Chapter 2: KYLE
“Damn, I really shouldn’t have had that last beer.”
Kyle shifted uncomfortably on his barstool, his bladder protesting in full force. He set his drink down and turned to his friends.
“Hey, does anyone know where the bathroom is?” he asked, trying to keep the urgency out of his voice.
Jason, his defencemen smirked. “Yeah, man. It’s near the staircase. Just head down the hall.”
Kyle muttered a quick thanks and pushed himself off the stool. Weaving through the crowd, he ignored the loud music and drunken laughter around him. Right now, all that mattered was getting to that damn bathroom before he embarrassed himself.
As he approached the hallway, he spotted the restroom door. Finally.
But just as he reached for the handle, someone slammed into him.
He stumbled back, steadying himself before looking down to see who had crashed into him.
Debby.
The birthday girl.
Kyle had noticed her before—quiet, reserved, the type who stayed out of the spotlight. She wasn’t like the other girls who threw themselves at him at parties, which was probably why he never really interacted with her.
But right now?
She looked nothing like the shy girl he thought she was.
Her face was streaked with tears, her breath shaky. Her wide, watery eyes locked onto his, filled with a mixture of pain and rage.
Before Kyle could ask what was wrong, she blurted out, “Aren’t you Rachel’s boyfriend?”
Kyle frowned at the unexpected question but nodded. “Yeah… why?”
Before he could say another word, Debby grabbed his hand.
“What the—”
She didn’t give him a chance to protest. She yanked him forward, dragging him towards the restroom with surprising strength for someone so petite.
And then he heard it.
Moans.
Loud. Unapologetic.
His stomach twisted.
Debby didn’t hesitate. She raised her leg and kicked the bathroom door open.
And there they were.
Rachel. His girlfriend. On top of another guy.
Kyle felt his world tilt. His blood boiled as he took in the sight of Rachel tangled up with someone else—Dave.
One of his hockey teammates.
For a split second, silence filled the room, the music from the party feeling miles away.
Then Rachel yelped, scrambling to cover herself as she turned in shock. “Kyle?! What the hell are you doing here?”
Dave, still struggling to pull up his pants, muttered, “Shit…” under his breath.
Kyle didn’t hear him. He didn’t hear anything past the ringing in his ears.
Joe was right. His best friend had warned him about Rachel. Told him she wasn’t the kind of girl to settle for one guy. But Kyle—stupid—had believed her when she said she was different. He had given up his old ways, tried to be the good guy for her.
And this was his reward.
Rage consumed him. Without thinking, he took two long strides forward and punched Dave straight in the mouth. The impact sent him stumbling back against the wall.
Kyle didn’t stop. He grabbed Dave by the collar, ready to land another punch, when Rachel’s sharp voice cut through the air.
“STOP!”
Kyle froze, his fist hovering mid-air.
Rachel stood there, half-dressed, eyes locked on him. “If you want to hit someone, hit me. I’m the one who betrayed you.”
Kyle slowly lowered his arm, his breathing heavy. He let go of Dave who slumped against the wall, groaning.
Then he turned back to Rachel.
She didn’t look guilty. Not even a little.
She looked… smug. As if she had won something.
“How dare you?” Kyle’s voice was low, dangerous. “I thought you were different.”
Rachel let out a laugh—a fucking laugh.
“Oh, please. Don’t act all heartbroken, Kyle. You were never the boyfriend type, anyway. You tried to change, but deep down, you’re still the same playboy you’ve always been.”
Kyle clenched his fists. There was no point arguing with her. She was right anyway. He didn’t need to be mad at Dave, but her. She was the one who opened her legs for him.
Rachel wasn’t worth it.
He exhaled sharply and turned to leave. Screw this. Screw her.
But just as he pivoted, he slammed into something soft.
Debby.
She had been standing right behind him, eyes fixed on him in a way that sent a strange shiver down his spine.
“Uh… sorry,” he muttered, stepping back.
But she didn’t move.
Instead, she reached up, her hands wrapping around his arms.
Kyle frowned. “Debby—”
Before he could finish, she did something that made his brain short-circuit. She pulled him closer, fingers threading into his hair, bringing their faces inches apart. His breath hitched.
Rachel gasped behind them.
Kyle barely had a second to process what was happening before Debby crushed her lips against his.
Heat exploded through his body.
For a moment, he was too stunned to react. But then instinct took over.
His arms wrapped around her tiny waist, pulling her flush against him. She leaned in, her kiss desperate, hungry—like she was trying to erase the pain of what she had just witnessed.
Kyle didn’t hold back until it hits him.
Dave was Debby’s boyfriend.
