I noticed that the garage—which sat on the other side of the house—had been extended from a two-car to a three-car, and the house had been refreshed with new white paint, although the shutters had been changed from navy blue to black.
My ears perked up when a new song started, and I actually recognized it. “Heaven Knows” by the Pretty Reckless. Nik had listened to it a lot at school.
Partygoers were scattered about as I walked onto the porch and stepped through the open doorway, trying not to think about the last time I was here.
But then I couldn’t think about anything as I immediately deflated and gawked at the inside of the house.
Oh, my God. Wow.
More than the exterior had been upgraded. My eyes darted up, down, and all around as I took in new, bold paint making the house so much more inviting, and the carpet in the living room that had been torn away to reveal shiny hardwood floors. Everything in the rooms that I could get a glimpse of was made to accommodate a bachelor and his parties.
Three huge flat-screens lined the wall in the family room where the pool table still sat. The furniture in the living room had been replaced with deep leather couches and more flat-screens, and as I peered to the back of the house, I could see glimpses of a renovated kitchen as well.
“A lot’s changed, Juliet.” Shane’s voice came back to me. Yeah, so it would seem.
Katherine Trent—or Katherine Caruthers now—had kept a nice house before, but this was … well, I didn’t know how to describe it.
Loaded? Indulgent? Hot. Definitely hot.
I liked the red walls in the living room, the midnight blue walls in the family room, and the cappuccino-colored walls in the foyer. I liked the black-framed prints of Native Americans wearing various headdresses and jewelry on the walls leading up to the second floor, and even though black leather couches usually creeped me out, the ones in the living room weren’t cheap. They were deep and lush, and expensive looking. Everything looked so well kept and clean.
“K.C.?”
I spun around, coming face-to-face with Liam.
And I swallowed my fucking gum.
I winced, not even trying to hide the look. The sight of his blue doe eyes and polite expression gave me a sudden urge to breathe fire in his stupid, fat face. Was this seriously happening to me right now?
He stood in the doorway, holding hands with the very same redhead I’d caught him with at the club last week. She had on a black, strapless dress, and her hair was full of volume and looking sexy as it fell around her.
Great. And I picked today to get rebellious with my appearance. I shook my head at the irony.
When he’d cheated on me in high school, I’d taken him back. Stupidly. I felt as if I’d done something wrong—something to push him away—and he’d honestly seemed sorry for what he’d done. After seeing how Jared had treated Tate through most of high school, I was actually grateful to have a boyfriend who brought me flowers when I was sick and who put up with my mother’s attitude.
When I caught him cheating again a couple of weeks ago, I was done.
“Liam.” I sighed, trying to look bored. “Doesn’t Jax hate you? Why are you here?”
His face fell, and it was the first time I’d been glad for Jax’s contempt toward Liam. Although I was also insinuating that Jax was fine with me being here, which might not be true, either.
“Everyone’s here, K.C.” Liam stuck his other hand in his pocket. “This is Megan, by the way.”
“I’ll let you know when I give a shit,” I mumbled.
He continued, ignoring me. “I brought her home to meet my parents.” Don’t care. “We’re moving in together, K.C.”
My knees damn near buckled, and I let out a shocked laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”
Megan arched an eyebrow, looking dissatisfied that she had to tolerate my presence, and Liam hooded his eyes, totally not laughing with me.
I immediately straightened. “Wow, I’m sorry.”
“Excuse me?” Megan snipped.
“I mean, I’m sorry in advance. For when he cheats on you,” I explained. “Do you really think that he won’t?”
She smiled, looking smug, as if she knew something I didn’t, and I locked my hands behind my back, fingering my scar.
“Men who are unsatisfied cheat,” she taunted me. “And from what I hear, you were very unsatisfying.”
And I stared dumbfounded as she pretended to take a dick into her mouth and start gagging.
I barely saw Liam give her a dirty look. All I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears while her pompous smirk leveled me. She was imitating me. Liam had told her …
No.
The room was too crowded, and I rubbed my upper arms, trying to erase the chill even though embarrassment warmed my cheeks. They just stood there, staring at me, and it was my turn to act, but I locked my mouth shut, searching my blank mental arsenal for what I should do next.
But I had nothing. I was unsatisfying. I was pathetic to him. What was I supposed to do now? What was I supposed to say?
Tate. She would know what to do.
“You couldn’t even give a decent blow job, huh?” Megan baited me.
Say something!
Goose bumps broke out over my arms, I was so cold, and I blinked long and hard. So cold.
But then a rush of heat hit my back, and I gasped, my eyelids fluttering with the sudden warm relief.
“Liam,” Jax’s voice greeted him as he wrapped his arms around my waist and engulfed me in the soothing furnace of his skin.
“Jax,” Liam muttered, his voice unfriendly. I opened my eyes to see his gaze shooting between me and the man behind me, probably wondering what the hell was going on.
Hell if I knew.
Glancing down, I saw Jax’s same beautiful hands and long fingers, smeared with grease, locked in front of my waist. I brought up my hands and clasped his forearms, much thicker than they were last time I’d seen him.
I didn’t know why he did it. All I knew was that I wasn’t hurting right now, and I wasn’t alone and feeling stupid.
He took my movement as an invitation and pulled me closer into his chest.
“How’s it going?” he asked Liam.
“Fine,” Liam answered, still looking between Jax and me suspiciously. “You?” he asked back.
I noticed Megan staring over my head at Jax, the hint of a smile on her lips.
“Fine,” Jax answered in a flat tone. “But your new girlfriend is acting like a bitch, and it’s pissing me off. If she upsets K.C. again, she’s out.”
A breathless laugh escaped my chest, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. Oh, my God!