“Okay.”
Chapter 3
My phone rang out of nowhere.
It was Jamie.
“Rachel, where are you?”
“There’s something weird Brandon just called, asking if you were at my place.”
“I told him you were sleeping, so he didn’t push it. But did something happen between you two?”
“No.
“Oh… okay, good then-”
“He cheated.”
There was a beat of stunned silence.
„Wait, what?!”
Jamie’s voice shot up in disbelief. She went quiet for a moment, then came back, urgent and panicked.
“Rachel where are you now?”
“I’m outside. Downstairs. My place.”
“You didn’t go home? Where’s Brandon?”
I looked up at the lit windows of my apartment.
His apartment, technically.
Bright and warm, like everything was normal.
Upstairs?
Dark
Empty.
I forced a bitter smile, my heart twisting.
“He brought his mistress home tonight‘
“I can’t back there, Jamie.”
Jamie was terrified I’d do something stupid. She begged me to stay put, said she’d be there in ten minutes.
1 checked the time.
“I just need to drop something off upstairs. I’ll meet you at the gate later.”
“Rachel, no–please. I’m begging you. Don’t go up there. If you really have to, wait for me!‘
I knew she was worried I’d fall apart the moment I saw it for myself.
But then I looked down at what I was holding
A keychain
Found in Brandon’s car, tucked halfway u
She wanted me to find it.
She wanted me to see her.
So how could I waste her efforts?
under the floor mat,
I turned on my phone camera before I unlocked the apartment door.
Clothes were scattered all across the living room floor.
Bra. Shirt. Pants. Underwear
The kind of mess only lust could make.
From the bathroom came a syrupy–soft voice.
“Bran, can we use your bed this time?”
Their silhouettes were pressed together behind the frosted glass, tangled in each other.
He besitated.
“That’ll be a mess. Next time she’s out of town, okay?”
“Oh my god, you won’t even give me that? And you say you like me…”
She didn’t finish her whine–he shut her up with a kiss.
I walked around the apartment with my camera still recording.
The piano in the study had its cover open.
The lingerie–not mine was tossed across the top.
There were smudges of something wet on the keys.
I headed into the bedroom.
The nightstand drawer was left ajar, half a box of condoms torn open inside.
Bile rose up in my throat.
I clenched my jaw and reached into my bag for a needle and thread.
Fine
If he liked playing games so much
Let him play all the way.
I pierced tiny holes in the remaining condoms
Let him live dangerously
Finally, the bathroom door opened.
Steam billowed out
Brandon walked out carrying her in his arms, towel around her, wet hair dripping against his chest.
Then he saw me.
And froze.
The girl screamed, scrambling to bury herself deeper in his embrace.
I walked right up to him.
His face still the chiseled jawline, dark lashes, damp hair clinging to his forehead–held the sharp, cool handsomeness I’d once found irresistible
But now? There was panic In those eyes. The kind he’d never shown before,
“Rachel, I
I cut him off. Looked straight at the girl clinging to his chest.
“Ashley Monroe. Hooking up in someone else’s home. Must be so exciting, huh?”
She clutched the towel tighter, cheeks burning pink as she tried to disappear into him.
Brandon tightened his lips.
“This has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.”
I gave him a slow once–over, eyes lingering on his very naked chest.
Then I smiled coldly.
“Well, put some damn clothes on, Counselor Carter.”
Ignoring the storm cloud forming on his face, I tossed the keychain straight at Ashley, my chest tight with rage, and walked out.
