“We can go over what you want to do later. What do you think of the door? I was planning on keeping it. It’s sixteenth century, all the iron is original.”

“It’s gorgeous, with a light sand and oil it will glow.” Alexa runs her hand over it. I love how happy she looks, her eyes big and sparkly. She stays that way as we walk through the house. Her thoughts mirror my own on almost every point, and as we walk the house, I see it becoming a home through Alexa’s eyes.

There is an office we will both share. The room is big enough for the both of us, and I do not like the idea of her out of my sight. She blushes as she hugs me tight and agrees to my plan. A place for one cat tree for Felix and Maxi and then another, by the time we are done I believe there will be enough cat trees to form a mansion. We end the tour in the backyard.

“What would it take to enclose this pool? Why the hell have an outdoor pool in Chicago? It isn’t even heated, I would be lucky to use it four months out of the year.”

“I don’t know, man. I’ve never had to deal with an outdoor pool before. The pool in my home was built the way god intended, indoors. That’s a question for Ben. Where’d he and Alexa go?”

I turn, only I don’t see them. Going back inside I find Alexa in Ben’s arms, her hands around his neck. Someone reached inside and gutted me. “You fucking slut.”

Alexa’s face goes white. “Leo, nothing happened!”

The fucker tightens his grip on her. “I swear, Mr. Kaplan. Nothing happened—”

“I made the mistake of living with your lies once, never again.” Turning on unsteady legs, I push Drake out of the way as I leave, not knowing where I’m going, just needing to get away.

I am in the ramshackle coach house when Drake finds me, what feels like hours later. “Alexa sprained her ankle, that’s why Ben was carrying her. It didn’t look good. I had Ria take her to the hospital. It’s just a sprain though.” I swallow against the tightness in my throat. Alexa was hurt. His hands were not on her out of desire. She did not moan in his arms out of need. “Are you going to tell me why you freaked out on the woman you love and left her there in pain when I know that’s not you.”

“She lied to me, Drake. She fucking lied. Every day, every damn day for weeks. I cannot forgive her. I cannot trust her and without trust what the hell is there?”

“What did she lie about?”