Chapter 1

My Mafia husband is in a hotel room, sleeping with my best friend.

And I’m standing right outside the door.

Inside, Ethan’s low laughter drifts through the wood. One of his men asks, “Boss, what about your wife?”

Ethan gives a lazy smirk. “My wife? That woman is like a dead fish in bed. Lena is different. She actually knows how to please a man.”

The men around him burst into laughter.

I stand perfectly still.

Ethan continues, completely unaware that I’m only a few feet away. “Let her have a few more days. Once I take over the Blackwell business, I’ll strip her of everything she has. Then I’ll hand her over to you boys.”

A round of ugly laughter fills the room.

Lena laughs with them.

My best friend.

My husband.

I don’t cry. I don’t bang on the door. My hands don’t shake.

I simply take out my phone and scroll through my contacts.

There is one person I need to call.

Ryan.

Lena’s husband.

Six months ago, he caught her in bed with another man. He shot the man dead and spent the last six months behind bars.

Today, he’s finally free.

The call connects after two rings.

“Who is this?” Ryan asks, his voice rough and cold.

“It’s Mia.”

There’s a brief silence. “Why are you calling me?”

I glance at the hotel room door. I can still hear Ethan laughing inside.

Then I say quietly, “Your wife is here.”

Ryan says nothing.

“With my husband.”

$#{2 |The Trap}$#

Ryan has been out of prison for six months.

Six months ago, he caught Lena sleeping with another man and put a bullet through his chest. Tonight, I gave him the address of the hotel where his wife is sleeping with my husband.

But that isn’t enough.

If Ryan walks into that room alone, he’ll confront Ethan. Maybe he’ll hit him. Maybe he’ll drag Lena home. Either way, Lena can still tell herself that Ethan chose her.

I need her to see the truth with her own eyes.

So I put my phone away and walk back into the private room.

Ethan is still laughing when I enter. Lena is beside him, fixing her hair as if nothing happened.

He looks at me. “You’re still here?”

I force a small smile. “I was waiting for you.”

His expression immediately softens with satisfaction. “I knew you’d understand.”

I lower my eyes. “I don’t want a divorce.”

“That’s my girl.”

Lena comes over and touches my cheek. “You know I love you.”

The lie almost makes me laugh.

Instead, I meet her eyes and whisper, “I love you too.”

She smiles, completely at ease.

“You always know how to make things easy.”

Ethan picks up his jacket. “We’re leaving.”

“Where?”

“The hotel.”

Lena immediately slips her arm through his.

I stare at them for a second before asking, “You’re going together?”

Ethan gives me a warning look. “Don’t make a scene.”

“I won’t.”

They leave the room.

I wait until the elevator doors close behind them before following.

I already know where they’re going.

Room 714.

Ethan has used that suite before. It’s one of the hotel’s private rooms, booked under a company account. He thinks nobody notices.

I noticed everything.

At the front desk, I give the manager a calm smile.

“I need a duplicate key for Room 714.”

He hesitates. “That’s a private suite.”

“It’s a family matter.”

He studies my face, then hands me a key card.

“Room 714.”

“Thank you.”

I turn away with the card in my hand.

That’s when I see Lena coming back down the hallway alone.

She looks nervous.

Good.

She spots me immediately.

“You said Ryan was drunk.”

“He was.”

“Then why is he here?”

I glance toward the elevators before lowering my voice.

“I think he followed you.”

Her face changes.

“Where is he?”

I hold up the key card.

“Room 714.”

She stares at it.

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t know.”

I place the card in her hand.

“But if you want to find out, you can.”

She looks at me suspiciously.

“You’re not coming?”

I give her a small, wounded smile.

“I want to know the truth too.”

That is all it takes.

She turns toward the elevator.

I follow.

Neither of us speaks as the doors close.

Six.

Seven.

When the doors open, Lena steps out first.

I stay several paces behind.

She walks toward Room 714, clutching the key card so tightly that her knuckles turn white.

Then she stops.

A man's voice comes through the door.

Ethan.

“Don’t worry. She’ll never leave me.”

A bitter laugh follows.

Lena's breathing catches.

She looks back at me.

For the first time tonight, she looks afraid.

I say nothing.

She turns back to the door and swipes the card.

Beep.

The lock clicks.

She pushes the door open.

And freezes.

Ryan is standing inside.

His face is cold, his eyes fixed on her.

Ethan is beside the bed, and the moment he sees Ryan, all the color drains from his face.

For several seconds, nobody moves.

Lena looks at Ryan.

Then Ethan.

Then Ryan again.

“Why are you here?”

Ryan lets out a humorless laugh.

“You really want to ask me that?”

Lena takes a step backward.

“This isn’t what it looks like.”

Ryan points at Ethan.

“Then tell me why my wife is in a hotel room with another man.”

Lena opens her mouth.

Nothing comes out.

Ethan steps forward. “Ryan, listen—”

“No.”

Ryan's voice is dangerously calm.

“You stay out of this.”

Lena looks at Ethan, desperate now.

“You said she would never leave you.”

Ethan goes still.

Ryan turns toward him.

“What did you just say?”

Ethan's face tightens.

Lena stares at him.

“You told me she meant nothing.”

Ethan says nothing.

“You told me you were going to take everything from her.”

Still nothing.

Then Lena looks at me.

“You knew.”

I meet her eyes.

“I knew my husband was cheating.”

“You brought me here.”

“I gave you the key.”

Her face twists with disbelief.

“You wanted me to see this.”

I hold her gaze.

“I wanted you to know the truth.”

Ryan looks at me.

“And you?”

“I called you because she is your wife.”

His eyes stay on mine for a long moment.

Then he looks back at Lena.

Everything he thought he knew about his marriage is collapsing in front of him.

Lena's breathing becomes uneven.

She turns toward Ethan.

“You said I was different.”

Ethan takes a step toward her.

“Lena, calm down.”

“You said you loved me.”

“I do.”

“Then why did you call her a dead fish?”

Ethan freezes.

Ryan looks at him.

I say nothing.

Lena's eyes fill with tears.

“You were laughing at her.”

Ethan reaches for her.

She jerks away.

“You were laughing at me too.”

“Lena—”

“You were never going to leave her.”

Ethan's silence answers for him.

Her gaze drops to the knife lying on the table.

Ryan notices it.

“Lena.”

She grabs it.

Ryan takes one step forward.

“Put it down.”

“Don't come near me.”

Ethan raises his hands. “Just give me the knife.”

“You lied to me.”

“I didn't.”

“You told me she meant nothing.”

Ethan glances at me.

That is the wrong thing to do.

Lena sees it.

Her face crumples.

Then she screams and lunges.

The knife drives into Ethan's stomach.

He looks down in shock.

Blood spreads across his shirt.

The knife slips from Lena's hand, and Ethan collapses against the edge of the bed.

For one second, the room is completely silent.

Then Lena looks at the blood on her hands.

“No…”

Ryan doesn't move.

Neither do I.

Because the trap is already closed.

And this time, I didn't have to touch the knife.