Homewrecker (BOOK 1)

24

Santiago

I let out a yawn as I exited my en-suite, scratching my abdomen from under my shirt.

"Hi, babe," I heard from across the bedroom. I looked over at Alessandra, who was sitting on the bed in a tiny nightgown.

She shot me a charming smile and I furrowed my brows together.

"A night at home," I deadpanned, nodding, "I'm impressed."

She pursed her lips together and nodded. "Yeah."

She wasn't snappy, as she usually was. She was acting sweet, the way she was before everything blew out of proportion.

"How was your day?" She asked, and I could see the genuine look in her eyes.

"Why?" I snapped, shaking my head.

I was so confused as to why she was changing her attitude around.

"Santy," she began, standing up, "I miss us. I miss the small glances and the little kisses, the small touches. I miss the random but meaningful I love yous. I miss us going at it every night, trying our hardest not to wake the boys..."

I furrowed my brows together and shook my head. "What is going on?"

"I'm tired of us acting like we hate eachother," she said, "I'm tired of us avoiding eachother. I'm not even sure why we do-"

I cut her off, shaking my head. "Just stop, lets go to bed-"

"Kiss me."

I looked down at her and clenched my jaw.

"Try and kiss me like you used to."

I leaned down and grasped her jaw, pulling her lips up to my own.

It doesn't feel right.

She slipped a hand under my shirt and I pulled away, shaking my head.

"See? Nothing's changed," she said, smiling.

"No," I began, "everything's changed. Why are you doing this, Alessandra? You act like I don't know what's going on. We aren't fine, we haven't been for a while now."

It felt like a ton of bricks were shoved off of my chest.

She bit down on her lip and I pulled away from her, shaking my head. I grabbed my leather jacket from the chair beside the door and threw it on, making Alessandra shake her head with furrowed brows.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Out," I said, and with that, I exited our room.

~*~

Santiago

"Ah, Santy!"

I smiled as I neared Asad, opening my arms. "He's back."

"Just like high school," he said, leading me to the bar.

"No kidding."

We took our seats at the bar and I watched him ogle every female that walked by, a smirk on his face. "It really is, isn't it?"

I chuckled and grabbed the shot of whiskey sitting in front of me, tipping it up before slamming it back down on the counter.

"What's got you bothered, Santy? You only drink when you're bothered."

"Not the case anymore," I muttered, "and I think something's going on."

"Like what? That babysitter of yours finally get to you?" He asked, nudging my elbow jokingly.

I brushed the comment off as I clenched my jaw. "I think Alessandra's cheating."

His eyebrows went into a furrow. He placed his alcohol down on the bar, shaking his head. "Now you and I both know that's not true."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because you're Santiago King!" He exclaimed, "the King Train! Who could possibly stack up to Mr. King himself?"

I shook my head. "I'm not sure if she actually is. I don't have proof."

"And you're not going to find any," he said, "Sandra's not stupid enough to cheat."

"Is she not?" I asked, "if she isn't, then explain to me what she could possibly be doing every day for hours and hours. A, as much as I want it to not be true, I have that gut feeling."

"Santiago, you know I'll do anything for you. You're like a brother to me. I will always trust and believe in you, but I don't know about this," he said skeptically.

"You're the one who's always telling me to listen to my gut and read between the lines, A."

"That's for future or prospective clients Santiago, not your wife. You should be able to trust her. She's been with you for years."

He just wasn't seeing it the way I was. He couldn't understand.

"I seriously think that Alessandra is smart enough to keep her legs closed."

"Is she?" I asked, looking down. He swirled his drink around in his glass with a crinkled nose and pressed brows.

And right then, I made it my goal to find out if she was really cheating or not.

~*~

Adora

I pulled up to the King residence and looked down at my phone.

6:42 p.m.

I was hoping this wouldn't take long. It was a Thursday, meaning Grey's Anatomy tonight.

Why was I needed this late at night anyway? It wasn't actually that late, but I never worked after five o'clock, usually.

I got out of my car and knocked on the door. When it wasn't answered, I decided to just walk in. I closed the door behind me, stopping in my tracks when I sniffling.

I turned around only to be met by the image of Alessandra sitting on the staircase with puffy, red eyes.

"Oh my God, Alessandra, what's wrong?"

I watched her bring a tissue up to her eye. I stepped closer to her with furrowed brows.

"Would you like to talk about it?" I asked, and she nodded. We walked to the couch and she grabbed both of my hands, sniffling again as soon as we sat down.

"Santiago," she began, "he's brushing me off."

I bit down on my bottom lip, urging her to continue on.

"I'm trying with him, Adora, I really am."

She sounded genuine, and I was starting to really believe that she was changing for the better. Regardless of what Brenna had said to me.

I grabbed another tissue from the coffee table. "Men are just difficult," I said, handing her the tissue.

She sniffled as she grabbed the tissue from my hand, and I watched a tear fall from her eye.

"I really do love him."

My heart ached and flooded with guilt as I watched her crying over the man that I had just a few weeks ago screwed.

I reached over and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "It'll all work out okay, Alessandra, I promise."

I shot her a charming smile and she knitted her brows together, placing a hand on my knee. "Thank you, Adora."

She reached forward. I was surprised when she wrapped her arms around my neck, but I returned the favor and wrapped my arms around her waist.

~*~

Alessandra

If only you knew what I was doing to the man I loved...