WHAT?

012

Meanwhile back at Ryan's house.....

The warm glow of the chandelier cast a soft light over the modern living room, the air carrying the scent of fresh cologne and rich whiskey. Ryan poured a drink for himself and his older brother, Lucas, before settling onto the sleek leather couch across from him.

"You finally decided to visit, huh?" Ryan smirked, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.

Lucas chuckled, leaning back with a relaxed posture. "Well, you kept nagging me about meeting your new girl. Figured I’d stop by and see if she’s as perfect as you claim."

Ryan grinned, glancing toward the hallway. "Ash should be out any minute. She was fixing her hair."

As if on cue, the soft click of heels echoed against the marble floor. Ash stepped into the living room, her long red dress hugging every curve of her body. Her lips curled into a sultry smile as she made her way toward them, her gaze lingering a second too long on Lucas before shifting to Ryan.

"You must be Lucas," she purred, extending her hand.

Lucas took it, his fingers briefly grazing hers. "And you must be Ash."

"Ryan has told me so much about you," she said smoothly, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Ryan wrapped an arm around Ash’s waist and kissed her temple. "She’s everything I ever wanted," he said proudly.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, sipping his drink. "Well, let’s hope she’s the one, then."

The evening unfolded with casual conversation and laughter, the three of them drinking and chatting about old times. An hour later, Ryan’s phone buzzed on the table.

"Excuse me," he said, picking up the call. His expression darkened slightly as he listened. "Yeah, I’ll be right there."

Hanging up, he turned to Ash and Lucas. "I need to step out for a bit. Some work stuff came up."

"Now?" Ash pouted, running her fingers along his arm.

"It won’t take long," he assured her. As he reached for his car keys, Ash leaned in and whispered, "Can you pick up some groceries on your way back?"

"Yeah, sure," he said distractedly, already heading for the door.

With a final glance at them, he stepped out, leaving Ash and Lucas alone.

The silence between them stretched for a moment before Ash moved closer to Lucas, her fingers trailing over the rim of her wine glass.

"So," she mused, tilting her head. "You’re single, right?"

Lucas smirked. "That obvious?"

She giggled, taking a slow sip of her drink. "A man like you, still unattached? I find that hard to believe."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Haven’t found the right one."

Ash leaned forward, her perfume intoxicatingly strong. "Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places."

Her voice was a whisper, but it carried weight. A suggestion. A temptation.

Lucas stiffened slightly, his gaze flickering to her lips before he quickly looked away. "Ryan wouldn’t like this conversation," he muttered.

Ash smirked, setting her glass down. "Ryan isn’t here."

Before Lucas could react, she moved closer, her fingers grazing his thigh. His breath hitched as she leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear.

"He doesn’t have to know," she whispered.

Lucas knew this was wrong. Knew this was a betrayal. But the heat of her touch, the way she looked at him like he was the only man in the world—it was too much.

The next thing he knew, his hands were on her waist, pulling her onto his lap. Ash gasped softly before her lips crashed into his, a mix of wine and lust fueling the kiss.

The tension snapped.

Clothes hit the floor.

Hands roamed.

Their bodies tangled together, lost in reckless desire.

The couch creaked beneath them as they moved in sync, completely oblivious to the sound of the front door opening.

Ryan walked in, juggling bags of groceries in his arms. He was about to call out to them when—

His body froze.

His mind went blank.

There, on the couch, was his brother.

On top of Ash.

Their bodies entwined in heated passion, gasps and moans filling the air.

The bags slipped from Ryan’s grasp, groceries spilling onto the floor with soft thuds.

His voice was barely a whisper, but it carried through the room like a gunshot.

What!!?