Page 19 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

"What the hell am I doing?" I groan, the weight of my impulsive decision pressing down on me. This is crazy.

I pour another glass, the Chardonnay swirling in the bottle before filling my glass again. The familiar taste of wine doesn't do much to calm my nerves, but I drink anyway.

By the time I finally drag myself to bed, I’m filled with anxiety and a little buzzed from the wine. My phone pings just as I'm about to turn off the light. It's Liam.

Liam: We’ll meet you at our office tomorrow morning. We've come to a decision.

My heart races at his words, my pulse quickening with anxiety and anticipation. Great. Now I'll spend the entire night imagining all the ways this could go wrong, the scenarios playing out in my mind like a never-ending reel. I toss and turn, my thoughts a tangled mess of what-ifs and worst-case outcomes.

It’s impossible to fall asleep with all this chaos in my head, so I pull out my laptop and try to distract myself with some work. But every time I look at my sketches for the new property, all I see are their faces—Liam's intense blue eyes, Alex's easy grin, and James's quiet confidence.

The laptop screen blurs as my thoughts drift back to our college days. The nights we spent tangled together, lost in each other and forgetting everything else. And then, that last day when I walked away without saying goodbye.

I close the laptop with a snap, frustrated at myself for letting old feelings resurface so easily. How did things get so complicated so quickly?

10

ALEX

Bianca's already waiting when Liam and I walk into the office. The door clicks shut behind me, sealing us in this tension-filled space. She stands, wringing her hands slightly, and the air is heavy, almost suffocating.

Bianca turns to face us, eyes wide and uncertain. Before either of us can say a word, she blurts out, "Look, I know it was weird seeing me and James together, and you made it pretty clear that it bothers you."

I raise a brow at her, but before I can say anything, she keeps going.

"But, it was just a one-time thing," Bianca continues, her voice rising. "Like I said, I ran into James at a bar that night. We talked, caught up, and... it just happened."

Liam crosses his arms and scoffs, the tension between us palpable. He’s not buying it. Hell, I’m not sure I do either. But before he can say more, I step in. "Okay, let’s say we believe you. What exactly are you proposing here?"

Bianca hesitates for a moment, then takes a deep breath.

"I want to work on this project with you guys without all this... drama. If sleeping with James is an issue, then let's even the playing field." She swallows hard and continues. "If it makes things easier... I'm open to whatever makes this less complicated."

The room falls silent as her words hang in the air. Liam’s eyes narrow as he studies her, clearly not convinced yet.

"So, you're suggesting what exactly?" I ask, trying to get a clearer picture of what she’s hinting at.

She bites her lip and glances between us, her hesitation palpable. "I'm saying... if it bothers you so much that I slept with James and not you two, then maybe we should spend a night together too..."

Liam and I exchange a glance, both of us fucking speechless at Bianca's proposal. My thoughts zigzag from disbelief to anger. What the hell is she thinking?

My mouth opens, ready to unleash a tirade, but then something clicks. I start to recognize this for what it is. A chance. An opportunity for some raw, unfiltered hate sex. A way to get back at her and James in one go.

There's a shift in the air, a current of unresolved tension ready to explode. This could be the perfect storm, a way to settle old scores and maybe, just maybe, find out if there’s still something worth salvaging beneath all the layers of hurt and anger.

I look over at Liam. We both know this is uncharted territory, but hell, maybe it’s exactly what we need. The tension between us has been suffocating. If this could help us move past it, then maybe it’s worth considering.

"Fuck," I mutter under my breath, then look back at Bianca. "Alright, Bia. We’ll do it. But on one condition."

Her brows raise with surprise and relief. "What condition?"

"There are no feelings, whatsoever " I say firmly, not breaking eye contact. "This is just sex, purely transactional. Got it?"

Bianca nods slowly, taking in my words. "Got it."

"Good," I add, just to make sure she understands. "We keep it simple, no strings attached. We clear?"

She nods again, a bit more confidently this time. "Crystal."

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