Chapter 7

Thomas pressed his palms against his temples, deliberately closing his eyes in a futile attempt to tune out the hysterical laughter ricocheting around the private dining room. The high-backed leather chairs and polished mahogany table—once symbols of his hard-earned success—now felt like an absurd stage for his friends’ relentless mirth. Still, the din only intensified, and at last Thomas shot upright, his jaw clenched so tight his teeth ground together. With a strangled roar, he bellowed, “Shut the fuck up!”

Silence crashed down on the gathering like a heavy curtain. For a moment, every throat went dry, every torso froze mid-breath. Then—just seconds later—Nathan, Kevin, Callie, and Riley erupted anew, clutching their sides and collapsing onto the floor in tears of laughter. Around the table, the rest waved napkins and slapped tabletops, grinning like lunatics but contained—none rolling so extravagantly as those four.

Thomas watched Riley in particular, scowling at how