WALK OF SHAME

ELENA CARLSON

My eyes slowly peeled open and the world around me felt like a blur. A sharp pain ran from my head down to my eyes as the light beside me shone on them. 

My eyes slowly adjusted to the light and that was when my eyes fell on the man by my side. He was naked, and he had his back turned to me. Since his breathing was slow, and peaceful, I could tell that he was asleep.

My eyes fell on my body, I was naked too. 

Shit! 

Shit! 

Shit! 

It was all coming back to me now. I had met this man yesterday and I had asked him to take me upstairs. I had requested for him to fuck me.

Fuck, why did I remember every detail of how I screamed when he made me cum multiple times? I thought hangovers made people forget things like that. 

I had to get out of there before he woke up. I couldn't stand the shame of looking a stranger in the eyes and saying, “Sorry, last night was a mistake,”

I gently tiptoed out of the bed, picking up pieces of my clothing that was scattered all around the room. I slipped into them as quietly as I could and that was when I noticed that my panties were missing.

“Fuck,” I cursed out, squatting to see if it was under the bed. It wasn't.

I heard a sound coming from above me and I almost froze in place. It was from the stranger.

Shit. Was he waking up? I decided to crawl my way out of the room, forgoing my panties. As soon as I reached the door, I got on my feet to scurry away.

But I heard my name and I froze again. “Elena, Elena,” a masculine voice called out.

Fuck! It was him. I didn’t bother turning around to confirm as I bolted out of the door, descending the steps, hurriedly. I didn't stop running till I was at the bus stop. And my heart didn’t stop beating wildly till I got on a bus. 

My head was spinning with a mixture of an early morning sprint and hangover. That was the worst walk of shame ever. My mind flickered back to the stranger.

“He called my name,” I whisper to myself.

I didn't remember telling him my name. How the fuck did he know my name?

TWO WEEKS LATER

I made my way to the elevator and pressed the button that would take me to the tenth floor. I exhaled as the elevator doors slid close.

“It is going to be fine, Elena,” I muttered to myself. 

But I knew it wouldn’t. 

I was on my way to another job interview, the fifth I had been to in the last two weeks. As soon as they check my records and see that I was an ex-convict, they immediately end the interview and never call me back. I was beginning to get really frustrated.

The elevator door flung open, and I stepped out. I adjusted my blue skirt, which I borrowed from Emily. It wasn't even reaching my knees and I was trying so hard for it to appear professional. So I wouldn't look like some ex-convict slut here to seduce the boss. 

I made my way to the front desk and approached the brunette lady at the receptionist counter. 

“Hi, I am Elena Carlson, here for the interview,” I greeted her with a smile on my face, but she didn't  smile back.

“Ms. Carlson, you are a minute late.” She eyed me as if that would make up for the lost time. “The CEO is already waiting for you,”

My heart skipped a wild beat, “The CEO?” I asked.

“Yes, The CEO of ATLAS HOLDINGS. Right this way,” she gestured as she made her way through the hallway while I trailed after her, my mind racing. Why was I meeting the CEO of this big corporation? As soon as he finds out that I was an ex-convict, he would have me thrown out for wasting his time. 

“Right here,” she announced when we got to  our destination. She pulled the door open, revealing a gigantic modern office. I took a glance at the office but my eyes fell on the figure who had his back to me, staring at the window, staring at a distance. 

He had broad shoulders, wearing a navy blue tailored suit. I stepped into the room and the door shut behind me. The brunette had left me to my fate. 

He turned around to face me and that was when my heart actually left my body. My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened in disbelief. 

“You…you…” I stuttered.

A knowing smile formed on his lips as he strode toward me, extending his hand to me, “Nice to meet you again, Elena,” 

No fucking way. He was the stranger I had sex with two weeks ago.

“You are…You are…” I stuttered.

“I am Atlas Grant, the CEO of this company,” he introduced himself.

Atlas Grant. The name echoed repeatedly in my head. 

Atlas Grant.

Grant.

Grant! 

“Grant!” I exclaimed, “As in, Son of Richard Grant?” 

He nodded and my head began to spin again. 

I was so fucked. So so fucked. 

“Elena, Elena,” he called out, as I began to back away, staggering. He held me, his hand gently gripping my wrist. “I know what you are thinking,” He muttered in a low tone.

“You are… you are the brother to Braden and Luke Grant?” I asked again, even though I damn well knew the answer. He nodded again and that was when I realized how fucked I was.

I had fucked the brother of my late and ex-husband.

Talk about the worst luck one could ever have.

I yanked my hands away from him, “You fucking piece of trash. You knew who I was, you fucked me knowing who I was,” I spat at him, my eyes burning with tears. Why did the Grants kept fucking me over? 

“Hear me out, Elena. It is not what you think,” he tried to explain himself but I held up a hand to his face. 

“Oh, please,” I scoffed a bitter laugh before I turned around to leave, making my way to the door. “All you Grant family are sick and fucking sadist,” I snarled about to pull the doorknob when I heard it slam back shut.

“Let me the fuck out, you Psycho,” I yelled at him, surprised that I didn't hear him follow me. That was when he pulled me to him, by my waist. My fist clenched, ready to hit his rock-hard chest, but he pulled me closer, closing the distance between us.

“Let me go,”

“Calm the fuck down Elena,” he growled and that was when my eyes met his, I tilted my head to meet his gaze as he towered over me, his chest pressing against mine, burning me, sending heatwaves all over my body. 

“Listen to me Elena, It is not what you think,”

“Then what is it? you fucked me knowing who I was and pretended not to, was it revenge sex, haven't you Grants done enough?” I snorted, trying to wiggle my way out of his grip but he tightened his grasp on me, leaving no distance between us.

“No, it is not like that, yes, I am a Grant but I am the illegitimate son of Richard Grant, Braden and Luke are my half-brothers,”

I stared at him, Braden did mention he had a half-brother,  but I never met him. 

“I know what they did to you, and I am here to help you bring them down, I am here to help you make Luke pay and get back all he had stolen away from you.”