Page 60 of Secret Baby for My Brother's Best Friends

“It was a misunderstanding?”

“A misunderstanding?” She scoffs. “That’s what you’re going with? You want me to believe that catching you in bed with your assistant was a misunderstanding? Please enlighten me, Eric. Which part exactly did I understand wrongly?”

Ah. So he cheated on her. Of course.

I knew he fucking scumbag piece of shit. A dumbass, too, because how does anyone fumble a woman like Cheslea?

I may not know much about her, but I do know how beautiful, and soft, and giving she is, how passionate, how clever.

She's way better than he deserves.

Now he’s here, what, trying to weasel his way into her life?

Not fucking happening. Not under my watch.

I’m proud that she doesn’t seem to give him a single inch, raising her eyebrow sardonically.

“Claire had been after me for months,” he says. “Do you know how long I held off? How often I told her that I didn’t want to do anything with her because I was so devoted to you?"

Fury flares through my body, and I can see it simmering in Jake’s eyes, too, as he clenches his fists.

If the bastard keeps talking, Jake's going to deck him. And I'm going to help.

But my fury somewhat lowers when she laughs in his face. “Oh my God, really? That’s where you’re going with? Is this the part where I applaud you? I tell you how great it is that you at least waited an entire month before you cheated on me with your PA, who was also one of my best friends? Oh my gosh, I feel so cherished right now.”

“Chelsea–"

“Eric. Whatever you're planning on saying isn’t going to work. Your gaslighting or whatever excuse you made up in your head that's supposed to make me okay with it, it's not going to convince me. I'm over it at this point. You did it, it happened. We're done. Just get your shit and leave.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, Chelsea.” He takes a step toward her, and I have to dig my fingers into the seat to keep from moving.

A growl still escapes me that freezes him in step.

They both look at me, and whatever he sees in my face makes him pale. And that’s before Jake moves and says, “You heard her, buddy. Get your shit and leave.”

Jake’s voice is still low and ‘normal’ sounding, but for those of us who know him, I know that’s the voice he has whenever he’s close to punching someone in the throat. And Eric must have at least one brain cell after all, because he looks between the three of us and lets his hand that reached out to Chelsea drop.

“What are you, her guard dogs?” he says, laughing nervously, and I revise the earlier analysis about him being smart.

“Yes,” Adam says. “Now get your shit, and get the fuck out.”

Adam's usually the most even-tempered out of all of us, and so the fact that his voice has already taken that deadly tone makes it clear that he doesn't like the bastard, either.

Eric swallows and gives a jerky nod. He walks through the space, and I get up and follow him, because I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him.

Adam gives me a warning look, likely thinking that I’m going to kick his ass, but I ignore it and stand at the doorway to the storage closet, keeping watch.

I don’t want him to steal from her or leave something behind so that he has an excuse to come back when we’re not here and can’t protect her. Or worse, leave some kind of recording device. I’ve heard of exes who did bullshit like that.

When he turns around and sees me there, he jerks. He’s smart enough not to say anything, though, just gives me that awkward thin-lipped smile and slings the bag over his shoulder. Then he shuffles through the door, stopping to stare at her one more time before he goes.

“Call me,” he says as he leaves.

“I already forgot your number, asshole,” she tells him before she slams the door, then mutters under her breath, clearly still irritated. She brushes her hair out of her face and blows out a heated breath through her lips.

"Ex-boyfriend?” Adam asks. He's probably the most stable out of all of us, because I'm still fuming and Jake is still glaring at the door as though daring Eric to come back.

Adam had been just as irritated by his presence, but he was just better at hiding it.