Page 68 of All Bets Are Off

“Yeah. Hailey needs me downstairs in forty-five minutes,” I tell him without lifting my eyes from my phone screen. I’m not sure I could look him directly in the eye no matter how hard I tried to. I fear he’ll figure out I can no longer pretend anymore. “We’re going to visit the sign and get some cute photos. She says you guys are welcome to join.”

Liam scoffs. “That’s such tourist bullshit, getting photos at the sign. No thanks.”

“We are tourists,” I point out, my tone worn down with irritation. “I assume you’ll want to come for drinks on the High Roller?”

“Yeah, that sounds more like it.”

I turn my back on him now and my voice reduces to a mumble when I say, “And then we’re going to a show tonight, so you guys will have to entertain yourselves.”

“What show?”

“Does it matter?” I ask, trying to keep my hands busy by grabbing last night’s clothes from the floor. My heart beats painfully slow and heavy in my chest, and it’s all I can focus on. I’m bracing for what’s coming next. Feel the spike of panic in my blood; the dread rising from my stomach.

“What show, Addy?” Liam presses, and I know any attempt to evade answering is futile.

With a breath, I say. “Magic Mike Live.”

Silence.

“Ha, yeah, tell Hailey thanks for the laugh. Great joke,” Liam mutters dryly. Then, firmly, he states, “You’re not going.”

“Liam,” I breathe, turning to face him with the tiniest bit of courage I’m capable of. I try my best to appear nonchalant, to make this seem like this show is no big deal—because it isn’t. “It’s just some harmless fun. We’ll blush and we’ll cheer and we’ll giggle and we’ll leave.”

“You are not fucking going, Addy,” Liam snaps, and I flinch at the abrupt change of tone, the venom in his voice something I recognize all too well. “My wife, my rules.”

I blink at him in astonishment. “I am not your wife,” I spit through enraged, clenched teeth. There’s ringing in my ears. My blood boils.

“Six weeks from now you will be, and I expect you—”

“You don’t get to expect anything from me,” I cut in, and I know I am walking a dangerously thin line. The worst possible thing I can do when Liam’s temper is heating up is antagonize him further, but I am done being submissive just to keep the peace.

I don’t think this relationship is worth fighting to save anymore.

Liam groans, pinching the bridge of his nose as he takes a moment to gather himself. “You know what I mean,” he says, his voice softer now. It’s a familiar pattern. Rubbing his face, sighing—because I’m the problem. I’m always the problem. “I’m communicating with you about something that makes me uncomfortable. Why aren’t you listening? If you respected me—”

“No, you’re trying to control me. Like you always do.”

Liam’s eyes visibly widen. A defiant Adelaide is an Adelaide he’s never met. An Adelaide I’m sure he’ll believe there’s only one way to silence.

I press my lips into a bold line and stare back at him. For once, my gaze is fiercer than his. It’s brazen of me, but it’s not through lack of fear—the terror fills me from head to toe. I may regret challenging him when he quits using his words in favor of his hands.

Surprisingly, he just asks, “Are you still drunk? What is going on?”

“I’m telling you it’s my bachelorette party, I’m going to a show with Hailey and Evie, and I’m going to enjoy it,” I say, fighting the tremor in my voice. Somehow, my words come out steady and final.

“Do what you want,” Liam grunts. As he takes a step forward, I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for impact—but it never comes. He walks straight past me to the bathroom and slams the door shut behind him.

A shaky breath escapes me as I collapse onto the edge of the bed. Suddenly, the realization of just how far I pushed things, how huge a risk I just took, hits me. All of the fear within me releases and now I’m hyperventilating, clutching my clothes to my chest. Liam won’t be in the shower long, and I don’t want to be alone with him again when he gets out.

Scrambling for my phone, I scroll to Connor’s name in my contacts and immediately call him. I stare at the bathroom door, watchful, as I press my phone to my ear. The dial tone only rings twice.

“Addy,” Connor answers. There’s so much weight behind my name. So much meaning.

“Can you come back to the room, please?” I whisper.

“I’m on my way.”

I hug my arms around myself, Liam’s T-shirt clinging to my body, as I wait. I even count the seconds in an attempt to control my breathing and calm my nerves. That’s why I know it only takes Connor Lexington three minutes and forty-nine seconds to get to me.