Girlfriend. They didn’t waste any time.
Jax’s gaze swept over all of us as understanding dawned on him. “Wait. Your girlfriend?”
“He fucking cheated on her,” Trystan said.
“Okay,” Jax pushed Trystan back. “Listen, this can’t happen right now. Kaia’s pregnant and already stressed about the wedding. So, all of you need to let whatever this is go for the weekend.”
He paused, his gaze flicking between Trystan and me.
“Do you understand me?”
“Yeah,” I heard myself say. “I got it.” And I did. As far as I was concerned, it was over. Cam was where she belonged.
When Jax dismissed us, I bolted down the stairs and away from the mess that I’d caused.
CHAPTER 10
HARLOW
This was exactlywhat I didn’t want to happen. I paced the floor of the bedroom as everything went quiet. The worst of it was over, I hoped, but the damage was done. I pushed open the door to the terrace and stepped out, sucking in a deep breath of fresh air.
“Holy shit,” Syn scowled, slamming the bedroom door shut. “That was wild.” She stepped onto the terrace beside me. “Not unexpected but still wild.”
“Yeah,” I forced an awkward fake smile as my gaze followed Owen storming across the pool deck, heading toward the beach. His shoulders were rigid, fists clenched at his sides, moving like a man trying to outrun his own demons.
“I can’t believe Owen cheated on Cam.”
My stomach twisted into a knot so tight I thought I might be sick. I couldn’t participate in this conversation. I couldn’t stand here and let Syn dissect the situation when I was the other half of it, the dirty secret Owen was protecting. The guilt was a living thing inside me, clawing at my ribs.
I needed air and to get out of this room.
“I... I need to go for a walk.” I bolted for the door.
“Hey,” Syn called out, but I didn’t stop, increasing my pace as I moved through the house, praying no one got in my way. My bare feet slapped against the hardwood floors, then the cool tile of the kitchen, and finally, I pushed through the back door and onto the deck.
I squinted against the morning sun, that was too bright for the catastrophe happening right now, scanning the beach until I spotted Owen.
I didn’t think. I just moved.
My feet hit the sand, and I broke into a jog.
Thankfully, the beach was empty this early. It was just Owen, me, and the seagulls flying overhead.
Owen reached the pier before I could catch up. He walked all the way to the end, gripping the railing, and bowed his head.
My lungs were burning, and my heart was hammering against my ribs by the time I reached him. Slowing my pace, I let my footsteps announce my presence.
Owen didn’t turn around as I got closer, but his shoulders tensed. I couldn’t help but wonder if he knew it was me or thought it was someone else. I stopped a few feet away from him, gripping the railing and staring out at the endless water as I tried to catch my breath.
We stood there side by side, letting the sound of the waves fill the silence.
The truth was, I really didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know why I followed him other than maybe I felt partially responsible for everything that went down in that hallway. It was me he cheated with, but he was taking all the blame.
When I finally looked at him, my chest ached. His lip was split and swollen, and blood was crusted at the corner of his mouth. A bruise was already forming along his jaw, and his knuckles were scraped raw. He looked broken.
“You okay?” The question felt stupid the second I said it. Obviously, he wasn’t okay. Nothing about any of this was okay.
Owen let out a laugh, his head still bowed. He shook his head. “No, not really.”
