Page 24 of Selfless

“Don’t worry, honey. I’m taken,” he says, but the smile he is giving him looks like he’s available.

“This place is awesome,” Becca says, grabbing both my hands. “They have these rooms that have each sin on them.” She rambles on, not making much sense, but I nod as if I understand.

“It’s freaking packed,” I say loudly. “Glad we got here when we did,” I add.

Thomas nods his head as he eyes a man who squeezes between us. “I’ll be back …”

“Thought you were taken,” Becca calls out to him.

“I ain’t blind,” he says, waving a hand at her.

We laugh again, and Nick offers me my drink. I take a long sip from the straw and then offer a sip to Becca. She takes it and then licks her lips excitedly. “Can I buy you a drink, Becca?” Nick asks her, and she nods her head quickly.

“Like you need another.” I snort.

“That’s why we’re here,” she screams over the music. “To get waaaasted.”

“By the looks of us, we’re already there,” I say, making Nick laugh.

He places his hand on my lower back, and my body immediately leans into him. I know I shouldn’t give him false hope because I don’t plan on doing anything with him. The lights dance off the walls and floor, and my eyes have a hard time keeping up with them. My skin tingles from the alcohol, and my body is humming from the pounding of the music. “There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun,” he says, leaning to talk into my ear, causing a shiver to run through me. I close my eyes and imagine I’m with Ryder—that he is the one touching me—but when I open my eyes and see blue eyes instead of green staring at me, my heart shatters all over again.

I take a step back from him and pull my cell out of my purse and check to see if he has called or text me. I have one message, and it’s from Bradley.

Bradley: I’m still here. I can’t leave without you, Ash. Please come see me. Let me make this right.

I exit out of it and turn off my cell. Drunk Ashlyn doesn’t need to be talking to anyone tonight. Then I turn to Nick and Becca. “How about some more tequila?”

**

Monday morning, I stand in the kitchen with Becca while Jaycent takes a shower. She hands me a coffee mug, and I smile at her. “Thank you.”

She only nods. I can tell something is wrong. I’ve been trying to be in a better mood for her, but it doesn’t seem to be working. We went out Saturday night and had an amazing time at Seven Deadly Sins, but things went back to normal yesterday. I wasn’t happy or laughing, and she wasn’t smiling anymore. “What’s wrong, Becca?”

She sighs and shakes her head. “Nothing,” she finally says after a long second.

I place my hand on her shoulder. “Well, I am here when you’re ready to discuss it.”

“Good morning, ladies,” Jaycent says, entering the kitchen. He kisses her on the cheek and then nods at me.

“Morning, babe,” she says cheerfully, and I know she’s faking.

“Well, I am off to work, guys,” I say, wanting to give them time alone. Maybe it’s just me she doesn’t want to talk to about what is bothering her. My phone rings, and I pull it out of my purse to see it’s my mother. I smile.

“Tell her I said hello,” Becca calls out.

I give her a nod and exit the apartment. “Hey, Mom,” I say.

“Hey, sweetie, something wrong?” she asks. “I haven’t heard much from you.”

I’ve been avoiding our family Facebook chat ever since Ryder and I broke up. My cousin has been posting pictures of him that she finds on the internet every freaking day. If we were still together, I would tell her to fuck off. But right now, I choose to avoid them all. “Just been busy,” I lie. My life has never been more boring.

“Well, how are you and Julian?” she asks.

I walk over to the elevator and push the down button. “It’s Ryder, Mother. He goes by Ryder,” I tell her for the hundredth time. “He’s good,” I say not wanting to go into detail on my broken love life.

“Good,” she says happily. “When am I going to get to meet him? Your cousin Angela posts so much about him from the internet that I feel like I already know him.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not sure, Mom.” The elevator dings, letting me know the doors are about to open. “I gotta go. I’m about to get in the elevator, and I’ll lose you.”

---