Chapter 49

Laura’s POV

“I’m not that cheap, little kitten. You have to earn my body.” He rasped while pulling away from me with that infuriating smirk on his annoying face.

Heat rushed to my face, my face turning a deep red as I came off my high slowly, returning to my senses.

My fingers twitched as I registered my near-naked state. Here I was in front of him lying on the floor in nothing but my underwear and panting like some sex-starved bitch. But then, I had to earn his body. He stood up slowly from the floor looking calm, composed and fully clothed, looking at me with laughter in his dark devilish eyes.

I should have known he was aiming for some sort of embarrassment.

I just want the ground to swallow me before I died of mortification. At this point, I think I preferred dying to a bullet or something other than this.

I scrambled for my bra first, my hands fumbling with the clasp as I fought against the shame tightening in my chest. My eyes stung with tears, but I refused to let them fall. I can imagine how pleased the bastard would be to see that happen.

I snatched my shirt and jeans off the floor, desperate to just disappear totally and erase the memory of whatever had just happened. My fingers trembled as I pulled up my jeans, the sound of the zipper was the only thing I could hear above the loud silence. And then, as if to mock me further, I heard the flick of a lighter.

I turned my gaze to him and there he was leaning back against the desk with a cigarette between his fingers, the tip glowing as he took a slow, lazy drag. The tendrils of smoke curled in the air, filling the space between us with the stench of nicotine.

He held my gaze as I glared at him with so much heat. If my eyes could kill, he would have died a thousand times especially from choking on the fucking smoke from the cigarette.

Without another word, I stormed out of his office, slamming the door behind me with enough force to rattle the frame. My heart thudded in my chest with a mixture of rage, humiliation, and an ache I couldn’t quite place.

The tears I held back made me feel like I was holding back a sneeze that threatened to pour snot and mucus everywhere when it broke out anyways.

How dare he?

How dare he fucking play me like that?

I stormed through the hallway, ignoring the curious glances of the passing staff. I didn’t care what anyone thought. Let them assume whatever they wanted.

By the time I reached my room, I could barely breathe. I kicked the door shut behind me and let out a muffled scream into my pillow. Tears burned behind my eyelids and this time, I let them fall.

The ache inside me twisted, likr a wicked vine around my heart. I hated feeling this way, exposed and weak.

Just as I was about to wipe my tears away and force myself to pull it together, my door burst open with a loud bang.

I shot up, startled, my breath catching in my throat.

Katie stood in the doorway, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She normally had a pale flawless skin that reminded me of freshly fallen snow, but now her skin was flush red like an angry tomato. And, was she…crying?

Tears streaked her cheeks and her large eyes were red rimmed. For a moment, none of us spoke, then, at the same time, we both blurted out.

“Why are you—”

We cut off, staring at each other in shock before an unexpected laugh burst out of Katie. I felt my own lips twitch despite the mess of emotions raging inside me, and soon, we were both laughing, wet, broken giggles mixed with sniffles and hiccups.

It wasn’t funny. Not really. But somehow, the ridiculousness of both of us walking into this moment, teary-eyed and miserable, made it impossible not to laugh.

Katie shut the door behind her and flopped onto the bed beside me, wiping at her damp cheeks.

“God, we’re a mess.”

I nodded, exhaling heavily as I leaned back against the pillows. “Tell me about it.”

She turned her head toward me, curiosity replacing some of her sadness. “So… what happened to you?”

I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face. “I don’t even know where to start.”

Katie sighed dramatically. “Well, same. But I guess misery loves company.”

I turned my head toward her, raising a brow. “Spill, then.”

She hesitated for a moment, then let out a shaky breath. “Only if you do too.”

I stared at her, realizing that whatever had happened to her had shaken her just as much as my own humiliation had rattled me.

She and I stared at each other for a moment, our unspoken miseries weighing heavy between us. Then, as if reading my mind, she suddenly pushed herself up from the bed and walked to my mini-fridge.

“You know what we need?” she announced, throwing it open.

I smirked. “Alcohol?”

She grinned over her shoulder. “Damn right.”

She pulled out a bottle of whiskey I’d forgotten I had, along with two shot glasses. I sat up, wiping the remnants of my tears, and reached for the glasses as she poured.

“To being absolutely, undeniably pathetic,” she said, raising her glass.

I snorted. “Cheers to that.”

We clinked our glasses and downed the first shot. The burn hit immediately, making me wince, but it was a welcome distraction.

After a few more rounds, she let out a long, dramatic sigh and flopped back against my pillows. “I slept with Dylan again,” she admitted, staring at the ceiling.

I nearly choked on my drink. “Again?”

She nodded, rolling her head to look at me. “And it’s still just… sex.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Is it though?”

Her lips wobbled. “That’s the problem. It’s supposed to be just sex. But every time, it gets harder to pretend that’s all it is.” She took another sip. “I think I’m starting to fall for him, Laura.”

I winced. Dylan was a walking red flag, charming, yes, but cold as northern pole. “Shit, Katie.”

She groaned, covering her face. “I know! I hate myself for it.”

I sighed, lying back beside her. “Trust me, I get it. We’re both idiots.”

She peeked at me. “Your turn. Spill.”

I exhaled, staring at the ceiling. “At least you got laid. He humiliated me. Made me think he wanted me, then pulled away like it was all a joke. Like I was the joke.” My voice cracked despite my best effort to sound indifferent.

Katie reached over and squeezed my hand.

“Laura…”

“I let him get to me,” I muttered bitterly. “And I hate that.”

She nodded, understanding flickering in her teary gaze.

For a while, we just lay there, passing the bottle back and forth, drowning our miseries in alcohol and shared silence.