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“What?”

She purses her lips, leaning against the side of the car with her arms folded tightly. “That was some fucked-up shit in there.”

Huffing a nervous laugh, I double-check Hannah’s safety straps before shutting the back door. “I know.”

“Do you?” She doesn’t move, her voice cutting like glass. “Do you really know, Matty?”

Something in her tone makes me pause, my gaze turning cautious. “Why does it sound like that question has two meanings?”

“Because it does.” She exhales sharply, her delicate nostrils flaring. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, we watch everyone else leave the parking lot. “I can’t believe I even need to say this, but we both know that what you and Xed had was more than friendship.”

Rearing back, I feel my cheeks heat as I stammer. “W-what does that mean? What are you talking about?”

“Cut the shit, Matthew. I know everything, okay? About the things you did. About how you felt for each other. He told me all of it.”

Something like betrayal bubbles in my gut, and I turn away, grinding my teeth to keep my composure. Here I am defending his secrets, keeping them locked down tight while he’s spilling all of mine? How the fuck is that fair?

“Who else knows?” I bite out, blinking hard at the horizon as my eyes start to sting.

She’s quiet for a moment. “Me and Huckslee. Probably Devon, too, because he’s a conniving prick who put the pieces together.”

The breath whooshes out of my lungs, and I bend forward, palms on my knees, as my vision blurs. Huck knowing isn’t a surprise—he caught us once outside a bar in Utah, and that night changed everything.

Salem’s hand grips my shoulder, pulling me upright as she searches my gaze with an oddly tender expression. “You know it wouldn’t matter to anyone if they knew, right? Look at Taylor and Huck. None of us gave a shit about those two being together, even though they’re stepbrothers. Why would we bat an eye at you and Xed?”

“That’s—" I swallow hard, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. “That’s not what this is about.”

“Then what?” Salem’s voice rises in frustration. “Please, make me understand. If you’re worried about being out in the NFL, you don’t have to be. Look at Huckslee.”

“Huckslee doesn’t have a family to look after!” With a shout, I pull away from her and run both hands through my hair. My chest feels tight, my pulse pounding in my ears. “I’ve got a daughter, Salem. This isn’t just about me and Xed. I have to do what I feel is best for Hannah.”

And that means keeping her safe from Valerie.

She curls her lip, disbelief evident in her expression. “Jesus, open your fucking eyes, Matthew. You cannot be this blind.”

“Salem, I’m trying.“ My voice cracks on the last word. “I’m trying to make this work, okay? I’ve got Hannah, football, this wedding—"

“And somewhere in the middle of all that, you forgot Xed. You forgot the person who’s been holding you together since you were kids. And if you don’t fix this, Matty, you’ll lose him for good.”

I look away, swallowing hard against the knot forming in my throat. The image of Xed’s expression in the parking lot flashes in my mind, and for the first time all night, I can’t think of a single excuse.

“Can we please just go?” Rubbing my forehead furiously, I stalk around the car to the driver’s side. “It’s late, and we have a full day tomorrow.”

She exhales sharply, the sound cutting through the heavy air, but she follows me into the Benz, slamming the passenger door harder than necessary.

“I can’t make you see what’s right in front of you,” she mutters. “But you’re going to realize what an idiot you are really soon. I hope, anyway. Before it’s too late.”

Chapter twenty

Devon takes me riding for a few hours, weaving through the city streets until we end up at the London Bridge. It’s a stunning structure, once part of actual London before it was dismantled and shipped over. They reassembled it over Lake Havasu, and now it’s a massive tourist draw. Most of the shops are closed, so we wander along the water, smoking a joint to take the edge off. For a little while, it works. My mind drifts away from Matty and Hannah and all the chaos surrounding them.

By the time Devon drops me back at the house, it’s midnight. Everyone is asleep, the whole place quiet, and I make it halfway through the door when it hits me—I never grabbed my bag from the Benz when we arrived earlier.

I’d noticed it wasn’t in the backseat on the drive to the restaurant, either. Which leaves one possibility: Matty must’ve brought it inside. Where he put it, though, is a mystery.

Cursing under my breath, I tiptoe through the house, feeling like a goddamn creep as I press my ear to each door, trying to pinpoint Salem’s snores. Her room is probably mine, too.

All the main-level rooms are occupied, so I head upstairs, the steps groaning beneath my weight. The hallway is dim except for a light at the far end, and a door is cracked just enough for soft light to spill out. Something in my chest tightens as I walk toward it, already knowing who I’ll find inside.