Liv stood at the side of the dance floor, watching Owen retreat. The music was playing around her, and people laughed and danced, going on with their lives. Except, her world had fallen apart. At her doing.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing?” Gabe’s voice sounded distant, but she knew he still stood at her side, hands on his hips and breathing fire.

“I don’t know.” She watched Owen disappear outside into the extensive gardens and turned to face Gabe. He looked more pissed than maybe she’d ever seen before. Could she blame him? “I was going to tell him after the wedding—”

“You mean he actually didn’t know you were my sister? Are you fucking kidding me?” Gabe pushed his hand through his already mussed brown hair and let off a string of curse words. A passing woman tutted at him and a smile tugged at Liv’s mouth.

“This isn’t funny, Sissy.” The smile disappeared. No, it wasn’t funny. She’d well and truly screwed up everything with Owen. He would never understand. Never forgive her. A pain grew in her chest.

“What are you doing here, anyway?” Now was the opportune moment to attempt to change the subject.

Gabe grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed it in two gulps, slamming the glass back on the bewildered man’s tray.

“Daniel texted me to say I needed to see what was going on. That you were here with someone. I thought you were in trouble. Now I know all you were doing was fucking my best friend. I assume that’s what’s been happening?”

Fucking piece of shit. She ignored Gabe’s question and focused on what her ex had said. Daniel was still wrecking her life and he wasn’t a part of it any longer. The cold reality of the situation sat heavy on her heart. She’d hurt Gabe by going behind his back, and she’d hurt Owen because she thought she was in control and could handle the lie before it got out of hand.

“I’m such an idiot.”

“Yes, you fucking are.” Gabe was silent for long moments before he sighed. “Daniel was no loss. He’d always been an asshole. Owen though? He’s a good man, one of the best. Of course, now I’m going to have to beat the shit out of him and never see him again.”

“Like that’s going to happen.” Liv said under her breath.

“Yeah, well, whatever. I’m still pissed he’s anywhere near you. He knew the unwritten rules about a buddy's sisters.”

Gabe’s obvious hurt made her feel sick to the stomach. She stepped close to him and put her arms around his neck. Reluctantly, after a moment or two, he embraced her. Tears threatened to fall but she knew it would only make the situation worse.

“I’ll make this better, Gabe. I promise.”

“It’s done.”

She slowly blinked, realizing there was more truth in those two words than she could imagine.

“Come on. I’ll give you a lift home—”

“No, I need to see Owen.” She pulled back from the hug and could see the anger emanating from her brother. “I’ll be fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

After a small hesitation, Gabe nodded and turned on his heel. He disappeared in the opposite direction of Owen.

Gabe might be talking to her, but she’d hurt him—badly. He’d always said that Owen was a brother to him. She’d well and truly fucked up and she didn’t know what to do.

Moving further to the side of the dance floor, she debated following Owen outside and immediately discarded the thought. He needed space and she’d give him some.

Grabbing a glass of champagne, she sipped at it, watching the dancers glide across the floor and feeling like her future was well and truly down the toilet.

* * *

Liv felt like Cinderella, waiting for her perfect date to end and the cold, harsh reality of life without Owen to take over. She finished another glass of champagne, unsure of how many she’d already partaken in since Owen had walked off. It was helping to numb the self-inflicted pain of being with Owen, without actually being with him.

Standing at the far outer edge of the dance floor, away from the throng and watching the frivolity around her, she was oblivious to the celebrations. She didn’t care. Liv knew that was the entire truth. All this time she’d been obsessed with impressing Daniel and making him see what he'd missed out on when he didn’t marry her, she hadn’t seen that he was simply an oaf with little taste and an eye for the ladies. Her ex had never deserved her and they weren’t suited in the slightest—being with Owen had made her understand that.

Looking at the bride and groom doing the rounds of the room, she wasn’t seeing them. All that was in her mind was Owen. The way they’d made love, the gentle touch of his caress. Liv pushed down her desire for this man, steadying her erratic heart. When he looked into her eyes, he promised her the world. Why had she never noticed how invested he was in her? She’d been using him for her own gains, and right in front of her, he’d been her Prince Charming.

She had to fight for him. Had to make him see she was serious about him and their relationship. Yes, she’d fucked up. Epically. But surely she deserved a second chance, didn’t she?

Moving around a beautifully decorated table, she made her way to the balcony doors of the posh, turn of the century manor house, that Louisa’s family had hired for the reception. Owen was her focus and she had to get to him, to make him understand. Even if he still rejected her, at least she would have explained her reasons. No more lies—

“Livvy.” That one word broke through her single-mindedness and she turned to the familiar voice. Daniel stood in front of her, two flutes of champagne in his hands. Automatically he offered her one. Liv hesitated a moment before sighing and taking the glass. Her anger at him had all but disappeared and piled back onto herself. She was the moron, here. No one else was to blame.

“Why did you do that?” she asked. “All you did was hurt Gabe.”

He ignored her words. “You look beautiful, tonight.”

Liv sighed, knowing she needed to escape as soon as possible.

“Dance with me,” he said.

But she was already shaking her head. She might not be bitter toward him, but having his hands anywhere near her turned her stomach.

The refusal didn’t faze him. His smile was wide and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Daniel had been taking advantage of the new in-laws purchasing the very best liquor for their only daughter’s nuptials. He was drunk off his ass.

Silence grew between them and Liv glanced around, hoping that Owen was back in the room so she had a valid excuse to get away from this man. All Daniel seemed to want to do was watch her, lasciviously, and it was making her uncomfortable. Why had she ever thought that this was the man she wanted to marry? This average looking blond man with fake highlights and an even faker tan had been the highlight of her life. She was bloody stupid.

“I’d better get back to my date,” Liv said at last, turning away. Daniel’s hand shot out and held her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, little Livvy?” She hated the way he said her name in a condescending manner. Trying to shake off Daniel’s unwanted grasp, she found herself trapped. “I always wondered whether you liked it a little rough—Owen is certainly a step down, isn’t he? I knew Gabe wouldn’t be happy at you sniffing around him.”

Liv’s temper flared and she yanked her arm away his sweaty hand, making her champagne spill over her hand. She didn’t care. “Owen is a better man than you’ll ever be. I genuinely wish you the best for the future; both you and your wife are going to need it.” She turned away, knowing her face was flushed with annoyance. Again, Daniel stopped her. Was he fucking nuts? Liv whirled on him, knowing his actions weren’t being witnessed back there in the shadows and with the music shifting to a steady—but loud—dance beat.

“Showing off who you’re fucking is bad taste, Liv—even for you—especially with an army vet turned stripper.” Liv gasped, and Daniel nodded his head, his eyes wild. “Yeah, I heard about that. Why bother coming with a meat-head like him? Trying to make me jealous?” Maybe there’d been a tiny element of that when she’d first asked Owen to be her date. Now? She wanted to shove the words down Daniel’s lying face. As well as her fist.

“Owen’s special. He’s nothing like you, thank God.” She spat out, rage and her multiples glasses of champagne pushing her on. “Everybody knows you’re with Louisa for her money. Poor woman will eventually work that out, probably right after you’ve spent most of her allowance.” Liv lifted her chin, glaring at the man in front of her. “I’m with Owen because he makes me happy like no other man ever has. It doesn’t matter to me what he’s done in the past and what he’ll do in the future. He’s amazing, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be woman enough for him, but I’m going to try.” A smile curled around her lips but didn't reach her eyes. “Plus he gives me multiple orgasms and satisfies me like no other man has ever come close to. Now,” Liv took a step closer to her ex, smelling the alcohol on his breath and trying not to gag. “Let me fucking go before I make a scene you're going to regret—”

“You heard the lady, back off.” Liv could have melted with relief at hearing Owen at her shoulder. She looked to her right and caught his eye, knowing he’d heard almost everything she’d admitted about him.

Shit. Not her intention to let him hear it like this.

Feeling Daniel let her wrist go, she moved automatically into Owen’s space, and shivered, briefly letting her eyes close as his arm came around her waist and pulled her close into the warmth of his body.

“She isn’t that good a fuck, Owen. I’d look around for something better, if I was you. She does have a thing for fucking her brother’s friends, though. Maybe she likes to have the power to kill friendships.”

The chuckle from Owen sounded hollow, and downright dangerous. Liv glanced up to his face to see it completely blank. Then the man at her side was stepping up to Daniel, close enough she had to lean in to hear his words.

“I’m going to give you some slack because you’re drunk and it’s your wedding. But if I ever see you around Liv again, I will break you apart.” The rabbit punch to Daniels’s face was so quick, Liv almost missed it. What she didn’t miss was her ex-boyfriend crumpling to the shiny, tiled floor. Elation spread through her.

A moment later Owen’s hand landed on the middle of her back, right against her skin, and she shuddered with desire and so much more.

“Time to leave this party, I think.” His words were soft, but she felt the tightness in his body as he maneuvered her through the crowd, giving her a brief moment to put down her half-filled champagne glass, and eventually moving out through the exit and into the parking lot.

“Owen, I—”

“No words, Liv. Not yet.” He strode across the gravel, heading straight for his truck.