Page 2 of Selfless

I lay my head against the headrest and let out a sigh. Fuck, she left my life just like she came into it—fast and unexpected!

I sit straight up, the nightmare finally over, when I hear a sound of a door hitting a wall. “Shit!” I hiss, and my hands come to my pounding head.

“Mr. O’Kane?”

“What?” I snap, looking up at my assistant, Kelly, as she walks toward me.

What the hell? I look around and realize I’m lying on my office floor. Did I sleep here?

She frowns as she looks down at me. “Here. I got you some coffee.” Kelly hands me a mug, and I bring it to my lips, taking a small sip.

“Thank you,” I say and notice that my voice is scratchy. I set the mug between my legs and let my head fall into my hands. Fuck, what did I do last night?

“Here’s some Advil,” she says.

“Do you happen to know how I ended up like this?” God, I hope I didn’t fuck her!

She shakes her head. “I came in an hour ago and found you on the floor.”

Phew! My father already fired his assistant for sleeping with me. I’d hate to have to fire mine. “An hour ago …?” I grab my phone from the floor beside me. Hitting a button, I wait as it lights up. “Shit!” It’s almost nine o’clock.

“I tried to wake you …”

“You should have tried harder,” I growl, running a hand through my hair. She reaches out her hand to help me stand, and I shove it away. I manage to get up by myself, but once I’m upright, the room sways a bit. Looking down at my clothes, I close my eyes and sigh. “I need to change.”

“I’ll go to your apartment and get you a suit.”

That would make her useful. “Thanks,” I say with a head nod, and she turns around, leaving me alone.

Sitting in my chair, I place my elbows on my desk and let my head fall into my hands. “What the hell did I do last night?” I remember walking into Ashlyn’s apartment to find her standing half-dressed with Bradley. Then I stormed out. I thought I came up to the office, but I don’t remember drinking up here.

I take a quick look around and don’t see any empty bottles on the floor or on my desk. I open my phone to see if I spoke to anyone. I had received a text from Vicki last night around midnight.

Vicki: I need to talk to you. It’s important.

Thankfully, I hadn’t responded. I go to my recent call list and see that I had a phone call from Ashlyn that lasted thirty-one seconds.

I drop the phone onto my desk as if it went up in flames. “Fuck!” This day just keeps getting better.

What did I say to her?

Why did I even fucking answer it?

What had she called to tell me? Sorry? Would she have been that stupid? To think I needed an apology? To think I cared that fucking much?

That’s the shitty part ... I do care that much. Or I wouldn’t have woken up on my office floor feeling like a truck ran over me. I’ve never had that happen before. Not until her.

I throw my almost dead phone across my office, and it hits the wall with a thud before falling to the floor.

Minutes later, I remain behind my desk with my head in my hands. It’s still pounding. And as if on cue, my office phone stars to ring. It’s gonna be a typical Monday.

“Yes, Mr. Lowe. I can get it signed and back to you today,” I say into my phone with my head still down.

The door to my office bangs open, and I jump to my feet, letting out a long breath when I see it’s my sister. “I’ll have to call you back,” I say then hang up as I hear him protesting. “Becca? What are you doing here?” My head pounds harder from the sudden movement, and I feel a little dizzy.

“How long?” she demands.

I run a hand through my hair because I know it’s standing every other way from sleeping on my floor. I don’t want her to go back and tell Ashlyn just how awful I look. I run my hands down my wrinkled t-shirt that I wore to the bar last night. Kelly still hasn’t had the chance to leave yet to pick me up a suit. Shit just keeps coming up. “I’m not doing this with you,” I say, knowing whatever she is asking has to do with Ashlyn.

---