Chapter 1

The night before my wedding, my best friend Renata can barely focus on the party.

She keeps smiling at me, but there are tears in her eyes.

"I can't believe I'm really losing you to this idiot," she says.

I figure she's just getting emotional about the wedding and reach out to comfort her.

Before I can say anything, my fiancé, Sterling, taps the ash off his cigarette and laughs.

"What are you crying for? How about we play a game?"

He closes one hand around a coin and looks at Renata.

"Heads or tails. Call it right, and I owe you a favor. Call it wrong, and you owe me one."

I figure he's just trying to lighten the mood. Sterling's always been good at keeping a party going.

Renata stares at his closed fist. Her voice trembles.

"Heads."

Sterling opens his hand.

Tails.

Our friends start cheering and laughing right away.

Everyone assumes he'll go easy on her and ask for something harmless, if only for my sake.

Instead, Sterling looks at her and says, "You lose."

Then his smile drops.

"Go get an abortion."

The whole lounge goes dead quiet.

I freeze.

"Sterling, what the hell are you talking about?"

He shrugs like it's nothing.

"Exactly what it sounds like."

His eyes meet mine.

"The baby Renata's carrying is mine."

"If I'm marrying you, I need to clean up the mess I made before the wedding. Don't worry."

For a second, I forget how to breathe.

Renata looks at me, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Serena."

Then she turns and runs.

Sterling swears under his breath and goes after her without a second thought.

As he turns to leave, the lit end of his cigarette drags across the back of my hand.

Pain shoots up my arm.

He doesn't even notice.

I just sit there, staring at the red mark he left behind.

And that's when it hits me.

I'm the only one who actually lost this game.

...

"Has Sterling lost his damn mind?!"

"The wedding's tomorrow. Why would he pull this shit tonight?"

Half a dozen friends crowd around me, all talking over each other.

Gemma's the first to notice. She grabs my arm.

"Serena, your hand—"

She spots the burn and sucks in a breath.

"What the fuck? Did that asshole do this to you?"

I don't answer.

A clear blister is already rising in the middle of the burn.

Cash steps in fast.

"Let's deal with your hand first."

Everyone starts digging through bags and flagging down staff for a first-aid kit.

Daphne finally pulls a small tube of burn gel out of her purse and crouches next to me.

The gel is cold against my skin.

I flinch when she touches the blister.

Daphne glances up at me.

"You know you're allowed to cry, right?"

Cry?

I thought I would.

But my eyes are bone dry. It's like my brain hasn't caught up with what just happened yet.

My best friend and the man I'm supposed to marry tomorrow suddenly feel like two strangers.

The lounge falls quiet.

Then someone's phone chimes.

Sterling's sent a voice message to the group chat.

"Renata's in bad shape. I'm taking her to the ER. Someone tell Serena."

The room goes silent again.

Gemma loses it.

"He has your number! Why the hell can't he tell you himself?"

Cash grabs her by the shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa, Gemma. Calm down—"

"Calm down, my ass! You two are supposed to get married tomorrow, and he runs off after his ex and leaves you sitting here by yourself. What kind of asshole does that?!"

My hand tightens at that word.

I look up.

"His ex?"