem to do is hurt. Not anymore. How can you hurt that person if you remove yourself from their life?
    I had let our manager and the other guys know that I would be getting a new phone as soon as I got back into town. I’m sure they’re already tripping by now…well, everyone but Connor. Out of all the guys we are definitely the closest. I didn’t tell him everything that was going on, because let’s face it — I hate people knowing all my business. But I did make it clear that I had business to attend to dealing with Mallory. So, I can guarantee he knew better than to be blowing my nonexistent phone up already.
    Phone. Check. I’m good to go.
    Now for the part I’ve been dreading. The one call I swore to myself I’d never make. It fucking goes to voicemail.
    You have reached Doug Robinson. Sorry I missed your call. Leave me a detailed message and I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.
    I somehow