Ava's POV
"Ava!" Liam's voice was soft, barely above a whisper, as he advanced toward me and Steve in the dim hallway, his boots creaking on the wooden floor.
"Back off!" I snarled, my face buried in Steve's shirt, the comforting, intimate scent of pine and sweat soaking into the fabric as tears seeped through. My heart was shattered, still raw from seeing Lucy's hands all over Liam, undoing his shirt like he was hers.
"It's not what it looks like," Liam murmured, his hand on my shoulder, warm and firm. "I didn't realize you… still had feelings for me." His tone was rough yet smooth, his fingers trailing my skin, stirring memories of nights we'd f****d, intense and wild, bodies entwined until we were exhausted, before he dumped me for Freya and let Lucy's lies that I'd f****d Steve in p
