Page 117

“No, really. I’d just prefer watching tonight. Next time though, promise.” I shoot him an overly friendly smile with the hope that it gets him off my back and keeps him from asking me too many more questions.

Jesus, I want to leave.

I stand around watching the rest of them play. Cam and Gage rule the table for several rounds before Tyler and Naveed finally beat them. Caught up in the takedown, I lose all track of time.

Fuck.

I owed Cole another pic three minutes ago.

Hurrying to the bathroom, I carefully take a picture from a different angle this time to change things up, and fire it off.

Immediately a response comes through.

Cole:

You’re late. I’m not happy.

Me:

I’m sorry. There was a long line for the bathroom. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Me:

Daddy.

I panic and resort to lying, something I hate doing, but I’m still a little scared of Cole.

He doesn’t reply again.

Leaving the bathroom once more, I walk down the hallway, into a room I haven’t been in yet.

And the last breath I have in me is forced from my lungs.

There, on the sofa, on some random guy’s lap, is Avery.

She doesn’t notice me. Not with the way she’s giggling into the collar of his shirt. I can just hear her contagious laugh over the heavy music coming through the speakers. The guy has his arm around her waist, and my heart twists as I witness him rubbing his thumb across the expanse of bare skin between where her shirt ends and her skirt begins.

A second later, the guy pulls her in for a kiss. Witnessing this is like a punch to the gut. Movement behind the sofa pulls my attention away, and I notice Serena standing there. Her eyes are sympathetic, like she knows how much this is killing me. She taps Avery on the shoulder, stealing her attention from the guy. Serena points, and Avery finally looks in my direction.

It pains me that she doesn’t look worried or guilty that she’s just been caught making out with someone else when I was the one inside of her earlier today. I’m not shaming her. She made her stance perfectly clear. I just wish I could be enough for her. She waves, but I can’t bring myself to wave back. All I can muster is a quick, emotionless smile before taking a swig of my beer⁠—

Shit… I forgot it was only water in my cup.

Fuck. Now I really need a fucking drink.

Tearing my eyes from her, I look anywhere else.

I want to leave, but I know I can’t. I can, however, get the fuck out of this room. As quickly as possible, I head out through the sliders to the backyard. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see another text from Cole waiting for me.

Cole:

She moves fast.

I didn’t realize he was in eyeshot of what just went down. But I should know better by now. Cole’s always watching.

I don’t respond, and at this point I don’t care if that gets me punished. I could use the distraction.

It’s a little quieter in the backyard. I can still hear the music, but it gets lost in the open space without any walls for the notes to echo against. I mill around for a while, talking to several people, helping to hold others in the air while they do keg stands. I try to push Avery from my mind as much as I can and am moderately successful. So much so that I lose track of time again, and I don’t pay any attention to my phone until it vibrates.