Page 87 of Dirty Little Mistake

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. I stood frozen, my gaze locked on him, mind reeling as I tried to process his words. "You think?" The question came out strangled, disbelief coloring every syllable.

He winced, his shoulders hunching as if bracing for a physical blow. "I got really drunk and..."

My fingers curled into fists at my sides, nails biting into my palms. "And what, Owen?" The words hissed out between clenched teeth. "What happened?"

"And when I woke up, I was in bed with someone else. Naked. But I don't remember anything."

My voice came out barely above a whisper, confusion etched in every syllable. "You cheated on me?"

Owen's shoulders slumped, his eyes unable to meet mine. "I'm so sorry, Cam." He ran a hand over his face as if trying to wipe away his guilt. "I swear I didn't want to hurt you. I don't remember anything. I was so trashed."

The words burst from me in a rush, hot anger coloring my cheeks. "Who? Who did you cheat on me with?"

Owen shook his head, his eyes darting everywhere but my face. "It doesn't matter."

Realization hit me like a punch to the gut. My eyes widened, my voice dropping to a horrified whisper. "Oh my fucking god, it's someone I know."

He reached out, his fingers grasping at the air as I jerked away. I threw up my hands, creating a barrier between us. "Do not touch me." I paused for a minute, trying to collect my racing thoughts. "You know you're right. We probably should have just stayed friends, but you should have just talked to me. Instead, you cheated on me."

"I know," he said. "I'm so sorry."

I took another step back. "I need some time to process this. I don't want to fight and ruin the wedding, so I just need you to give me some space, please."

I didn't wait for him to respond. I turned and stormed away, bolting back to the house. It was such a weird mixture of feeling coursing through me like a wildfire. I was hurt, but I wasn't devastated. I was upset, but I wasn't furious.

"Hey."

My head snapped up at the sound of Trystan's voice. The tall, lean man stood in the kitchen doorway, wearing a black fitted tee and dark ripped jeans. "I need..."

I barreled past him, my vision blurred with unshed tears. "Not now."

Trystan's brows pulled together as he rushed forward, one hand outstretched, stopping me. "What's wrong?"

I threw out my hand, palm facing him like a stop sign. My voice cracked as I pleaded, "Please, not now."

Trystan sucked in a deep breath, his nod slow and hesitant.

I stormed off, my footsteps echoing through the house like an angry thunderstorm. The slam of my bedroom door vibrated through the walls, a final punctuation to the chaos of the evening.

Inside, I leaned against the closed door, sliding down until I hit the floor. My mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, each vying for dominance. I needed solitude, a chance to untangle this mess of thoughts and feelings before I could face anyone again.

Chapter 42

Trystan

The hurt blazing in her eyes nearly stole my breath. She faltered when she saw me standing in the doorway, her shoulders stiffening. For a heartbeat, we stood frozen—her trembling, me blocking her escape route. She'd made it clear she wasn't in the mood for me right now, so I stepped aside, pressing my back against the cool wall, and she hurried past me.

Something moved in my peripheral view, and my gaze snapped over to see Owen walk in the same door Cam did moments ago.

"What the fuck did you do?" The tile was cold against my feet as I stepped into his space, close enough to count his breaths. "Did you fucking hurt her?"

The corner of his mouth lifted in that familiar smirk, the one that had always made my fists itch. "Aren't you a massive fucking hypocrite?" His words hung between us like smoke. "Funny thing about history—" he adjusted his shirt with deliberate slowness, "—is how quickly people forget their part in it." My hands twitched at my sides, and he noticed, lips curling."But no worries, bro. She's all yours now." He spat the last word like poison.

My vision tunneled, edges burning red. Each word he spoke hammered against my skull until my knuckles found his jaw, the impact jarring up my arm.

He flew back, his hands flying up to protect his face as he slammed into the ground. He wasn't expecting it. "What the fuck?"

"I never lost her." I leaned in, letting each word fall like a stone between us. "She was always mine. That's why you did whatever you did to hurt her. And if you crossed a line..." I let the threat hang unfinished.

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