Free Sound of Heartache ("Sound of" Book 2) by Chelsea Roy

was probably in his room cursing the day he ever met her. Aimee straightened up, and with Eric holding her steady, brushed her teeth and allowed herself to be led into the living room where she was gently deposited on the couch.
    “ I couldn’t help but overhear,” he told her gently, taking her hands in his. His thumbs rubbed comfortingly over the backs of her hands and she appreciated his help but he wasn’t who she really wanted right then.
    “ I never meant to deceive him, Eric. That’s not me. That’s not who I am.” Aimee hoped like hell Eric believed her. He’d come to mean so much to her and she didn’t want to lose both Brent and Eric all at once. Her chest constricted tightly and she was having trouble breathing.
    “ I know that sweetheart. But you’ve put him in a really bad spot. I’m guessing the baby will come before you turn eighteen?” Aimee thought back to around midterms. She couldn’t pinpoint any time exactly when she thought the condom had broken or had noticed anything wrong.
    “ I don’t know. It all depends on the timing,” she admitted. “If it happened at midterms, then yes. The baby will come before I’m eighteen.” Eric nodded solemnly.
    “ I know you won’t press charges, Aimee. But what about your parents? I can’t imagine they’re going to be too happy about this. Clearly you’re on the fast-track to becoming a doctor and this is going to screw with your timeline.” Aimee swallowed hard. Eric was right. Her parents were going to literally freak out. They had big plans for her and a baby was definitely not part of those plans.
    “ Oh God,” she moaned despairingly. She leaned into Eric’s shoulder in sheer misery.
    “ I take it that means they won’t receive this well?” Eric asked drily. Aimee shook her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and drew her close. He smelled so different from Brent, but his presence was comforting nonetheless.
    As Aimee sat on the couch, she knew her life was changing whether she liked it or not. And given Brent’s reaction to her announcement, she was leaning more toward the “not”.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
     
    Brent jerked awake with a start. He wasn’t sure when he fell asleep but he knew instinctively Aimee had never come back into the room. In truth, it was probably a good thing she hadn’t. He had been too pissed at her to carry on any type of rational conversation. The last thing he wanted to do was to say words to her that could never be taken back. Even as angry as he was with her, deliberately hurting her wouldn’t help anything or make him feel better. If anything, he’d feel even worse.
    He rolled out of bed and took stock of his body. He felt like shit, his joints aching and protesting. He was tired from the lack of sleep. Worst of all was the way his heart ached in his chest when he thought about how he had shut Aimee out. His feelings toward her hadn’t changed even though she’d lied to him. Or let him incorrectly believe something, which in his mind was pretty much the same damn thing as a lie.
    Sighing deeply, he wandered slowly out to the living room. To his surprise, Aimee wasn’t out there. Instead, Eric slept awkwardly on the couch, his tall frame too big to fit there comfortably. Brent shook Eric’s shoulder until the other man’s eyes blinked slowly up at him. Eric was slow to wake so you had to give him time to come online.
    “ Where is she man?” Brent asked when he could tell Eric would be able to process the question.
    “ She’s in my bed.” Brent jerked back and glared down at Eric, who quickly clarified. “Dude, she’s pregnant and miserable. Was I supposed to have her sleep on the couch?” Brent knew he was being unreasonable but he hated the thought of Aimee in Eric’s bed. Brent knew neither of them would ever do anything inappropriate but that didn’t stop him from hating it.
    “ You’re right. I’m sorry. I just...” Brent exhaled noisily. He had royally fucked