I never should have let them stay so late.
It was supposed to be a casual Friday night — just my husband Mark and four of his old college buddies getting together at our house. Beer, pizza, football on the big screen. Nothing special. I’d made snacks, smiled politely, and stayed out of their way for most of the night.
But Mark drank way too much.
By midnight he was completely gone — slurring, laughing too loud, then suddenly passing out cold on the couch with his head tilted back and mouth open. The game was still on, but the guys had stopped watching. They were loud, drunk, and restless.
There were four of them.
Jake — tall, muscular, always cocky.
Ryan — the quiet one with the intense stare.
Tyler — loud, tattooed, always making dirty jokes.
And Marcus — the biggest of them all,
