Page 80 of Clinch'd

Minnie

Crave is hopping when I arrive and grimly, I make my way to the bar, ordering a shot and drinking it down, before ordering another as the bartender watches me with wide eyes.

After paying him, I slip into the crowd and lose myself to the music, until it’s nothing but me and the sounds. And after, I drink some more until I can’t see straight, and I have to lean against the wall to maintain my balance.

Absently, I root around in my purse for my phone when a shadow passes over me and I look up into Beast’s eyes.

“Minnie?” he asks, looking me over curiously.

“Beasht, Beasht...Beasst,” I slur, weaving on my feet and pawing his arm.

“Fuck, you are fucked up,” he says grimly, grabbing my arm and holding me upright.

“Fucked up,” I giggle, which turns to a sob.

Beast’s eyes widen before he looks around and mutters, “Fuck.”

It’s the last thing I remember before I roll over in a strange bed and stare at the ceiling. My head is pulsing so painfully thatI’m quite sure I’m going to puke, but I don’t have the energy to search out the bathroom.

For a moment, I stare into nothing and I’m blissfully ignorant but then everything comes sailing back and I smile bitterly.

Maybe this is what I deserve but it doesn’t make the humiliation burn any less, nor the feeling of undesirableness that makes me want to curl into myself and die. Talk about a rude awakening.

I knew he was using me to get to Beast but fuck he didn’t have to rub my own words in my face.

As if I need the reminder that I’m a pale, unexciting version of Lorri. Shit.

Lorri shines bright, she always has but her star is dangerous and unstable which is why up until now I’ve been content to be the one who stands in the shadows.

But I’m tired of the shadows. I’m tired of playing it safe. I’m tired of being second.

The question is, what do I do about it?

There’s nothing I can do on the Cooper front, he hates me and although it hurts my soul, it’s also for the best because I was enamored with a dream and he’s a fucking nightmare.

With a groan, I pull myself from the bed and lean into my hands. I’m pretty sure there's a whole lot I need to expel from my aching stomach and it’s with true regret I look around for a bathroom before settling before the toilet and puking my guts out.

Surely alcohol is the devil.

“You alive in there?” Beast calls through the door and I groan, which seems to answer his question because I hear nothing more from him.

When I’m done, I hope I steal toothpaste from the drawer and brush my teeth with my finger before pulling my hair back intoa messy bun. I look like death warmed over, but this is hardly a surprise when I feel like I’ve been run over by a semi-truck.

Beast is sitting on the couch when I emerge, and I give a moment to admire the real estate as I round the couch. His chest is bare and he’s fucking huge, I mean his muscles have muscles.

With a sigh, I sit down across from him, and he grunts, nodding at a bottle of water on the table before him.

Even though my stomach is not in a good place, I drink it down knowing I need the hydration sooner rather than later.

I find Beast staring at me moodily when I lower the bottle and I smile weakly when he raises a bushy brow. “Well? You wanna tell me what happened last night?”

“Temporary insanity?”

He chuffs, “Why?”

“Well,” I murmur, “apparently Cooper’s really angry and he’s getting back at me by fucking my sister.”

When Beast doesn’t respond, not even a sympathetic gasp, I raise my eyes to find him staring at me blankly. “What?” I rasp.

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