Page 17 of Filthy Little Secret

Oh my God. I want to cry right now.

It’s just because you’re drunk that you give this many shits.

I take deep breaths to collect myself, hoping the room will stop spinning soon.

But the room keeps moving like I’m on a carousel.

“You’re such a fucking asshole,” I tell him.

“You’re telling the guy who brought you back to his place and saved you from facing your cheating ex he’s an asshole?”

“I know what you did to Keith. I know how you led him on.”

“He knew what we were doing.”

“And you knew what he wanted.”

Silence.

He knows I’m right. He must. Keith isn’t a subtle guy. And he sure as fuck wasn’t subtle about his feelings for Tim.

“You’re right, but is it my problem if he wanted more than what I told him I could give him?”

I don’t have a comeback. I’d like to think if I was sober, I’d have something smart to say.

He props himself up on his arm. I can just see his silhouette.

As he lies there, a dark figure before me, I know he’s a demon—a cruel, sadistic creature that lies and manipulates. He’s cunning. He didn’t bring me back here out of the goodness of his heart, but to deceive me the way he deceived Keith. And I won’t let that happen.

I roll over to face him. “And you don’t care about how much you hurt him?”

“I honestly didn’t know how much he cared until it was over. When he started getting weird. Like texting all the time and coming up to chat with me at like every party we both happened to be at one night…which happened way too much for a while there.”

“But it’s not just Keith, and you know it. I can name two other guys who you did this to last year.”

“You rich kids think you’re entitled to everything. Even other people. Especially if they’re beneath you.”

“What?”

“I’ve seen you guys. Hooked up with plenty of you to know the moment you want something, you think it belongs to you already because you’re so used to getting exactly what you want. And when you can’t have one thing in this world, it drives you nutty. Makes your whole world crash down around you because that’s something you don’t get, is it?”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“Everyone knows about you. You’re the governor’s son.”

“Meaning people know even less than they realize.”

“Sure. Okay. Just go to bed, please.”

There’s no point fighting him while I’m like this. I’ll lose. And if Mom’s taught me anything, it’s that losing isn’t an option.

I close my eyes. The room is still moving.

And then, a powerful sensation rushes through me.

Shit.

I roll over and hop off the bed just in time to spew vomit across the floor before me.

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