Chapter 1

Month three of Ciara Hayes keeping a college boy on the side.

I, Sean Shaw, slept with Vivian Grant, the biggest female celebrity in the country.

I didn't bother hiding it.

I was waiting. Waiting for Ciara to notice that I had crossed the line too.

*****

I was climbing out of Vivian's bed when Ciara's call came through.

"Off work yet? When are you coming home?" she asked.

I stood barefoot on the floor and bent down to pick up my clothes. "I'm out with a friend."

"Which one?"

"You don't know them."

Ciara let out a soft laugh. "You have friends I don't know?"

My grip on the phone tightened.

It was true. We had known each other since kindergarten, gotten together in college, and married right after graduation.

Our wedding had been the biggest event in the city that year.

Everyone said we were the perfect match, made for each other.

And yet even so, Ciara had ended up sleeping with a college boy.

Thinking about it made my chest feel like a fist had closed around it, but somehow my voice still came out light.

"Of course," I said. "Just like your friends. I don't know all of them either."

The line went quiet for a moment.

Then Ciara's voice softened. "All right, I'll be home soon. Tell me what you feel like eating and I'll grab it on the way..."

She didn't finish.

In the background, a man let out a muffled groan.

Both ends of the line froze.

Then Ciara hung up, tossing out one hurried line, "Okay, that's enough. I'll be home right away."

I clenched the phone hard, my nails digging into my palm.

It hurt. But that pain was nothing compared to the one in my chest.

I pressed a hand over my chest, struggling to breathe. 'Ciara, if you're going to cheat, at least hide it better.

'Why leave the trail so obvious?

'The hickeys on her neck when she came home late, and someone else's cologne clinging to her. It was all too obvious to miss.

'Did she really think I was blind? Or did she just not care if I knew?'

So I did the same thing back.

I had to get even. It was the only way I could breathe.

Like a drowning person clutching at anything, even a rotten piece of driftwood that would only drag me down further.

The phone buzzed again.

A message from Ciara: [Come home soon. I want to see you when I get in.]

I replied flatly: [Sure.]

I put the phone away and glanced at the woman on the bed. "I need to head home."

Vivian sat there, watching me lazily. "See you next time."

The sheet was draped loosely around her waist, exposing the near-perfect line of her body.

Her looks were the striking kind, sharp and dangerous, with a pair of alluring eyes that carried a natural coolness.

That was exactly why I had chosen her.

She was beautiful enough that even if Ciara didn't know her personally, she had definitely seen that face somewhere.

She was famous enough that when people heard she was the woman I was cheating with, they'd all agree I had excellent taste.

Better taste than Ciara.

Only revenge like that would actually hurt.

I hadn't been home long when Ciara walked in right behind me.

The moment she stepped through the door, she smiled and handed me a bag. "That pastry from the bakery on the west side, your favorite. I went out of my way to pick it up. Still warm."

I looked from the pastry up to her.

She had changed clothes, and her hair still carried some dampness. She must have showered.

Every single time. Meet the man, then come home like nothing happened, and make up for it with a gift.

My chest tightened again.

I smiled and took the bag, biting into the pastry right there. "Pretty good."

Ciara laughed like she had just set down a weight, then reached out to link her arm through mine.

I shifted, subtle enough that it looked like nothing.

Her hand caught air.

She froze for a second, her fingers curling in midair.

I was already on my feet, my voice so natural it gave nothing away. "I'm going to get some air on the balcony."

I didn't wait for her answer. I walked straight out.

Ciara followed close behind.

The wind was strong, whipping my hair around.

I leaned against the railing and looked out at the sea of lights.

Behind every one of those windows was a story. And mine was turning into a joke.

Honestly, I was curious. Curious about what Ciara would look like the moment she found out.

If only she could hurt the way I did.

"Ciara," I said suddenly.

"Hmm?" Ciara asked.

"Have you ever thought about it? If one day I did something to hurt you, what would you do?"

Ciara's hand, reaching for mine, stopped in midair.

I didn't look at her. I just laughed to myself. "I'm kidding."

I turned to head back inside.

As I passed her, the wind lifted my collar.

The hickey on my collarbone landed squarely in her line of sight.