My stomach dropped as I stared at the screen for what felt like forever.

Kael: Wear something pretty tonight.

My fingers tightened around my phone, the edges biting into my palm as if that could ground me back into sense.

Tonight?

Tonight?!

We were in the same house. Same damn house.

No. No, this was insane. Absolutely insane.

Wasn't I supposed to be disgusted? I should regret everything. Right?

So why did my heart suddenly feel too loud? Why did my chest feel tight? I could swear my pussy started clenching around nothing.

Why the hell was I still thinking about him? My body betrayed me in ways I didn’t even want to think about.

I swallowed hard and shifted on the bed, dragging a hand through my hair.

Focus.

Delete the message. Ignore him. Pretend he didn’t exist downstairs with that calm, unbearable confidence of his.

Then my phone buzzed again. I froze for almost a second, then slowly looked down. It was another text message from Daddy.

No, no, no, Kael.

Kael: Don’t make Daddy wait.

“Oh my God.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Was he serious? Are we going to do this again? Though I wanted more of him. But Liam's home.

My heart hammered violently against my ribs.

I locked my phone immediately and tossed it onto the bed like touching it any longer would somehow ruin my life even more.

But it was too late for that. Way too late.

A knock suddenly landed against the bedroom door, which made me nearly jump out of my skin.

“Selena?”

Liam.

Crap.

I grabbed my phone so quickly it almost fell from my hand and shoved it beneath the pillow.

“Yeah?”

The door opened.

Liam stepped in looking exhausted.

“You okay?” he asked casually. “You disappeared after dinner.”

“Oh.” I forced a laugh that sounded painfully fake even to my own ears.

“I'm just tired.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. “Today’s been exhausting.”

Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten. Weeks ago, I probably would've asked more questions.

Weeks ago, maybe he would've noticed I looked completely out of my mind.

But now?

Nothing.

He barely even looked at me. He walked past me toward the dresser.

“I still can’t believe the flight got cancelled,” he sighed. “Waste of time.”

I nodded quietly. My thoughts were nowhere near flights, airports, or whatever Liam was saying at that moment.

My thoughts were downstairs. On Kael. On....Fuck. Shame burned through me but it only made my clit throb harder.

My breath hitched. My nipples strained against the thin fabric, aching to be touched again. I could feel my pussy lips swelling,slick and ready. Clit pulsing with every heartbeat.

But still I couldn't even breathe properly.

Liam disappeared into the bathroom. The second the shower turned on.

I grabbed my phone. I stared at the messages that were still waiting.

Then immediately locked my screen again.

No. I can't...I ...arrgh.

Yeah, I'm not leaving this room.

I pulled the blanket tighter around myself and forced my eyes shut.

Minutes later, Liam came back in, towel around his neck, moving casually as he changed clothes like nothing in the world was wrong.

Like I wasn’t one thought away from falling apart.

Then suddenly, he paused. My breath caught almost immediately. Then I saw him bend beside the bed and pick something up.

My blood ran cold.

A tie.

He frowned and turned it over in his hand as he studied it. Then looked at me.

“Selena…”

My pulse stopped.

His brows furrowed slightly.

“This tie isn’t mine.”