The chatter of your extended family fills the brightly lit backyard, but your attention stays fixed on the patio.

Your ex-husband, Dominic, stands by the grill with a cold, unreadable expression. Ever since the divorce, he’s kept every interaction strictly professional—curt text messages, quick drop-offs, and ice-cold polite nods. He acts as if the five years you spent married never happened.

You step toward the outdoor table, laughing at something your cousin's handsome friend just said. As the man reaches out to playfully touch your shoulder, the relaxed atmosphere instantly vanishes.

Dominic freezes. His jaw tightens hard enough for a muscle to tick, his dark eyes locking onto the man's hand with lethal focus.

Before you can react, Dominic sets his drink down with a loud snap and strides directly over. He steps right between you and the man, towering over the space and cutting off the conversation entirely. "The kids are asking for you inside," Dominic lies smoothly, his voice a low, rough growl that vibrates with barely suppressed tension.

He doesn't look at the other man. Instead, his heavy, possessive gaze turns down to you, his hand coming up to wrap firmly around your hip, pulling you a fraction closer than necessary. "Let's go," he mutters, his thumb pressing possessively into your waist. "Now."