LOGINClover POVThe hotel door clicked shut behind us, and the low hum of the city outside faded into nothing. Brianna’s hand was still in mine, her grip firm and warm, pulling me deeper into the dimly lit room. The bed loomed large, but neither of us reached for it right away. Instead, she backed me against the wall, her body pressing close, and the air between us crackled with everything we hadn’t said at the club.“Finally,” she murmured, her voice low and husky, lips brushing my ear. Her short hair tickled my cheek as she leaned in, and I could smell the faint mix of gin and her perfume. “I’ve been wanting to do this since you laughed at my terrible lines downstairs.”I laughed again, but it came out breathy, already edged with need. “Then stop talking and show me.” The words slipped out bolder than I felt, the whiskey still buzzing through me, loosening every restraint. My hands found her waist, sliding under the hem of her blazer to feel the heat of her skin.Brianna didn’t hesitate.
Clover POVI was barely out of the parking lot at the spa when traffic hit like a brick wall. The city streets had turned into a slow-motion nightmare, brake lights stretching out in front of me like some kind of cosmic joke. My hands gripped the wheel tighter than necessary, the leftover glow from Dara’s facial session fading fast as my brain started looping back to Cameron and that whole “open relationship” pitch. No way was I going straight home to sit in my apartment replaying it. I needed noise, people, something to keep my head on straight.I grabbed my phone at the next red light and typed out a quick message to Lumi:Hey, random question—who’s Dara? She just showed up at the spa for a facial and said you recommended me. I never told her anything about you. Everything okay on your end? Call me later if you’re free.The text sent with a little whoosh, and I tossed the phone into the cup holder as traffic inched forward again. By the time I hit another standstill, I was already
Clover POVI stepped out of the shower still half-laughing at the mess with Cameron. The hot water had washed off the awkward residue of his wrong-name moan, but my brain kept replaying the “open relationship” pitch like it was a bad rom-com line. I wrapped a towel around myself and padded into the bedroom, phone in hand, when it buzzed with a message from my spa manager.“Client requesting the full facial with you specifically. Said it’s urgent and only you’ll do. She’s already here waiting.”I stared at the screen for a second. Normally I’d have rolled my eyes and stayed home to overthink Cameron’s latest disaster, but the idea of escaping my own four walls sounded way too good. At least at the spa I could focus on someone else’s pores instead of my own life choices.“Be there in twenty,” I typed back, already pulling on jeans and a loose top. No way was I hanging around here replaying how Cameron had basically auditioned me for his open-relationship fan club. I grabbed my keys and
Clover POV I was on top, riding him slow and steady the way he liked, hands braced on his chest while the old bedsprings creaked under us. The afternoon light filtered through the blinds in my bedroom, catching the sweat on his skin. Cameron’s eyes were half-closed, his hands gripping my hips like he was trying to anchor himself. For a minute it felt almost normal, like we could pretend the last few months of on-again-off-again bullshit didn’t exist. Then his mouth fell open and the moan came out wrong. “Rhea… fuck, Rhea, just like that…” The name hit me like cold water. I froze mid-thrust, staring down at him. My body went from hot to completely checked out in half a second. I climbed off so fast I almost knocked the lamp off the nightstand. “What the hell did you just say?” I snapped, yanking the sheet up to cover myself. Cameron blinked like he was coming out of a trance, then his face went pale. “Clover—shit, I didn’t mean—” “Get out.” I pointed at the door, voice flat. “G
Briggs POV We were still standing outside the courthouse when the weight of the day really hit her. Lumi clutched those island papers like they were the only thing keeping her upright, eyes glassy from everything Caius had thrown at her. I kept my arm around her waist, guiding her toward the passenger seat without letting go. She’d just asked what she should do about the island, and I’d told her the choice was hers, but I wasn’t going anywhere. That seemed to crack something open in both of us. The drive back to the penthouse was quiet at first. She sat close, her hand resting on my thigh like she needed the contact. Lumi stepped inside looking wrecked—eyes red, shoulders tight, the island papers still clutched in one hand like they might burn her. I crossed the room in two strides and dragged her against my chest, arms locking around her like I could shield her from the whole damn day. “Fuck, baby,” I muttered into her hair. “You’re shaking.” She stayed pressed against me f
Lumi POVI pushed open the penthouse door and stepped into silence. The place felt too big without Briggs’s presence filling it. Brianna was nowhere to be found too. No lights on in the kitchen, no jacket slung over the couch, no sound of him pacing while on a call. I dropped my keys in the bowl by the door and stood there for a minute, listening to nothing. My chest tightened the way it always did when something felt off with him lately.The phone rang in my hand before I could even set my bag down. Briggs’s name lit up the screen with a FaceTime request. I answered fast, needing to see his face after the day I’d had.“Hey,” I said, forcing a smile as the screen connected. The background behind him was blurry and dim, some kind of hallway or lobby with lights that didn’t help me place it. “Where are you? The house is empty.”He didn’t smile back. His jaw looked tight, the same way it had after he came home unsettled from his mom’s. “Just handling something. You okay? Did Wren say any
Lumi’s POVA few minutes later, we finally got to Clover’s apartment. The moment we step inside, the world outside feels… quieter. But not enough to silence my thoughts.“I’m going to shower first,” Clover says, already kicking off her shoes and heading toward her room.“Go ahead,” I reply.She dis
Briggs’ POV“What do you think you’re doing?”Fedric’s voice comes out sharper than I expected, but not stronger. He’s already stepping backward. Already realizing this isn’t a conversation.The door shuts behind me with a quiet click.Riki moves in after me, casual, almost bored, but I know him we
Briggs’ POVDon’t get me wrong. I never knew I parked that long in front of them. If I had, I would’ve moved. I’m not that careless. I don’t do unnecessary inconvenience. At least, not without reason.When I first noticed them, I assumed they were waiting for someone. Two women standing by a car,
Lumi’s POV I didn’t remember getting into the car. One second I was walking out of that house, the next, I was seated, door slammed, breathing too fast. “Lumi.” Clover’s voice. I blinked, my hands were shaking. Still, I pressed them against my thighs, trying to steady them. It didn’t work. “Hey







