Page 18 of Selfless

He turns to face me, narrowing his green eyes down at me. “You are going home today.”

I shake my head. “I have work—”

“You need sleep and preferably in your bed,” he snaps, interrupting me before turning to face Kelly. “You may go, Ms. Blake.”

She bites her bottom lip nervously as she tries to decide what to do, but when my father refuses to look away from her, she cracks under his pressure and rushes out. He turns back to face me.

I stand. “You had no right …”

“Do you even know what day it is?” he asks.

“Uh, Thursday,” I say with a snort. Of course, I know what day it is.

“It’s Saturday, Ryder. You have your assistant coming in to do your bitch work on a Saturday.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I am not running a bed and breakfast here. I’m running a billion-dollar company. I’m giving you one chance to take your ass home. I don’t care if you spend your weekend drowning in a bottle or in the fetal position, but you are not staying here,” he states.

“Dad …”“Get your shit together. And when I see you here on Monday, your ass had better be ready to work!” With that, he turns around, yanks my door open, and then slams it shut.

ASHLYN

I sit on the counter with an untouched box of pizza next to me; today was long at the gallery. And considering it was a Saturday made it seem to go by slower than usual. I look over at the front door of the apartment when I hear the doorknob jiggle. After a few long seconds, it turns and slams open.

I watch as Becca and Jaycent come barging in with their lips locked until they hit a wall. He yanks her head to the side by her hair, and she moans into his mouth. She starts untucking his shirt, and his hands leave her hair only to grab her ass. He picks her up, and her legs wrap around his waist.

I start to cough, letting them know they are not alone. She pulls away from him and jumps down. “Oh, God.” She looks at me. “I’m so sorry, Ash. I didn’t think you were home,” she says in a rush.

Jaycent starts tucking his shirt back in and clears his throat. “We didn’t mean for you to see all that,” he says unable to meet my eyes.

“Don’t apologize. At least one of us is getting laid,” I say. I don’t care what they do. I just didn’t want to see them go all that way.

Becca gives an awkward laugh and then stops when Jaycent looks down at

her. “So,” she says, rocking back on her heels, “what are your plans for tonight?”

“Nothing,” I respond and take a drink of my beer.

She frowns. “It’s Saturday.”

“And?” I ask. I thought we had established this this morning when she asked me what I wanted to do tonight, and I said nothing.

“You know what?” Jaycent says, clapping his hands. “You girls should go out tonight. A girls’ night.”

“No thanks,” I say and pick up a small piece of pizza.

“Come on.” Becca sticks her bottom lip out, giving me that cute little puppy dog face she has. “It’ll be fun. I haven’t had the chance to take you out on the town. You’ll love it.”

“Okay,” I say, sighing to myself. Going out is the last thing I want to do tonight, but I know she is trying to cheer me up. I hate to tell her smoke and alcohol aren’t going to help.

Becca jumps up and down excitedly. “Yay. You’re gonna have so much fun.” I give her a fake smile and a head nod.

She turns to look over at Jaycent, and I see that look in her eye return that she had a moment ago when they barged into the apartment.

“For Christ’s sake, just go do it,” I tell them, hiding a smile.

Jaycent laughs and Becca’s cheeks turn red with embarrassment. “Give me

five minutes,” she tells him, kissing him on the cheek and taking off down

the hall. “Be ready in an hour,” she hollers at me.

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