Not giving me a chance to reprimand her, she turns around and goes for the door.
Shaking my head, I watch her before going in the opposite direction.
The place is busy, but surprisingly there’s no line for the restroom, so I manage to slip inside and do my business quickly. I wash my hands, my gaze fixed on the reflection in the mirror. Smoothing down my hair, I reapply my lipstick and get out, only to bump into a firm body.
An uneasy feeling makes a shudder go through me as I look up and come face-to-face with none other than Damien.
Shit, shit, shit.
“Excuse—”
I step around him—or try to—but he just sidesteps in front of me, caging me against the wall.
“We have to talk, babe.”
I suck in a breath, the smell of sweat and beer filling my nostrils, and I have to swallow back a gag. I press my hand against his chest, trying to push him away. “There is nothing to talk about, Damien. You need to stop this.”
“I don’t think so. You can’t just dismiss me like you’ve been trying to do,” he grinds through clenched teeth. He leans down, his nose brushing the side of my neck, his warm breath tickling my skin and making another shudder rock my body. Damien smirks, his words coming out slightly slurred. “See? Even your body craves me. You can’t deny it. You want me.”
I want him to stop touching me, more likely. Not that he sees that the reason I’m shuddering is in revulsion at his touch. His clammy hands and warm, beer-tainted breath touching my skin.
“I don’t. Damien, stop—” I try to protest, but he’s not listening. He’s too drunk to consider my wishes.
“Or do you just like the idea of me chasing you around? Is that what you want, babe?”
“No.”
I let out a strangled breath as I shove harder against him. The audacity of a man to say in a woman’s face that she wants to be chased when she’s trying to push him away.
“No, Damien. I don’t want you to chase me. You wanted to break up, so we did.”
“I was drunk, babe.” Damien’s lips brush against my neck. “You know I didn’t mean it.”
His fingers cup my face as he tilts my head back. My heart is hammering against my ribcage wildly as the panic rises inside my chest.
“We’re good together, Jessy. You know it, so stop this nonsense and come back to me.”
“We were not good together, Damien. We were fighting most of the time.”
“Couples fight, nothing new about it. C’mon, babe. Give me another chance.”
I shake my head, trying to find a way to get out of here, but even though he’s half drunk, his hold is unyielding. He leans down, his lips parting, and I know he’s about to press them against mine.
I turn my head to the side, Mae’s suggestion ringing in my head.
Show him.
I know I shouldn’t say it. It’ll only mess things up more than they already are, but I can’t stop myself.
“Well, I did mean it.” Sliding my tongue over my dry lips, I lift my chin a notch, my gaze darting to him. “As a matter of fact, I’m s-seeing s-somebody else.”
He blinks, confusion shining in his eyes as he stares at me. I hold my breath as I observe him, the way his eyes narrow, lips pressing into a tight line, and even in the darkness I can see his cheeks turn beet red.
He’s pissed.
He takes a step toward me, pressing me tighter against the wall. My body freezes as I brace for whatever’s coming, when a shadow falls over us.
“Is there a problem here?”
