Page 55 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

Liam crosses his arms over his chest, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "We were great six years ago, but we got burned then. We can’t risk it."

Bianca's expression shifts from pleading to anger in an instant. Her hands clench into fists at her sides. "So that’s it? You’re just going to throw me away because you’re scared?"

"We’re not throwing you away," Alex says gently. "We’re making a decision that’s best for all of us."

She lets out a frustrated laugh, shaking her head. "This is such bullshit."

Before any of us can respond, she stands up abruptly, her movements jerky and filled with anger.

"You know what? Screw this," she spits out, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

"Bianca, wait—" I start to say, but she cuts me off with a sharp glare.

"No, James. I’m done talking." She yanks open the door and storms out without another word.

The door slams shut behind her, the sound echoing in the silence that follows. I feel like someone punched me in the gut.

We sit in silence, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. The door she just stormed through is like a gaping wound in our collective resolve.

Alex is the first to break the silence, his voice low. "Well, that went well."

Liam shoots him a look. "You think?"

I lean back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "What happens now? Between us, I mean."

Alex shrugs. "We move on, I guess. Try to go back to how things were before she came back into our lives."

Liam scoffs. "You really think that's possible? After everything?"

A knot forms in my stomach. What if history repeats itself? What if this decision fractures us beyond repair again? "Maybe we made a mistake," I say quietly.

Both of them turn to look at me, surprise evident on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Alex asks.

I rub my temples, trying to gather my thoughts. "Maybe we should have given her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe things could have worked out."

Liam's eyes narrow. "You think we should've kept her around and risked getting hurt again?"

"I don't know," I admit. "But cutting her off like that... it feels wrong."

Alex sighs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Look, James, we did what we thought was best for all of us. Including her."

"But did we?" I challenge. "Or were we just protecting ourselves?"

Liam shakes his head, clearly frustrated. "What's done is done. Second-guessing won't change anything."

Silence falls over us again, heavier this time. The conflict in their eyes mirrors my own internal struggle.

"Maybe things just weren’t meant to be," I finally say.

Alex nods slowly, as if he's trying to convince himself as much as he's agreeing with me. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

The room is suffocating, like the walls are closing in. I need air, space—anything but this stifling tension. Without a word, I push off the couch and head for the door.

"Where are you going?" Alex's voice follows me, laced with concern.

I pause, my hand on the doorknob. "I just need to be alone right now."

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