Chapter 1

1 Jake Callahan was always one for the grand gestures.

I mean, all I did was meet the girl, and the next thing I know, he's trying to run me over with his damn car.

I couldn't help but ask, "So, you're that into her?"

Jake just gave me this icy stare and said, "She'd take a bullet for me. Would you?"

I just laughed, a short, bitter sound.

"Hell no." ... Jake had been stashing a girlfriend behind my back.

For six whole months. I didn't even sniff it out.

Then, a week ago, right when I was dealing with my period, he just casually dropped, "You don't seem to get cramps that bad."

I froze. It hit me like a ton of bricks: this jerk definitely had some other woman in his life who suffered like a dog every month.

So, I played it cool, like it was nothing. "Nah, Doc Lee hooked me up with some herbal remedies years ago. Works like a charm."

Jake, stone-faced as ever, just "Mmm-hmmed" and acted like he couldn't care less.

Three days later, I hopped on a plane outta the country, and he's over there, babying this girl.

The photo someone slipped me was blurry - you could barely make out her face.

But Jake’s all over her, like she's the Hope Diamond.

I wasn't shocked that Jake was cheating.

What shocked me was how serious he seemed to be.

Who was this girl?

Fueled by pure curiosity, I booked the first flight back home without telling Jake a damn thing.

I had Benny drop me off right in front of the apartment complex where Jake was stashing her.

Wouldn't you know it, Jake was just climbing out of his Cullinan. He casually tossed his bespoke suit jacket in the back, grabbed a cheap-looking windbreaker, and slipped it on.

Then, he threw on a pair of glasses, messed up his hair, and grabbed a laptop bag.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Is he going for the 'undercover programmer' look?"

Benny just kept his eyes on the road, quiet as a mouse.

As soon as Jake went inside, I pushed open the car door.

"Wait here. I'm going up to check things out."

"Ms. Reese…"

"What are you worried about? Is he gonna kill me?"

"…Well, maybe not kill you!"

Everyone knew that if I went up there and blew things up, there'd be hell to pay between me and Jake.

Especially these last couple of years, with all the tension building between us.

Silent treatments, screaming matches, throwing things - that was just our normal Tuesday night.

The last big blow-up was maybe two weeks ago.

I can't even remember what it was about.

We were at each other's throats until I finally grabbed a water glass and chucked it right at him.

He could have ducked, but he didn't.

He just stood there, blood trickling down his forehead, staring at me with these cold, dead eyes.

"Do you even resemble the girl I fell in love with anymore?"

How ridiculous.

I'm not the same? As if he was.

He could change, no problem.

I changed, and suddenly it was a capital offense?

Knock, knock, knock. I rapped on the apartment door.

Jake answered, wearing this warm, gentle smile. He glanced back inside.

"Don't worry about that. I got it."

He turned back to the door, and the second his eyes landed on me, the smile shattered, and that gentle look turned to pure ice.

The man's a damn method actor.

"Who is it?"

A sweet, lilting voice came from behind Jake.

I met her gaze and faltered.

Jake stepped to the side.

"Go back inside, honey."

The girl flinched at the sound of his low, serious tone.

A little smile crept across my face.

I jumped in before she could react, extending my hand.

"Hi, I'm a colleague of Jake's. We need to discuss some work-related stuff."

Jake gave me a cool look but didn't argue.

"Stay here. We'll talk outside."

"Am I intruding? Am I interrupting Mrs. Callahan?"

The girl's face flushed bright red. She shook her head, flustered.

"Oh, no! I'm not Mrs. Callahan. We're not…"

"Not married yet? Well, I'm sure that'll change soon. I'll be expecting an invitation when you do get hitched!"

The girl's face got even redder, and she stole a shy glance at Jake.

My smile widened.

"By the way, I'm Reese. And you are?"

"Olivia Baker. Hi!"

Olivia Baker, 19 years old, college student at NYU, bright, talented, all-around good egg.

That was all the info I could dig up.

Jake had clearly buried the rest.

In the end, I never made it inside their little love nest.

With Jake practically shooting daggers at me with his eyes, I decided to play nice and follow him downstairs.

"How did you get here?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were back in the country?"

"How long have you known?"

Jake took a deep drag from his cigarette.

"What do you want?"

I snorted.

Finally, we were getting to the point.

"What do you think I want?"

Jake tilted his head, studying me.

"What I have with Olivia isn’t what you think.”

"She's not well. I'm taking care of her. That's all it is."

"Uh-huh," I said.

"What if I don't believe you?"

Jake's face darkened instantly.