Gwen Maxwell.

I can’t believe the nerve of that prick.

Parading his would-be mistress around in front of his wife.

The pain searing through me is similar to the first time Vaughn informed me he was going to share what I thought was sacred between us with another man. I was devastated. Furious even. But when I balked at his request, I’d learned who the strong one was in our relationship. Vaughn brought me to my knees that night with the back of his hand. And through my tears and not-so-silent begging, I’d pleaded for Vaughn to wake up and see what he was doing to me. To us. In one single night, he tore the hard-earned love from my heart and replaced it with something dark and sick.

“You’re a quiet one,” Sadie, the attractive blonde woman, murmurs as she grabs my now empty dinner plate. “Want to help me in the kitchen?”

I’m eager to escape the dining room where their child babbles about cartoons I know nothing about, and Gray’s wife stares at me as if I’m something rotten. She’d been all smiles until I couldn’t bring myself to shake her hand. How does one shake the hand of another woman when moments before she was lusting after her husband?

Bile creeps up my throat, and I wish I had more wine to wash it down with. Thankfully, once in the kitchen, Sadie seems to sense my stress levels. She pulls a bottle of rum from the cabinet and pours some into a coffee mug. Then, she starts the Keurig. Hot coffee pours into the mug along with the liquor. We’re quiet as it fills. Once it’s done, she pushes it along the counter to me.

“You like Gray,” she says softly.

Usually, I like a sprinkle of sugar in my coffee but tonight I’m after the numbing liquid that will have to suffice as a substitute. “He’s my boss,” I murmur as politely as I can manage despite the fury raging inside of me. And I don’t like him. Not at all. Especially now.

“He doesn’t bring women around. Ever. So you must be special,” she tells me and offers me a small smile.

I clench my jaw and try desperately not to say anything I’ll regret tomorrow. “I don’t feel very special. I feel horrible and embarrassed. Poor Gwen.” Even though Gwen seems to hate me, I can’t help but feel remorse for her. Her husband is a cheating asshole. There was heat and desire in his eyes. The man wanted to nail me, and had I let him, he would have.

“Oh, so you know?” she questions, her brows bunching together. “Don’t you feel sorry for her?”

“Well, if I had to live with Gray, I’d feel sorry for me too,” I hiss at the seemingly nice woman. My anger is misplaced. I want to grab him by his stupid collar and shake him for leading me on.

“He’s not so bad,” Sadie teases. “Even if he is a bit of a neat freak. I think that’s what bothers Gwen the most.”

I gape at her as if she’s lost her mind. Neatness is Gwen’s problem with her husband? What about his eager dick? The damn thing was hard for me.

“You girls having fun without me?” Gwen questions in a cool tone behind us. We both jerk around to stare at the small woman. Sadie glances at me and guilt shines in her eyes.

“I’m not feeling so well,” I tell them both as I abandon the steaming mug of hot spiked coffee. “I think I’ll catch a cab home.”

Gwen narrows her eyes at me. “I could have sworn you rode in with Gray. Is he not taking you home?”

Swallowing, I shake my head. “Nope.”

At this, she scowls. “Well then I’m taking you home.”

Before I can argue, she stomps into the dining room and announces it to the two men. I can hear her and Grayson arguing in hissed tones. Sadie simply offers me a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well,” Sadie says and pats my hand. “Please come over again.”

I nod that I will as I snag my coat from the hook. The voices in the dining room grow louder, and I slip out the front door to escape them. Moments later, Gwen comes clomping down the steps and hits the fob, making the lights on a red Camaro light up. When I steal a look at the house, Gray stands in the doorway with his arms crossed over his massive chest. He’s pissed yet he has no right to be. If it weren’t for not wanting to cause a scene, I’d run right over there and give him a piece of my mind.

Gwen and I don’t speak aside from me pointing her in the direction of my building. When she pulls up in front of it not twenty minutes later, she turns off her car. I reach for the door handle but she touches my arm to stop me. Turning, I meet her gaze and fear for a moment that she’ll slap me for something I didn’t do.

“I’m sorry,” she says and bites on her bottom lip. The move makes her seem young, childlike almost.

“About what?”

“About getting off on the wrong foot. I was being grumpy and that wasn’t fair. He sort of blindsided me by inviting you. Work associate my ass,” she grumbles but waves me off when I start to speak. “Clearly, I love him. I just want him to be happy. I wish he would have told me about you—that he was dating you—”

“We’re not dating,” I argue.

“Fucking. Whatever. What I’m saying is—”

“We’re not fucking!” I screech, horrified to even be having this conversation.

She laughs and that confuses me. “Down girl. All I’m saying is that if he likes you, then I want him to do what makes him happy.”

I gape at her, my mind attempting to process her words before I snap out of it.

“Whatever kind of sick relationship you two have is your business. In two weeks, I’ll be out of your lives. I’m sorry I almost got involved in the middle of your…your…your whatever it is. Goodbye, Gwen,” I blurt before stepping out of the car and bolting to the building.

The car door slams and she shouts after me. “Violet! Wait!”

Ignoring the crazy woman, I rush into my building. I catch sight of a man leering from the shadows and I stop dead in my tracks.

Vaughn?

Panic slices through me, and I let out a garbled sob as I inch backward toward the door. I nearly knock down Gwen in the process.

“Stay away from me!” I screech at the man hiding in the shadows.

When he emerges, I flinch and cover my face with my hands. No! No! No! Gwen makes what sounds like a battle cry. Then, some man starts yelling. “My eyes! You bitch!”

I jerk my gaze to see that now the man has fully come out of the shadows. It’s not Vaughn. Just one of the usual lecherous men who hang around these parts. She grabs my elbow and ushers me into the stairwell. Once the door closes behind us, she urges me up the steps quickly.

“What just happened?” she demands when we get to the first landing.

“Third floor,” I croak and point up. “I thought he was…I thought he was someone else.”

“Grayson?”

I blink at her in confusion. “No.” It won’t hurt to tell her. “I thought it was my ex. His name is Vaughn.”

Understanding flashes in her bright blue eyes as she helps me to the third floor. My knees are wobbling, and I’m shaken up badly. She tugs my jangling keys from my grip when I can’t seem to fit the key into the slot. Once we step inside, I hastily snap all of the bolt locks in place. Her wide blue eyes are staring at me as if I’m an injured animal that might bite the person trying to help them.

“Is this Vaughn character stalking you?” she questions, concern painting her pretty features. I want to hate her, but right now she’s the only person I’ve got.

“No. I just…” I trail off and a shudder ripples through me. “I thought he might have found me, and it’s been stressing me out. I’m sure it’s all in my head. He can’t know where I am. I’ve made sure.”

Her eyes flit around the dumpy apartment as she comprehends my meaning. “Can I make you something to drink?”

Tears well in my eyes as I regard her. Hours ago her husband was on my couch making himself at home. Now, she’s in here, offering to serve me as if I’m her guest and not the other way around.

“Vodka. Freezer,” I clip out.

She nods and disappears into the kitchen while I plop down on my sofa. The afghan on the back was one my therapist made for me. I jerk it around me and attempt to warm up. I’m shaking from the inside out. When she returns, she has two glasses filled with what looks like ice water. I know better. I can smell that gasoline from a mile away.

“Thirsty?” Her eyes flicker with a slight wickedness as she hands me my glass.

I sip my vodka on the rocks and make a face. But the fire running down my throat instantly warms me. “I’m sorry about all of this.” I wonder if she can smell her husband’s scent lingering in my apartment. I can and I’m annoyed that I still like the smell.

“So you’re having a bad day,” she says with a laugh and plops down beside me like we’re best friends. “I have them often.” Her eyes darken and she looks away from me. Guilt surges through me. I wonder how many other women Gray has been with while married to this woman. There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s beautiful and feisty. Why would he step out on her?

“Why do you stay with him?” I ask, my throat suddenly choking up.

Confusion swims in her eyes. “With Grayson?”

I nod and her gaze softens.

“Because I love him,” she says as if that’s enough reason. “And because I don’t cope well on my own.”

“Cope?”

“When I was a kid, I suffered from kidney issues. My left kidney was dying and trying to poison me in the process.” We both eye the alcohol in her hand and she sets it down on the table. “I’m not supposed to drink that.” She laughs and tears shine in her eyes. “There are a lot of things I’m not supposed to do now. But I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Gray.” Pure love is reflected in her gaze.

“That’s why you put up with his…” I can’t even say the word.

“Shenanigans?” Another laugh from her.

I chug the vodka while she composes herself.

“Slow down there, killer, or I’ll be cleaning up vomit. My brother would have a fit if I got his girlfriend shit-faced.” She snorts and steals the glass from me. The room spins as I gape at her.

“Wait. What?”

Her lips quirk up on one side and she reminds me of a certain crazy man who’s recently decided to disrupt my entire life. “Grayson’s my older brother. I was the ‘oops’ baby my parents had fifteen years later.”

I’m so stunned, I have no words to say.

Brother.

Brother.

I’ve made a fool out of myself because I thought Gwen was his wife.

“Oh my God…” I groan and clutch my stomach that truly is roiling. “But you were so mad at me.”

“You were eyeing me like I was a venomous snake!” she argues with a giggle and swats my thigh. Warmth shoots through me. My friend Lisa from high school used to be that way. A knee slapper is what we called her.

“Because I thought Gray brought me on a date to meet his wife!”

This sends her into a fit of laughter that has her doubled over. Once I make sense of the stupidity of it all, I start laughing too. Then we’re both trying to talk with tears streaming down our cheeks.

“You h-h-had the bitch look!”

“You were s-so p-pretty and I thought you were his wife!”

“I thought my brother found himself a mega bitch!”

“I thought I was going to have to castrate him in front of his wife!”

We’re both laughing so hard when someone pounds on the door. We ignore it at first, but when the pounding gets louder, we both fall silent.

“You stay there,” she instructs as she fumbles for her keys. She holds up a can of mace that’s on her key ring as she starts toward the door. Must have been what she got that creepy dude downstairs with. Suddenly, I want to hug this girl and never let her go.

When she stands on her toes and peeks out the peephole on the door, she lets out a snort. “Oh, God. Do you want to talk to him?”

“Why are you here, Gwen?” he growls from the other side.

She looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Consoling your girlfriend. You hurt her feelings.”

“I’m not his girlfriend,” I hiss but she just winks at me.

“I don’t know what the hell happened,” he roars from the other side. “One minute everyone is hunky-fucking-dory and the next my baby sister runs off with my…” Silence falls, and Gwen and I seem to be holding our breath.

“Violet,” he finally says with a huff.

“Your Violet?” Gwen challenges with an arched brow my way.

I shake my head at her. “I’m not his.” But warmth spreads throughout my body by that notion.

“Let me in so I can make sure she’s okay,” he pleads.

Something in the vulnerable way he says it has me chewing on my lip and nodding. As soon as she unlocks the last bolt, he pushes through the door past her and drops to the sofa beside me. His icy blue eyes seem to swirl with hurt and concern. It causes my heart to flutter. Stupid heart. His warm hand envelops mine and he squeezes.

“Everything okay?” His voice is husky and raw.

“Yeah.”

“What happened?”

Gwen tosses her keys back in her purse. “A miscommunication.”

Gray frowns at me but doesn’t press the issue any further. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve just had a long day. Truly. You two should go. I appreciate the…” I stall because I don’t know what to call this intense pair.

“In the real world, they call it friendship. Glad we became friends,” Gwen chirps, wearing the same shit-eating grin her brother wore earlier today when he made a declaration of friendship as well.

My eyes dart to Gray’s, and he’s smirking at me. “We’ll leave but get yourself to bed early.”

“So it’s not just me he bosses around,” Gwen says behind him.

He flips her off but his eyes never leave mine. I like the way they wash over me. Assessing my emotions. It’s nice to be someone’s focus.

“I’ll call you and check up on you tomorrow,” he says finally. I can hear the reluctance in his voice, but he stands anyway.

Gwen walks over to me and hugs me. “Talk soon, friend.” Her smile widens. “I’ll get your digits from my brother.”

Grayson ruffles her hair and then proceeds to poke at her until she makes her way to the door. Now that I’m not freaking out over her being his wife, they’re actually a cute pair of siblings.

“She’s a stalker,” he mouths to me. “You’re going to have to block her.”

She punches him in the arm but wears a smile that she regards me with. “Don’t forget to lock up, Vi.”

I give them a wave and follow them to the door. Grayson gives me a long penetrating stare before mouthing the word “bye” and stalking after his sister.

Two friends in one day.

It only took seven years to make all two of them.