Chapter 2

Everyone stepped off the elevator and stopped.

A lace bra. Men's boxers. A hockey jersey. Scattered across the hallway floor.

I kicked them toward the wall and pretended to be embarrassed.

Liam's mother covered her mouth to hide a smile.

She unlocked the door.

From the master bedroom came unmistakable sounds — a woman's breathless moaning, shameless and wild.

"Big boy — you're so strong — feels amazing —"

"When you're here with your wife — will you think of me?"

"Every time you see the furniture she picked out — will you remember today?"

The room froze.

Nobody moved toward the bedroom.

Nobody said a word.

I made my legs move.

I walked to the bedroom door and stopped at the threshold.

I bit down hard. I tasted blood.

"Liam. Get out here. Right now."

"Did you hear me?"

"You betray my daughter and you think you're standing there?"

My father charged toward the bedroom.

Both fists hit the door.

Just as he drew his foot back to kick it in, Liam squeezed out through the gap wrapped in a towel.

"Mr. Hayes — Mom — Dad — Marcus —"

"How did you all — why didn't anyone —"

He didn't finish. My father's fist landed on his face.

"You disgusting piece of work. Ava waited six years for you."

"Six years. Is this what she was waiting for?"

Before Liam could recover, my mother had already come back from the kitchen with a knife.

"Where is she. Where is that girl. She thinks she can touch my daughter's fiancé."

"I'll deal with her myself."

Liam tore the knife away and threw it on the floor.

"Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes — this is a misunderstanding."

"I had just planned to come home early to surprise Ava."

"I'd just gotten out of the shower when you all showed up."

My cousin Marcus had already pushed into the bedroom.

"Liam — don't you dare betray my sister."

He stopped.

The bed was made. Tight, clean, untouched-looking.

He checked every corner. No second person.

Liam's mother exhaled and spoke first.

"See? Liam would never do something like that."

"We all jumped to conclusions."

"Ava, sweetheart — next time just wait upstairs with him instead of bringing everyone up."

She picked up the jersey from the floor and threw it at her son.

"And you — watching porn on your phone. Look at this mess you made."

Liam's younger cousin jumped in.

"Honestly though — did you two already hook up and just throw your clothes everywhere without cleaning up?"

"That's a bit much, man."

Liam pulled his clothes on fast, trying to cover his tracks.

"Talk about bad luck. What kind of person gets busted watching porn in their own apartment?"

He fake-coughed, trying to steer the conversation away.

"Since everyone's here — should we go out for dinner?"

"Ava — what do you think?"