“It’s really none of your business, but—”

“What do you mean it’s none of my business?” Alex roared in that loud ominous tone she’d heard plenty of times but never directed at her. “Who the f**k is that?”

Valerie turned when she saw Art stand up. “You okay, Val?” he asked as she attempted to step out and try to close the door behind her.

“Everything’s fine,” she said as she took a step onto the porch, but Alex pushed the door open so hard it slammed against the wall.

“No, everything’s not fine, ass**le!”

Valerie pressed both palms against Alex’s impossibly strong chest. “Stop it, Alex.”

“Hell no!” Alex boomed, taking a step in her door. “So is this it? Is this what you do every time we get in an argument?”

“Relax, dude,” Art said, lifting a hand up in front of him.

Valerie shook her head, willing Art to stay quiet. His talking would only make things worse no matter what he said. She turned back to Alex and shoved his chest hard. “You were on a date the other night!” The warm tears in her eyes pissed her off. She was so sick of crying over Alex. “You have no right to barge in here—”

“The hell I don’t!”

His enraged voice despite her tears alarmed her. Normally her words alone could calm him. She glanced up in time to see something dangerous flicker in Alex’s eyes, something she’d only seen a handful of times, and in the next instant, he turned to charge at Art. Valerie knew there was no way she could stop him, so she jumped into his arms instead, clinging on to him as a baby chimp would to its mother. “Stop it, Alex!” she cried, surprised that she was actually crying.

Her crying must’ve startled him too because he slowed instantly. The loud clatter in the kitchen made Valerie turn to see Art pulling a knife out of the drawer. “No!’ she yelled, undoing her death grip on Alex and dropping to her feet, but she still fisted Alex’s shirt in her hand.

“What in the world!” They all turned to see Isabel at the door, holding a bag of groceries and staring at them in shock.

Valerie took a deep breath, glancing from Art, who stood in her kitchen wielding a knife, to Alex still heaving, then back to Isabel staring at them all stunned. Giving into the emotion, her face crumbled, and she pushed Alex away from her though he didn’t even budge. “This is Isabel’s brother, Art, you idiot.” She turned to Art. “I’m so sorry about this.” Then she turned to Isabel. “We were having some wine while he waited for you, and Alex showed up . . .”

Alex reached for her arm. “Baby, I—”

She shook his hand off her roughly. “Go home, Alex. I’m so done with you.”

“Valerie, please just let me explain. Would I be here?” he asked, his voice much calmer but the urgency even more prevailing. “Would I be here ready to kill someone over you if I didn’t care?”

“Yes!” she yelled back. “Yes, you would! Because that’s who you are. That’s what you’ve always done. But that’s not how you show someone you care for them, Alex, by attacking their friends. If you really cared, you’d stop with all your lies—”

“They’re not lies. I swear to you.”

Valerie hadn’t even noticed that Art had grabbed his things and was now headed out with Isabel. “No!” she said, turning to them. “No, no, no! Please don’t leave. You just got home, Isabel.”

“We’ll go,” Alex said then turned to Valerie and took her hand. “Just give me a few minutes, please. We’ll go talk somewhere else. Isabel and her brother can stay here.” He jerked his head back to Art. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know.” He shrugged. “I just . . ”

“I get it.” Art nodded with a smirk. “I’m just glad I really wasn’t here on a date with her.”

Alex managed a smirk even though Valerie could see just how tense he still was. With her adrenaline and emotions still in high gear, she couldn’t bring herself to do even that. But she didn’t think it was fair to make Isabel leave. Her poor roommate had endured enough of their drama over the years. It was embarrassing at this point. As late as Isabel was getting home tonight, clearly she’d had a long day. Valerie should be the one to leave, not her.

Besides, another thing she was certain of was Alex wasn’t going anywhere until she heard him out. Given why Valerie was so upset with him, under normal circumstances she would’ve refused. But Art had come here tonight because he said he needed to talk to his sister about some family matters, though he didn’t elaborate. The least Valerie could do after he’d been dragged into her and Alex’s insanity was give him and Isabel some privacy.

She began to walk away, but Alex tugged at her hand. “Please, Z.”

“I have to change,” she said, and the pleading in his eyes was replaced with relief, and she saw his chest rise and fall slowly as he took a deep breath and let it out. “I’ll meet you at your truck when I’m ready.”

It took her just a few minutes to slip out of her shorts and into a pair of jeans. She left the lacy tank on since it was still warm out and then slipped into a pair of casual backless wedges.

Alex was leaning against his truck when he saw her walk out. He wisely didn’t attempt to touch her when he held the door open for her. She got in and waited for him to go around to his side, wondering how this night would end. Usually, she could predict it. At this point in one of these crazy nights, she’d likely be in his bed in a few minutes, but this time there was an underlying sadness about the whole thing. A dull ache in her heart she didn’t think was going away this time, as it always did once they made up. Almost as if she could feel the end nearing.