Page 9 of Unbossly Manners

“It’s totally up to you, but it might help to talk about what happened tonight. I won’t judge or try and fix you. But I can guide you if you want.”

I exhaled. “It’s no biggie. Really.”

Kat sat patiently, not saying anything. It was a good tactic. Uneasy with the silence, I spoke.

“My date said some hurtful things. Because…” My cheeks bloomed red. “I’m bad at the sex stuff.”

I swallowed a gulp of liquid courage, and eyed Kat over the rim. “I guess I’m not very experienced.”

“Can you explain exactly what happened?” A shadow crossed over her face. “Do you mind?”

There was a small knock on the front door. We glanced over and Jackson entered, carrying a Duane Reade bag and set it on the counter.

I stiffened. I hadn’t realized he’d be coming over. I thought he’d gone to his apartment for the night after he left us at the subway station.

Katrina shot him daggers for interrupting.

“What?” he asked innocently.

“It’s okay,” I said, not so concerned about who heard anymore. The whole night had become laughable in hindsight—and after the whiskey. “He can hear it. You’ve both gone above and beyond for my stupidity.”

“I hope that self-talk is better in your head, girl,” Kat said, pouring more whiskey and clinking glasses.

“Sooooo.” I drew the word out, the warm cushion of the alcohol settling inside me like a comfy cloud of security. “We went out. It was a good date. I really liked him.”

I tapped my finger on the glass, my long nail clinking the crystal. Then I told them what happened after we got back to the apartment—my inexperience, him pushing my head down, me gagging, and finally leaving. I left out the part where I injured his nether regions.

“He said I was the worst girl he’d ever been with.” My skin flushed from embarrassment.

“He said that?” Kat’s face was incredulous. Jackson’s expression was hard as stone, his eyes dark.

“It’s not something you forget. When I tried to leave, he wouldn’t let me. Instead, he kicked me out of the apartment saying that his sister was planning on doing it soon anyway.” I swallowed the sticky ball of emotion jammed in my throat. “ It was just a bad sexual encounter. Everyone has them.”

I glanced up, expecting Jackson and Kat to laugh it off with me, but their faces were mirror images of repulsion.

“That wasn’t a bad sexual encounter. That was a borderline attack,” Kat said.

My heart contracted behind my ribs. “What? No. It was my inexperience.”

“He grabbed your head and forced himself into your mouth. You gagged!” Kat’s eyes were wide with anger. “These fucking guys. You’d think women calling out these types of men all over social media and holding them accountable would’ve weeded out these fuckers. But no. There are so many still out there.”

Jackson stood quietly near the kitchen, his expression tense.

“Tell her, Jax,” Kat urged.

“If that guy had done that to our daughter, I’d shove my fist through his throat. A man should treat a woman with respect. And never force her to do anything. If I grabbed that glass of whiskey and put it up to your lips and shoved your face in it, would that be okay?”

“No,” I said. “But I didn’t tell him I didn’t want it.”

“A decent man, a respectful man, would never have done what he did,” Kat said. “Don’t make excuses for his behavior. What he did was not okay. And if you’d punched him in the balls, he would’ve deserved it.”

I kinda did. Kat made me feel better about that part at least.

Jackson picked up his phone, agitated. “Where’s Evie?”

“Spending the night at Sasha’s,” Kat said. “Don’t worry. I FaceTimed her before I went to your office. They were watching a movie in Sasha’s bedroom. Look up her location. She’s safe. Sasha’s parents are there.”

Jackson’s shoulders relaxed, confident his daughter was safe.

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