6. Liam
6
LIAM
" S o James is in town?" I glance over at Alex, my fingers tapping the steering wheel as we navigate through the San Diego traffic.
"Yeah, I ran into Mike at the coffee shop this morning. He mentioned seeing James at the gym." Alex adjusts his sunglasses, a grin spreading across his face. "I think we should go fuck with him. I called his assistant and got his address."
Mike is a friend from college that ended up moving to San Diego not too long after we did. He used to hang out with the four of us in college.
"Fuck with him?" I raise an eyebrow, unsure if he's serious.
"I mean, not literally." He chuckles. "But let's go see him. Squash all this bullshit. It’s fucking stupid that he ran off like a little bitch."
I consider it for a moment. The tension between us and James has been like a ghost, lingering since college. And while I'm still pissed about how things went down with Bianca, maybe Alex has a point. It's stupid to let it fester.
"Fine," I say finally. "Let's do it. Put in his address."
Alex punches my shoulder lightly. "That's the spirit! Plus, it's kinda funny he's our competition now in the real estate game."
I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, guess so."
Alex puts in his address, and twenty minutes later, we pull up to James's building. I cut the engine. "You sure about this?" I ask.
"Absolutely," Alex replies without hesitation. "Let's go surprise the bastard."
As we reach James's door, Alex raises his hand and knocks firmly. Moments later, the door swings open, revealing James standing there in a plain t-shirt and boxers.
"Hey, what's up asshole—" Alex starts, but his words die in his throat.
I stiffen beside him, my gaze darting past James as Bianca comes into view, standing behind him. She's wearing only a baggy t-shirt, her long braids cascading down her shoulders. Her eyes lock onto mine, a flicker of surprise dancing across her features.
James follows our gaze and curses under his breath.
"You son of a bitch," I spit out, fists clenching at my sides.
James's eyes widen, and he steps forward. "Liam, it's not what you think?—"
"Not what I think?" I cut him off, my voice rising. "How long have you two been seeing each other behind our backs? Is this why you ditched us after college? So, we wouldn't fucking find out?"
Bianca's mouth opens as if to say something, but I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear any of it.
Alex's hand is on my shoulder, trying to pull me back, but I'm too far gone. "Liam, calm down," he murmurs.
I yank away from Alex’s grip and take a step closer to James. "How long have you been fucking her? The past six years?"
James looks like he's been punched in the gut. "Liam, it just happened?—"
“You expect me to believe that bullshit?" My voice echoes in the hallway. Neighbors are probably listening now, but I don't care.
Bianca finally finds her voice. "Liam, please?—"
I turn to her, eyes burning with anger and betrayal. "Don't 'please' me. You ghosted us, remember? And now you're here with him? What the fuck?"
Alex tugs at my arm more forcefully this time. "We need to go."
I shake him off but know he's right. There's nothing more to say here that won't end in a fistfight. Without another word, I storm down the hallway cutting off the sight of James and Bianca standing there like deer caught in headlights.
"Wait!" James's voice echoes behind us, but I don't turn around. Alex and I keep moving.
"Liam! Alex!" James shouts again, desperation creeping into his tone.
I don't care. I push open the building's front door. Alex follows, shaking his head. We make a beeline for the car, and I yank open the driver's side door.
Once inside, I grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. Alex slides into the passenger seat, letting out a long breath.
"That was... unexpected," he says finally, breaking the tense silence.
"Unexpected?" I laugh bitterly. "That lying son of a bitch. All these years."
Alex nods, leaning back against the headrest.
"Fuck trying to be civil," I spit out, starting the engine with more force than necessary. "James can fuck off for all I care."
Alex looks at me, eyes filled with the same betrayal I'm experiencing. "Agreed."
The engine roars to life, and I peel out of the parking lot, tires squealing. The streets blur as we drive in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts.
James had always been the one to keep secrets, but this? This is a betrayal on a whole different level.
"It's obvious now," Alex mutters, breaking through my reverie. "He never wanted to be part of our company because he couldn't face us."
"Yeah," I agree, jaw tight. "Guess that’s why he ditched us after college."
Alex runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair, something he does when he's stressed. He shakes his head, a grim expression settling over his face.
"Do you think she knew?" I ask angrily.
"Knew what?" Alex's brow furrows in confusion.
"That it was our company," I say, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Do you think she planned this? Coming back into our lives like this?"
Alex looks at me, his expression filled with shock and disbelief. "You mean... you think she knew it was us when she took the job?"
I nod slowly, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fit together in my mind. "Yeah. Maybe she wanted to confront us or something. Or maybe she's just playing games."
Alex sits back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. "Man, I don't know. It's hard to believe she'd do that on purpose. Bianca isn’t like that. There’s no way she would play games like that.”
I shake my head. "I don't know what to believe anymore."
The silence between us stretches, thick with unresolved tension and unspoken questions. My thoughts race, each one more conflicting than the last. Bianca always had a way of getting under my skin, making me question everything I thought I knew.
"And now," I mutter, "we have a fucking meeting with her in three hours."
Alex sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, not exactly looking forward to that."
I glance at him, the frustration evident in my eyes, wishing I didn't have to go.
He gives me a sympathetic look. "We can get through this. We'll keep it professional. Just focus on the project."
"Easy for you to say," I snap.
He leans back in his seat and looks out the window. "We’ll handle it like we always do."
His confidence is almost irritating, but it's also grounding. Alex has always been the optimistic one, the one who believes things will work out somehow.
I let out a long breath and nod slowly. "Alright. We'll get through this."
We drive in silence for a few more minutes before he finally pulls into our office parking lot. The building looms ahead of us, a reminder of all the work we've put in since college.
"Ready?" Alex asks as we step out of the car.
"Unfortunately.”
I manage a small smile despite everything. Alex has a way of making even the worst situations seem manageable.
We head inside, and as we walk through the familiar halls of our office building, I can't help but think about how different things might have been if Bianca hadn't just left. But there's no point dwelling on the past now.
We have a meeting to prepare for, and whether we like it or not, Bianca is part of it.