Brute didn’t retreat, didn’t show any sign of concern. The only reaction he gave was the contortion of his features that transformed into a look of incredulity. “What the hell are you talking about?”

T.J. clenched his jaw and spoke through gritted teeth. “Don’t patronize me. Did you really think I wouldn’t work it out? That I was that stupid?”

Brute gave Leo a questioning look. “Do you know what he’s rambling about?”

Leo shook his head. “I’m lost.”

“That woman,” T.J. sneered. “The one you paid to seduce me. You’ll be happy to know she did her job. Although, maybe not to the extent you wanted.”

“Paid?” Leo ran a hand through his loose hair. “Why would we pay someone to fuck you when half the women down here would happily do it for free?”

Semantics. “The woman you propositioned then.” The perplexed way they blinked back at him drove his anger to new heights. He didn’t expect Brute to understand how momentous their betrayal was. The guy had a heart for one reason, and it had nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with blood flow. But Leo was different. He understood love and the inability to control it.

“I’m still clueless.” Leo shrugged.

T.J. closed his eyes and leaned back against the counter, trying to stop the room from spinning. This didn’t add up. Brute was a heartless asshole. Most importantly, he was an honest heartless asshole. He wouldn’t continue with a charade this long.

“There was a woman,” he grated. “She wanted to sleep with me.”

Brute’s laugh was harsh. Humorless. “Man, you’re so far outta the game you have no clue.”

T.J. opened his eyes, glaring. “What does that mean?”

“A woman wanted to fuck you and you blame me?” Brute scoffed. “Jesus. Do you think I give a shit about your sex life?”

“So you deny having anything to do with it?” He straightened and pinned Brute and then Leo with a stare. “It must’ve been Shay. Your girlfriend is poking her nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“No, she isn’t.” Leo squared his shoulders and stepped forward. “Apart from holding an unfavorable amount of concern for you, she hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Even if one of us did, what’s the big deal?” Brute stepped forward, scowling. “You’re single.”

Single in title only. His heart was still taken. His soul too.

“Forget it.” He was stupid to think they’d understand. Neither of them had a clue what it was like to love unequivocally. Undeniably. They were virgins when it came to devotion.

“No.” Brute loomed closer, his emotionless façade faltering under the anger in his eyes. “You’ve caused a shit fight out there and I want to know why.”

“Get outta my face.” T.J. shoved Brute’s chest, unwilling to be the stand-up guy this time. They’d pushed his kindness too far. He was entitled to his own slice of brutality.

Brute’s eyes widened with the assault, then in a blink, the shock disappeared, replaced with fury. He lunged forward, swinging T.J. around until his back was up against the wall with a tight hand around his throat. “Answer me.”

T.J. smirked, itching for a fight. They’d never expect it from him. He was the level-headed neutral party. He broke up brawls and dissolved arguments. He was the damn A-class citizen who made up for his dirty proclivities by being a stand-up guy, every single day of his goddamn life.

Not tonight.

“Brute,” Leo warned.

“Answer me.”

The hand around T.J.’s neck tightened and he enjoyed the panic that cleared his mind of heartache. “Go to hell.”

Brute gave a feral smile. “I’ve been there for years, my friend. It’s nice for you to finally come for a visit.”

The tight grip loosened, allowing T.J. to rest his head against the cool tile. Life was never meant to be this hard. He’d been kind to everyone—his friends, his staff, his family. He was the gentleman. The comforter. He didn’t deserve this. He was sacrificing his marriage for Cassie’s happiness after all. This was for her future.

“I still fucking love her, okay?” He didn’t move. Didn’t open his eyes. He couldn’t. “I don’t want to live without her. I never did. But it’s the only option. For her sake, I have to give her up.”

“Why?” Brute’s tone was murderous as his hand fell away.

“It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got time,” Brute grated through clenched teeth.

T.J. released the air tightening his lungs, hoping it would lessen the pain in his chest. “Because love isn’t a good enough reason to destroy someone.” He opened his eyes and wished the two men staring back at him with curiosity could understand. “And that’s exactly what will happen if we stay together.”

Chapter Nine

Cassie was trembling—her arms, her legs, her chest. She couldn’t breathe. Everyone was staring at her, their pity shrouding her like a dirty blanket as T.J. stormed from the room.

She hung her head and covered her face with her hands, fighting back the need to cry.

“Come with me.”

A feminine hand came to rest on Cassie’s back and she raised her gaze to find Shay standing beside her.

“It’s going to be okay.” Zoe approached. “We’ll sort this out.”

No. She shook her head. It wouldn’t be okay. It wouldn’t get sorted out. T.J. had made it perfectly clear he no longer wanted her. He’d seen through her disguise, humiliated her and demanded she leave.

“Trust me.” Shay placed pressure on Cassie’s back, guiding her forward. “Let’s go upstairs where it’s quiet.”

All Cassie wanted to do was go home. But her house was filled with loneliness and despair. There was nobody there to comfort her. With a silent nod, she allowed them to lead her into the main room, bypassing the curious stares of patrons and straight past the secured door. The change rooms were a blur. The staircase upstairs was taken with no memory at all. They reached the deserted Shot of Sin bar and wordlessly guided her onto a stool.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Zoe asked, rubbing her warm palm in circles over the nakedness of Cassie’s upper back.

“Come on, honey.” Shay slid a glass of water over the bar, the swatch of lace over her eyes still perfectly in place. “You can tell us.”

The burn of humiliation heated Cassie’s cheeks. These were the last people she should tell. The thought of even explaining to Jan when she got home stung more than she could bear.

“I know I don’t look suitably dressed,” Shay continued. “But I’ve worked here for a while. I’m sure whatever happened with T.J. was a misunderstanding. Usually, he’s a really nice guy. He’s just going through a rough patch at the moment.”

Rough patch? It was demeaning that the destruction of Cassie’s marriage could be described in such simple terms. “I know.” She met the sympathy in the bartender’s expression. “I also know who you are, Shay.”

The woman frowned and ceased pouring the glass of wine she’d been preparing. “I’m sorry,” she spoke with a cautionary tone and slipped the strip of lace covering her eyes to her forehead, scrutinizing Cassie, “but I can’t place your face under the disguise.”

“We’ve never actually met.” Cassie grasped the bottom of her mask and sighed as she lifted the covering from her face. She shouldn’t be doing this. These were T.J.’s friends. His support network. Not hers.

“I’ve heard a lot about you through my husband.” She raised the mask over her head and met the bartenders gaze. “I’m T.J.’s wife, Cassie.”

Shay’s eyes widened, but it was Zoe’s gasp that made Cassie swivel on her stool. “I’m sorry I lied about my name. I didn’t want to risk being thrown out.”

Zoe shook her head, her lips gaping. “I’m not offended. I’m shocked T.J.’s married. He’s never made it known to guests. I always assumed he was single.”

He hadn’t made his marriage known. In a sex club, surrounded by women and men grasping for carnality and pleasure, he hadn’t told the members he was taken. Nobody knew of their love. Why did that knowledge fill her with horror?