Page 25 of Reverse Perspective

“Watch your back, bitch,” she says. “You never know who might be watching.”

“I’m sorry. Did you just threaten me?” I ask. I go to step forward but Lance tightens his grip on my waist.

“Hey. Hey. She’s not worth it,” Dean says. “They are cleaning our room. We can relax soon."

“Skipping dinner, are we?” Jake asks.

“Mmm. Straight to dessert,” Dean says with a conniving smile that makes heat rush to my cheeks.

“Room is ready,” Lance says, “Why are you still here, Angela?”

“I just…” she starts to say.

“I’m only going to say this one more time,” Lance says. “I don’t want you. You were something I used to pass the time, and I made that very well known. I’d appreciate it if you left Sadie alone. Obsession doesn’t look good on you.”

“What. What did he say?” Mason says when she goes to talk she frowns. I notice Alex glaring at me and I turn into Lance. He wraps his arm around me before seeing what I see.

“Let’s go,” Lance says to the others, keeping his eyes on Alex.

Thankfully, everyone is mingling and talking so not too much attention has been drawn to us. We walk out of the main room. I yelp when Alex grabs my arm and pulls me away from Lance. “Let go of me,” I yell loud enough that almost everyone turns and looks at me. I didn’t mean to be so loud about it but the look on his face freaked me out and I panicked.

Alex releases his death grip on my arm right as Mason grabs me. Dean grabs him by the front of his shirt and slams him against the wall. “If you ever put your hands on her again, I will break your fucking legs. Got it, bitch?” Dean says with a grave tone.

“This isn’t over,” Alex says before he grabs Angela’s hand and pulls her down the hall away from us.

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. Mason lifts my chin and scowls at me.

“Do not apologize for something that is not your fault, Sadie,” he says. I open my mouth to apologize again but stop and smile when he nearly growls at me. “Don’t you do it.”

“Well, we are going to redeem our date now,” Lance says.

“Wait, are you really going to make me go sit in a restaurant?” I ask. “I am in a formal dress.”

“No,” he laughs. “We’ll order room service.”

“I also have nothing else to wear.”

“I brought extra clothes for you,” Stacy says. “I had a feeling y’all would stay, so I planned ahead. I can bring you something in the morning if you need more than just leggings and a T-shirt.”

“Kay,” I say quietly. Anxiety is swirling inside of me, and with every passing moment, I am closer to panicking.

“We’re gonna go before she runs away,” Lance says as he waves everyone off. They lead me toward the elevators and I am just blindly following them at this point. I trust them, and that’s all that matters. When the elevator doors shut, I back myself into a corner and slide down the wall to a squatted position. I rest my elbows on my knees and press my palms to my forehead. My breathing is coming in short bursts suddenly and I can’t slow it down. I feel like an idiot for freaking out like this. I am twenty-eight and I’ve known them my entire life. I’m alone with themdaily. I have been in just a towel around them more times than I can count.

The difference is… I’ve never had sex and they have. I have this nagging feeling in the back of my head that I won’t be good enough or I won’t measure up to what they want in a partner, and there I’ll be. What if I fuck everything up with my anxiety? They know I have anxiety though. This isn’t new. They’ve calmed me down numerous times.

“Hey. You’re okay. Come here,” Mason says as he pulls me up to stand. He wraps me in a hug and no one says a word while I try to calm down. I’m not crying, but I am damn near hyperventilating.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I really do feel like I am just fucking things up right now.”

“I’m being ridiculous. I have no reason to be panicking,” I say. “None of this is new.”

“Not so far, no,” Mason says.

“So I have no reason, but I can’t make it stop.”

“Right now this isn’t new to you, but we all know what the new part will be. That is what’s freaking you out. Not only were you raised in a home to hate yourself and anything that could possibly bring you joy, but you’ve never had sex. I promise you, everyone is this nervous at some point, even if it is internalized,” Mason explains.

“I just have no idea what I’m getting myself into,” I sigh.

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