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And I had no idea.

I listened to his lies when he claimed his car was a lease. I believed him when he said his friend won an all-expenses trip to Cuba. I never questioned how he was living because he’s an adult with a job. He doesn’t answer to me. I have no right to be in his business.

“We should go,” I mutter, needing to be alone to think, to assess. To face my kid without punching him in the mouth.

Everly’s face crumples with the slumping of her shoulders. “Are you mad at me?”

Fuck propriety, I cup her chin and brush my thumb along the bottom fold of her puckered lip.

“No, sweetheart. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Then why does it feel like it’s all my fault?”

I let my fingers skim along her cheek to sweep a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Not your fault. It’s mine.”

Her head pops up. It’s so fast, we nearly lose our hold on her. Her big eyes are wide with panic as she twists to face me, giving Van her back.

“No! No, you didn’t do anything.”

“I did. I let him hurt you.”

Her face dips, bringing her brow to my chin. I kiss it. I don’t mean to. It’s just instinct but I don’t regret it.

“You’re wrong.” She draws in a weighted breath that lifts and presses her tits to my chest. “You and Mr. Weaver have made me feel safe and loved. You took care of me when I was alone. You gave me a family when I didn’t have one. I’ve loved you both for so ... so long. Even when I shouldn’t have. Even when Bron accused me of wanting you and I said no, I did. I love you.”

Her confession slices through me. It carves gashes into my already tattered emotions, leaving behind a mess of confusion I can’t sift through.

“Everly.”

My soft plea is ignored.

“That’s why he did it. He knows how badly I want you both. He wanted to punish me. I thought I was careful not to show it, but...”

A deep, guttural moan escapes her with the yank of Van’s hand fisted in her hair. His lips brush her ear.

“You need to stop talking, Everly.”

Her big, dark eyes meet his. “I’m sorry.” The sweep of her tongue across her lips is shaky. “I know I shouldn’t be telling you this. It’s so wrong and if you don’t feel the same I might just die, but you both smell so good and I can feel your cocks and I think you want me, too...”

The appendage in question throbs. It presses harder into the soft flesh of her belly and I’m fully aware of her shifting hips pushing back into Van’s crotch.

“You’re drunk,” I bite out, reminding myself. Reminding Van.

She faces me. It takes her a long, slow blink to bring me into focus but she does with a tiny grin.

“I could never say this to you sober.” She chuckles sluggishly. “I would let you both ruin me. All night. Just let youtake turns using me until I’m too exhausted to move and keep going even after until I can’t sit—”

I’m going to hell.

I know it even before I kiss her. Before the vicious hum of hunger overtakes my senses and claims my body. I’m booking my one way ticket and I can’t give a fuck when she moans low and throaty, and melts into me. Her arms circle my neck. Her fingers thread into my hair. She kisses me back like I’m offering her eternal life.

But she stops. She steals the only thing keeping me alive to tilt her head back and take Van’s mouth.

And he lets her. He growls into her swollen lips and forces his tongue in between. The hand in her hair drops to her throat, an iron clamp shackling her to him.

My dick is on fire. It’s a greedy bulge begging to fix the problem she came to the bar to fix. It pulses with every little whimper she releases while my best friend claims her mouth. Slides his hand down her collarbone. Cups her tit.