“If I were you, I would start documenting everything.Because there are only two outcomes in this situation.You hand over all the property she wants, and your marriage survives, and she might allow you to see your family.Or you don’t give in, and you head towards divorce.You’re young.You’ll find somebody else.Someone who respects you and loves you.Someone who doesn’t stop you from meeting with your family and doesn’t kick you out of the house without your car keys and a coat.”
Our brother stiffens.“I have a son, Jake.You expect me to leave Damien?—”
“I’ll help you get full custody if she’s an unfit mother,” Jake cuts him off.“Or shared custody if she loves your son and truly looks after him.You have options, Nick.Don’t act like you don’t.The whole family is ready to stand behind you if you decide to leave.You know that.”
Nick is silent, and my heart sinks.He’s still not ready to give up on this marriage.
Stubborn bastard.
“Forget about me,” he finally says.“What’s the plan?”
Sighing, I take a turn at the intersection and focus on the road.“We’re going to have a civilized conversation.And if he’s not interested in being civilized...”I sneer at his reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Then we get creative,” Jake finishes with satisfaction.
The dive bar is exactly what I expected—sticky floors, neon signs that flicker like they’re having seizures, and the kind of clientele that makes you want to check your pockets twice before leaving.Perfect place for a cheating asshole to hang out.
I spot Tom immediately.He’s sitting in a corner booth with some blonde draped across his lap, his hands wandering places they definitely shouldn’t be wandering when you have a girlfriend.The girl’s giggling at something he’s saying, probably his same tired pickup lines.
“There’s our boy,” I murmur to Jake and Nick as we approach the bar.
“I’m going to grab a beer while you do your thing.”Nick gestures to the bar and heads over.
Jake and I survey the scene.Tom’s got that cocky musician vibe going—leather jacket, artfully messy hair, the kind of confidence that comes from never having felt the consequences of his actions.
That’s about to change.
I walk over to Tom’s table, putting on my most charming smile.The blonde looks up at me with interest, which makes Tom’s grip on her tighten possessively.
“You must be Tom.”I slide into the seat across from him.Jake doesn’t bother sitting, just watching the man silently.While Ethan and Jake may be completely opposite personalities, both have the death stare down pat.
Tom looks between the two.“Who the fuck are you two clowns?”
My grin widens as I glance at Jake.“He’s such a charmer.I wonder if his foul mouth is what Megan sees in him?”
“Megan?”Tom frowns now, stiffening.“How do you know Megan?”
I pretend to look shocked, my hand on my chest.“Oh, I’m sorry.Didn’t we introduce ourselves?We’re Megan’s older brothers.I’m Caleb.This here is Jake, and that ‘clown’ over there is Nick.Nick!”Nick looks over from the bar, and I shout over the music, “Say hi to Megan’s boyfriend!”Nick gives him a cool stare.
Tom’s face goes through several interesting color changes before settling on a sickly shade of oh-shit.“Megan’s...brothers?”
I beam at him.“Megan didn’t mention us?”
Tom swallows.“I… Well, she said she had four brothers…”
“And we’re three of them,” I say brightly.“We thought it was high time we met.I mean, Megan is always talking about you.So we were curious.”
“S-she is?”Tom stammers weakly.
My smile is pleasant.“Oh, yeah.We thought we should get to know you.I didn’t know you would have company.”I glance pointedly at the blonde perched on his lap.“And you are?”
The girl opens her mouth to answer, but Tom practically launches her off his lap, suddenly having realized the girl was still there.She nearly stumbles to the ground before righting herself.“Nobody,” he says quickly.“She’s nobody.Just a friend.”
“Just a friend who was sitting on your lap?”I keep my voice light, conversational.“That’s some friendship you have there.”
“It’s not what it looks like?—”
The blonde—who clearly isn’t nobody—looks between us with growing confusion.“Tom, who is this?”
