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It was Collin’s first Christmas, and nothing about it looked the way I thought it would.

I had pictured everybody together.

Food everywhere.

Matching pajamas.

Sam holding Collin while I took pictures.

The kids ripping through wrapping paper.

Xay probably finding some excuse to disappear for twenty minutes and piss everybody off.

Regular family shit.

Instead, half the fucking family wasn’t talking.

Sam damn sure wasn’t talking to me.

And I couldn’t blame her.

Christmas Day, I sent her one text.

Merry Christmas. I love you. I’m sorry. I won’t bother you. Kiss the kids for me.

She read it.

Never responded.

That shit hurt.

But what the fuck could I say?

I had been fucking her husband for three years.

There wasn’t an apology big enough for that.

Avery and me weren’t suddenly best friends either.

We had talked a few times since everything blew up, mostly because there was this weird understanding between us now.

Not friendship.

Not forgiveness.

Just—

Damn.

This nigga played both of us.

And we both helped him play Sam.

That was about as far as our bonding went.

The only person really coming around my house was Destiny.

And when I told her everything?