Kash pulled up behind Matt’s car, blocking him in, and was out. I thought he’d head inside, but he came around to my side. I was opening the door before he could get there, but he took the handle and held it open as I got out. Shutting it for me, he locked the car and pocketed his keys as we headed for the front door.

“What’s the plan?”

Kash gave me a look, his hand coming to the back of my hip. He was pulling ahead, once we got to the front door, and that’s when the guards showed up. Behind us and in front of us. Just as we were approaching, a guard came to the door from inside the house, his hand to his earpiece. He looked at Kash and me, saw the others who were pulling into the driveway, and nodded briefly. He opened the door for Kash, saying, as we went past, “Third floor. Back right.”

Kash took the stairs two at a time.

I was following at a slower pace, stunned by everything happening. His guards had sold Matt out, but Kash was the boss. And as I saw Kash get to the third floor, he looked back to me. I was coming to the second floor. I waved him off. I was going, mainly because I wanted to see Matt’s betrayal for myself, but I didn’t want another visualization of my brother thrusting into some woman.

I was just getting to the third floor when I heard it.

A woman screamed.

Matt started yelling, “Get the fuck out! What are you doing? Kash!” More yelling. Something thumped on the wall, then the floor.

I heard feet pounding on the ground.

A guard was outside the door, watching me come, with a lidded expression.

Oh, joy. That wasn’t good.

“Help! Max!”

The guard looked in, stared a second, and turned back to watch my approach.

“You little fuck.” That was Kash. A savage curse ripping from him.

Another thud.

The woman began screaming again. “Oh my God. Don’t. What are you doing? Don’t hurt him!”

The sound of fists meeting skin came next.

I winced but forced myself forward. I was moving at a much slower pace, though. Then, deep breath, I was in the doorway.

The woman was holding a bedsheet to her front.

I recognized her. She was the Bonham wife, from a couple that was friends with Quinn. She was naked, her entire side was exposed. She didn’t see me, her eyes wide in horror.

Matt went to the floor, but he was trying to fight. He rolled to his feet and windmilled his feet up, thrashing everywhere. I wasn’t sure of his intention with that move.

It was almost humiliating to watch.

Matt tried to punch back. Kash easily deflected and hit him even harder. My brother was bleeding from the face, and he finally quit, collapsing to the ground with his arms and legs spread out.

Standing over him, not even breathing hard, Kash saw he had stopped and stepped back. He grabbed one of the pillows, dropping it on Matt’s stomach with extra oomph.

Groaning, Matt could only get one eye open. “You dick.”

“You’re the dick,” Kash shot back. “You left her at that loft.”

Matt paled.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Disgust and disdain laced that word. “You’re lucky you can still walk. You don’t use her, then leave her. Ever.”

“What? She has guards. She’s fine.”

Kash was looking at me.

Matt stopped talking, trailing, looking up, and finding me.

He said, “Oh no.”

A frustrated sound roared from Kash’s throat before he stepped away from him. “It’s taking everything in me not to beat you senseless. Get the fuck up.”

Mrs. Bonham—I didn’t know her first name—was staring at me now, but I avoided her gaze.

Just felt wrong to have violated this scene, but I had to see. Matt didn’t deny what Kash said. It was true. With how long it took us to drive here, knowing Matt had intentionally used me, lied to me—how long would I have been there?

A tear fell, but I brushed it away. I wasn’t going to cry over this. “How were you intending to make this okay? Were you going to try and cover your tracks?” What lie would he have used, when he finally came to get me? But I saw the guilt flare, then shame, and he turned his head. He literally looked the other way.

He wasn’t coming back for me.

I was in the room, heading for him, when I growled, “Are you serious? You would’ve left me there? All day?” There was a hysterical note coming from me. It didn’t sound like it was me, but it was. I heard it. I was cringing at it, but I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t even conscious of making the decision to go into the room, but as soon as I started, I wasn’t stopping.

“Answer me!” A guttural cry from me.

A guard was inside, coming behind me. He had an arm around my stomach, but I shifted, pivoting. I was running at Matt.