After the One night stand with the billionaire

a's

luggish movements. My shoulders sagged as if carrying bricks, and all I

stepped into my path, her brows arched in mo

ips into a tire

ome? Not even a quick stop at the grocery?" Her voice carried that lilt sh

. The grocery. Of cours

ost bearable. He was there when I lost my parents, steady and unshakable, offering comfort in every way he could. I loved him fiercely, with the kind of devotion that felt u

I lied. I knew Lizzy too well. If she knew I was going to the grocery store,

nodded and turned back inside

essed his number. The line clicked once

ruce. Leave a mes

"Hi, babe. I'm done with work for the day, so I'll stop by and

off and slid into my car. The engine coughed before catching, a h

stinging my tired eyes as I gathered what h

hummed, spilling a thin, pale glow across the steps. Switching off t

ngers curled around the cool metal, r

er side made my brea

was a

hat didn't

. baby..

or, low and breathless. My stomach clenched. The vo

another voice joined hers, deep

e fire..

voice belong

de my head even before

nails biting into my palms. My skin prickled, my pul

he sharp, wet rhythm

lf a minute, I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. My knees l

silence, and the thin thread

were in such a hurry they had e

hought I knew colla

ead buried in the cushions. The sharp slap of skin meetin

mpered, his name b

though every thrust wrung pleasure from him he'd never found in me. His eyes

led in a rhythm that sho

idn't ev

t refusing to fall. My lungs were strangled

ed, louder than I intend

he color bled from his face, leaving him pale

t pillow, clutching it to her bare chest li

o l

hed skin, the raw heat between them, the

stop on my account," I said, my voice cool, though it t

who had just been poured cold water.

can I keep my emotions bottled in when the people

ng down my cheeks as they blurred my vision. Disappointment gnawed at my

cuses, pitiful apologies but they slid rig

ious beats. The front door slammed behi

the steering wheel. I screamed until my throat burned, every curse I knew spilling out bet

moved. It

Maybe he was calling my name. Maybe anoth

y foot on the gas. The tires shrieked against the pav

o

he streets blurred into dark ribbons, carrying me away from

lowed the sky. A lone streetlamp flickered over

etween shuttered shops, it

rf

ra I didn't care about, and walked inside. The smell

One beer," I said, voice h

ut tonight wasn't about being me-i

the counter. Then

alternating flashes. I let the missed calls and texts pile u

d sip. The bitterness slid down my throat, heav

again. I knew it wa

. something. A part of me still needed to hear him out. But what would he say

cked

alk?" His voice was low an

d me. "What could you

t's meet up

o draw blood. "You cheating bastard. I can't believe I

ra, p

issed. "I hope screwing my bes

ould poison the air. The phone clatt

o the bartender. "

wn in anything bu

h, masculine voice b

s a little much for a