I promised myself, and Kyler, that I would walk away if my feelings changed, but I became addicted to Kyler without even realizing it. My eyes close and I doze off, only to be startled awake by my phone. The time reads eleven p.m, and I roll over to grab my phone. I swipe my finger across the screen when I see it’s a text from Kyler, and open it.
I need you.
It takes me a moment to move. My mind runs through several scenarios, and I contemplate ignoring it. Texts like this at eleven p.m usually only mean one thing: a booty call. But considering everything Kyler has to deal with right now, I reason that he does need me. I throw on a pair of discarded jeans and a tank top with a light sweater. I grab my purse, and my phone, and hail a cab as soon as I’m downstairs. It doesn’t take long for me to arrive at Kyler’s apartment. I greet Stan, the security guy, as he opens the door for me, and take the elevator up to Kyler’s apartment. I use the key he gave me, and unlock the door. I switch the flood lights on and inhale sharply. Kyler’s apartment looks like it’s been ransacked. The bar chairs are all smashed, and the sofa cushions are lying everywhere. I also notice the clothes that are strewn everywhere.
I walk down the hallway, past the guest bedroom, towards Kyler’s room. I bend down in front of his door, and pick up a black and pink lace bra. It’s definitely not mine. I swallow hard, ignoring the way my stomach is turning, and wrap my hand around the door knob. I take a deep breath, praying that for the first time in my life, my instincts are wrong, and slowly push the door open.
With the moon being my only source of light, I struggle to make sense of the shapes. Moving closer to the bed, what I think I see becomes clearer until I’m sure of what’s in front of me.
Kyler is sleeping, a sheet barely covering his bottom half, and Jessa is next to him. Her red hair is fanned out on a pillow, and her arm is thrown across his waist. I’ve slept in that exact position so many times, and to see someone else holding him that way makes me sick. He’s not mine, but I started feeling like he could be. Kyler stirs, and mumbles something under his breath. When he does it again, I realize he’s mumbling my name. Tears prick and burn my eyes, and I start to back away. Why would he do this? Why send me a text saying he needs me when clearly, he doesn’t? I turn on my heel, and walk back down the hallway, not worrying that my footsteps could possibly wake Kyler or Jessa. I shut his apartment door, and cup my mouth when a sob threatens to escape. I should’ve known something like this would happen eventually. But it doesn’t hurt any less. It doesn’t ease the crack on my chest or the ache that builds in my heart. With shaky legs, I make it back down to the lobby, and outside to a waiting cab. The short drive back to my apartment is a blur, and it’s only when the loud click of my door echoes through my empty apartment, do I allow myself to crumble to the ground. I would grant myself this one chance to hurt, and cry, and then I would get back on my feet and pretend it never happened. I will pretend that Kyler Knight is my boss, and not the man I fell in love with without seeing it.
Chapter 13
~ Kyler ~
The sunlight beats down on my face, and the constant throbbing in my head intensifies. I roll over, and freeze when I feel a body next to me. Cassey? Did she come to my place last night? I crack an eye open, and instead of seeing Cassey’s dark brown locks, I’m greeted by long red hair, and a scent I can only describe as cat pee. Nope. Definitley not Cassey. Shitfuck. The body groans and rolls over. Jessa.
“What the - ” My words are cut off when my bedroom door flies open. The loud thwack on the wall makes both Jessa and I jump. I never thought I’d be happy to see Quinn Avery in my bedroom, but I am. When she looks at me I can see she’s angry with me, but when her eyes land on Jessa, her expression turns murderous.
“Jeezus, Quinn, can’t you knock?” Jessa screeches. I try to remember how she ended up in my bed, but my memory is still to hazy. Quinn walks over to the bed, and grabs Jessa by the hair. With one swift pull, Jessa is on the floor and Quinn is standing over her.
“What the fuck, Quinn?” Jessa yells. “What is your problem?”
I stay fixed on the spot and watch the scene unfold.
“My problem?” Quinn screams. “My problem is that you can’t leave your fucking legs closed, you tramp!”
Quinn’s hand comes up, and the distinct sound of flesh meeting flesh echoes though my bedroom. My eyes grow wide . Jessa cups her red cheek and glares up at Quinn. She scrambles up to her feet, and tries to throw a punch in Quinn’s direction, but she fails when Quinn ducks and lunges to the side. I have to admit, even in heels the woman can move.
Jessa shrieks again and dives for Quinn, but comes up short when she trips over my discarded clothes on the floor. I look down, and cringe when I see I’m naked, save for the sheet pooled around my waist. A shrill sound makes my head whip up, and I see Quinn grabbing Jessa by her hair again. Only this time she doesn’t let go. I jump out of bed in time to see Quinn shove Jessa down the hallway and out my front door. “Tramp,” Quinn mutters as she slams the door, leaving a half naked Jessa on the other side. Quinn composes herself, fixing up her tousled hair, and the slight wrinkle in her work pants. She see’s me standing in the hallway, and glares at me. If me she could kill me with just one look, I’m sure this would be it.
“Quinn, I don’t know what happened,” I say, sounding as panicky as I feel. It’s the truth. I have no fucking idea what happened last night, and my fear of Cassey finding out only grows with each passing second. Quinn walks to me, and if I wasn’t taller than she is, I’d cower under her angry glare. “You sonofabitch!” Quinn slaps me across the face, and I stumble back. The sting from her hand making contact with my face travels from my cheek to my temple, and aids the ache in my skull.
“Quinn, listen to me, please. It’s not what you think.”
Quinn’s mouth twists into a scowl. “What part of it Kyler? The part where I found you in bed with that skank, or the part where Cassey saw you first?” My face drops. “She what? When?”
“Last night,” Quinn replies, folding her arms across her chest. “She came over here after you sent her a text, and found you in bed with Jessa.” I search my memory of last night, and draw a complete blank. “I didn’t send her a text.”
Quinn reaches into her back, and pulls out her phone. She touches the screen, and then hands it to me. It’s a screen shot of a text sent from my number: I need you.
Dammit. I frown, and shake my head. “Quinn, I didn’t send this.” “That’s what you’re going with? Really Kyler?”
“It’s the truth!” I reply exasperated. “All I remember is going to the bar to meet friends, and leaving alone.”
Quinn purses her lips, and regards me. I’m wearing nothing but a sheet, and I’m silently glad that Quinn is to pissed off right now to notice. “Please believe me, Quinn,” I plead. “Let me talk to Cass and explain.” “She won’t see you,” Quinn replies. Her eyes soften slightly. “She’s done, Kyler. She’s walking away, and if you don’t feel the same way about her that she feels about you, then you need to let her go.”
“What do you mean how she feels about me?”
Quinn sighs. “She’s in love with you.”