Rain. I wake up slowly, as the light from an unfamiliar window spreads across my face with a soft haze. My body feels heavy but deliciously sore in places I haven't noticed in months. A dull ache throbs behind my eyes and like clockwork, the memories crash in with a cold violence. Colt's face. Lila's weak, guilty smile. The sickening blatant betrayal of their phrase "we're not cousins." And oh my, Rhysand. The bartender stranger. The furious, yet beautiful blur of wine, revenge and raw desperate pleasure. "Oh fuck!" I gasp, as shame hits me like a blow. Mortified, I stare up at the ceiling of the man whose last name I don't even know. I can't believe the reckless thing I did but I'm justified. I also have options of my own...an option that was grasping the nearest lifeline-even if that lifeline was a gorgeous dangerous stranger. I hear a soft thump from the next room. My head whips toward the sound. "Shit, that must be him." I raise the covers, mortification blowing wide when I realize how very naked I am underneath it. "My head must be a crow's nest, can't let him find me like this." Even with a line of drool down my mouth. God, why me! Panic snaps me into frantic action with only one mission in mind: I cannot let him see me this rumpled and hungover. Especially with the emotional wreckage of last night all over my face. I scramble off the bed, snatching my clothes and heels. I make a blind dash for where I think is the bathroom. Throwing the door open, I instantly collide with a solid, warm, wet wall of muscle. It is Rhysand. He's just left the shower with a towel hanging too low off his hips. Water clings to the dark hair on his chest, dripping down the sharp definition of his abs. I stumble back, completely out of breath. As he steps aside, I catch my own reflection in the mirror but almost immediately, I get shamefully distracted by the perfect curve of his butt. My pussy whimpers. 'Fuck me, again. Please.' It's the sound of his deep chuckle that startles me. "Admiring the view, Rain?" Heat floods my cheek. He leans against the doorframe, somehow managing to trap me, as a wicked grin curves his mouth. "You look like you're trying to escape a crime scene. Don't rush. You can go back to bed, or, better yet..." His eyes darken, then gleam with hunger. "We can have that bath. Together. Again." A delicious thrill shoots up my spine at the seductive words. It's intoxicating how inviting his words are. No, focus, Rain! It's just another man like Colt. That forces me to clamp down the feeling and make my tone sharp. "Absolutely not. I need to clean up and get out," I state, keeping my clothes close to cover my jewels. My bare backside can manage. "Go find a shirt and make coffee, please." He studies me with a slight knowing smile on his face before turning towards the bedroom. "Leaving already?" He calls out. "Yes. It was fun, but I have a life," I reply, pulling on my pant and snapping on the bra quickly. "A life that involves an engagement party tonight?" I yank the door open. "You're an absolute snoop." He raises his arms defensively. "Hey, I was the one used to settle scores, I couldn't help but notice the invitation. It did mention a plus one, and I happen to have a completely clear schedule today." I scoff. "That text is going to the bin." His eyes narrow in silent judgement causing the hairs on my neck to stand. Instead of pushing, he shrugs. "Fine. Your funeral. I made breakfast." I don't answer. I throw on my sheer top, grab my bag and storm out. The second I step outside his door, I realize I'm standing in a glass penthouse with breathtaking cityscapes. Even though it's a little sus for a bartender, that's not my business. The moment I turn my phone on, it blows up with missed calls and frantic texts. All from a very distraught Emma. So I call her to let her know where I am now and that I'll be home in a few. While I order for my uber ride, I stumble upon Colt's message from last night. I swipe past it, refusing to even look. The elevator chimes open. Just as the door swooshes close, a hand stops it from closing completely. "Rhysand again," he says with a cheeky smile I find annoying. "What do you want this time? There are no bathrooms in here." He walks into the elevator with fluid movements and his presence domineers the space around me. He smells edible. This can't be happening to me. He opens his palm. In there is a tiny, glittering object: my gold hairpin. Instead of taking it, I roll my eyes. "I know it's small and maybe insignificant, but I thought you wouldn't wanna miss it." Then he has the nerve to show me sincere eyes. Who is this grown man kidding for fucks sakes! "You're right, it's insignificant yet you needed an excuse to see my face one last time." He bites his bottom lip and winks. "Maybe. I'll be seeing you anytime soon?" He asks, taking a few steps out of the elevator as a couple walk in. My eyes do a full appraisal, noting the ridges of his sculpted forceps. The way he drove me to extreme orgasms floods my mind. Colt has never achieved that. I felt like a fucking virgin all over again. "Rain?" A searing signal shoots down to my core. I quickly shake off the thought. Down, girl. Stop it now. He reaches through and hands over the hairpin. As our fingers come in contact, the memory of him and his raw desire merges into a sudden, reckless plan. "Accompany me tonight," I demand, my voice surprisingly holding steady. "To the engagement party." He cocks a lazy smirk. "Oh? Why the sudden change of heart? Was it the fact that I caught you lingering too long? Perhaps a desperate attempt to make your man jealous with a suitable 'distraction'?" Heat scald my cheeks. "For fuck sakes, Rhysand. Just say yes already." "I hope I'm worthy enough to accompany you as a date." "Doesn't change the fact that you're an absolute snoop." I hiss, humiliation and anger mixing on my face. Instead of replying, he pulls me out of the elevator. "What is your problem?" I hiss as I watch the elevators close. "If I'm not careful, you'll break a nail being so melodramatic." His thumb strokes my pulse point in a maddening, playful way. As some of my anger melts away, his eyes flash with victory. I hate how he does that. *** The clock reads 7:58 PM when we pull up to Colt's family estate. The moment the car stops, the playful Rhysand, who's been telling easy jokes and teasing from the ride, disappears. I ignore it. He's doing me a favor, and the seriousness isn't my problem. We part ways after this anyway. "I have to take this," he murmurs, stepping away to answer a call on his phone, moving toward a dark column. I straighten my dress, take a deep breath and venture into the party alone. The ballroom is already full with laughter ringing out in various zones. Champagne flutes chime and the air reeks of betrayal. That's when I see him. Colt. He spots me and his hard set face immediately snaps into a mask of pure anger. He walks straight toward me with unnerving speed. "What is the meaning of this, Rain? What do you think you are doing showing up here?" He growls, pulling me harshly to the side. "And what the hell was that nonsense last night?" I blink at him, genuinely confused. "Nonsense? I'm here because I was invited." "Don't play dumb!" Then he lowers his voice after scanning our environment for onlookers. "You had the nerve to phone me while you were whoring yourself away with some...man. I heard every disgusting sound! You sounded like a railed animal! Do you know how that made me look in front of my family?" I blink, stepping back as if he's physically assaulted me. When did that happen? "I never..." I go through my call history and right under Emma's name is indeed a call I made to Colt. "Shit." I murmur. Before I can say anything else, a thick voice cuts in. "Colt, my man!" A man appears from behind and slaps his shoulder. He looks me up and down with disgust. "Is this the little whore you were going to marry before Lila opened your eyes? Good thing you woke up, buddy. You saw the light." The word-whore-echoes in the suddenly quiet corner of my mind. And then, the forgotten memory comes rushing: My hand fumbling to hit Colt's number as I had Rhysand pound relentlessly into me. I called him. Shit. I called him during. A sharp pain of insult, notification and rage explodes behind my eyes. I will die before I look like a victim. Squaring my shoulders, I match his venom with fire. "The only thing I dodged was a pathetic, lying snake who clearly can't keep his hands off his supposed cousin." I spit out. "Have a nice life bearing imbeciles." Colt's face go completely dark as his composure scatters, like he cannot believe I'll ever speak to him in that manner. He lunges a hald-step forward, his face contorted with the most dangerous look I have ever seen from him. I recoil, taking a fast step backward as the realization hits that I might have pushed too far this time. But my back hits a solid, immense wall of muscle. Rhysand. And boy does he not look pleased one bit. His eyes are ablaze with a terrifying mix of cold anger and a mocking tease. As though daring Colt to make the wrong move. The menacing look, though not directed at me, sends a shiver down my spine. Colt stops dead in his tracks. His murderous rage instantly twists into shock, then utter terror. "Rhys...?" Colt croaks. "What are you doing here?" Rhysand shifts, his body leaning slightly over mine. He wraps an arm around my waist to make the statement clear. With a majestic disdain that makes Colt look small, he delivers the final blow. "Hello, Brother."

Rain. I'm standing in a frozen triangle of hate. Brother? The word rings in my ears like it's the most absurd word. My head snaps between both men. How the fuck is that possible. My shock lasts for one single breath before it shatters, replaced by a scalding, white-hot rage. Shoving myself away from Rhysand's protective frame, I plant myself right in front of Colt who glares as if trampling me wouldn't be enough to quell his anger. "You," I hiss, my voice and my body shaking so hard. "You have a brother? A whole living, breathing human that you somehow never mentioned? In all the time we were dating? In all the years I've known you?" He's the reason I made the most stupid mistake of my life, sleeping with my ex's elder brother. "You didn't think you'd be privy to everything that goes on in my life because you were my girlfriend, did you?" "You bastard." I let out an ugly laugh. The few guests around us are staring with their champagne glasses frozen halfway to their mouths. "Why am I even surprised?" I continue as my voice gets louder. "You lied about everything. You lied that your precious Lila was your cousin. You lied to me every single day. You brought me here, to this party, just to humiliate me! What else, Colt? What other convenient lies have you been telling?" Colt's shock finally melts, replaced by that nasty sneer he always wears in disgust. He's trying to get his power back. "Me?" he scoffs, taking a step towards me. "Accusing me of lying? You're the one who shows up here, shamelessly, on his arm." He jerks his chin at Rhysand. His eyes narrow, glittering with pure venom. "So he was the one, huh? He was the one who made you sound like such a whore on the phone last night, wasn't he?" The word lands like a physical slap. I flinch, but instead of backing down, I tilt my chin even higher. The shame is gone, burned away by my fury. "Don't you dare," my voice drops to a dangerous low. "In the short, short time I've known him, he's already proven he's twice the man you will ever be. At least he keeps his word." "Don't be so gullible, Rain," Colt laughs. " you need to see through his devices. That's how he gets all his unsuspecting victims. You're just the latest one to fall for his act." I glance back at Rhysand. He hasn't moved. He's just watching Colt as he rolls his tongue deliberately inside his cheek. He looks like he wants to smash Colt's face to the floor, but he's holding himself perfectly still. "Colt? What is all the shouting about?" A woman with a kind, worried face and a beautiful blue dress sweeps towards us. I recognize her instantly. Elena. Colt's mother. Her eyes find me first, and her entire expression softens. The worry melts into pure, loving sadness. "Rain? Oh, honey..." she moves right past Colt, taking my hands in hers. As opposed to my trembling ones, her skin is warm. "Oh, my dear, what are you doing here? I was so... I am so, so sorry about everything. Are you alright? My heart just broke when Colt told me..." Before I can't answer, her gaze slides past my shoulder, to the man standing behind me. Her hands drop mine as the warmth on her face vanishes, instantly replaced by bone-deep shock. "Rhys...?" "Mother," Rhysand says in a tone that's void of any affection. "Rhysand!" She rushes to him but he doesn't move to hug her. "I sent you dozens of messages! I begged you! Just to come to the house even if not for the party. I just wanted to see you..." Rhysand finally peels his eyes off Colt and looks at his mother. His face is a cold, beautiful mask. It hurts seeing him regard his own mother that way. "And why wouldn't I come?" He asks, his voice dripping with pure sarcasm. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." He takes a small deliberate step forward so he's standing right beside me. "It's my brother's engagement, afterall," he continues. "I'm always happy to celebrate." And something about his words don't sit right with me. It feels like I've been placed smack dab in the middle of family drama. His eyes lock back onto Colt, pinning him in place. "It's a good thing I don't need your blessings to get married, dear brother," Colt spits bitterly. "As long," Rhysand ignores him promptly, with a soft voice, "as he's not engaged to a particular person." Elena looks completely confused. "What? What are you talking about? He's engaged to Lila. You know Lila right? She's a wonderful girl-" "Am I, mother?" Rhysand cuts her off smoothly. "Am I talking about Lila?" Her face crumbles for a brief moment. "I'm not sure I catch on to who-" Colt, on the other hand, has a face like a sheet of ice. "You stay away from her," he hisses. Even though fear lies underneath his false bravado. "Or what?" Rhysand asks. He takes one more slow step, closing the distance between them. The party noise around us seems to fade to a dull roar. "You'll lie to her, too? You'll tell her I'm dead this time? Or maybe you'll just tell her I'm another cousin?" That's what breaks him. "SHUT UP!" Colt screams. His eyes go wild. The first thing he spots is the silver tray a waiter passes by with. With all his force, he backhands a full champagne flute off the tray. I watch, regretfully, as it flies through the air and smashes against the marble pillar right next to my head. I scream and flinch hard, covering my face as champagne and tiny shards of glass spray over my shoulder. The music stops and the whole room goes dead silent. Colt, high on his own rage and seeing my fear, turns that adrenaline back on Rhysand. He throws a wild, sloppy punch aimed straight at his brother's calm, mocking face. Rhysand doesn't even flinch. He just lifts his hand and catches Colt's fist, an inch from his cheek. The sound of the impact is a dull thud. Then, he wrinkles his nose in slight disgust. "You'd have to be stupid drunk to want to dare to hit me." "Rhysand, unhand your brother right now!" Elena hisses. "Don't do this. At least not in front of the guests." He smiles. A terrifying, cold predatory smile. His grip tightens and that's when I hear it. A small, sick pop. Colt cries out as his face twists in pain. "You always were," Rhysand whispers but his voice moves sharp and clear across the stunned room, "so. damn. slow." For a moment, I curse my luck for sleeping with the wrong men and having the worst type of timing.

Rain. I'm standing in the dimly lit aisle of a sex store and I'm going crazy. I push a shopping cart overflowing with glittery bath bombs and scented candles–my stuff. While Emma pushes a small basket filled with items that hum and buzz. "I just can't, Em! I can't function!" I yank a stress ball shaped like a cartoon brain off a shelf and squeeze it hard. "It's been...what, fourteen days? And every morning I wake up and realize I slept with my ex-boyfriend's elder brother. Not just that, I had angry, vengeful, phenomenal sex with him!" "He must have made your toes curl if you describe it as that." She turns on a vibrator shaped like a lipstick, making a comment about needing a new one. Then she turns to me. "You've never for once called sex with Colt phenomenal." I nearly hurl the brain ball at her. "Stop joking around with my predicament. It's wrong! It's a violation of like, five different morality codes!" Emma, still completely unfazed, holds up two bottles of creamy liquid. "Which lube should I get? Strawberry or peppermint?" "I don't care about the lube," I whine, throwing the brain ball back onto the shelf. "Be a supportive friend for once in your life. Support my sexuality," she whines right back, pouting. "I'm trying, Em, but I hate it. I hate that I did that! I hate that I felt justified! I hate that I can't stop thinking about that penthouse and Rhysand–" I lean closer to her, dropping my voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "fucks too well to just forget about it. That's the worst part. It just makes everything worse." "Look, Rain," she finally says, putting the peppermint bottle in her basket. "You got revenge and pleasure as a double combo. Colt is still reeling from it, so stop with the guilt complex. Rhysand is hot, available and you were drunk. See it as a win-win situation." "But he's his brother! That's the line! It's messy! It's unforgivable. What if he thinks I'm desperate? What if he thinks I'm chasing Colt's attention? I just...I just wish I could forget it ever happened." "And so what if you slept with a hot stranger who turned out to be his elder brother? You didn't even know he existed until that night. He served purpose well. If Colt feels disgruntled about that mistake, he can suck on that ginormous purple cock." Bubbling over with frustration, I grab a display item without looking. My fingers close around something smooth and firm. "I wish I could erase the whole stupid night and the way that man..." I trail off, confused on why Emma stands frozen in time. Following her gaze, I find the devil himself standing behind me with a smirk equally as devilish. "Indeed." His eyes drop for one second to my hands before coming back up. My blood freeze at the way he's just casually leaning against the shelving unit at the end of the aisle, wearing a fitted black t-shirt and has a basket of his own. Emma clears her throat awkwardly, eyes drifting to the item in my grip. Slowly, I look down to the item I am currently cradling in my hand. It is long purple cock, battery-operated and vibrating. It's one of those models that move when you turn it on. I must have accidentally hit the switch. I snatch my hand back, dropping the jerking, purple dildo back onto the shelf as if it just burned me. My cheeks are on fire. "Rhysand? What are you...what are you doing here?" I stammer, my mind scrambling to sound dignified while standing in a sex toy store. I feel the need to defend myself, to shimmy out of the humiliating situation. "I–" I choke on my words, then try again. "I was just h-holding that for Emma. She's...she was looking at the new motor." Rhysand's silver eyes narrow with amusement dancing in their depths. He takes slow strides closer, picking up the peppermint blue Emma just put in her basket. "Indeed," he says with that cocky look that makes me want to slap him. "It looks like you were conducting very serious quality control here." Emma's phone begins to ring out of blue. She bumps my shoulder. "Urgent call. I'll just take this basket and pay for the items. Gotta run, girl! You guys talk." She dashes off like her ass is on fire. And now I'm left standing in the middle of the aisle with the one person I don't want to talk to in the whole world–the ex's brother who's been inside me. Worse, he just caught me with that stupid jerking dildo which currently is still jerking on the shelf and I have no idea where the switch is. The ground should swallow me whole right now. Gathering the remaining shreds of my pride, I cross my arms over my chest. "You're getting lubricants?" I demand, motioning to his basket. "Are you just trying to prove you're a creep?" He ignores the jab, grabs the dildo and turns it off with a deft click. Then returns it back carefully. "I'm looking for a gift, unlike some people," he lets his eyes roam over the abandoned buzzing toys which Emma abandoned. "Whatever. What do you want this time?" He doesn't answer me straight away. "I prefer the real thing. I'm starting to think you're ignoring my calls because these things are giving you pleasure that you could have gotten from me." His stare bores into me now, that same heated look i'd seen in his eyes two weeks ago. "You know you only have to make one phone call." "I am not ignoring you," I lie, pushing down the memory of his name flashing on my phone. "How the hell did you even get my number because I don't remember you asking for it. Only a crazed stalker does things like that." He chuckles. "You should have thought about that before you used me to get revenge on your little boyfriend." And then it clicks in my head. "You bastard," I seethe. "You knew I was your brother's girlfriend and yet you led me on. The gall of you." The sides of his eyes crinkle, before he burst out laughing. "Put that blame back on Colt for hiding the fact that he has an elder brother and on you for not asking questions. Not like it was your fault anyway." "Asshole," I mutter. "What do you want?" "You. You don't need the toys when you have the real deal standing before you in the flesh." "I don't want the real thing. I regret the whole night, in case your eavesdropping didn't catch that part." He leans in, his scent–a mix of expensive cologne and something uniquely his–hitting me. "You don't regret it. You hate that you crave it. You hate that your careful moral lines are crossed because it felt good." My breath hitches. He's right. I hate the sex, but I hate what I feel even more. It's forbidden and crosses all the lines of my morality. I hate that I crave his touch when I absolutely shouldn't. He reaches out, his finger coming toward my cheek. "Stop." I slap his hand away hard. Letting him touch me again might unravel every hate I feel toward him. Not here with all these...items. Not ever again. "I'm going home. You should do the same. And stop...thinking about me." "Hear me, Rain," he grips my hand before I can turn. "You walked into my life. That was your choice. I'm afraid walking out is no longer an option." "What are you-" "I don't play games, is all I want to say, and I will never lose what I decide is mine. You will try to run and you will try to hate me..." The truth in his words burn deeply into me as he tilts up my chin slightly, forcing me to meet the power of his eyes. "And every time, I will find you and bring you back." The rough pad of his thumb strokes the skin next to my ear as his stare grows intense. "I can't let you go, Rain. Not now. Not when we are old and they put us both in the earth. You are mine until the grave closes over us both." It takes every will I have to break out of the power of his hypnotic words. Turning on my heel, I practically run out of the store, leaving him standing alone in the aisle. *** I cross the threshold of my apartment a few minutes later, relieved to be home. The relief lasts less than a second when the atmosphere shifts. There's someone else. My blood runs cold when I catch the whiff of a signature cologne that can only belong to one man: Colt. My purse drops to the floor. Colt is standing in my living room by the window, hands in his pockets as he looks out at the city. He didn't break in; he must have still had the spare key. I make a mental note just then to have the locks changed and all his belongings sent back or burned. Still having a hard time deciding which. "Surprise," he says, dropping the sheer curtain and turning to me with a cruel, smug look on his face. You're so fucked, Rain. Fucked.