Page 12 of The Heart Stealer

I clenched my jaw, refusing to speak a word to him.

We were through.

My heart let out a pitiful whine, a different kind of pain coursing through me.

I thought I loved this man. I thought he was my forever guy.

But he sat there and let his friend beat me. He shoved me into this room and ordered me to stay, like I was his dog or something.

I never wanted him near me again. The thought of him touching me, trying to “celebrate” with me, made my stomach convulse. Bile burned the back of my throat.

I wasn’t joining him on the bed. I’d rather eat fly-infested horse shit.

“Cutie? You comin’?” His voice started to fade, and like the miracle I needed, he passed out, his snores reverberating across the room.

Forcing my stiff body up, I crawled to the edge of the bed, double-checking that he was asleep before wrenching out the first suitcase I could find. It caught for a second, and I let out a desperate whimper before pulling it free from under the bed.

Every movement hurt, but I ordered myself to grab what I could and shove it into the small suitcase. I grunted when the zipper fought me, then stilled, hoping the noise wouldn’t wake Theo.

He slept on.

It was a small show of mercy, and I took it, carrying the suitcase down the hall and into the living room.

The guys had all gone, so I snatched my purse off the counter, glared at the fridge one last time, and headed for the back door.

Stopping by the table, I stared down at the pile of money Theo had won. The bills were clumped in the middle, a mound of fresh and crumpled. Everything from Washingtons to Jacksons.

A big pile of green that made Theo so fucking triumphant.

He was sitting there winning all that money while I lay terrified on our bedroom floor.

And in that moment, I hated him.

I didn’t realize that love could turn to hate so quickly, but there it was.

A black vibration like I had never felt before coursed through me in waves so thick and strong, I could barely see straight.

And it made me act on impulse.

It made me become someone I never thought I could.

CHAPTER 4

LIAM

Sleeping on Asher’s man cave couch was bearable. I mean, it’s pretty comfy, I guess, but there are so many fucking lights in this room. From his big-screen TV to the gaming console and all the special pieces of tech in here, the buzz and flickering LEDs were enough to do my head in.

Thankfully, I managed to drift off and eventually sleep like the dead.

I felt kind of groggy when I woke up, but nothing an early-morning workout and breakfast smoothie can’t fix.

Jumping up, I fold the blankets and make it neat, because Ashman is not the slob the rest of us are. Then I realize I need to grab some running shorts and a fresh pair of socks.

Hopefully Rachel will be sound asleep, and I can just sneak into my room and gather my stuff without disturbing her.

Unless she’s locked the door.

Padding up the stairs, I avoid the creaks and tiptoe to my bedroom, only to find my door wide open.