Page 131 of Exes and Oh Hell No

“He immediately agreed. He didn’t even try to fight for me. For us.” Her bottom lip quivers again and she looks away.

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her against me. “I’m so sorry, Allie.”

She sags in my arms, letting me comfort her.

We remain like that for a few beats before she slowly straightens. “And then… I sawher.”

I tense.

“Her?”

She bites her lip, her gaze bouncing from me to the fire.

“Before I ended the…” Her lip quivers, and she stops, her hands clenching into fists on her lap.

She clears her throat. “A beautiful blonde came up, sliding her arms around him and leaning over his shoulder. He didn’t even flinch.” Her sorrowful eyes lock with mine. “Her touch was familiar. As though…” Her voice is a whisper. “They’ve been intimate before.”

My spine snaps straight as pure, unadulterated rage courses beneath my skin.

That bastard!

I’m gonna kill him for hurting her.

Guilt makes my chest tighten.

I’m a shitty friend.

Why didn’t I voice my concerns?

That gut feeling that something wasn’t right when he traveled for work, promising to call or text but then didn’t?

Or he’d text her when he arrived but not until after he left again?

Oh, God.

What if he’s married?

I close my eyes.

Fuck.

When I open them, my gaze lands on a large tree on the other side of the pool.

The dim lights throw shadows, but I swear, I feel like someone’s watching us.

Staring right at me.

I blink, watching as the shadow moves, disappearing behind the tree.

I open my mouth to draw Allie’s attention, but Connor’s booming voice interrupts. “Did you tell her about our kiss?”

He squats down beside Allie, who immediately scowls.

“Connor. Shut up!” she hisses, her wide eyes darting around. “One moment of weakness and?—”

“No, that’s not what that was. You kissed me because you wanted to. Because you think I’m hot.”

“Jesus.” She rubs her forehead. “Connor, it was a mistake. A chaste kiss because I was hurting. No one saw it, and only you, me, and Harper know about?—”

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