Page 79 of How to Get Even

She held his gaze until she couldn’t. Her head dropping and with those little shakes as she stared at the carpet, she replied, ‘I don’t know.’

The silence that hung between them wasn’t uncomfortable. But he also wasn’t sure that he believed her. She might have thrown a wall between herself and her wants but until she was ready to admit that they were there, that they were valid and that it was fine to have wants and to go for them, she would only be living a half-life.

And as someone who had reached for his wants, had them in his grasp and lost them, he truly knew what that half-life was like to live. And it was no life at all.

‘I…’

Say it, he dared her mentally. Tell me what it is you want.

‘I want to get really,reallydrunk,’ she announced before necking the rest of her scotch.

And he smiled, even if he was partially disappointed that she hadn’t been able to say what it was that she wanted, because he was also partially relieved. There was enough beginning to build between them. Honesty might be the thing that tipped them over the edge and he wasn’t sure that either of them needed that right now.

* * *

Bella was going to die. She hadn’t even opened her eyes yet. Surely no one could survive this much physical pain and nausea. Every single time she inhaled she thought she might actually pass out.

She reached up to press a hand to her forehead. It felt feverish and she groaned again.

‘Here. Drink and swallow.’

She tensed and inhaled a gasp of shock.

Who? What? Wait…

Chase?

The sound of a glass being placed onto the bedside table made her flinch and she scrunched her closed eyes even more shut. Where was she? And, more importantly, why was Chase there?

‘Ahh. Memory blank? Well, you did have a fair amount to drink last night.’

Scotch. That was why her tongue felt like a carpet. Urgh.

Scotch. Paige. Olly…Chase.

She whimpered.

‘Drink the water, take the pills and get in the shower,’ Chase ordered before leaving her alone.

She remembered going to his door. Remembered the towel around his waist, the scotch. His sofa.

Her heart lurched. Why was she in a bed? Whose bed was she in? Oh God, was she even wearing clothes? She lifted the covers, glaring down at bare legs and arms. She was wearing her underwear and a vest, but still… how had she?

No. Nonononononononononono.

She shoved a hand over her own mouth to stop the sound from coming out.

What had she done?

Her breaths came shallow and quick. Which only made the nausea worse. There was a genuine possibility that she might actually be sick. She looked around the room, recognising her things, so at least she was in her own apartment. But if he’d brought her home, why was he still here?

‘Stop overthinking, Bella, and get in the damn shower,’ Chase called through from the other room.

She whimpered again and gingerly made her way to the bathroom.

Oh God, oh God, oh God.

Bella spent the two minutes she allowed herself in the shower to try to figure out a way of getting rid of him. But when she emerged, nearly five minutes later, washed, dried, moisturised – which didn’t help nearly as much as she’d hoped – she still hadn’t thought of a way to get rid of him.

---