Fate Had Them (Collide) (Patreon)

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Chapter 3

One Month Later

Kevin shuffled into his home office and slumped down into the desk chair, opening up the button drawer and pulling out a fairly expensive bottle of scotch. He saved it for special occasions as well as times when a hard drink was appropriate. Today seemed like as good a time as any to drink something that would cloud the mind, burn the throat, and just maybe dull the senses. He absolutely didn’t want to be feeling much of anything right now.

Plucking a glass from the drawer, he sat it on the desk and poured himself a couple fingers, quickly downed them and poured two more. He leaned back in his chair and held the glass in front of him, looking at the amber liquid as the sun’s rays scattered off the glass and bent and rainbowed through the scotch. It was beautiful. Rich. Elegant. It was something he could appreciate and enjoy. Maybe he could be blinded by the beauty and let it burn out the images that were now playing themselves over and over in his mind.

But he knew they wouldn’t go away. Never. They were chiseled into his very bones.

Rachel’s face twisted in ecstasy. Mouth open gasping for breath. Skin glistening. Nails digging into skin. Her pussy stretched and swallowing a thick cock, her juices coating the shaft as it slid home over and over.

I love you. Oh god. I love you.

Kevin could hear the moaning gasps. The raw truth of her words. The burning passion of bodies. The smell of sex.

He downed the scotch and poured himself more. His hand gripped the glass and a sob slipped past his gritting teeth.

“Fuck.” He whimpered and his fist slammed against the desk.

“Fuck!” Again, and this time his fist made everything on the desk jump. “Fuck fuck fuck FUCK!” He screamed it and threw the glass at the door, smashing into stars and shining knives that fell to the floor like tinkling bells.

Slumping back into his chair he finally let the tears come. Slipping down his cheeks. Tasting the salt and bitterness on his lips as he sobbed. But even as he did, as his emotions were smashing against him like relentless waves against the shifting sands of a beach, his cock was hard. His body was betraying him. Arousal at seeing his wife in the throes of passion from another man. And worse… from his best friend.

All he could ask was why. His mind replayed the sight over and over and over. All the little signs were there and now those pieces were falling into place, painting the picture of the affair that had been right in front of him for the last couple months or more.

It was a knife to his heart. Like he was being disemboweled. Heart cut out and tossed in the trash.

Seeing his wife cheating was painful in and of itself. But for it to be with Harry. With his best friend. That made it somehow better and worse. At least it wasn’t some random man. Some person from her office that was a pussy hound. A manipulator trying to get into a married woman’s pants.

Harry was a good man. Even as Kevin felt the acid of betrayal eroding his impression of Harry, of their long time friendship, he knew deep deep in his heart that Harry was good. Respectable. He wasn’t just leading Rachel on. Tricking her into some illicit affair.

I love you!

It hadn’t just been Rachel gasping those words. They’d been chanting it together to the beat of Harry’s thrusts.

Again the sight of his wife’s pussy swallowing Harry over and over. Taking him inside with a sucking clinging need. The gasps that Kevin thought were for him and only him. Now they were for Harry too. Who knew how often she’d moaned her adoration for Harry. But it was clear from what Kevin saw, this wasn’t nearly the first time and wouldn’t be the last.

Unless…

Kevin buried his face in his hands, his sobs slowly tapering off. Tears were still falling but he couldn’t feel anything anymore. He was numb. Something needed to happen. But what?

Should he confront them? Scream? Violence? Should he just leave? Abandon his wife and life because it was over anyway? Maybe he could be rational? Sit down and talk and try to work something out?

He couldn’t think clearly and couldn’t find an answer that felt satisfactory. The only answer he had right now was the bitter and harsh taste of the bottle. He picked up the scotch and took a long pull straight from the bottle. Then another. And another. He kept going until the bottle was empty and everything went black as he fell off the chair and collapsed to the floor into a nightmare induced sleep.

…

Twenty Four Hours Earlier

Rachel slipped on the satin micro thong, the string between her supple cheeks and gusset pressed tight against her mound, stray downy curls sticking out along the edges just like Harry enjoyed. She brushed back her hair, fastening her bra, the cups covering only the bottom halves of her breasts and leaving her nipples on full display. Hard and eager. It wasn’t the most skimpy outfit she owned, but she knew Harry would absolutely love it. His favorite color was red and satin was almost a fetish for him as well.

Grabbing her sleek black dress off the hanger she stepped into it and pulled it up. It was as tight as a glove, adhering to all her subtle curves, accenting her body in just the right ways though not being too ostentatious. She wanted to look sexy but not too obvious about it. Though, as she turned and eyed how the dress adhered to the curve of her ass and her nipples pressed against the silk of the dress, she wasn’t sure she was pulling it off.

Tonight was Harry’s birthday. She’d presented him with the Timberwolves tickets a couple weeks ago. A simple lunch date at a cafe. She’d slid the tickets to him, sipping her tea and told him happy birthday, and then they kissed. Muttered soft I love yous. It was sweet. Tender.

Treacherous.

Rachel knew full well what she was doing. She was in the thick of it all now and there just wasn’t any going back. She was in love with Harry. But she was in love with Kevin too. A tale as old as time it would seem. The plot of a torrid romance novel or movie. But it was her life. And she knew just one false step would end everything. Her whole life would fall apart in ways she couldn’t even comprehend.

Divorce. Disgrace. Humiliation. Ridicule.

But even in the face of it all. Of losing all she’d worked hard for. Losing her husband. Her love. She couldn’t say no. She wanted Harry and she wanted Kevin. Without a doubt she was being absolutely selfish. Narcissistic too. Thinking she could have it all and that there wouldn’t be any fall out.

Things like consequences were for another day. Another time.

Tonight. She was going to accompany Harry to the game in his plush box seats and let him use her like a high class escort. He was going to get the high life treatment tonight.

Then… she would come home. Clean up. Cuddle with her husband. In the morning she’d make love to him, reaffirming her commitment to him and their marriage.

It seemed simple. Even logical in a twisted way. But a dark part of Rachel knew it was wrong. All of it. What she was doing to Kevin. How she was stringing Harry along. What she was doing to herself in the process. It was all a teetering tower, ready for the final push to topple.

A knock pulled Rachel out of her thoughts. “Hon? How late did you say this party was gonna go?” Kevin’s voice seemed uncharacteristically timid.

Of course she couldn’t tell Kevin she was going to the game with Harry. So, among the many other lies she’d been telling for the better part of two or more months, she told her husband that her company was having a small party for some new and high paying clients and she needed to make an appearance.

“Shouldn’t be any later than midnight. Though I doubt I’ll be out that long. These things get pretty boring.” All that was true of course, but tonight wasn’t going to be one of her boring social events to hobnob with people doling out cash for her company’s bottom line.

“Right.” There was silence on the other side of the door.

Rachel finished putting in her black dangling earrings and opened the door, giving Kevin a worried look. There were bags under his eyes. A hint of red, as if they were bloodshot. His hair was a mess and though it wasn’t uncommon for him to be dressed in sweats and a wrinkled t-shirt, tonight he looked even more disheveled.

“Hon? Everything okay?” She stepped forward and put the back of her hand to his forehead. “You aren’t getting sick, are you?” Genuine worry shivered down her spine. Had she been ignoring Kevin so much that she hadn’t noticed his health? What if he was sick? She couldn’t go off with Harry tonight and leave Kevin to fend for himself.

Her husband turned and shuffled to the bed, sitting down. “No. I… I’m fine. Just been a long… a long week is all.” His eyes raked over her, taking in the dress and heels. “You look great. Gunning for a promotion?”

Rachel smirked and did a little spin. “What do you think? Maybe if I pull the dress up a little I can get the CEO position.”

“Or the CEO can put you in a position…” Kevin remarked with a half playful smirk. But something in his voice… a smoky sort of suspicion that gave Rachel pause.

“Oh? Are you thinking bent over the desk? Or maybe on his couch? I’ve heard it’s pretty comfortable.” She teased, trying to push past the spike of worry that was starting to hammer through her.

Kevin’s gaze unnerved her. She couldn’t exactly place why. Was it suspicion? Guilt? She’d been lying for so long now it was getting harder to untangle all the emotions she was feeling and hiding and ignoring. It had made her otherwise good instincts muddy. The unsteady silence that Kevin was giving off made Rachel bite the inside of her cheek in an effort to stay calm.

“Would…” Kevin hesitated and broke eye contact. “Would it be weird if I actually thought it was sexy?”

Rachel paused. “I… what do you mean?”

“I mean… would you think less of me or… I don’t know… if something like that excited me would you think less of me? Or… or would you think of me as a cuck or something?” Kevin was clearly stumbling, unsure of himself and his words were just tumbling out.

Never once had Rachel thought of Kevin as a cuckold. Though… that’s exactly what she’d made him. It made her heart ache. She didn’t want to think about that. How she’d secretly made Kevin… a fool. There was no denying it. But she still didn’t think in those terms. She loved Kevin completely.

She just… loved Harry too.

Rachel came over and sat next to her husband, hand on his knee. “Honey… I would never think badly of you for something that turned you on. I mean, unless it was, ya know, bad. But… the idea of seeing me have sex? It’s sort of a compliment isn’t it? The idea that you enjoy the sight of me? And that’s hardly something rare. It’s a pretty common fantasy and fetish.” She took hold of her husband’s hand. “Hon… what’s wrong? You know I was just teasing… right?”

Kevin held her hand tightly, fingers gently tracing her wedding ring with a thoughtful and troubled look. “I… I know you were teasing. I know you wouldn’t do that.” He said, but there didn’t seem to be much conviction behind his words.

It was clear something was wrong.

He suspects. That’s what it is. Maybe he doesn’t know the exact details, but he knows something is off.

Guilt was tight in her chest and twisted her stomach. The pain in Kevin’s eyes was too much. She had to do something. But her heart was divided. And now more than ever she felt it. The draw to her husband, and the draw to Harry.

She should cancel. Stay with Kevin. Confess. Try to salvage her marriage…

Kevin patted her hand and gave her a smile. There was warmth there. Trust. And… acceptance? No that couldn’t be it. 

“You’d better go. Won’t be a party without you.” Leaning in, Kevin gave her a soft kiss and there was something final about it.

“I’ll try not to stay out too late.” It was the truth. She would go and give Harry his birthday present and then come home. Where she belonged.

Just one more night. Give Harry something to remember her by.

Simple.

Then she’d come home to Kevin and leave all of this behind her. This affair. This betrayal. She had to do this. She could see it in Kevin’s eyes and feel it in her own heart. She may love Harry but she hadn’t made vows to him. Hadn’t planned a life with him.

It was a whole new twist inside of her soul, thinking about what she’d done and leaving Harry. Knowing that she wouldn’t ever be able to really escape him. He was Kevin’s best friend. They were bound to run into each other and spend time together. But she could restrain herself. She could hide away the love she had for Harry, lock it down deep, for the sake of Kevin and her marriage.

Standing up, she gave Kevin a quick hug and kiss on his cheek and headed for the door. She set her resolve as she grabbed her purse. Tonight would be her last meeting with Harry. A good birthday send off. A final farewell and then her normal life would take priority.

…

Kevin followed his wife. For the first time he let his jealousy and paranoia get the better of him and in an act of breaking the trust he had in his wife, he waited a few minutes after Rachel left before he got into his car and drove to the stadium.

It was easy enough to track Rachel’s phone. There wasn’t any need to be sneaky. They both had “Find My Phone” active on their devices. All Kevin had to do was open the app and low and behold… Rachel wasn’t driving towards the convention center she said she was going to be at. She was driving to the basketball stadium.

To Harry.

It was a revelation that left Kevin numb. Why would Rachel lie about going to the game with Harry? She’d gotten him the tickets for his birthday. But if she was going to be his plus one… why go by herself? Why not buy a ticket for Kevin too? Harry was his best friend. Kevin would have enjoyed going to the game.

Suspicion swirled around Kevin like a haze of gnats. Annoying and distracting and infuriating. Whispers buzzed in the back of his mind as he found a parking spot and made his way into the stadium, buying a cheap nosebleed section ticket and then making his way towards the section he knew Harry’s tickets were for.

Maybe this was just innocent. Surely there was an explanation. Maybe she had to deliver the tickets to Harry personally.

Kevin kept grasping at straws as he made his way to the second level where the private boxes were located. He made his way down the hall, his heart thundering and his gut twisting making him want to lean over the railing and throw up on the unsuspecting fans milling about below in the lobby. But he swallowed back his bile and marched to what he was quickly beginning to believe was his utter and complete doom.

Reaching the door that led to the suite Rachel had reserved, Kevin considered just turning around and going back home. If he opened the door, it would remove all doubt. But if he went home, he could remain blissfully ignorant. At least for a little while longer. He didn’t want to confirm that his wife was cheating on him. That she was lying. And that… that his best friend…

His hand grasped the handle and pushed slowly, hoping quietly that it would be locked.

It softly clicked and began to open.

Kevin held his breath and peeked into the small private box. It was a square room that had a small kitchenette, a couch and television on the wall. The far wall that looked out on the stadium was one way glass and had a glass door leading to seats on a balcony that had cushy seats to watch the game in luxury. The sounds of the game did little to drown out the sounds of ecstasy.

His eyes fell on the couch where Rachel was laying back with her thighs open wide and Harry settled between them, his cock sliding in and out of his wife’s pussy. His arms were propped on either side of her and Rachel was grasping his arms moaning as her lover pounded firmly into her, making her breasts bounce, her bra pushed down under them giving them more lift.

“Yes! Yes! Ohhhh fuck Harry yes please. Please fuck… deeper… go deeper.”

Their lips pressed against each other, hungrily kissing and biting as Harry slammed his hips down into Rachel making her whimper.

“Fuck… oh fuck Rachel… god you’re so tight… so fucking hot…”

“I love you!” She gasped, nails digging into his biceps. Her legs wrapped around Harry and her heels pressed into his firm flexing ass cheeks. “I fucking love you Harry, oh my fucking god I’m cumming!”

“Yes… mmmm shit cum on my cock baby. I love you squeezing my cock.” Harry panted.

Kevin watched, eyes glued to the sight of his wife gasping and moaning. The view of his wife's pussy stretching around his best friend. Bare.

There was no barrier between Harry and his wife. His cock was entering her and coming out soaking in Rachel’s cream. Or had Harry already cum inside her? Was he able to go more than once?

“Sir?” The voice made Kevin choke and pull back from the door, letting it close. A stadium security guard was watching him wearily.

“Oh… um, yeah?” Kevin stammered, feeling like he was about to throw up.

“Can I see your ticket?” The guard held out hand expectantly.

Kevin fished out the ticket he’d bought and handed it over, glancing back at the door that was separating him from his wife and best friend.

Separated. Was that what he was now?

He’d heard Rachel saying she loved him. That she loved Harry.

Those words echoed and continued to break Kevin’s already shattered heart.

“Sir these are private box seats. Your seat is…” The guard handed back the ticket and was pointing towards the escalators, taking a step closer to Kevin as if to try to herd him away from the luxury seats.

“Right.” Kevin muttered. “Sorry, just got… turned around.” It was a pitiful excuse and he didn’t think the guard believed it, but he didn’t put up a fight. Kevin turned away and shuffled to the escalators, but instead of going up to find the seat he was actually supposed to occupy, he went back downstairs and out into the night air. It helped relieve some of the tension, cooling his skin.

All at once his stomach lurched. He barely made it to the trashcan that was nearby, sticking his head in and vomiting violently.

…

Rachel sat on the couch, her naked cheeks sticking to the leather from her sweat and the juices that had dripped and splashed as she and Harry made love for the last time. She held the beer Harry had handed her in both hands, balanced on her knee as she sat almost demure with her legs together. Somehow she managed to look regal sitting naked and exposed, hair disheveled and skin slick with sweat.

Harry was much the same, sitting across from her in one of the chairs, naked and drinking a beer. His cock hung flaccid and slick with Rachel’s cream and his own cum.

“So…” Harry sighed, picking at the label on the beer bottle. “This is it, huh?”

Rachel nodded, her eyes glossy and slightly red. She was determined not to cry. She had to be strong. She needed to resist the temptation to take it all back and jump into Harry’s lap. Kevin’s face was at the forefront of her mind. Her sweet unsuspecting husband. There was something going on with him and it had taken until now to notice it. She’d been too wrapped up in her affair to see that something was eating at Kevin. Her duties as a wife and partner had been neglected. Kevin needed her. And more than that, she couldn’t keep doing this behind his back.

Kevin trusted her. And she was violating that trust in a big way. Not just by having an affair. But because of who that affair was with. And it wasn’t just sex. She really did love him. She loved both men and wished that somehow they could… was she really thinking about the possibility of a throuple? Or an open marriage? Poly? When had those possibilities suddenly become reasonable answers rather than just ending the affair and going to counseling?

Rachel took a slow drink of her beer and sat back, her breasts bouncing freely. “I’m sorry Harry. I’m so sorry.” She sighed. “And… doing this on your birthday. It’s even worse. I’m such a bitch.”

Harry leaned forward, “No Rach. No. You’re not.” He put down his bottle on the coffee table. “This… all of this… it’s not just one person’s fault. And if you’re a bitch then I’m a bastard. I betrayed my best friend. I fucked his wife.” He was shaking his head and putting his face in his hands. “This is… has been… shit it’s been so great. Fuck Rachel. I’ve never wanted anyone like I’ve wanted you. I love you. And I’m not saying that to try to change your mind or anything. It’s just the truth.”

He pulled at his hair as he slumped back. “We’ve fucked this up so bad. It would have been bad enough if it was just some random hook up that weekend but…”

“It wasn’t.” Rachel said softly, looking over at Harry and wishing she could comfort him. But she was the cause of this pain. And going to him would just further cement her treachery. This had to end. She needed to get things right with Kevin. The man she married. The man she committed to.

“I know.” He let out a slow breath. “It wasn’t for me either. None of it was. But… I get it. I love Kevin too. He’s my best friend. My brother. And… what I’ve done to him… I wouldn’t hold it against him if he wanted to castrate me.”

“Taht would be a waste of a very good dick.” Rachel tried to smile.

Harry chuckled sadly. “Yeah well, maybe this dick has been too greedy. What’s that saying from the Bible? If your arm makes you sin, cut it off. Or something like that. Well…” He pointed to his semi hard penis. “Just looking at you makes this guy stir. And there’s plenty of sinful thoughts in my head even now.”

Rachel shook her head, getting up as casually as she could, trying not to let her body move and expose in a way that might make things harder for Harry. Pun intended. Her stomach cramped as she picked up her underwear, slipping them on. That had been happening more and more lately. Camps. Bloating. Nausea. Those were all things that usually happened during her period but that wasn’t supposed to happen for another week. At least if she was on schedule.

A wave of nausea hit her as she was slipping on her dress. Not the sort of nausea she’d been having, but a rush of realization. She kept the thought at bay, zipping her dress and brushing back her hair, trying to remain calm. Things were already confusing and tense. She didn’t need to add to things by needlessly suspecting something was happening when it probably wasn’t.

She turned back to Harry who had begun to dress as well. The clock on the wall showed her it was nearing ten. She’d promised Kevin she’d hurry back.

Harry slipped his shirt back on and gave a deep sigh, facing Rachel with a pained and yet resigned expression. “For what it’s worth, if things were different…” He paused. “If things were different, I’d beg you to stay.”

Rachel’s eyes began to water and she gave him the warmest smile she could manage. “I know Harry. And the fact that you aren’t is one of the many reasons I fell in love with you.” She came close and put her hands on his chest, leaning up and giving him a soft kiss. “I love you Harry Blackwell. I know I shouldn’t. We shouldn’t. But it’s the truth. Just know that you are lovable. That whatever girl finally lands you as their man is going to be one lucky woman.”

His hands wrapped around her waist gently and they pressed their foreheads together, gently swaying to the sounds of the cheers and chants outside the booth.

“It’s time for me to go home.” She whispered finally, pushing away gently.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. Go home. Give Kevin your love.”

There was a small bitter note to his words, and Rachel didn’t blame him. Even though they both knew they were doing the right thing, it still stung. Rachel bit her lip and stood quietly for one last moment looking at Harry and trying to think of something to say that would make it all better. But she was at a loss, and so finally turned and left the booth, heading home to her husband.

…

The house was quiet when Rachel got home. Kevin must have gone to bed, it was nearly eleven. She took off her heels and quietly went to the bedroom, slipping in so she wouldn’t disturb her husband. But Kevin wasn’t there.

Had he fallen asleep in the living room?

She quickly shed her dress and lingerie, hiding them in the bottom of the hamper, threw on a t-shirt and pair of panties and went back out to see if maybe Kevin had fallen asleep watching television. The living room was empty. The only other option was the office so she went and sure enough, Kevin was there. He was curled up on the floor. An empty bottle of scotch next to him.

Rachel froze in the doorway. Kevin had gotten himself black out drunk? He was always so careful when it came to drinking. Why would he…

“Whyyyy…” Kevin groaned, rolling on the floor and whimpering like a school boy with a tummy ache. “Rachel…why…”

Rachel couldn’t move. Her stomach clenched, cramps coming on again.

“Whyyyy…Harry….wh…whhh…fuck…god why…” Tears slipped down Kevin’s cheeks as a nightmare plagued him.

A nightmare that was real.

“Oh god.” Rachel gasped, taking a step back from the office and closing the door, not wanting to hear his moans of sorrow as he dreamed.

Did he know? How could he? She’d been careful…

There’s no such thing as careful when it comes to an affair. Kevin had been acting strange and especially before she left tonight, he’d seemed so sad. Distracted. Hurt.

Now she knew why. How he’d found out was irrelevant. It was clear by the fact he’d downed an entire bottle of scotch and passed out, now having nightmares that involved her and Harry. What other explanation was there?

Rachel went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine and stood sipping trying to calm her nerves. Maybe he didn’t know. It could have just been a bad night. Maybe something else was going on that Kevin was too afraid to tell her. If she was lucky, when Kevin woke up he wouldn’t even remember the nightmares. Getting drunk often had that effect on the morning after. Loss of memory. Hazy recollection. Kevin could wake up and just be grouchy and hungover and she could nurse him to health and then sit down and find out what was wrong.

This could all just be a coincidence.

Rachel had only taken a few sips of her wine as her mind was reeling when the cramps and nausea hit again. She stumbled to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she began to throw up.

She heaved and her whole body shook, breaking out in a cold sweat.

No. Nonono. She muttered between gasping bouts of nausea.

No! It’s impossible. I… it… no just no!

But what other reason could there be?

Food poisoning? Was she sick? A virus. Maybe cancer?

Rachel grasped the toilet bowl tightly as the nausea began to fade, though the feeling of her stomach cramping was a constant reminder that something was wrong.

And as much as she tried to fight it… she suspected she knew just exactly what was wrong.

When she was able to sit up, Rachel rummaged through the cabinet below the sink and pulled out a pregnancy test. She’d bought them because she and Kevin had been talking about a family. So she wanted to be prepared.

She slipped out of her dress and lingerie, not bothering to throw them in the hamper. Naked and shivering, she sat down and peed on the stick, then set a timer on her phone and sat in the cool of the bathroom waiting to know her fate.

…

Kevin’s head was throbbing. Getting up off the floor was like crawling out of the pits of hell. Everything hurt. His stomach clenched painfully and bile rose up in his throat. Stumbling out of the office, he made it to the bathroom just as the acid in his stomach burst out and spewed into the porcelain bowl. He choked and wretched. Images plaguing him of his wife in the arms of his best friend. How it looked to see her in ecstasy. Hearing her say she loved him.

He clung tightly to the toilet, emptying what little there was in his stomach until finally collapsing to the floor. Breaths came weak, shallow, and the room spun. It was several minutes before finally things became still again and the cold sweat on his skin cooled.

When he finally pulled himself up, Kevin splashed cold water on his face, cupped his hands to take a drink and sooth his sore throat. Toweling off his face, he shuffled out into the kitchen to grab something to calm his stomach when he noticed Rachel sitting at the dining table with a cup of tea. She turned, her eyes wide and somewhat red.

“Are you okay?” Her voice was meek, strained.

Kevin slumped against the wall. “No.” He said simply.

She looked pale. The tea in front of her smelled of lemon and ginger. She sipped it slowly, eyes downcast as the silence in the house stretched further and further.

“Kevin…”

“I know about Harry.”

They spoke at the same time. Rachel shook, putting down her mug carefully as her eyes became watery. “H…how…”

“Does it matter?” His voice was bitter and he felt bile come up again.

The shake of her head was barely perceptible. “Guess not.”

He slumped down the wall until he was on the floor, head against his knees trying to stave off another wave of nausea.

Rachel folded her hands in her lap and began to sob quietly.

Kevin scrubbed his hands through his hair. Hearing his wife’s sobs broke him even further. He wanted to jump up and wrap her in a hug, tell her it was going to be okay. But he couldn’t.

Did she even want him to? She had been screaming how she’d loved Harry just hours ago. Maybe she wanted him.

“Do… do you want me to… do you want to leave…” Kevin stammered, not sure exactly what he was trying to ask.

Rachel looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks and her voice cracking in sorrow. “No! God NO!” She nearly fell out of her chair as she crawled over to Kevin and took his face in her hands. “I love you. Kevin, I'm so sorry. I… no I don’t want you to leave…”

“But you love him.” Admitting it hollowed him out. Saying it out loud made it even more real and the fact that her eyes widened and all the blood left her face made it all the more true.

“I… Kevin…I…”

“You do. Don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

She collapsed to the floor crying. “Yes. Oh god I’m so sorry Kevin. I… I do love him. But… it’s over. I swear. Tonight… it was the last night. I was coming home to you. Ending things.”

Kevin thumped the back of his head against the wall. “Rachel… why… how long?”

So many questions. And he wasn’t really sure he wanted any of them answered.

Pulling herself up out of the fetal position she’d collapsed into, she crawled over and slumped next to him, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. “Since the conference.”

Kevin nodded. That made sense. Things had been strange since then. He just hadn’t noticed and when he finally did, he tried to ignore it until it was impossible. His head fell back and he stared at the ceiling hoping for something to fall on him and end his misery.

“K…Kevin… I swear… I didn’t mean… it just… please understand… we weren’t trying to hurt you. We knew it was wrong. And… and tonight I went to end it.”

“One last fuck.” Kevin muttered and Rachel cringed.

“I… I’m sorry. But… I told him it was over. I came home to you.” She hesitated and began to sob again. “Kevin… there’s… you need to know…”

“What else could there be to know?” He chuckled mirthlessly.

 Rachel held herself tighter, biting her lip painfully until she tasted blood.

“I’m pregnant.”

…

Kevin sat at the end of the bed, his back to where Rachel lay sleeping. The soft rhythm of her breath was calming. There’d been so many tears earlier that they’d exhausted themselves and they’d shuffled off to bed completely spent.

He’d lay beside his wife, hand on her hip as she fell into an exhausted sleep. The look of blissful peace on her face was enough to break Kevin’s heart even further. It was just shards now. Little pieces of glass that were flowing through his blood and puncturing every artery. His whole life was bleeding out. Everything he’d worked for and built. His marriage. The possibility of a family. All of it was twisted and broken.

Rachel stretched out under the covers groaning softly, letting out a whimper. He watched her as the blanket slid off down around her legs exposing her stomach. How long before it would begin to swell?

A shudder of anxiety and pain swept through Kevin. He reached out, hand trembling and touched his wife’s ankle over the blanket, squeezing gently to try and reassure her of his presence.

He still wondered if she wanted him to. She’d begged him to stay. That she didn’t want him to leave and she didn’t want to leave. But could he believe her? Rachel had been lying for the better part of a couple months. And now she was pregnant.

Was it his?

Harry’s?

Did she know?

He squeezed her ankle again.

“Kevin?” Rachel’s eyes fluttered open, her hand reaching out and covering his as he kept a hold on her.

His eyes filled with tears but he held them back. “I’m here.” It came out raspy.

Her hand gripped his and pulled. Kevin didn’t have it in him to resist. He moved up and lay next to Rachel, his hand circling her waist as she cuddled into the crook of his neck. “You’re still here.” She muttered against his chest.

“Of course I am.” Though even he wasn’t exactly sure why. Most other men probably would have left. Storming out once they found out their wife was screwing some other guy. Or maybe they’d scream and shout and call his wife names. Throw her out onto the street. Tell her to go back to her fuck buddy and stay the hell away from him.

But Kevin loved her. He loved his wife. She’d cheated. Had an affair. And it was more than just a physical thing. She’d fallen in love. But that love hadn’t been enough to leave him. She’d stayed.

If she was telling the truth, she’d meant to end things with Harry. To possibly even confess the whole affair. To work things out. But now it was far more complicated than just infidelity. She was pregnant. And there were two possibilities.

It could either be Kevin’s baby and they were going to have a family like they’d been talking about. Or it was Harry’s…

Which meant… what?

If the baby turned out to be his best friend’s, would Kevin leave? Or should he stay and take care of his wife, even though the baby she was going to have wasn’t his.

Maybe Rachel would go to Harry. Kevin knew his friend was a respectable person, present situation excluded. He’d step up to take care of Rachel and the baby without hesitation.

There were so many decisions to make. But ultimately, the big ones would be made by Rachel. Whether she wanted to keep the baby. Who she wanted to be with regardless. And if he or Harry wanted to see things through.

A soft touch pulled Kevin back from his spiralling thoughts. The feeling of Rachel’s lips against his skin. His chest. Another soft press of her lips, her hands wrapping around and clinging to his back.

“Don’t leave.” Her voice was a gentle caress against him as she kissed again and moved up to his neck. “Never leave.”

Tears escaped down his cheeks as he looked down at her and she moved quickly, lips crashing against his firmly and hungry.

“Rachel…” He muttered against her mouth.

Her nails dug into his back and her leg wrapped around his hip. “I love you.” She moaned, a hand moved down between them pressing against his cock under the thin cotton of his boxers. She gripped him, caressing him to life despite all the turmoil he was experiencing.

“I love you too.” He sobbed, their kiss mixing with tears that were falling from both of their eyes. Their bodies moved against each other, their touches becoming more and more fevered and desperate.

Rachel pulled Kevin’s cock out, stroking him faster as she pushed against him, lifting her leg up and guiding him towards her opening. Kevin pulled her panties aside, his head pressing against her clit and feeling the burning warmth of her pussy and soft pubic hair. He groaned against her lips, her teeth snapping against him unwilling to let him escape.

They fit together, his length sliding into her core making her whimper, pressing her chest more firmly against him. “Yes.” She whispered. “Yes. Kevin… yes…”

He began thrusting, feeling her slick folds sliding along his shaft. She was tight. Burning. Familiar. But Kevin couldn’t help wondering if maybe she was different. Different inside from having Harry. Of course he knew that wasn’t what actually happened. Harry’s cock hadn’t changed her in any way. Not physically. But still, he couldn’t help thinking about how Harry stretched her and how that compared to what he did to Rachel.

Was it good? Good enough? Better? Worse?

Even as all those thoughts swirled and swarmed like an agitated hive of bees, he kept his deep and firm rhythm. His cock thrust into his wife, a part of him wanting to reclaim her. Wondering if maybe he came inside her enough, thrust deep enough, it would ensure the baby was his.

His mind was awash with stupid thoughts. Illogical ideas. Desperate want. He gripped hold of Rachel’s ass and pulled her closer, pushing inside deeper making her moan. Her back arched and she clawed at his arms.

“Kevin…oh god don’t stop. Please. Please!”

He started thrusting faster. Feeling the intense build up of desire. The heat of Rachel’s body was pouring off, becoming slick with sweat as she rubbed against him, humping her hips into his pounding thrusts.

“I want you. Please baby. I want you!” Rachel was begging, squeezing his cock as Kevin felt the buildup of cum in his balls, slapping against her ass.

“Rach…oh fuck… I’m gonna…”

“Cum in me! Please honey! Cum inside me!”

It didn’t matter if he did or didn’t. She was already pregnant. There was no risk. No changing what already was. He heard her need and couldn’t help thinking she had probably begged Harry to do the same.

Somehow that thought, that she’d begged his best friend to fill her up, shoved Kevin over the edge and he began to shoot inside. He gasped at the strain, the sudden spasming of muscles and tension in his core as he released deep deep into her.

Rachel’s orgasm followed a second after as she felt his warm seed coating every corner of her tunnel. “Oh fuck! Fuck Kevin yes please, please!”

They bucked against each other, riding their orgasms until they collapsed, laying still against each other clinging tight like they were about to fall off a cliff. Rachel began to sob softly, curling close to her husband’s chest. “I’m so sorry…” She whispered.

Kevin wrapped his arms around her, his cock slowly shrinking until it slid out of her pussy, a slow stream of thick cream dripping out onto their thighs. “I know. I know, baby. Me too.” He kissed her hair, holding her tighter.

…

Kevin desperately wanted to spike his coffee. But it was better to have a clear head right now. When dealing with a marriage on the rocks and a pregnancy, lowered inhibitions and ability to make informed rational decisions was not something you wanted. He stood quietly, drinking his coffee black and looking out at the cold gray dawn as the sun burned off the night's fog.

Behind him at the dining table, Rachel had a cup of tea and was quietly talking on the phone.

“Yes, Harry.” Her words were soft, strained. “He knows.”

“I’m okay.”

“No. Yes he’s upset but… well, there’s something else we need to discuss.” Her breath hitched, trying to hold back the sobs that kept plaguing her since last night.

“Harry… I’m pregnant.”

Kevin listened intently, coffee held halfway to his lips. There was silence. Rachel’s heavy breathing. The soft scrape of her mug against the wood of the table.

“I’m… I’m not sure. I… I’ve been with both of you in the same timeframe.”

“No, I’m not sure what I’m going to do just yet. I mean, we aren’t…” She sighed, taking a shuddering breath. “Harry, we think you should come over. We need to talk about this…”

Kevin turned from the window and met his wife’s gaze. Her eyes were redrimmed. Face a bit pale. She’d had a brief bout of morning sickness first thing when she’d woken up, hence the ginger tea.

“We can be adults about this Harry. Kevin’s… upset… and he has every right to be. With both of us. But, this isn’t something we can ignore. And we can’t run away from it. I think it’s best if we get this out in the open and figure out what we are going to do.” Rachel bit at her lip, watching her husband as he stared at her with a pained expression, but also a depth of love that she knew she didn’t deserve.

“Okay. We’ll see you soon.” She hung up and put her phone down. “He’ll be here in about an hour.”

Kevin nodded solemnly. “‘Kay.” he muttered, looking down at his coffee.

“Honey… Kevin, you’re not going to… um, I mean…” Rachel stumbled over her words as she got up, picking up her tea and coming to stand before her husband with the most contrite attitude she could muster.

“I’m not gonna kill him, if that’s what you’re asking.” Kevin sighed and then let out a strained laugh. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I kinda want to strangle him. But… of all the people in the world that you could have been running around with, Harry is probably the one person I’d have actually wanted you to do it with.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

“I know. It sounds… weird. But Harry’s a good guy. I’ve known him like half my life. He’s not a skirt chaser. And if you and him have been seeing each other, I know he’s not some abuser or duplicitous user. I know Harry would treat you… has treated you, right.” He leaned back against the counter, slumping and sipping his coffee.

Rachel gave a slow nod. “I guess… that makes some sense.” She reached out, squeezing her husband’s arm. “I want you to know, we never talked badly about you. This… we never were laughing or anything like that. There wasn’t any talk of me leaving you. Of him stealing me away. And I know you don’t really have any reason to believe me, but I don’t want us to have any secrets. This one has been more than enough and it… it may destroy us. But I’m not going to hide anything. Ask me whatever you want and I’ll tell you.”

Kevin was silent for a minute before he took a steadying breath. “Have you… have you always been having sex… without protection?”

“No.” Rachel replied simply. “Only about the last month. At first we always used condoms. But… it just sort of happened… we gave in to each other. He didn’t force me or ever try to trick me or talk me into anything. It was a mutual decision.”

He wasn’t sure that was better or worse. Hell, he wasn’t sure any answer he got was going to make anything better.

“You really don’t know… um, whose baby it could be?”

Rachel cringed. “No. I’m… I’m so sorry Kevin. I’ve been with you both. It could be yours, or his. There’s no telling unless we get a paternity test.” She held her tea tight, bridging it close to feel the heat for comfort. “As soon as we can safely do it, I’ll get the test done.”

Kevin was quiet, considering the implications. What if it was his? Would that make the whole affair just go away? Could he let it go to take care of his wife and baby?

But what if it was Harry’s? What would that mean for their marriage? Could Kevin stick with Rachel and raise another man’s child? What if Harry wanted to be a part of the child’s life? Sued for parental rights?

There were so many pitfalls. So many ways that things could go. And they all had their own challenges.

“You… you want to know, right?” Rachel stepped closer.

Did he?

He put aside his mug and pulled Rachel into a tight hug, remaining silent.

…

Harry knocked at the door an hour later.

The second the door opened, Kevin punched his best friend in the stomach and then once on the cheek, making him stumble and slump against the wall.

“Kevin!” Rachel screamed, rushing forward.

Harry held up a hand to stop her in the door. “N…no…it’s…it’s okay.” He panted, the wind knocked out of him. Honestly he knew Kevin could have hit him a lot harder and continued to do so rather than just settling for a couple of quick hits.

“I deserved it.” It took a minute to stand up straight, arm around his stomach and cheek starting to swell slightly as he looked Kevin in the eye. “I know it won’t mean much. But I’m sorry.”

Kevin glared sharply, then let out a deep breath through his nose. “Come inside. I’ll get you some ice.” he turned quickly on his heel and left Harry and his wife to go to the kitchen. When he came back he was holding a plastic baggie of ice, handing it to Harry and then slumping into a chair across from him at the table.

Harry pressed the ice against his cheek. “Thanks.”

Rachel was sitting at the head of the table between the two men, looking nervous. She’d expected something to happen. Maybe some shouting and cursing. Kevin wasn’t a physical person. He preferred to talk his way out of trouble. When he’d thrown that first punch to Harry’s gut, she wanted to scream. And yet there was something arousing about her husband fighting for her like that. Unless he’d just hit Harry for his own gratification. She couldn’t blame him if that was the case.

The tension was like the straining wires of a bridge that was about to break. Harry looked at his friend sadly and Kevin avoided eye contract, looking off to the side at nothing.

“So…” Harry broke the silence, cringing slightly at the throb in his cheek. “I know this is… um… awkward…”

“That’s putting things lightly.” Kevin muttered.

“Right.” Harry sighed. “There’s no excuse for what I did Kevin…”

“We did.” Rachel corrected. “You can’t take the blame on this Harry. We both jumped into this, knowing full well what we were doing.”

He nodded and sat back in his chair. “I’m… Kev I’m so sorry. I know that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what I did. We did. How we treated you by meeting behind your back. Having an affair…” He looked at Rachel and his jaw tightened. “And now… this, uh, pregnancy…”

“Complicates things. Doesn’t it.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a rueful grunt.

“Yeah.” Harry cast his eyes down. “I know we all have a lot to talk about. To work out. And I’ll do whatever it is you want. If you never want to see me again, I’ll understand.”

Kevin shook his head. “Not that simple. I wish it were. But, there’s a baby in the mix now. And if it turns out it's…” The look of pain on Kevin’s face broke Rachel’s heart, making her reach out to grab her husband’s hand and squeeze it tight.

“If it’s not mine.” Kevin finally got out. “Then… we need to figure out what to do.”

Rachel bit her lip. “Kevin… I know you won’t believe this… but I don’t want to leave you. I never have.”

“She’s telling the truth.” Harry chimed in. “I swear. We never talked about… well we never really talked about you. And certainly didn’t talk about divorce or anything like that.”

“Not sure if that’s supposed to make me feel better. Then again, not sure I want you talking about me when you were fucking each other.” Kevin grumbled, making Rachel and Harry blanche at the brutal honesty of his words.

“I want to stay with you Kevin. You’re my husband. And I know I’ve fucked up. We both have. And this affair is far more than just sex. I fell for Harry. But I never wanted to leave you for him.”

“You just wanted us both.”

Rachel sighed and her shoulders fell. “Yes. I’ll admit that. I… thought I could have my cake and eat it too. It was selfish. And for that alone I know you’d have every right to want to leave. How could you trust me after what I’ve done?” She squeezed his hand tight.

“I… trust you.” Kevin sighed. “Maybe I shouldn’t. You’ve been lying. Going behind my back for the better part of two months. But… I love you. I trust you. Maybe not with Harry anymore. But I trust you.”

That was hard to admit. Kevin wanted deep down to rage against his wife and Harry. Scream at them. Curse. Spit. Shout vile obscenities at them until they cried. He didn’t want to believe that Rachel loved him while she’d been carrying on an affair with his best friend. Or that Harry actually still respected him and that he wasn’t trying to fuck over his marriage and steal his wife. But… as screwed up as the whole situation was, he could sense their sincerity. The genuine love and affection Rachel had. He’d felt it last night when they’d come together. You couldn’t fake that.

And the way Harry looked. So defeated. Waiting for the hammer to fall. The axe to cut off his head. He was resigned to his fate because he knew he deserved it and probably felt worse was warranted.

These two people who had so thoroughly hurt and devastated him, loved him and valued him even as they’d lied and betrayed him. It was the paradox of the human condition. Doing one thing and saying another. Loving someone and hurting them. They were creatures of contradiction.

Kevin put his head down on the table. “So… what do you want to do Rachel? You’re the one who’s in love with two men. You’ve got a baby to think about now. What is it that you want to happen?”

Rachel paled. “I… Kevin, I don’t… I don’t know.”

Silence fell between them. Tense. Uncertain. Full of possibilities and pain. Rachel put a hand to her belly, the other reaching out and holding Kevin’s hand like a lifeline. Harry watched her closely, ready to do anything she asked. And they sat, quiet and solemn, waiting for an answer none of them were sure they wanted to hear.