A heartbeat later, he dropped into his usual act—the one he always wore around me—hunching his shoulders, lowering his head, the picture of timid submission.
As if I terrified him beyond reason.
After a flash of panic, Louise recovered fast.
She leaned forward, shielding Bill's trembling body behind her own.
"Julian, what is that look on your face? Look at what you've done to Bill—you've scared him half to death!"
I'd just caught Louise in bed with another man.
No explanation. No guilt.
Instead, she shielded her lover without an ounce of shame.
Behind her, Bill slowly lifted his head. The fear on his face had already vanished, replaced by a smirk aimed squarely at me.
But the instant Louise glanced back at him, the terror snapped right back into place.
Watching Louise hover over him like a mother hen guarding her chick, something inside me went cold—completely, irreversibly cold.
"What's wrong with the way I'm looking at you?"
"And don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
"You told me you were working overtime. So how exactly did you end up in your 'little brother's' bed?"
Louise's eyes flickered—two rapid, involuntary blinks.