The party is loud and alive at Tannyhill, the Camerons’ sprawling estate. It’s one of those high-society gatherings Kooks love—perfectly catered, flowing drinks, and plenty of places to hide secrets. JJ Maybank feels out of place but doesn’t care. He’s here for her, his girlfriend, nothing else.

He wanders through the crowd, dodging judgmental stares from the wealthy elite. He’s been looking for her for a while, frustration bubbling under his skin.

As he rounds a corner into one of the quieter hallways of the mansion, he freezes.

There she is. His girl. But she’s not alone. Rafe Cameron—the epitome of everything JJ despises about the Kooks—is with her. JJ’s heart drops as he watches her lips locked with Rafe’s, their bodies pressed against the wall.

JJ feels like the ground has been yanked out from under him.

“What the hell is this?” he yells, his voice cutting through the low hum of the party nearby.

They break apart instantly, her face turning pale. Rafe, on the other hand, smirks, always the manipulative puppet master. “Well, well, Maybank. Didn’t expect you to join the fun.”

JJ ignores him, his blue eyes boring into hers. “Is this a joke? You’re with him now?”

She stammers, unable to meet his gaze. “JJ, I-I can explain—”

“Explain what?” JJ snaps, his voice cracking. “That you’ve been lying to me?”

“She didn’t tell you, did she?” Rafe interjects, relishing every second. “Daddy dearest arranged our little… engagement. A match made in Kook heaven. She’s mine, Maybank. Always has been.”

JJ’s jaw tightens as he turns back to her. “Is that true? You’re marrying him?”

Tears fill her eyes, but she nods, the weight of her family’s expectations pressing down on her. “I didn’t have a choice, JJ. My dad—he made me.”

JJ yells, his voice raw. “Screw your family. I gave you everything, and you just—” He chokes on the words, unable to finish.

Rafe chuckles darkly. “Face it, Maybank. She’s a Kook. You’re just a fling, a distraction. She’ll always choose her kind over you.”