“Hi.”

My muscles tense, but I focus on the voices.

“You got here fast.”

Mallory.

My eyes fly around the room, landing on the monitor Mike turned on and I pull myself up, squinting at the tiny screen.

Several small squares make up the monitor, a live stream surveillance system like the one Mero had.

“You asked me to come see you today, and here I am.”

A sting shoots through my body, making my feet throb.

Captain?

Mallory is hesitant with her backward steps, but just then he slips inside with confidence.

He’s with her right now?

My hand flies to my chest as he wastes no time pushing against her, his hand grabbing at a piece of her blonde hair he seems to love so much.

“Now I want to hear you beg.” He leans in and as his mouth slides across hers, a metal taste coats mine. His hands slide along her collarbone as he tips his head. “You know how much I loved that… you begging.”

Oh my god.

I try to look away but can’t.

My eyes refuse to leave the pair who match so perfectly, a cloud slipping over my sight as Captain lifts her chin, his strong gaze holding hers.

The mother of his child.

The girl he believed over me.

He leans down, placing his lips on hers, in a slow, gentle kiss that turns the blood in my organs to acid, burning my soul as it eats away at my insides.

Her hand comes up, her fingers lacing into his on her face.

“I need to feel you, Mallory. Show me how bad you want me, remind me what it’s like to have a girl like you.”

As if a blow from a world-class boxer slams into my chest, all the air in my lungs is forced out with a single, harsh, burning breath, leaving me gasping.

You really do want her.

He wastes no time, tugging his shirt from his body, and walking her backward.

They disappear from the screen, showing up in the next little box as they make their way through what must be her house.

“Where are we going?” she asks him.

“Outside, on the patio.”

She attempts to stop his forward advance. “Why?”

“So your neighbors can see what I’m about to do to you.”

Mallory gives a hasty nod, but then her eyes cut left, and suddenly they’re staring right into mine through the monitor.

My muscles freeze as my head tugs back as I realize she knows I’m fucking watching.

You little bitch.

She’s in with Mike, but who manipulated who?

“Wait,” she suddenly whispers, pulling away, and then she grips his hands, shifting and leading him to the right. “I have a surprise for you, Captain.”

He yanks her into him. “You’re the only prize I want.”

Hot, angry, dumb girl devastated, tears fill my eyes, but still I can’t look away.

“Trust me,” she dares to say, and I want to strangle her where she stands.

But the anger is nothing compared to the rip of my organs as he places his lips on hers, and whispers back, “I do.”

I fall onto my ass, staring at the stupid black and white screen and wishing for a sudden power outage, because there’s no way I can turn it off.

As her dress slips from her arms, my tears follow, falling with the same amount of ease.

She kicks the fancy material to the side, left standing in nothing but a matching bra and panties, and soft pink heels to match.

“Open the door, Captain. Take me inside, and then we can go outside if you’d like.”

He makes no move at first, and then a tight nod follows, his eyes closing as his hand comes around her waist, pulling her closer, his other wrapping around the door handle.

I squeeze my eyes closed.

And then a lock turns.

It happens so fast.

The sound of a door clicking open hits, but I realize it’s not coming from in front of me, but behind me.

My eyes fly open, my body leaping upright in the same second as my attention stays glued to the wreckage.

Cap and Mallory stumble inside the room I’m locked inside.

I shuffle back, the lack of air in my lungs forcing me to bend at the ache’s will.

Something behind me falls, crashing to the floor, but the impact is nothing compared to when his eyes lift, locking with mine.

His arms tighten, but around her, as he tilts his head, his mouth gaping open only for no sound to come out.

“Surprise,” Mallory whispers, grabbing his hands and pulling them from around her body.

He stands there, frozen in place, his eyes flying across the room, landing on the screen on the small table.

They narrow on the screen as he pieces it together.

I watched every move made, heard his every desire.

“No,” he breathes, shaking his head franticly.

He darts forward, but Mallory slips in front of me first.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he asks, but his voice is just above a whisper.

I’ve lost, that’s what.

He stands still as a statue as Mallory turns to me.

Wild, crystal blue eyes meet mine as her clammy palm flattens on my cheek. “Mike thinks he knows what you want.” She leans forward, sliding her lips across my cheek until they meet my hair. “But I know you better, don’t I?”

“What the hell are you doing?” I whisper brokenly.

Her soft chuckle fans across my skin and I force myself not to shove her back. “You made me think you cared about me. You pretended to be there for me. You lied to me, Vee, and for what, him? He’s not worth it, he doesn’t deserve you. Look how easy he gave you up.”

“You’re a crazy bitch,” I hiss.

Captain frowns, unable to hear our quiet words, and unease creates heavy creases across his brows.

Mallory grips my chin in a hard hold, forcing words past clenched teeth. “You gave me no choice. I am controlling this party, Victoria, so play along.” Her voice is so low, there is no way he can hear, but she might as well be screaming in my ear when she says, “Play along, and take what you want, Vee, because this will be your one and only chance to have him.”

My only chance.

Because he chose her.

My chest caves as I stare at Captain, and even more so when his focus switches to the beautiful, near-naked blonde in front of me.

Maybe she’s right...

Despite what anyone wants, I have no intention of leaving this place, no matter the girl on his arm or the obstacles that may follow.

This is my home and it will stay so, and she’s making it clear in case it wasn’t, that no matter what she does, she’ll always have a part of him I won’t, and she plans to use it as a tool against me, because I’m the enemy now.

She’ll always stand in my way, even when she doesn’t want him if it means keeping him from me.

With that thought, I stand perfectly still as her hands lower to my jeans, and when she unbuttons them, I allow her to push them down.

She bends over, picking them off the floor and spins on her heels, resting her ass on me, nothing but the thin line of her G-string and my thong between us.

She tosses them to Captain, who catches them with a tight frown.

Mallory grabs her hair in her hands and drags it all to the opposite side of her, tilting her head, and like a robot, I give her what she wants.

I shuffle closer and press my lips to her shoulder.

Captain’s eyes follow the movement, and slowly my pants fall from his hands.