I promised her I would be here, and I won’t leave until I’ve checked on her.
Colby and I walk over to the elevator and step inside. As he puts in the code for the penthouse, I look down at my phone to see if I’ve gotten anything else from Tess, but there’s nothing. A part of me is slightly afraid for what real-life porno we’re about to walk into, but I don’t get much time to overthink it before the doors are opening.
“Surprise!” everyone shouts, scaring the shit out of me.
The room is filled with everyone I love, minus my dad and housekeeper, of course. Tessa laughs at my reaction and comes over to give me a hug.
“You’re such a bitch,” I tell her, failing at maintaining my anger. “I thought you were really upset!”
She flips her hair over her shoulder. “I know. I should be an actress.”
Asher comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. “And have to watch you kiss and grope other men for a living? Not fucking happening.”
The corners of her mouth raise as she looks up at him. “Not that kind of actress.”
“Yeah, still not happening. The only one who gets to touch you is me.”
Kellan comes over, and my grin widens. “You knew about this?”
He shrugs and pulls me into his arms. “I may have had some idea.”
“Thanks for letting me take her out,” Colby tells him, extending his hand.
My boyfriend looks at it for a second, and I jab my elbow into his stomach lightly. He rolls his eyes as he takes it.
“Don’t get used to it.”
Colby snickers. “Noted.”
I glance back and forth between the two of them, and the dream I had this morning fills my mind. It’s no secret that they’re both fucking gorgeous, and heat builds between my legs as they both stare back at me. That fantasy may never come true, but a girl can enjoy the idea.
“Lenny!” Skye slurs drunkenly. Her brown hair only goes down to a little below her shoulders, but it’s still a mess. She throws her arm around my shoulders, pulling me away from Kellan. “Have a shot with me!”
I can’t help but laugh at her. “I don’t think you need any more shots, hun.”
She scoffs. “Trust me, I do.”
Kellan and Colby watch me get led away and into the kitchen, both looking nothing but amused. As I take a shot from the bartender Tessa hired, I glance around the room, and a warmth floods through me. I don’t see how life can get any better than this.
2
CADE
I storm out of the house, slamming the door behind me. No matter how many times they call my name, I don’t care to turn back. My teal Jeep Wrangler sits in front of the house and allows me the perfect getaway. It may be old, but it’s never let me down before. I hop into the driver’s seat and peel away before anyone can stop me.
I glance in the rear-view mirror to see my mom standing on the front lawn. She watches me leave with tears in her eyes, but I don’t feel an ounce of regret. She should be sad. She should feel guilty. All of this is her fault.
This is fucking bullshit. Today was going well, until I came home and my parents told me to sit down. We have something to tell you, they said. Based on the dreaded look on my dad’s face, I knew it wasn’t anything good. My first thought was someone died, but honestly, I think this might be worse.
A divorce. They’re getting a goddamn divorce. At nineteen years old, I’ve had plenty of friends with broken families. I just never thought that mine would be one of them. Not when they’ve done nothing but love each other since the day I was born. Hell, they barely even fight. It’s not like they’re those parents who keep me up at night with their shouting at each other.
I tried to fight it, tried to get them to change their minds. What about Molly, I asked them, bringing up my little sister. She’s only ten and I know this is going to wreck her. But there was nothing I could have said to stop this, especially not when my dad dropped the bomb that changed the situation entirely.
Your mother met someone else.
Someone.
Else.
She’s throwing everything away and breaking up our family for some other guy, and yet she has the audacity to try to get me to talk to