Panic sets in, and all the alcohol I’ve had to drink returns. I whirl around and violently vomit into the sink. Tears stream down my face as I keep retching until there’s nothing left to bring up. How could I have been so fucking stupid? Finally, I’m done. Shaking and weak, I run the water, cupping my hand under it to wash out my mouth. I rinse and spit a couple of times until the sour taste is not as intense on my tongue.
My eyes drift to the empty bag and the rolled note on the sink. Swiping it onto the floor, I scream. I’m not sure if it’s anger or frustration or if I’m actually terrified. My tangled, confused emotions are warring with the other part of me that feels like I could take on the world. I pace back and forth, tearing at my hair, my mind unable to form a single coherent thought, until the door opens.
Hope hurries in. “There you are! I was getting worried, and I was searching for you in the bathrooms. I stopped a guy wearing a Batman costume. I thought I’d seen you dancing with him earlier. He pointed me to the storeroom. Is everything okay?” she asks softly, and her eyes widen when I look up at her.
I can feel the tears running down my cheeks, and a sob bursts out. “It’s all too much.”
Comprehension fills her face, and she comes over, wrapping her arm around me. “Oh, babe, I’m sorry. I should have known this would have been too soon after everything. Come on, let’s grab you a bottle of water, then we can go.”
I cling to her, and as much as I should insist that she stay and have a good time, I’m not going to. I’m grateful I have her because I’m not sure I could make it out to the car without having a panic attack.
“We’ll go out the back door so you won’t have to fight through the crowd. Come on. After a good night’s sleep, you’ll feel much better. Then we can talk about making an appointment with your therapist in the morning.” My new sister’s soft voice and loving embrace are just the right amount of gentleness that I need. So, without any complaint, I let her lead me out of the storage room to the back door, helping me into our waiting car. Two of our security guards silently join us in the back while the other two get in the front of the limo, one acting as a driver.
“Is everything all right?” one of them asks, and Hope quietly assures him it is, laughingly blaming copious amounts of alcohol. When the guard seems reassured, the limo falls into silence.
By the time we get back to the hotel, I’ve chewed a hole in my lip and picked off all the gel polish from my nails, unable to sit still in the loaded silence. The elevator ride up to our room is much the same, with Hope instinctively knowing I’m not ready to talk about anything. She helps me out of my costume and grabs the old, soft sleep shirt that belongs to one of my brothers.
Once I have it on, I climb into my bed.
“Do you want me to stay?” she asks, but I shake my head.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
I hear her sigh. “Okay, but wearetalking about this in the morning,” she threatens before wishing me good night and closing the door.
As my eyes finally drift closed and the tension leaves my body, the memory of that man—his face in my pussy, and his tongue on my clit—slams into my mind, and I drift off to sleep, wondering what I had ever done to him to make him act so cruel afterward.
* * *
Batman
Fuck! What was I thinking, following Jacinta Summers into that supply closet? I’d observed her on the dance floor for a while, trying to figure out her angle. Why would she, one of the richest women in America, be mixing with everyday people on the main level when she could be up in the VIP level surrounded by people kissing her ass? But the look on her face as she danced, unburdened by notoriety, as just another person, was simply breathtaking. Anonymity awarded by blending in with the masses. Her face was joyous, and I found myself drawn to her, unable to stop myself from joining in. When I wrapped my arm around her waist, she leaned into me and went with the flow. Our bodies became one as we moved in synchronicity to the throbbing beat, our surroundings fading away until it felt like it was just the two of us.
When she left the dance floor, I followed, wanting to make sure she was okay. Alright, I was a little curious too. We had been enjoying ourselves, but I could feel her body get stiffer and less fluid, then all of a sudden, she was struggling to get out of my arms. Some men might get upset that what had felt like a prelude to sex was now over, but I was more concerned. Had she seen someone in the crowd that frightened her? I knew she had recently been through family trauma, so I decided to play the protector for a moment.
It wasn’t hard for me to trail her. While she had to shove and push her way through, everyone parted when they saw Batman coming through. But just as I saw her disappear toward the bathroom, someone bumped me, spilling their drink all over me. It took me a couple of moments to dodge the drunk asshole spoiling for a fight, and when I finally did catch up to where she had gone, she was nowhere to be seen. Once I was pointed to the supply closet by someone in the line for the ladies’ room, I continued on.
When I saw her bent over that line of coke, fury flowed through me. This fucking woman who has every goddamn advantage in life was throwing it away on drugs, alcohol, and partying. How could she be so shallow and self-involved even after she went through such a terrifying ordeal? Instead of taking time to reassess her life choices, there she was, flaunting her bad decisions.
I had no intention of doing anything but taking the coke away from her then leaving, but she snapped at me. The fire in her eyes tipped me over the edge, sending all my blood directly to my dick. The mouth on the bitch was just asking to be punished. Before I knew it, I had her in my arms and my mouth on hers. She melted against me, her firm breasts pressing into my chest, returning my kiss with as much passion as me, and I instantly knew that this girl would be the death of me.
Snorting the coke myself probably wasn’t my finest moment, and I know it will come back to bite me in the ass, but I wanted to be on an even playing field. The way she looked at me, my hand in her hair as I snorted the coke off her magnificent tits, made my cock weep with excitement. She looked at me like I was her next hit, like I could give her a high like no other, and I just couldn’t help myself.
“Hey, excuse me. Did you see my friend? She was wearing a Wonder Woman outfit, and I think I saw her dancing with you before.” Hope Summers grabs me by the arm, her brow furrowed. Thank God she doesn’t recognize me under my mask.
“Yeah, she’s in the supply closet across from the ladies’ bathrooms,” I tell her before pulling away and continuing my trek through the club. I need to get out of here. I need to clear my head, but the drugs are still clouding my judgment.
“Is she okay?” I hear Hope call after me, but I don’t answer. If I do, there’s a chance she might figure out who I am. I’m counting on the fact that Jacinta won’t want her sister to know about her drug use. If she does tell her about the sex, I’m hoping they’ll both just write it off as a one-night stand.
I’m such a fucking idiot. I didn’t think about the consequences of my actions. I let my primal nature take over and made the biggest mistake of my life. Despite how fucking amazing the sex was. Despite how she was putty in my hands, pliant and willing and everything I could want in a partner. Despite all of that, it still boils down to her core character and not wanting anything to do with the spoiled, pampered princess who wouldn’t know how to take responsibility for anything, let alone her own actions.
There’s also the problem of her being my boss.
ChapterFour
Jacinta
When I wake the next morning, I feel rough. I roll over in the big bed with a groan and contemplate pretending like the world doesn’t exist today. But we’re having a family thing this afternoon to celebrate my, Jaxon’s, and Harlow’s birthdays. We decided that we didn’t want to do it on the same day we buried the people who had caused us so much heartache. It’s not going to be huge, but I still can’t get out of attending since I’m one of the guests of honor. Not to mention, I don’t want to miss celebrating Harlow’s birthday with her for the first time.
