Page 22 of Hearts Clash

As she scanned the length of Gianna’s golden thighs, she landed on a familiar set of colorful wings spread across the bronze skin. A butterfly emerging from vibrant, multi-colored petals, its pattern distinct and unmistakable. Scarlett’s blood ran cold. A memory flashed through her brain, of a photo shared on an anonymous chat site that seemed almost unreal in this context. She had spent an embarrassing amount of time staring at that tattoo on the gorgeous thigh in front of her, wondering what it meant to the person attached to it, fantasizing about tracing it with her fingertips.

Oh. Oh, no.

“You know, I don’t mind an audience, but just so you know, I do see you staring,” Gianna’s teasing voice snapped Scarlett out of her thoughts.

Scarlett blushed furiously, snapping up to meet Gianna’s knowing smirk and one eyebrow raised suggestively. Normally, that would have either pissed her off or made her furiously flustered, but right now, all she could think about was the realization sinking in.

“Is that—I mean, your tattoo—the butterfly?” she sputtered stupidly, gesturing vaguely.

“Yes?” Gianna replied, rolling her eyes. “Obviously?”

“You’re—” Scarlett stammered, eyes wide in shock. “You’re EmergencyKisses.”

Gianna’s posture suddenly stiffened. She spun on one heel to face Scarlett full-on, folding her arms over her chest protectively and searching Scarlett’s gaze like a wild animal deciding whether to flee or fight.

“How do you know that?” she demanded sharply.

“I’m...” Scarlett trailed off, opening and closing her mouth as her jaw worked futilely. “Uh, we’ve been... talking.”

It took Gianna a second to process the words. First, she looked surprised and confused. Then, she grimaced, her face contorting like she had just tasted something incredibly sour. Finally, the tension lifted, replaced by a look of absolute bewilderment, and she let out a loud, hysterical giggle.

“Wait, what, are you for real?” the brunette blurted out incredulously. “Oh, wow, really? No? Wow. That’s crazy!”

Scarlett stared blankly at the gorgeous brunette. Which part of this was funny, exactly? This was a total and complete disaster. For months, she’d been sharing her deepest, most intimate thoughts with this stranger, feeling a connection with her in a way she’d never managed to form with anyone else in her life. She had fantasized about kissing her. About sleeping with her. About what it might be like to date someone like her, hold hands, watch movies together on the couch. This was her worst nightmare.

“Oh, this is funny to you?” she shot back defensively, sitting up straight on the wooden bench as indignation coursed through her veins. “What are you, what, playing games with me? Am I some kind of joke to you?”

Gianna’s laughter died instantly, replaced by confusion.

“What? Excuse me?” Gianna shot back, holding a hand up. “No, what? It’s just—that’s such an insane coincidence. I mean, right? So many people on that site, and I just so happen to connect with you? I—”

“You lied to me,” Scarlett accused icily, feeling rage bubbling up in her. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew who I was, and that’s why you—why we—”

“What? No, of course I didn’t,” Gianna protested angrily, shaking her head vehemently. “How would I—what?”

“Oh, please. Stop pretending. Of course you did,” Scarlett insisted. “This is exactly the kind of thing you would do. Make me think I can trust you and that I’m safe to confide in you, only to turn it all against me later. It’s all just one big joke to you, isn’t it? Like everything in life.”

Gianna’s mouth fell open in shock, looking like Scarlett had just slapped her in the face. After a second, though, the astonishment faded, and she squared her shoulders, glaring back at the redhead with blazing anger in her amber eyes.

“You have lost your damn mind,” Gianna declared coldly. “I asked to meet you! I wasn’t trying to hide who I am. I was clear about wanting to take things in real life. You’re the one who refused. Why would I do that if I was trying to trick you?”

“Oh, I don’t know, so you could laugh in my face?” Scarlett spat back. “So you could humiliate me in front of everyone?”

“What the hell?” the brunette replied, throwing her arms up in the air with exasperation. “Are you actually serious right now? I wouldn’t do that. Never. I’m not—this isn’t a joke to me. I opened up to you about so many personal things. I had no idea it was even remotely connected to you until just now!”

“Oh, spare me,” Scarlett spat back, jumping to her feet. “I hope this was fun for you, Gianna. Go to hell.”

With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the changing room, heart hammering in her chest. God, this was a disaster. All the things she’d said and done and shared, all the moments where she’d lowered her guard and gotten close to another woman for the first time in her life. The whole time, it had been Gianna, probably laughing at her, enjoying seeing her vulnerable and exposed, falling into the trap she set. Now her perfect image and reputation were at stake, all because she had been stupid and desperate enough to share her feelings and desires with a stranger.

Everything was going to fall apart, and it was all Gianna’s fault.

10

Gianna

Gianna had never been so shell-shocked in her life. The entire interaction had felt surreal. She tried to sweat if off with some intense cardio, and then proceeded to bury it for most of the day due to a hectic hospital shift that required most of her attention. Still, it was there in the back of her mind the whole day, creeping in whenever she had a second to breathe or a quiet moment between tasks. Even if she could avoid thinking about what happened, though, Gianna felt the sting of betrayal like a slap in the face.

All the way home, it gnawed at her. The interaction replayed over and over again in her mind like a bad dream she couldn’t wake from. The sheer panic and terror in Scarlett’s hazel eyes, the disbelief and horror painted on her delicate features. The realization that all this time, the person Gianna had been chatting with had been this enigmatic, difficult-to-read, stuck-up colleague who barely tolerated her.

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