Complicated

by M. M. Koenig

  “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you? You’re definitely my child. It’s going to take a lot of work to hide you again.”

  I opened and closed my mouth several times. Before I had a chance to find my words, the damn door opened again. My eyes widened as my heart hammered out of my chest. I gripped the table to keep myself upright.

  “Not this time Lizzie. We played it your way last time. I’m going to have a say in what happens this time around. She’s my daughter too.”

  My parents stared at each other in a heated standoff as my sense of reality completely vanished.

  This is not the family reunion I had in mind. God knows what they have planned for me now. Just one of these days, I’d really love to have a say in these plans.

  To Be Continued...

  EPILOGUE

  I shifted in my seat as another wave of nausea blasted through me. This kid was really making his presence known today. I glanced at Trey, who remained unmoving, with his eyes closed. My head fell to the mattress as another round of tears filled my eyes. Being pregnant sucked. I hated not being able to control my emotions. I picked up Trey’s hand and held it tightly. My eyes drifted shut as I prayed to God for him to make it.

  “Hello Brianna.”

  My dad’s voice scared the shit out of me. After my heart started working again, I glanced over my shoulder to see him taking off his coat. There was an edge to his eyes that really got my heart going. To my surprise, he pulled up a chair next to me and rested his hand on my arm. He glimpsed between Trey and me before taking a long breath.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked warily.

  “Mia stopped by to see me. She made me see the error in my ways. I’m here to apologize for how I handled your pregnancy.”

  “You don’t do apologies,” I replied stiffly.

  Dad grabbed my chin with the upmost sincerity and said, “It’s never too late to start. I’m very sorry Brianna. Your mother and I will be here for you every step of the way.”

  I gulped. “What exactly did Mia say to you?”

  His eyes drifted from mine. “She spoke her mind. It was hard to disagree with her.”

  I squinted suspiciously. “I was wondering why she left without saying goodbye. Did she drag you here?”

  Dad tensed. “No, she stopped by the house. She seemed to be in a hurry, but she left this for you,” he said, passing over a sealed envelope.

  My heart dropped as I took it. It worked in Mia’s favor to have us scattered around with no chance in hell at stopping her craziness. I set the envelope down and focused on Trey.

  “You don’t have to stay. I know you don’t approve of Trey.”

  Dad sighed. “Brianna, let’s just try to start over. If you can keep an open mind with me, I’ll do the same with you. If you want space to start with, then I’ll give you it.”

  I looked at him with uncertainty. “I’m going to accept your offer for space. Today really isn’t the best day for us to hash out our issues.”

  Dad nodded and rose from the chair. Before he walked out, he paused and said, “We love you, Brianna.”

  Tears dripped down my face as my heart hammered roughly against my chest. I gazed at the envelope from Mia. Since I was already crying, I might as well find out what stupid thing she had done now. I tore open the envelope to see two letters: one for Ethan, and one for me. I set his aside and unfolded mine. I read and reread her words. She was out of her mind. I slammed the letter down and picked up my cell.

  “Hello,” Ethan answered, agitated.

  “She’s really topped herself this time. You need to get on the next flight to Atlantic City.”

  “I’m already there. Mia isn’t here,” Ethan said roughly.

  My eyes grew wide. “Ethan, she left me a letter saying she was going to turn herself over to her dad’s family. Do you think they already have her?”

  “I don’t think so, but it’s too early to tell.”

  “Maybe she hasn’t landed yet.”

  “The airport confirmed she boarded her flight, which landed two hours ago.”

  I gasped before breaking down. “Ethan, you have to find her!”

  “I’ll find her Bri. I promise. I have to go though. I’m at another place to scope out. I’ll keep you posted,” Ethan replied, hanging up.

  I stared at my phone before calling Mia. I tried ten times before giving up. It just kept running to voicemail. Every time I heard her voicemail greeting, my heart started to crack open even more. Before completely melting down, a surge of anger ran through me to keep me grounded. How Mia thought she could leave us without it ripping out our hearts was unbelievable. She never seemed to understand how much we cared about her. I hated her for that lack of faith. I shoved the chair back and stomped across the room. My hands curled to fists and I hit the wall repeatedly. With each blow, my chest became heavier.

  “Do you mind keeping it down over there? I don’t know if you heard but I’m trying to recover from a gunshot wound,” Trey murmured weakly.

  I whipped around to see his eyes flutter open. I raced over to him. “I love you so much. Don’t scare me like that again!” I cried, kissing his face repeatedly.

  His mouth slipped into that cocky smirk I fell in love with the very first day I saw him. Trey crooked a finger for me to remain next to him. I rested my forehead on his.

  “I love you too. I promise not to scare you, as long as you promise to keep me in the loop when you’re carrying my kid.”

  I laughed lightly before placing a quick kiss on his lips. “I can do that.”

  Trey shifted his hands to my hips. His beautiful gray eyes centered on me. “I have something to ask you.”

  My eyes bugged out as I nodded. My pulse was in competition with my blood pressure to see which one could fly off the charts faster.

  “Brianna Maureen McAndrews, I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me?”

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  There are so many people that spring to mind that deserve recognition. Six months ago around this time I hit publish and my life really hasn’t been the same ever since. I can’t even put into words how much I’ve learned and grown by becoming a self-published author. It’s given me the chance to share a part of me that I never really put a lot of faith in, but I’m so glad I finally did, because it’s been the most rewarding thing in my life. Many people have contributed to this path I’m on and I’m so very thankful for each one of them.

  First off, I wouldn’t be the person I am without Nikki. You are and always will be my person (thank you Grey’s Anatomy for that wonderful phrase). I’m incredibly blessed to have you as my best friend. You understand me probably better than anyone else in this world and I love you for it. You are by far the most amazing person I have ever met and an inspiration in all I do. Your continued support, encouragement, and wisdom are invaluable in all areas of my life. Thank you for never giving up on me and always pushing me to set the bar higher to achieve my dreams.

  Emily, I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me. Your feedback on Complicated made it such a better novel. I truly couldn’t have finished this story without your thoughts and suggestions. You are truly a beautiful person, inside and out, and you bring so much to the people around you. Since I started this writing journey, you’ve been so supportive with each step I take and were always there for me on the days that were challenging. You continue to help me have faith and to believe in good things. Most of all, I thank you so much for loving Mia’s story as much as I do. It means more to me than I can ever express in a simple thank-you.

  Siobhan, I absolutely adore our friendship. Though thousands of miles separate us for the majority of the year, I feel we never lose a beat with each other. Thank you so much for your continued support and belief in me as I continue on this writing journey. I can’t thank you enough for being one of my test readers. Your feedback and thoughts on the story have also made it a better novel at the end of the day. Thank you so much for
loving these characters and for your continued support by sharing them with everyone around you.

  Sam, I can’t even begin to thank you for all the little things you do for me each and every day. Most importantly, you have helped me find balance again in my life, which has ultimately helped me become a better writer. There is just so much that comes with your friendship, but what I truly value the most is your faith in me as a person and for always reminding me that things will get better. I know I can always lean on you with some of the more challenging problems that life throws our way and I thank you so much for it.

  To my editor, Tom, there really aren’t enough words to express my appreciation for all the hard work you have done on Conflicted and Complicated. Both novels became better with your editing. You’ve embraced my writing style and polished my words so that they shine better and speak more fluently to a wider audience. You’ve also helped me become a better writer in the process and for that I cannot thank you enough. I continue to talk you up to anyone willing to listen because your services are the best around. The quick turn times, flexibility to the client schedules and deadlines, and top-notch customer service are a rarity and I’m incredibly grateful for all of it.

  To my designer, L.J., you’ve outdone yourself yet again with this cover. It embodies the heart of the story and I get giddy whenever I look at it. Thank you so much for your continued patience with my pickiness and never-ending questions on things. You made re-releasing Conflicted so easy with your amazing services and sincere care for me as a client. I can’t wait to work on the next cover with you, as I know my mind will be blown once again by your remarkable talent.

  To the blogging community, especially those bloggers that took a chance on Conflicted, I thank you so very much! The reviews and promotion of it absolutely blew me away and it means the world to me that so many of you had such kind things to say about Mia’s story. Overall, I can’t express enough thanks for just having a blog and sharing your thoughts on the books you read. I acquired so many book boyfriends because of bloggers. Your enthusiasm and dedication to sharing your thoughts on the books you read is absolutely astonishing. I am so grateful for what you do for the reading community!

  To all the test readers of Conflicted, I thank you so much for taking that chance on me and encouraging me to walk on this path. You’ve believed in me from the very beginning and helped in so many ways as these characters and this series has come together. I can’t thank you enough for that level of support and faith in me. And a huge thanks goes to the co-workers I have at the job that pays the bills. You have all kept me from jumping off the ledge when I felt like I can’t make everything happen in a day. I can’t thank you enough for keeping me sane and reminding me that I can make anything happen if I put my mind to it.

  To my family, friends, and my guy, thank you so much for being patient with me. In the last year and a half, you have all paid the price the most with my more than hectic schedule, which cuts into the time I spend with all of you. I love you all so very much and am incredibly blessed to have such a plethora of people that love and support me in all that I do.

  Lastly, to the fans that have embraced and loved Conflicted. Thank you so much for taking that chance on me. From the bottom of my heart, it truly means the world to me! With each word I write, you’re right there with me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR M.M. KOENIG

  Photo Credit: Amber Eckman

  M. M. Koenig, a graduate from the University of Minnesota, has remained in the Twin Cities area with her loving dog Marley. She is a passionate person with many interests. The greatest of those is a good story accompanied by a killer soundtrack.

  Find M. M. Koenig online to stay up to date on news, teasers, and deleted scenes on the Secrets and Lies saga:

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