Chapter 2
It was past one in the morning when the sound of the front door jolted Maya from her restless sleep.
She listened to footsteps getting closer, felt the mattress dip as Camden slid into bed. His hand found her waist, and every muscle in Maya’s body went rigid, but she didn’t turn around.
“Hey, babe.” His warm breath hit the back of her neck as his hands started wandering.
Maya’s mind flashed to what she’d witnessed in the living room earlier. His touch made her skin crawl.
She grabbed his wrist, keeping her voice eerily calm. “I’m on my period. Feeling pretty rough.”
His hand paused, then pulled away.
“You okay?”
e
“Mm–hmm.” She wasn’t actually on her period–just desperate for any excuse to avoid his touch.
But Camden never paid attention to details about her anyway, so he’d never know she was lying.
“Alright, get some rest then. I’ll give you a pass tonight.”
Such supposedly sweet words, but they were dripping with fake bullshit.
Camden rolled over with his back to her, and within minutes she could hear his steady breathing.
Maya stared into the darkness as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
She remembered her first year at the museum, working late into the night. Camden had shown up in the pouring rain to pick her up, holding the umbrella completely over her while half his body got soaked.
In the back seat of his car, he’d held her hand and said, “I’ll pick you up every rainy night from now on, okay?”
Now it hit her–that was only because Lily had been doing her internship out of state. Camden picking her just him killing time.
up was
Before learning the truth, Maya never could have imagined that the love and marriage she’d thrown herself into so completely was nothing but an elaborate lie from start to finish. And the person who’d dragged her into this hell?
Her own best friend.
At least it wasn’t too late to fix things. From now on, her life would have no room for Lily or Camden,
The next morning.
Right on schedule, the doorbell rang. Lily stood there in a pale yellow sundress, holding a bouquet of white lilies
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Chested Him and He Lost Cranahing Looking for Mo
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Chapter 2
with that blindingly bright smile.
“Morning, gorgeous!” Lily threw her arms around Maya and planted a kiss on her cheek.
Maya numbly accepted the flowers, her fingertips ice cold.
For three years, she’d thought Lily remembering her favorite flowers was proof of their deep friendship. Now she realized it was just another prop in their sick performance.
“Hey, Lily’s here.” Camden came downstairs with wet hair, obviously fresh from the shower.
The second he saw Lily, his eyes went completely soft..
“Uncle Cam!” Lily bounced over and playfully squeezed his arm. “It’s been forever. Did you miss me?”
Camden smiled and ruffled her hair. “Of course I did.”
They’d done this routine countless times. Maya used to think it was just sweet family affection, but now she could see it clearly.
The way Camden’s fingers lingered in Lily’s hair for those extra seconds, the way Lily looked up at him with that
sweet little smile–it was obvious this thing between them had been growing for years.
“I’ll go put these in water.” Maya turned toward the kitchen, barely feeling the thorns digging into her palm.
The faucet was running when she heard deliberately hushed voices behind her. Through the reflection in the kitchen window, she watched Camden pull Lily into his arms.
“God, I missed you so much.”
Camden’s voice was rough and hungry–completely different from the flat, dismissive tone he’d used with her last
night.
Maya couldn’t believe it. How could they be this fucking reckless? She was right there in the kitchen, barely twenty feet away, and they were already…
Lily giggled and wrapped her arms around Camden’s neck. “We literally just saw each other yesterday, you horndog–mmph…”
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